Page 4 of Mail-Order Millie (A Mail-Order Mystery #1)

Four

M illie heard herself say the words, “I do,” and almost fainted. She found it difficult to breathe, and Mr. Krantz grabbed her elbow to steady her.

“Are you okay?” he asked with concern.

Millie took a deep breath and nodded.

Preacher Barton, a wiry little bald man, grinned. “Now we’ve come to the good part.” He cleared his throat. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. Krantz, you may kiss the bride.”

Millie stared at her new husband. Her assumption was right, he looked much better without the beard and mustache. He had thick dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and was taller than she expected.

Mr. Krantz took her hands in his, bent to her, and gave her a quick peck on the lips. When he straightened, he smiled.

At a loss for words, Millie smiled shyly back. She was married!

“Congratulations!” Charlie said.

Before she knew it, Preacher Barton was having everyone sign the license, and she noticed Mr. Krantz hesitate when it was his turn. “Is there a problem?” she asked.

He glanced between her and the license. “Not at all, just making sure everything is worded correctly.”

Charlie laughed. “Hear that, Monty? Boss said he was a stickler for details!”

“Yeah,” Monty said. “And speaking of details, we got some to see to before we leave town.”

Mr. Krantz’s head came up, and he looked at them.

“Sign the license, sir,” Preacher Barton urged. “And you and your bride can be on your way.”

Millie’s new husband sighed like he was signing his death warrant rather than his marriage license, and her heart dropped. Did he not want to marry her? That would explain the shocked look on his face when he first laid eyes on her at the station.

Millie hid her disappointment by turning away from the men and pulling a handkerchief from her reticule. She quickly dabbed her eyes with it, then stuffed it back inside. She could do this. Millie drew in a deep breath and faced the men. “Is everything in order?”

Mr. Krantz shoved his spectacles up his nose. “Yes.” He glanced at Charlie and Monty. “Thank you for all your help.”

“Don’t thank us,” Monty said. “Thank the boss when you see him. He’s giving you three days with your bride. Consider it a wedding present.” He slapped him on the back and turned to leave.

“Enjoy your night!” Charlie giggled and followed.

Once they left the church, Millie turned back to him. “I suppose we should go home?”

He fixed his gaze on the marriage license, then looked at her. “Home?” He shook his head. “No… um, I have something special planned. You must be starving, for one, and tired from your journey.”

“Well, yes, as a matter of fact…”

He took her by the arm, handed Preacher Barton some money, and ushered her from the church. “I thought a day or two at the hotel would be nice.”

“The hotel? But your home…”

“Is a mess! I didn’t have time to take care of things before you arrived. I need to do some cleaning before I take you home.”

“How thoughtful, but I can take care of any cleaning…”

“There’s a rat,” he said with wide eyes. “A… big one. I need to get rid of it.”

“Rat?” she said cringing. “Oh, please do.”

Her new husband smiled at her. “I will. I want things safe for you.”

He stopped and looked into her eyes with no small amount of concern. Millie’s heart skipped a beat. “Thank you,” she breathed.

He swallowed hard. “Don’t mention it.” He continued to the hotel, and soon he was checking them in as Mr. and Mrs. William Krantz.

He escorted her to their room, unlocked the door and went inside. “There, you’ll be comfortable here.”

She frowned. “Me? What about you?”

“I have that rat to take care of, remember?”

“Oh, yes.” She watched him set her bags on the bed. “Are you hungry?”

He stood by the bed, his back to her. “I am. We could go to one of the restaurants in town or see if the dining room downstairs is open for dinner yet.”

Millie studied him as he turned to face her. He was broader than she first thought, and she couldn’t stop trying to take him in.

He took on a worried look. “What is it?”

Millie shook her head. “N-nothing. You surprised me, that’s all.”

He stepped toward her. “How so?”

When he reached her, she looked into his eyes. “You don’t look anything like your photograph.”

He rubbed his chin with a hand. “I shaved,” he said in explanation.

Without thinking, she reached up and palmed one side of his face. “You look nice.”

He swallowed as he gazed at her. “So do you.”

Millie’s cheeks heated, and she looked away. “We should check the dining room.”

He reached up and put his hand over hers. “Yes, we should.” He took her hand, held it, then led her to the door. In the hall, he let go her hand, locked the door, and handed her the key. “You’d best carry this.”

She nodded and put the key in her reticule. Of all the scenarios she’d run through her head during her journey, this was not one of them. Her new husband was quiet, handsome, strong-looking, and tall. Maybe, just maybe, she could have a normal life now.

Downstairs they went into the dining room and were able to order dinner. While they waited for their food, Millie tried not to openly gawk at her new husband. “So tell me,” she began. “What should I call you?”

He stared at her a moment. “Call me?”

“Yes. Should I call you William?”

He shook his head. “No, call me Bram.” He stiffened as soon as he said it. “Or Bill…”

“Bram?” she said with a smile. “Is that a nickname?”

He gave her a tiny shrug. “My, um, mother used to call me that when I was younger.”

She smiled again. “Bram. I like it. Is it short for anything?”

He drew in a breath and nodded. “Bramble. Because I was always getting stuck in the middle of something I didn’t want to be stuck in.”

“I see,” she said with a laugh. “And did your mother have to pull you out of the bramble patch often?”

He gazed into her eyes before his eyes swept over her face. “No. I always got myself out.” He gave her a heartfelt look, and for a moment, she thought she caught sympathy in his eyes. Why would he look at her like that?

Millie’s eyes became downcast. Maybe he didn’t want to marry her after all.