Frontier marriage. (Reserved for Goldenbraid and Niceandbrutal.)

[Niceandbrutal]

The colonial outpost of Victoriaville in Kenya was a quiet outpost of the british empire, bordering on the savannah and the masai homelands. Its denizens were hardy men and women, used to work their fingers to the bone in Africa's unforgiving climate. Still, it was an outpost of british civilisation, complete with a grocery store, church, pub, and a tea salon for the resident ladies. Life here went by at a predictable rhythm, dictated by rainy seasons and the calendar. There was no train service here, but there was a carriage service from the infamous Tsavo bridge and railway station that took about half a day's journey. The town also prided itsef with having gotten a telegraph station just a year ago. Service was flimsy at best due to the wear and tear of wildlife and elements, but the town had at least a tenuous connection with the outside world.

There was little for Victoriaville's inhabitants to gossip about, so when Douglas Hamilton showed up in town in his carrige three months ahead of his regular schedule, it was enough to set tongues wagging. He drove down the town's main street in his carriage, his trusty Martini-Henry holstered near his seat, his revolver and his bullwhip hanging in his belt as usual. He wore a wide brimmed hat pulled down close to a pair of grizzled clear blue eyes and he had a sizable red beard streaked with white. His pale freckled skin had succumbed to the insistent sun and he had a leathery tan covering most of his body, a mute testament to his long life of outdoor work in Africa. He wore a light jacket both in colour and texture to protect himself from the midday heat and he had a huge water canteen slung across his shoulder. He stood over six feet tall and was as tall as the masai cowherders and warriors in the area. His body was a huge and compact bundle of muscles, and no one dared utter an insult his way. Very few people knew anything about him, as he was a tight lipped customer. Only the priest had spoken to him at length, and he was not one to gossip.

So Douglas was intimidating to be sure, but he never drank and got into fights, he never socialised much, and he never participted in any social events, not even church socials. So he was an enigma and a mystery to most people, and every visit of his into town was cause for talk. Curioser still, he wasn't in town today to buy or sell any produce. No, he parked his carriage near to the coach station, sat down, produced a letter, and read it several times while he checked the time on his pocket watch.

Douglas knew the townsfolk were curious about him. But he had liked the solitary life the farm gave him. He was on good terms with the local masai tribe, and he spoke their language well. He'd been offered marriage to several masai women, but he was adamant that he would marry an english woman if he ever married. It was not to do with racism and more to do with practicalities. He thought he and a british woman would inherenty get along better since they had more or less the same background. Douglas was unaware that his life had shaped him to be alien to almost all polite society.

The local priest, Father Mulroney, had taken it upon himself to try to bring Douglas Hamilton into the fold, such as it were. He'd visited on several occasions and had lengthy discussions bordering on arguments about the wastefulness of Douglas keeping the farm only to himself when there were so many women in Great Britain in need of a fresh start with a good husband. What finally swayed Douglas was Father Mulroney's argument about the farm needing a woman's touch, a polite way of saying that Douglas's home, though cleaned by hired masai women, was kind of... sad and spartan. Douglas had succumbed and had penned a letter to a service that provided proper women as marrying prospects for lonely men like himself at the frontiers of the empire.

Dougls had, of course, led a life that left little room for nick-nacks and sentimental paraphernalia. He'd come to Africa as a soldier. He'd been stationed in South Africa and participated in the Zulu wars. When his service time was up, he went to Kimberley to try his hand at gold mining. But the work did not suit him well. So he pulled up stakes and went with an army buddy to help Colonel Patterson near Tsavo when he struggled with the two infamous man-eating lions later dubbed The Ghost and The Darkness. Douglas liked game hunting well enough, but he abhorred the clientele; spoiled upper class people that shot animals only to snap a photo of them and leaving them to rot, unless they brought the hide and other game paraphernalia home as trophies. So Douglas turned his back on that and used his savings to buy a huge plot of land for him to farm. He'd been moderately succesful, and he liked living off the land and at the mercy of nature. Only Father Mulroney knew of Douglas's histroy.

Douglas was sitting in the shade now, slowly fanning himself with his hat, revealing a shock of ginger hair with some white streaks as well. The townsfolk wondered among themselves what had brought Douglas to town and some of them put themselves up outside buildings, staring openly at him. He acknowledged them with a curt perfunctory nod and re-read the letter. Presently, he fished up another piece of paper, a telegram. The telegraph had handed a telegram to father Mulroney for him to hand to Douglas the next time he went to visit him. Douglas now re-read the telegram, checked the time, and asked the smith nearby of the date. Later that evening, the smith was interrogated at length in the pub about what had transpired between Douglas and the beautiful young woman that had arrived with the coach from Tsavo.

Everyone saw the coach arrive, everyone saw Douglas leap up. Everyone saw the beautiful young woman he spoke with. He had shaken hands with her, her dainty white hand almost completely disappearing in his massive paw. They had introduced themselves to each other, politely and correct. Everyone saw them drive to church. Father Mulroney had called in his own wife and his brother-in-law as best woman and man respectively, as well as for witnesses, for a short perfunctory wedding, but they didn't tattle. The townsfolk saw Douglas and the young woman enter the church. Douglas swept off his hat and turned to her. "Well, i suppose we're getting married now," he said as if commenting on the weather.

 

[Goldenbraid]

Brittney Lewis watched the terrain go by as the coach bumped along the road towards its destination, thinking back across most of her life and more the events that brought her here.



Brittney was from a poor family, her father taking any odd job he could find while her mother did a lot of laundry and sewing jobs to help, which was small help with four children to look after. She guessed that was why the first event that upheaved her life had gone as it did.



Brittney remembered how out of place the fancy carriage looked passing through run down village had looked, and more the sight of Stanley Rogen and his daughter Danica in their finery. She never knew is they had been actually out looking for servants or just taking a trip through the countryside, but the young girl calling for a stop and energetically crying out ‘I want her, her’ while pointing at Brittney had been surprising. More surprising was after taking to his daughter, was Stanley Rogen approaching her family and offering a monetary compensation and monthly allowance for her like she was some object to bid on. Then that was mild to the shock as her parents readily agreed with almost no hesitation….. though she had to admit it would be of great help to them and their finances…… so she was set in a seat on the carriage and whisked off.



She guess she shouldn’t complain, compared to her family’s rundown shack, the Rogen estate was huge and very posh, and for being Danica’s playmate and slight servant, she had decent clothes to wear, good food and a warm place to sleep. And as a nobleman’s daughter Danica had many great toys and things to play with, which meant so did Brittney by default as her now formal playmate. So grew up nearly as well treated and papered as Danica herself, though the looks of disappointment and with holding of privileges that Danica suffered, and whined terribly about, when she’d misbehave and pull Brittney in with her, were mild compared to the angry dressing downs and punishments she suffered for her part. She’d only once asked how she was suppose to prevent the girl for doing bad stuff considering she was the girl’s servant had to do as asked, but the more severe punishment she’d received for it made her not mention it again.



At least she got a partial education out of it as well, for as Danica’s constant companion, she was always there in the background as the girl was taught to act like a proper lady and educated, though it was only though things the were verbally give or physically shown that she learn….. no one was going to give a servant a book to look at or read….. still Brittney at least learned her letters and with quiet practice, could sign her own name instead of just making a mark like more poor or low born. In fact she seemed to understand the lessons in manners and etiquette better than her ‘mistress’ and had to on more that one occasion whisper or make an indicate of what to do when Danica was unsure or forgot.



So, as they both grew, Brittney went from playmate and fetcher, to companion and personal servant, to constant companion and handmaiden for Danica, and at times nearly felt like a sister and second daughter, though she was always reminded of the line between her and the girl when things went wrong. Though as they became young ladies and approached their coming of age, things turned a bit more difficult, Danica became a very fine and pretty young woman, and discovered boys, but as many of the servants pointed out to varying degrees, so was Brittney. In fact, she was warned by a few of the other women that she was developing the kind of looks that turned young servants in the mistresses of young nobles, and older nobles too. And worst, that she growing prettier and shapelier than her ‘Mistress’ was, though she did think so, even when she did get more attention from young men both noble and common.



Times turned bad though very soon, as one day a new official to town came visiting and made a mistake of mixing the two up, approach Brittney as if she was Danica, an event that upset both father and daughter, though she quickly corrected the gentleman and did her best to play it off as a minor mistake. She further readily agreed that it was just that she was dressed very well as Danica always had her and mentioned herself later…… still Brittney noticed after that a serious decline in what she was given to wear. But the biggest event and the one that lead to her life being upheaved again was when Jack Kirby became Danica’s unofficial fiancé, for the gentleman was constantly flirting and giving Brittney attention when Danica was busy or distracted…. she thought….. till the day she was tending to a few errands about the estate for Danica when Jack appears and followed her around flirting heavily with her. She assumed he was killing time while her mistress was occupied or unavailable, that was till Danica showed up livid as she had been waiting over an hour for Jack and wasn’t happy to find him with her instead!



It was not more than few days later that Brittney was informed Danica had put her name on the list for brides at the church’s program where the girl help to boost her charitable public image. She wondered if it was a fluke or Danica had especially chosen the request the furthest away and in the more dangerous primitive place? Either way Danica was not sad or upset, being almost happy as Brittney was whisked off to the port to board the boat to Africa.



One would think, or at least hope, Brittney might enjoy the thrill or slight freedom of an ocean voyage, but it wasn’t. She ended up having to dodge the bold attentions of the sailors, resulting her having to lock herself in her cabin to avoid the crew where she spent a lot of time with her head and sometime half her body poked up the convenient porthole with severe seasickness…… she swear the ship had a permanent stain on it’s side. Arriving in Kenya, she was directed to the train station to catch a train further inland, where again an opportunity to enjoy a nice ride through the countryside was derailed by incident which wasn’t sure if her fault but her visit to the dining car was ended quickly by the scene of two three couple breaking into heated fights. She ended up spending the whole trip in her compartment alone to avoid anymore possible drama, so she wasn’t in a good mood to enjoy the sights to Tsavo Bridge station.



Brittney barely had a few minutes to freshen up before she was told she needed to take a couch out to Victoriaville where her new husband waited, bringing her back to the present….. riding a coach down a very bumpy and slightly uneven road that left her backside sore as they of course didn’t bother to put springs in a public transport to a rural post.



When the coach pulled into Victoriaville, she assumes the distinguished but rugged man sitting on a carriage near by was her intended husband, and carefully exited being greeted by the man, shaking his hand as he confirmed he was Douglas Hamilton. She in turn when asked if she was Brittney Lewis that she was indeed her, noting his looking her over for a moment, making her wonder if something was wrong or that she was slightly overdress for the outpost in her full white dress and broad rimmed hat, her light blonde hair put up in a fancy style. Or it might be her light almost white skin and green eyes being she assume unusual here.



She was surprised as she was told they were headed to the church to get married immediately, not even getting a chance to recover from her trip, and moved more like she was on autopilot as she was lead into the church before a minister and two people who were bother witnesses as well as standing for bridesmaid and best man.



“I guess we are it would appear.” She returns as he announced they were about to be married with a tone more like he was stating some random fact.



Brittney hope this wasn’t an indication of things to come, though being nearly sold off as a bride hadn’t been the best show of improved life……

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Douglas was surprised by her diminutive size and her fine features. She looked more like a Lady than a servant girl. Not that it would have mattered to Douglas if she WAS of noble stock. His stint in the army had filled him with a less than reverent opinion of his "betters", an impression that hadn't softened in his time as big game hunter and guide. Douglas suspected that his broad scottish accent tinged with afrikaans-english might have something to do with how they treated and adressed him initially. Brittney spoke like a toff, a noble, an upper class woman. But if she had spent years working for them some of their mannerisms might have rubbed off on her. And that was hardly her fault. And he couldn't deny that she was pretty, though she looked a bit peaky.

Douglas unbuckled his belt with his revolver and bullwhip and hung it on a hook at the church's entrance. No weapons in the house of God. He turned to Brittney. "Come along, then. We need to get this over with so I can herd my flock back in the kraal before sundown!" And with that, he seized her wrist and pulled her up the aisle where father Mulroney waited in full regalia. Mulroney's wife and his brother-in-law gave Brittney an appraising look, a glint of both humor and pity in their eyes as Douglas pulled her along to the front of the otherwise empty church.

Father Mulroney spoke: "We are gathered here today to witness the union of Brittney Lewis and Douglas Hamilton. I will keep this brief," he hastened to add after a look from Douglas. He continued: "Life on the frontier isn't for everyone. It is hard labour and sometimes merciless conditions. So you must strive to be there for each other and support each other. This is where 'in sickness and in health' actually means something tangible. As does 'for better or for worse'. And..." he exhaled sadly, "for richer and for poorer."

"Knowing all this, will you, Brittney Lewis, take Douglas Hamilton here to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer for as long a you live?"

EDIT: Corrected Margaret's status from sister to wife of father Mulroney. And some language polishing.

 

[Goldenbraid]

Brittney was a bit startled as Douglas commented on getting things do fast and nearly dragged her up the church’s aisle. One, he was treating what should be a big and important event like a business sale, something to settle fast so as to move on to other things. Second, she felt a sense of time reversal, being taken by Mr. Rogen to the room where he handed out punishments to her, getting an angry dressing down before receiving something that made sitting painful for a few days…. not always in that order. Still though mixed feelings, she said nothing, remembering how speaking up had earned her a worse punishment, though she wasn’t sure this had a worse possible situation.

As the Minister spoke, she noted his heavy emphasis on the words of the vows, and the hastening of them at a look from her soon to be husband, as he turned to her for her answer, she paused a bit…. though hopefully not to noticeable.

Did she really have a choice? She knows it was tradition to ask, but it seemed to her that there wasn’t really any other response she could make, without making things a mess and more importantly, flushing her life away. She was to all extent and purposes a mail order bride, and even if nothing had ever been said about money, she was pretty sure there had to be some kind of monetary fee, which would be demanded back. Then there was her, refusal would mean a waste of her trip here, her being now in some far-flung place with no means of support and no place to live…. in a rural place like this there was only one likely thing she’d be able to do to make a living. A much worse future to say the least.

So, she steadies herself and spoke up calmly if a bit surrendering sounding. “I do.”

She ignores the feel of signing her own death order just now, as she glanced at the man who was about to be her husband as the Minister turn to him to ask much the same question….. tradition after all…..

 

[Niceandbrutal]

“I do.”

Douglas did not pick up on any tone in Brittney's reply as she surrendered her life to him and his whims. Father Mulroney now turned to Douglas and asked the same of him: Would he love and honour, sickness and health, better or worse etc. The words kind of blurred for Douglas and he just nodded brusquely in reply. Father Mulroney tried to hide an exasperated expression as he looked at Douglas. "Douglas Hamilton, you can not just NOD in response to such a serious question. Please, a little respect for the institution of marriage and for your bride!" Douglas sighed heavily. "Fine! I do!" He said with a bite of impatience and a hectic angry colouring to his face. Father Mulroney fixed Douglas with a disapproving look before he sighed and said: "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may... kiss the bride?"

Douglas looked at Brittney. Kiss her? Here? In front of everyone? Now, what was the point in THAT!? He felt four pairs of eyes looking at him, so in the end, he leaned in and gave a quick perfunctory peck on her cheek. Margaret Mulroney, father Mulroney's wife walked up to Brittney and gently led her away, much to Douglas's consternation. What on earth was Margaret up to? Edward Twickenham, Margaret's brother and father Mulroney's brother-in-law, stepped up to Douglas, father Mulroney flanking him. "Douglas, she is wholly unprepared for life out here. Let Margaret impart some knowledge to her about the facts of life in Africa. Give her a chance, man!" Douglas looked at them both. "What is there to learn that she can't pick up along the way?" Douglas inquired gruffly.

With a show of forced constraint, father Mulroney replied: "Women trouble, Douglas. Bleedings and such. And how to act around the native men. And other things. Pity's sake, man! She's never been outside of Great Britain by the looks of it and she's at the tail end of a journey halfway around the globe!" Douglas looked at them all, feeling like he'd been ambushed. "I'll be outside, waiting for her. Don't take too long!" And with that, he turned around and marched out of the church after putting on his utility and weapons belt. He sat down in the shade and took a sip of water as he waited for his wife to be done gossiping with Margaret Mulroney.

Inside, Margaret tried to make the best of what she knew was a bad situation for Brittney. She went on at length about what a hard working man Douglas was and how his farm had succeeded and how, as far as anyone knew, he was not mistreating his native staff. She also explained the necessity of good hygiene and how undergarments needed to be light and breathing to ward off infections, how she should stay inside the farm's fences when she had her monthly female condition of bleeding lest she attract lions, leopards, and hyenas. And on and on, she imparted tips on life in Africa, enough to make anyone's head spin.

EDIT: Corrected Margaret's relationship to father Mulroney!

 

[Goldenbraid]

and half lifting, half tossing her aboard…….. honestly showing care then when he’d loaded her bags on to the same carriage at the train station. Did she deserve least concern than luggage?



He didn’t speak to her at all as they setoff, his only actions being to offer her his canteen for a drink of water, and the occasional pointing at some animal or something else…. she wasn’t sure at times, or if it was for her benefit of just something he did when he attention was drawn to things. Otherwise, the trip was silent, or as far as them making noise was concern. She realized that Africa was quite noisy it’s self, and very picturesque, though she near seen animal without fences and walls between her and them, and found sight of the animals free and undeterred if they wanted to come over both breath-taking and nerve-racking…. both having much the same effect.



It was what seemed like hours before he suddenly stopped the carriage on the side of the road….. what she figured was a road, being little more than a few wore wheel making in the ground and grass…..

 

[Niceandbrutal]

They drove across the savannah in silence, the undulating landscape showcasing the abundance of wildlife in Africa. Douglas didn't think anything needed to be said and he didn't think much of small talk. Still, he was thinking about his wife and mute passenger. Mostly in terms of how to employ her at his farm, but also in terms of practicalities. What did she know, what could she do? And how would she behave? For now, she wasn't saying much. And Douglas was not good at reading expressions, so he simply thought she was tired and awestruck by the admittedly beautiful landscape.

After several hours, the carriage crested a small ridge and Douglas stopped. He handed the water canteen to Brittney again and exhaled. The sun was starting to set, and there was a spectacular orange hue in the sky. Far off, a clump of houses could be seen behind thick hedges and Douglas pointed: "That's the farm, though ranch is a better name for it. It's mostly livestock. Cows, goats, pigs, chickens. I don't expect you to wrangle cattle or pigs or even goats, but you should be able to take care of the chickens. Akinyi and Mufuso are live-in maids from the local masai tribe. They speak a little english. They will obey you." Douglas started up the carriage again.

"Best to be inside before nightfall. Lions," he said calmly. "Oh, and leopards and hyenas. I have a few herders as well, but they usually go home by the end of the day. I asked them to stay if we were late getting there. I prefer rounding up my own cattle, but you know..." He shrugged as if getting married was an inconvenience to him. They drove on in silence and crossed a small river. "That river marks the boundary to my lands. I'd recommend you don't swim in it. If the crocodiles don't get you, the hippos will."

They drove for another 30 minutes and presently passed thick thorny bushes. "We use thorn bushes instead of fences here. Keeps the cows in and the predators out." They came to a gate and it swung open, operated by a young boy in tribal garb, waving and smiling. A sort of half-smile flitted across Douglas' face as he tipped his hat to the youngling. "That's Simba. His name means "lion" in the local language. He is so named after he single handedly kept a pride of lions away from his tribe's livestock. His father wanted him here to work and learn english. He knows the english are here to stay and to learn the language is the future for him and his tribesmen."

They pulled up in front of a large house, and two strikingly tall bare breasted women also in tribal garb came to meet them. These are Akinyi," Douglas pointed to a young woman not much older than Brittney that smiled brilliantly at Brittney, "and this is Mufuso," he continued, pointing at an elderly woman with gray in her hair, also smiling brilliantly at Brittney. Mufuso spoke: "Welcome Lady Hamilton! I hope you are blessed as husband and wife and hope you will bear him many strong and healthy children!" They disappeared inside the house, laughing and talking excitedly among temselves.

"Yes, the tribal women are less shy than most european women," Douglas said matter-of-factly. He heaved Brittney's luggage down from the cart while Simba led the horses away. He walked inside the house and turned around, looking at Brittney "Well? Don't just STAND there. Come inside!" He lugged her luggage upstairs and Akinyi walked up to her. "Come, Lady Hamilton. Wash. Food soon." Akinyi led her to a water basin with soap and fresh and clean towels. She pointed at the basin. "Wash. Dirty and food mean sick. No good. Wash." She said this softly, with a friendly smile and tone. "Food is ready. Lady Hamilton hungry?"

 

[Goldenbraid]

Brittney happily took the canteen, for she was finding it was hot and dry, something not helped by the full dress and it’s layers of under skirts and such, making her feel very air warm and stuffy.



“Thanks.” She said softly, taking several sips of the refreshing and cold tasting water.



As Douglas pointed out their destination, she had to agree, calling it a farm was an understatement and ranch sounded better…. not that she knew enough to really compare. But his mention of her looking after chickens made her eyes widen in surprise, for she knew nothing about what to do with them….. only ones she even dealt with were dead and already plucked and dead.



“Me? Chickens??” She said with an air of uncertainty.



The talk of lions, leopards and hyenas made her nervous again but got distracted by the rest of his words…. or more so the ones left unsaid, for was again acting like getting married to her was some annoying delay rather than a sacred bonding.



She was beginning to wonder was he’d sent for a bride, if it seem such a problem and hardship, or was he somehow disappointed in her directly, expecting someone far different to show?



As they crossed the river and he told her it was the boundary of his place, she began to wonder if ranch was in adequate to describe his place too and was also just forming the thought about what swimming in it would be like when he warned she not to.



“I see.” She remarked with a slight sound of wary disappointment.



She nodded at the boy as they rolled through the gate, glad to see Douglas smiling even if it wasn’t at her and think he must be very brave and special boy to have faced off against a bunch of lions…. and successfully!



The sight of the two native women great shocked Brittney, and sent a mix of feeling through her, foremost embarrassment, though she wasn’t sure if was for them, herself seeing them or maybe both. Maybe a slight jealousy, wondering want he needed from her if he had half-naked native women running around. A moment of mortification questioning if Douglas expected her to do that, before remember Margaret had already told her about things around the native men which counted the thought for the very reason the notion had worried her. A bit understanding why they likely in part did it as the heat was very great, she was learning here, and…. if she was being honest….. a curiosity as to what it felt like to do something so bold, if only for the huge relief of the heat it would be.



That last image made her blush some which she hoped was covered by the even deeper blush she got as Mufuso spoke of her and him having children….. and many of them. Something that might have been in the back of her head, but she’s not thought on yet despite the fact they were married now. It didn’t help Douglas commenting on how less shy the native women were, maybe trying to make it easier on her….. which would be an improvement over most of his words and actions so far.



Her thoughts were banished as he called for her to come inside, hurrying slightly into the building, as he took her things upstairs it seemed, as the girl more her age, Akinyi, spoke to her.



“Thank you…. Akinyi was it?” She said with a smile, as she washed her face and hands in the basin, drying them afterwards. “Is there no time to get refreshed?” She asked to girl, thinking changing into something lighter would be helpful, but got the impression there wasn’t. “Yes, I am quite hungry.” She answered the second question, surprised a bit herself at the realization she was considering her trip and some of the things that had happened……

 

[Niceandbrutal]

They sat down at the dinner table. Douglas seemed more at ease since he'd gotten a report from his hired hands that the cattle was safe and accounted for. He even smiled when Akinyi and Mufuso served the dinner and with many a giggle and furtive glance looked at Brittney and said something to Douglas. He replied, and they walked away.

The dinner was a stew made of chicken and local vegetables and herbs and spices. They ate in silence for a while, then Douglas looked at Brittney: "I was led to understand that you served as a servant back in England. I am from Scotland myself. I spent most of my adult life here in Africa. I believe in hard work to provide for myself. I hope you are of similar disposition. I will put you in charge of the household and the chickens. Akinyi and Mufuso will be your closest helpers. I urge you to try to learn their language, since it's all but impossible to teach them proper english."

He continued: "As for our marriage... it was Father Mulroney and his wicked sharp tongue that swayed me to get a wife from England. Do not make me regret it, lass! It cost a pretty penny getting you here! So, what can you do, lass?"