~~~***~~~
The morning of Vera’s departure from Oakville, Thea fixed Vera’s long, brown hair into a puffy up-do allowing thin tendrils to curl down by her ears. She applied rice powder to her face to hide any shine, and used a blush—which she’d found in her mother’s old dresser—on her cheeks. Next, she mixed chimney soot with oil and carefully painted Vera’s eyelids. She stepped back and clapped her hands. “You’re gorgeous, Vera!”
Vera gazed at her reflection in the mirror. “Goodness, Thea, that doesn’t even look like me. Take it all off!”
“You’ll want to make a good first impression. Besides, there’s no time. Your train leaves in an hour, and you need to say goodbye to the children. I promised them you’d come home now and then to visit.”
“I will. Of course, I will.” Vera stood and picked up her valise. “I hope my husband approves of me.”
Chapter Two
Wyatt lost his footing and fell from the barn’s loft days before Vera was to arrive. He fell flat on his face, broke his nose, and banged up his face badly. He broke his left arm as well. How was he to meet his new bride looking like a pugilist?
Dr. Hall set his nose and his arm. He laughed and said, “This is the perfect test of love. If she doesn’t hop right back on the train after seeing you, it will be a perfect love match.”
Wyatt had hired a housekeeper who agreed to stay on for a few days after Vera arrived to show her around. Now he had to hire a worker for the farm since he couldn’t do all the work himself with just one arm. Luckily, it was late fall and most of the crops had already been harvested and sold. Still, there was a lot to do to get the fields ready for spring. He felt fortunate that he’d had an excellent crop this year as well as the extra money to afford the help. Even so, meeting his bride for the first time couldn’t have happened at a worse time.
Clay eagerly offered to meet Vera’s train and explain Wyatt’s predicament so she could prepare for when she’d meet him. Clay brought Grace with him to help welcome Vera into the family and explain what had happened to Wyatt.
Clay and Grace stood on the station’s platform eagerly waiting to see what their new sister-in-law would be like.
The train finally pulled in. They watched several elderly ladies step off before Vera finally did. They knew it was Wyatt’s wife for she looked lost and frightened, as she was jostled about by others who bumped into her as they made their way onto the train.
Grace waved and caught her attention. She noticed Vera’s eyes as they traveled from Grace to Clay. Grace was sure Vera thought Clay was her new husband. She took Vera’s gloved hands in hers. “Welcome to Hays, Vera. I’m Wyatt’s sister-in-law, Grace, and this,” she pointed to her husband, “is Wyatt’s brother, Clay.”
Vera smiled at them both. She looked around behind Clay. “Where’s Wyatt?”
Clay grimaced. “He’s had a little accident. He lost his footing in the loft in the barn and broke his nose and arm in the fall. He’s still recuperating. He wanted us to greet you to prepare for meeting him in his delicate condition.”
Vera’s hands flew to her face. “Oh, no! How horrid.”
Grace studied Vera and said, “Actually, it’s a blessing. You aren’t ready to meet Wyatt yet, are you?”
“Why, of course I am.” Vera gave her a confused look. “I tried to—”
“Exactly!” Grace exclaimed. “You look lovely but far too stylish. Wyatt wants a more ... how shall I say ... a less citified wife. This is farm country, and most of the farmers’ wives don’t wear heavy makeup and puffy hairstyles. You want to fit in, don’t you?”
“It was my sister’s idea,” Vera said. “What shall I do?”
Grace took her arm. “You’ll come home with me, and I’ll make you look perfect for Wyatt.”
Grace took down Vera’s inflated hairdo and put it in a tight bun pinned to the top of her head. She also washed Vera’s face to remove all traces of her makeup.
“There,” Grace said. “You still look lovely but more like a farmer’s wife. You’ll fit right into the community.”
“Thank you so much, Grace.” Vera looked at herself in the mirror. “I look more like myself this way, and I feel a lot more comfortable.”
“Now, Clay’ll take you over to Wyatt’s farm, and you’ll get to meet him. He’s a wonderful man. You’ll be pleased. His farm is just down the road.”
While Vera used the outhouse, Clay whispered to Grace, “That was brilliant. All Wyatt needed was to have seen a woman as lovely as Lucy, and wearing as much makeup. He wouldn’t have been pleased.”
“I figure a woman in her position might think she’d have to look as good as possible. Little does she know that is far from what Wyatt wants or expects.”
“How did you know she wasn’t a woman like Lucy?” Clay asked.
“She wasn’t comfortable wearing the makeup. Her eyes were red from the soot, and when she put her hands to her face, she checked her gloves to be sure there was no soot or rouge on them. A woman used to wearing makeup would know exactly where to touch her face.”
Clay pinched his wife’s cheek. “You’re a smart one, Mrs. Stone. I’m sure she’s as nervous as Wyatt is to meet, and she wanted to make the best presentation possible.”
“I’m afraid it would have been the worst. She would have reminded him of Lucy.”
~~~***~~~
Wyatt paced the floor, waiting for Clay to arrive with his wife. Where were they? When he heard
