Cheyenne Mail Order Bride (Mail Order Brides Book 13) by Susan Leigh Carlton

the questions, I will make this short until I hear you are at ease with our correspondence. Until the next time, I remain, Yours truly, Cal.
    Jennie opened the letter from Cal. Upset by what she read, she hitched the wagon and rode to her in-laws’ farm.
    “Papa Clarence, do you know anything about this?” She handed him the letter.
    He read it and said, “Now Jennie, Chris was worried about you and what you might be getting into. He was concerned this feller might not be who he said. He asked if there was anything I could do. This is the result of my feeble attempt to put his mind at rest. We love you, Jennie, and we don’t want you getting hurt or taken advantage of by some slick talking stranger.”
    “I’m a grown woman, and can take care of myself. So help me, if you’ve messed this up for me, I will… I don’t know what I will do, but it won’t be pleasant.”
    “Jennie, it was out of love, you know that.”
    “Yes, I do know that, but I wish you hadn’t done it. As for Chris, I…” She gathered her skirt, kissed Clarence on the cheek and went home.
    She dished Chris’s dinner, then fixed her own plate and sat opposite him at the table. “What have you been doing lately?” she asked. “Been sneaking to the barn with Amy Lou?” she asked.
    “No Mama. She’s a good girl. We don’t do that.”
    “What do you do?” she asked.
    “We talk, and take walks, you know?”
    “Send any telegrams lately?”
    “What are you talking about,” he asked.
    “You don’t expect me to believe you and your Grandpa haven’t been up to something, do you?”
    “You’re talking crazy,” he said.
    “Oh come on, Chris. I was born, but it wasn’t yesterday. I know what you did. Your Grandpa owned up to it. You might as well do the same.”
    “Mama, it was just you didn’t know he was who he said he was, that’s all. I was worried.”
    “How do you know it was him that sent the answer? It could have been anyone and just put his name to it,” she asked.
    “You should not have done it. How would you like it if I went to Amy Sue’s papa and told him I was worried about what you two are doing.”
    “Mama, you wouldn’t do that… would you?’
    “No dear, I wouldn’t do that and you shouldn’t have done what you did. What if you’ve ruined this for me?”
    “Well, he wouldn’t be much of a man if he let something like what we did ruin things. We love you.”
    “I guess he wouldn’t. We’ll see,” she said. “Now eat your dinner. And you can clean the kitchen.”
    “Yes, Mama.”
    * * *
    I got to the bottom of it. My son was worried I was getting a bit feeble in my old age, so he and his Grandpa cooked up this scheme to do some checking. Neither of them mentioned anything to me before or after. I hope it didn’t put you off or anything. They meant well. Said it was because they loved me. It was a nice try, but there’s an expression here, “That dog don’t hunt.”
    Our farm is doing well. We got the rain at the right time and the crop looks good. Now, if we can get it in and to the gin, we’ll make the bank some money and a little for us too.
    I was looking at an atlas. Wyoming is a long way from Carolina. It’s all the way across the country from us.
    In your next letter, tell me about your house. If those two didn’t scare you away, that is. I’ll have to say a prayer about that. Until then, Sincerely, Jennie ..
    Cal read the letter and composed his answer.
    Dear Jennie, I have just about run out of things to write. Without meaning to scare you or push you, I think it is time to consider meeting. Would you agree? We have been writing for a little over two months. Would you consider coming to Cheyenne? It is a logical next step, and one I am anxious to take. Of course, I will provide transportation, and if you do not find things to your liking, I will provide return transportation.
    My feeling is we both started with an idea of marriage being a possibility. I am more than ready to explore