Chapter Two
POV Lucian
Stony Brooks, Texas, 1922
Lucian looked up towards the sky to gauge how much time they had before the storm finally reached them. With the weather so cold, storms were a normal occurrence but he, being the law enforcer of the village, had to make sure that everything was protected and the people were safe. After his job was done, he could go home to his farm a little way off from the village and put his feet up.
Making the necessary round of the village, he contemplated what he and his friend John were going to have for dinner. John had served right along with him in the army and the two men’s friendship had held up even after they had decided to retire and purchase a peaceful area where they could spend the rest of their life, away from all the violence and the death. The thought of retirement had entered Lucian’s mind after he had been shot in the knee by an enemy bullet. The bullet had failed to do its work and Lucian had managed to somehow recover and get back on his two feet. The leg still gave him problems when he didn’t sit down for a long time, like now. Sometimes the pain would get unbearable but he was thankful that somehow his leg was saved.
After retirement, he had purchased a farm near the village with John where they had built a ranch house. The people of the village had offered him the position of a law enforcer and John had decided to stay back and carry out the duties of the farm. They had a small number of cattle and hens along with other animals like pigs and a few horses. The cattle were a source of good income to them along with the diary products that they sold. John had recently decided to start a breeding farm for cattle and for that idea to become a possibility the needed someone to manage the house. That was when the argument had struck.
“You should marry,” John had blurted as soon as he had sat down for dinner at the table. All Lucian had done was stare at John as if he had suddenly sprouted wings.
“What? You are a virile young man who needs a woman to manage and help him with his house. And then we will not have to eat burnt dinner every night,” he had continued as if the stare Lucian was giving him was not cold enough to freeze a man on the spot.
“I cannot marry,” was all he Lucian had muttered in response before carrying on with his dinner which composed of burnt beans and overcooked rice.
“Why? Is there something I don’t know?” John had questioned, his eyes lighting up with mirth at the suggested meaning behind his words.
“No,” Lucian had replied, immune to John’s nature and his jokes by now.
“Then what is the problem? You have got to get married someday and this time is as good as any. I’m sure there are a number of women who would be willing to give up their happy life and put up with someone like you. After all, I did read that the number of women is greater than men in America,” John had kept on, amused. Lucian had been unable to put off the matter and he knew that John would not give up until he consented to his scheme. Thus, he had tried to find a way out by telling him how there were no suitable women available that he could marry.
“That issue can easily be dealt with. A number of men are now putting advertisements in the paper about the kind of women they need. They are then contacted by the women who are willing to move to them and marry,” John explained, trying to persuade Lucian.
Lucian had never heard of the idea John described and had no idea how it worked. For all they knew, the women could be lying to them.
There may be no reply in the first place, he had thought. But to silence John, he had agreed. Lucian knew that somewhere deep down he had wanted to settle down and start a new life too. He looked at all the families in the village and how they were with each other and would sometimes yearn for the same thing before he caught himself and remembered why he could never risk marriage.
His time in the army had changed him, drastically. It had made him into a new person and not for the better. At times, he had to search for his humanity within himself. He was utterly lost and he knew he had no hope. He was a broken person and at times, he felt as if he was a shadow of the person who used to be Lucian Thorne.
He had a great many problems and conditions, and he knew he couldn’t risk another human, especially a woman, to deal with them. He was a ticking bomb. He knew when and if he burst he would destroy himself as well as those near him. John knew him, understood why he would scream at night, or why he would suddenly lose himself when a spoon would fall to the ground, but nobody else could understand. For that reason alone, he could not risk marriage.
But when John had presented the idea to him with all the stipulations and the benefits he couldn’t find it in him to refuse for long. The tiny shred of humanity he had in him demanded that he find someone to share his hollow life with, someone who would make it complete. He wanted children and the joy of a happy family life, somewhere deep down. In the past, whenever the urge had disturbed him, he had dampened it down one way or the other but now the lure was too strong and the strength in him to resist it had weakened considerably. He knew something had to be done. The farm needed a woman and so did he.
So when John had brought up the argument again, he had agreed. He had agreed to print an advertisement in the paper to look for a woman who would be suitable for the farm and the life. He had no preferences for himself. There had been a time in his youth when he had preferred the curvier and blonde types but that time was long gone. So when he wrote the content for the advertisement he had only mentioned the basic demands, much to John’s dismay.
It was Monday when the post arrived; just two days after they had posted the Ad. He had had no hope or inclination as to the reply they would get. It would have been safe to say that Lucian had expected no reply. He had seen the way the other men had given the Ads, complete with the descriptions of themselves and their demands of the women. In comparison, his post had been bland and customary. Not fit for any vain woman. He had not given any description of himself and his farm as well so it was a shock when the mailman had delivered a letter addressed to him.
He had not told John of the occurrence but instead had taken the letter along with him to his office, the village’s prison with two cells that were always empty. The letter inside had surprised him. The penmanship was simple and to the point. The letter was brief but addressed all the points but what surprised him the most was that the woman had just plainly asked him about himself and not his income or his support system. The loyalty she showed to her friend was also astonishing and a thing he admired in anyone, as it was hard to find. He hadn’t meant to reply but something in him had wanted to get to know Emma Taylor better.
Miss Taylor,
I’m grateful that you replied to my advertisement regarding a bride. I will try to address all of your questions in this letter and hope that you find the answers to your satisfaction. If all goes well, you can make the move as soon as you can and we can go from there. I think it would be best if you can move here and survey the surroundings and the area before you consent to the marriage.
As for the dowry problem, I assure you that I don’t mind the prospect of no dowry. I work as a lawman for the village and my income along with the farm’s income is enough to support a family thus there is no need for an extra dowry. I would be happy to accept you as you are. As for your friend, I assure you that the house is big enough for the both of you and it would be a very good thing for her to come along as the farm here needs as many people as it could get. We sell dairy products and cattle in the market but are soon upgrading the farm into a breeding one. When that happens, we will need all the help and will need to hire more people.
I own the farm along with a friend of mine, who was also my companion when I was in the military. I work as the lawman while he handles everything related to the farm and the animals. The farm area is vast and adequate, complete with a barn and storage houses as well as a building for the servants. The village is close-by and is equipped with shops and other establishments that will cater to every need of yours. As for me, I am a thirty-two-year-old man retired from the army after the War and trying to set up a home for myself.
If there are any more questions, I will be welcome to answer them all but if this letter satisfies you then you can take a coach and move to this area as soon as you can. We do not need to get married post haste until you can satisfy yourself as to the type of life you will spend here.
Yours Truly,
Lucian Thorne
Done with the letter, Lucian read it over once and made minute changes until it satisfied him. He then picked it up and kept it with the rest of his mail to post.