Mail Order Bride: A Bride for the Doctor (Bozeman Brides Book 4) (6 page)

K
ate re-read
the letter for the third time then set it on the table between her and Geoff. “I feel like we’re making the right decision,” she said finally. “But, I’m sure some people will thing we’re crazy,” she said with a laugh.

“I’m sure they will,” Geoff said smiling as he put the letter in the envelope and sealed it. “Not many folks would turn down an opportunity to practice medicine in a large city like San Francisco. And even fewer yet would turn down that kind of pay.”

“Well,” she said reaching over and grabbing his hand. “It’s an honor that someone heard of us clear over there and wanted us to work with them.”

“It is,” he said slowly. “But it’s more of an honor to stay here and help these folks in our community.”

“I agree,” Kate answered as she got up from the table and walked around to sit on his Geoff’s lap. “A year ago I never would’ve thought I’d be here.” She put her arm around his neck and pulled him close to her.

Geoff held her for a moment before pulling away to look her in the eyes. “You’ve settled into your role as wife a lot faster than I thought you would. Especially since you were so against the thought of it when you first arrived.”

Kate laughed as she spoke. “Well, in my defense, I thought I was simply taking on a new job. I wasn’t quite ready for all God had in store for me.”

“That’s how God works though, isn’t it,” Geoff said letting out a little laugh and shaking his head. “He doesn’t always wait for us to move. Sometimes He has to move
us
.”

“I’m thankful He did. I wasn’t capable at the time of making the kind of decisions that needed to be made. And look where we are now.” She reached over and gently moved a few stray hairs from Geoff’s face. “Not only do we have a successful business, we have a little blessing on the way.” She smiled as she patted her growing belly.

Geoff pulled her close again and Kate let herself get lost in his kiss. She may have been a reluctant bride in the beginning, but now she was more than willing to follow her husband to the ends of the earth…or just to stay with him right here.

T
hanks for reading
A Bride for the Doctor
. I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, it would be awesome if you left a review for me on Amazon and/or Goodreads.

At the end of this book, I have included a preview of another story I think you will like. It’s called
Change of Hearts
and is the first book in the Destined for Love series. Make sure you turn to the end of the book to read the preview. It is available for $0.99 on Amazon.

• AuthorEmilyWoods.com/change-of-hearts
  

I am also including a a preview of a book by my friend Catherine Hughes. It’s called
A Knight for Isabella
and it’s a super sweet historical, medieval romance. It’s also available on Amazon for $0.99.

• FairfieldPublishing.com/knight-for-isabella-amazon
  

B
efore I go
, I would like to offer you THREE FREE BOOKS. Check out the details on the next page. And don’t forget about the free preview at the end of the book.

N
ew York City
1862

T
he smell
of laundry soap and the song of birds filled the morning as Hannah Wells shook out a sheet to fold. Her back ached and tendrils of her light blonde hair fell around her face in wisps, no longer contained by her white maids cap. She used her shoulder to brush away a strand just as the door to the laundry room opened.

“There you are,” said a full, brassy voice behind her.

“Were you expecting to find me somewhere else, Cook?” Hannah asked, turning with a smile on her face. Her friend stood in the doorway framed by dim light from the hall behind. It was late afternoon and the suns rays had diminished in strength if not in brightness.

“Well now,” the older woman said, her greying hair pulled into a cap and stains from food preparation marring the white of her apron, “I could have looked here first but I didn’t expect you to be inside on such a beautiful afternoon. Isn’t it your day off?”

Hannah sighed, clutching the sheet to her chest. Thursdays were her day off, and yet she’d found herself covering for one of the other women who was tending to her sick child. How could Hannah take time off when she had no one to tend to?

“You let Annette go home to be with her child, didn’t you?” Cook stared her down with a hard glare, an eyebrow cocking up at a jaunty angle.

“I did,” she admitted, unable to remain silent under Cook’s intense gaze.

“Girl,” Cook’s fists sunk onto her wide hips, “You’ve got to take a break too. You’ll be working yourself into sickness if you don’t slowdown.”

Hannah turned away, resting the crisply folded sheet atop a pile of other bedclothes in the linen closet. She closed the cedar door and turned back to one of the only women in the household that she could call friend.

In Cook’s eyes she saw care and understanding, if not a little motherly concern. Cook may not have had children of her own but she treated many of the household staff as if they were her flesh and blood.

“It’s really all right. Annette said she would let me take next Monday afternoon off. I’ll rest then—should I need it.” She added the last part with a light laugh to lighten the mood but Cook remained unimpressed.

“What will I do with you, child? You’ve been here the longest of all the household maids and I’m afraid I’ll fall apart when you leave.”

The woman’s admission shocked and warmed Hannah, and at the same time it made her feel restless. She
had
been here longer than any of the other maids who either got married or moved to different households.

“Now what’s
that
look for?” Cook stepped closer.

“Your words just reminded me of how long I’ve been here. Longer than I anticipated, if truth be told.”

“Do I sense a bit of restlessness in you?”

Hannah asked herself the same question. Was she restless? Or was she merely being foolish—unhappy where she should be content?

“I’d daresay a young woman like you would want to be married by now.”

Cook’s bold statement hit a sore spot in Hannah’s heart. She
did
want to be married. In fact, she’d thought about it almost every day since her parents had fallen ill years ago and left her an orphan with no brothers or sisters.

To have a home of her own, a man that loved her, and a house to tend to with the possibility of children on the way… She sighed. It was something she wanted but had no power to control. A goal she couldn’t hope to achieve.

“It may have crossed my mind a time or two,” she finally admitted.

“Why don’t you do something about it then?”

Hannah laughed. “Do something? What do you recommend? Go up to a man on the street and ask if he intends to marry and if so, would I do?” She laughed again just thinking about it.

“Of course not,” Cook said with a frown. “You become a mail order bride. Simple as that.”

“A mail order what?” Hannah frowned.

“Bride, my dear. Didn’t you know that’s what Alice did? She wrote to a man from the west and, before you knew it, she was taking the train to some far off place.”

“That doesn’t sound like an appealing proposition, Cook.”

The older woman shook her head, taking a step back to the doorway. “No, no, nothing like that. She’s
happy
last I heard, and expecting a child. I’ll snag a copy of the advertisements when I’m shopping. You may just find a man to suit you. But I must get back to the kitchen. Just wanted to let you know that the family is expecting guests this weekend. You’ll want to prepare the rooms on the third floor.”

“Yes ma’am,” she said, sending a smile as the woman left the room.

In her wake Hannah contemplated what Cook had said. She’d never heard of a mail order bride or even considered the idea that someone would want to search for a bride without meeting them in person.

Perhaps it was a valid option for her—then again, her situation was ideal. She had a good job that provided housing and a small allowance. More than what she needed really. Did she truly want to step away from that? Then again, it couldn’t hurt to look at the advertisements, could it?

C
olorado
Territory

“
B
ut Daisy
,” a young, masculine voice said, “I love you!”

“You are
quite
mistaken, George. You are a nice young man and I’ve enjoyed my time with you, but I just don’t think that now is the right time for…well…us.”

“But—”

“I think she said to leave, boy,” Jonathan Reston said, stepping from the shadows at the side of the building. It was a Sunday afternoon and Jonathan had lost his last reserve of patience with his sister and this puny excuse for a suitor.

“Jonathan,” Daisy said, eyes wide. “What are you doing here?”

“Enforcing your wishes, dear sister. Now what do you say to getting lost?” He directed his question at the boy who was several inches shorter than he was and standing much too close to Daisy for Jonathan’s liking.

“Y-ye-yes sir,” the boy said and ran off around the corner.

“
Jonathan
,” Daisy said, his name coming out long and filled with frustration.

“What? I did you a favor.”

She crossed her arms, her petite nose turned up in the air. “You didn't have to be so mean. I was letting him down…gently.”

“No, you were prolonging the inevitable and it wasn’t going your way. If I’ve told you one time I’ve likely told you a hundred, men need straightforward answers. Besides, I’m tired of bailing you out of these bad situations with young men. When are you going to start looking for a man
worth
something and stop falling for every handsome cowpoke who gives you a second look?”

Anger and hurt reflected in her eyes and he could tell his words had hit their intended mark, though possibly with less tact than he would have liked. Tears pooled in her soft brown eyes and he immediately regretted his harshness.

“How dare you, Jonathan,” she said. “How dare you meddle in my life like you’re in some position of power over me. I am old enough to make my own choices, thank you very much. Now why don’t you go figure out your own life instead of controlling mine?”

She spun on her heels and rounded the corner nearly running into his boss Eugene Coulter.

“Daisy,” Eugene said, tipping his hat with a look of concern on his face.

She paused only to dip her head in reply to his acknowledgement before running off down the dusty path back toward the church where several of the ladies stood around talking.

“What was
that
all about?” Eugene asked.

Jonathan shook his head, lifting his hat long enough to run a hand through his hair. He respected Eugene and saw him as his best friend, though there was the separation caused by the fact that Jonathan worked for Eugene on his ranch.

“I caught her trying to let some sorry cowboy down but going about it all wrong. That girl,” he sighed, looking out to the mountains in the distance. “I just don't know.”

“I’m sorry. That sounds like a tough situation.”

“Can I ask you something?” Jonathan swallowed; surprised he’d said anything. He hadn’t planned on asking, but the thought had formed into words before he could stop himself.

“Of course, you know you can.”

“What do you want out of life?”

“Oh,” Eugene looked surprise. “That’s a big question.”

Jonathan forced a laugh. “It is. Never mind,” he said, stepping back.

“No, it’s all right. I was just surprised. I mean, I’ve been thinking about it recently and that’s why it’s surprising you asked me.”

“You have?”

“Yeah, that’s why I came to find you actually.” Eugene scrunched up his shoulders. “I know this could have waited until tomorrow at the ranch, but I wanted to ask your advice as well. You…well, you’re like a brother to me Jonathan and I value your opinion.”

Pleasure at his friend’s words coursed through him and he gave into a smile, waiting for his friend to explain.

“I’ve been corresponding with a woman back east. I put out an advertisement for a mail order bride some months ago when I was feeling more alone on the ranch. It turns out that it may have been the best thing for me though.” Eugene smiled, his eyes dropping from Jonathan’s gaze. “I’m going to ask her to come here. I want to court her and spend time with her in person to see if…well, if she’s someone I could marry.”

Jonathan was shocked at the news but he tried his best to hide his surprise. “That’s wonderful. Congratulations!”

“I had hoped you’d say that,” Eugene admitted. “It’s all so new. But, in answer to your question, I guess I want to be a husband and start a family. That’s what I want out of life.”

At his friend’s words Jonathan cringed inwardly. The way Eugene talked about marriage reminded Jonathan of a time he had once thought about getting married. It was in the past now, but the memories still carried barbs that dug into his heart.

This wasn’t about him though, it was about his friend.

“That’s great, I’m really happy for you—for you both.”

Eugene slapped him on the back, pulling him in the direction of those milling about in front of the church. “Don’t worry about Daisy,” he said, “She’s a bright, beautiful girl and she’ll only stand for the best man to win her—despite what it may seem like.”

Jonathan wanted to believe his friend, but part of him—likely the older brother part—couldn’t completely agree. She was young and still had a lot to learn about life.

He swallowed his comments and allowed his friend to move them toward the group of men likely talking about farm life. He’d deal with Daisy’s foolishness later, but for now he’d go talk about what he knew: ranching and cattle.