A Bride for All Seasons: The Mail Order Bride Collection - Softcover

Coffey, Billy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1401688535 ISBN 13: 9781401688530

Verlag: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2013

Inhaltsangabe

It all started with an ad in a mail-order bride catalogue . . .

This charming bouquet of novellas introduces you to four Hitching Post Mail-Order Bride Catalogue prospects in the year 1870, all eager for second chances . . . and hungry for happiness. Year in, year out, they’ll learn that love often comes in unexpected packages.

“And then Came Spring” by Margaret Brownley

Mary-Jo has traveled halfway across the country to meet her match, arriving just in time for his funeral. Returning home seems like her only option until her would-be brother-in-law proposes a more daring idea.

“An Ever After Summer” by Debra Clopton

Ellie had no idea she’s not what Matthew ordered. And what’s wrong with being a “Bible thumper” anyway? She’s determined to show him she’s tougher than she looks—and just the girl he needs.

“Autumn’s Angel” by Robin Lee Hatcher

Luvena would be perfect for Clay if she didn’t come with kids. But kids are a deal breaker, especially in a rough-and-trouble mining town. ­ e trouble is, there’s no money to send them back . . .�

“Winter Wedding Bells” by Mary Connealy

David’s convinced he’s not long for the world. He needs someone to mother his boys when he’s gone—nothing more. Can plucky Irish Megan convince him to work at living instead of dying?

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorinnen und Autoren

New York Times best-selling author Margaret Brownley has penned more than twenty-five historical and contemporary novels. Her books have won numerous awards, including Reader’s Choice.Though successful, Margaret decided to leave behind the secular publishing world to follow God’s will for her: to write inspirational fiction. Since then she has published the Rocky Creek series and A Lady Like Sarah was a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist.Happily married to her real life hero, Margaret and her husband have three grown children and live in Southern California.

Robin Lee Hatcher is the author of over 80 novels and novellas with over five million copies of her books in print. She is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. Her numerous awards include the RITA Award, the Carol Award, the Christy Award, the HOLT Medallion, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and the Faith, Hope & Love Reader’s Choice Award. Robin is also the recipient of prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards from both American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. When not writing, she enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, Bible art journaling, reading books that make her cry, watching romantic movies, and decorative planning. Robin makes her home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with a demanding Papillon dog and a persnickety tuxedo cat.

Debra Clopton is a multi-award winning novelist who was first published in 2005 and has more than 22 novels to her credit. Along with her writing, Debra helps her husband teach the youth at their local Cowboy Church. Debra is the author of the acclaimed Mule Hollow Matchmaker Series, the place readers tell her they wish was real. Her goal is to shine a light toward God while she entertains readers with her words. Visit her online at www.debraclopton.com, Facebook: debra.clopton, Twitter: @debraclopton.

 

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A BRIDE FOR ALL SEASONS

A MAIL-ORDER BRIDE COLLECTION

By Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Connealy, Robin Lee Hatcher

Thomas Nelson

Copyright © 2013 Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, RobinSong, Inc., and Mary Connealy
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4016-8853-0

Contents

And Then Came Spring by Margaret Brownley.................................
1
An Ever After Summer by Debra Clopton.....................................
99
Autumn's Angel by Robin Lee Hatcher.......................................
197
Winter Wedding Bells by Mary Connealy.....................................
289

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Colton, Kansas1870

Sure as God made little green apples, Mr. DanielGarrett would rue this day. Mary-Jo Parker would make it herbusiness to see that he did. For two solid hours he'd kept herwaiting at the train station. He didn't even have the courtesyto leave a message or arrange for someone to pick her up.

"Well, Mr. Garrett, I've got news for you. You'd betterhave a good explanation for keeping me waiting or the weddingis off!" Now she was talking to herself, but that was theleast of her problems. She was cold and tired and hungryand ...

She hated admitting it, but she was also scared. What ifshe'd traveled all the way from Georgia for nothing? Her auntthought her crazy to marry a man she'd never met, but hiskind letters convinced Mary-Jo that she was doing the rightthing. Don't let me be wrong about that, God.

She dug in her purse for her watch. Two hours and twenty-twominutes she'd been waiting! If her errant fiancé botheredshowing up at all, it better be on hands and knees.

She slipped the watch back into her drawstring bagand reread the dog-eared telegram. All correspondence wasscreened by the proprietor of the Hitching Post Mail-Order BrideCatalogue, so the telegram was signed by Mr. Hitchcock. Itclearly stated that her fiancé would meet her train. They wouldthen drive to the church to be married posthaste by a preacher.

She stuffed the telegram into her bag and marched backinto the telegraph and baggage office for perhaps the eleventhor twelfth time. Her high-button boots pounded the woodenplank floor like two angry woodpeckers. Nearly tripping overthe threshold, she froze.

The last time her foot had caught in a doorway, a tornadoblew the roof off her aunt's house. Mary-Jo gave the woodpanel wall three quiet knocks. Warding off bad luck was afull-time job, but no matter how hard she tried not to temptfate, misfortune seemed to follow her wherever she went.

Careful not to step on any cracks, she paced the length ofthe counter, waiting for the youthful operator to finish tappingthe gilded telegraph key.

After a while, he swung around on his stool and peeredat her from beneath the visor of his cap. He was probablyno more than eighteen or nineteen. "Like I told you before,ma'am, no one left a message for you."

"Yes, you made that perfectly clear." She hadn't mentionedher fiancé by name. She was humiliated enough without thewhole town knowing that she had been left not only at thetrain station but quite possibly at the altar as well.

"Could you please direct me to the nearest hotel?" Aftera hot bath and change of clothes, she was bound to feel morelike herself. Maybe then she could figure out what to do.

Relief crossed the youth's face, but whether it was becauseshe was about to leave or had finally asked a question he couldanswer, it was hard to tell.

"Just go straight up that street." He pointed in an easterlydirection. "The hotel's on the right, opposite the church."

"Thank you."

She stepped outside. Brr, it was cold. She pulled her shawltight and straightened her bustle, but the more she triedbrushing train cinders off her yellow skirt, the more theysmeared. Giving up, she reached beneath the narrow brimof her straw bonnet to fluff her curly bangs and then patteddown the sausage curls in back. Perhaps things would workout for the best. At least now she wouldn't have to meet herfuture husband looking like a ragbag.

Gathering the carpetbag that held her carefully sewntrousseau in one hand and her Singer Fiddle Base sewingmachine in the other, she started on her way.

In his letters, her betrothed had described the town asthriving and he hadn't exaggerated. Wagons raced back andforth along the dirt road leading through town. Dust flew inevery direction and her already dry throat prickled.

The buildings were mostly brick, though some were facedwith what looked like marble or limestone. Between taking inher surroundings and trying not to step on a crack, she failedto notice the young boy until he plowed into her.

"Oomph!" she cried. Her carpetbag flew out of her hand,but she managed to regain her balance and hold on to herprecious sewing machine. The boy, however, was facedownon the boardwalk.

"Oh dear." She dropped to her knees, setting the Singer byher side. "Are you hurt?"

He shook his head and climbed to his feet. He reached forhis slouch cap and plopped it haphazardly atop stringy brownhair that hadn't seen a comb for a month of Sundays. Faceflushed, he looked like he was trying his hardest not to giveway to tears. She guessed his age at seven, maybe eight.

"Are you sure you're not hurt?" she persisted. He regardedher solemnly, and she tried again. "What's your name?"

"They call me Fast Eddie."

"I do declare, you can talk. Fast Eddie, eh? I guess I knowhow you came by that name." She pulled off a glove and heldout her hand. The boy's eyes widened before taking it. "Youcan call me Miss Parker. I'm new in town and I'm mightypleased to meet you."

The boy frowned as if he didn't know what to make ofher. Still, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Never hadshe seen a sorrier-looking child. His trousers were at least twoinches too short and his shirt had more wrinkles than a rottenapple. Where were his parents? And why wasn't he in school?

She didn't have the heart to lecture him or even demandan apology for nearly knocking her off her feet. Instead, shelowered her voice so as not to alarm him any further.

"Perhaps you could help me." Helping adults always madechildren feel important. "I'm looking for Mr. Daniel Garrett.He's a lawyer. Do you know him?" Though he'd never mentionedit in his letters, surely he had an office somewhere,perhaps even nearby.

The boy regarded her with eyes blue as the bright Kansassky. Finally he nodded. "I ... know him."

"Praise the Lord." It was the first piece of good news she'dheard since arriving in town. Maybe her luck was about tochange.

"He's my pa."

Had Fast Eddie punched her in the stomach, she wouldn'thave been more shocked. Dumbfounded, she stared at himand felt sick.

"Did ... did you say ... he's your pa?" she managed at last.

Again the boy nodded.

Hand on her chest, she tried to catch her breath. Herfiancé never mentioned children. There had to be a logicalexplanation. Yes, yes, of course. There must be two DanielGarretts in town, odd as that seemed.

"Are you his cantaloupe bride?" Eddie asked.

Her breath caught. "Do ... do you mean catalogue bride?"

With a nod of the head, the boy effectively wiped out anyhope of there being two men with the same name.

Her body stiffened. Feeling suddenly light-headed, sheforced air into her lungs. If the boy was telling the truth, thatmeant Daniel Garrett had a serious memory...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Thomas Nelson Publishers
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2013
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1401688535
• ISBN 13: 9781401688530
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 400
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Reckitt Benckiser Deutschland GmbH; consumerhealth_de@reckitt.com; ; Darwinstrasse 2-4; Heidelberg; 69115; Deutschland