Ashley Merrick - India: Bride of Indiana (American Mail-Order Bride 19) by Ashley Merrick Page A

cup of coffee when she saw Richard standing by the living room window looking outside. It was still light out but it wouldn’t be long before the sun would start to set. India walked over to him, holding her coffee.
    “Can I get you a cup of coffee or tea?”
    He turned at the sound of her voice. “No, thank you. I’m too full for another thing.”
    India stood beside him for a moment, following his gaze. She saw a family of three deer standing by a tall oak tree. They were beautiful to watch, until something spooked them and they ran away. She turned to rejoin the others, when Richard spoke again.
    “I noticed you talking to my two brothers. Ed is very popular with the ladies. No doubt he was trying out his charm on you.”
    India chuckled. “He is quite the flatterer. I can see why he’s popular.”
    “Women always seem to go for that type, the handsome ladies’ man. I’m not sure if he’ll ever settle down.”
    “I think he will. He said as much, when he meets the right woman.”
    Richard had a pensive look on his face for a moment, and then said, “But will he recognize that she’s the right one when he meets her?”
    “I’m sure he’ll know,” India said. When Richard got like this, quiet and introspective, she often wondered what was really going through his mind.
    He turned to her and said, “We should probably head out soon. Are you about ready?”
    India took another sip of coffee. Her cup was almost empty. “I’m ready whenever you are.”
----
    W hen they arrived home , India helped to give both children a bath, and then after a light supper of tomato soup and toast, she read out loud to them both. Sammy leaned against her on the sofa, while Julia sat in the opposite corner, listening intently as she read Alice in Wonderland to them. Finally, when Sammy was almost asleep and Julia’s eyes looked heavy, she put the book down and Richard came and helped her get them both up to bed.
    They sat for a while in the den, reading and talking a bit. Richard told her about an accident they’d had in the factory a few days before.
    “I was really worried as it looked really bad at first, but the doctor said he’s going to be all right. It’s just a badly broken leg and he’s going to have to stay off it for at least six weeks. He won’t be able to work at all.”
    “What happened?” India asked, feeling awful for his employee. When accidents like that happened in Lawrence at the factory where she’d worked, it had been devastating for the employees because they didn’t get paid if they didn’t work, even if the accident wasn’t their fault. For this man, especially if he had a family, to go six weeks or longer with no pay could be devastating.
    “He was working under one of the wagons, attaching the wheels, when the jack that held the wagon up slipped and the wagon fell onto his leg, pinning him below it. He couldn’t move at all at first, and we weren’t sure of the extent of his injuries. Fortunately, it was just his leg that was affected.”
    “I hope he has savings. This is a terrible time of year to go without pay,” India said.
    Richard looked at her curiously. “He won’t miss a day’s pay.”
    “He’ll be paid even if he doesn’t work?” India had never heard of such a thing.
    “Of course. It’s not his fault this happened. It’s our responsibility to make it right, and paying him for his lost hours and his medical bills is the least we can do.”
    India was impressed. “Not everyone does that you know.”
    “I know. We weren’t all in agreement about this, but they all came around. It’s the right thing to do.”
    India was quiet for a moment, thinking about how lucky the employees were who worked for her husband’s company.
    “Are you happy that you came here?” Richard asked quietly.
    His question took her by surprise. “What do you mean? Of course I’m happy.”
    “I suppose I just wondered if you had any regrets. I know this couldn’t have been easy for