Hannah: Bride of Iowa (American Mail Order Bride 29) by P.A. Estelle
Authors: P.A. Estelle
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Saga, Western, Short-Story, Religious, Christian, Secret, Inspirational, Daughter, Bachelor, Marriage of Convenience, Faith, Iowa, widower, victorian era, Forever Love, Single Woman, farmer, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, American Mail-Order Bride, Factory Burned, Pioneer, Single Father, Three Year-Old, Cherish, partner, Twenty-Nineth In Series, Devastate Future
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noticed Kate watching her. She dropped her eyes to her lap. “Who wants cobbler?” Kate asked, changing the subject. Several “me’s” filled the air. “Hannah, could you give me a hand?”
“Of course.” She got up and followed Kate to the kitchen. “The dishes are in that cupboard, Hannah. I’ll get the cobbler.” Kate took her time dishing it into the bowls. “When Sam told me he was sending away for a mail order bride, I thought he was crazy. Marrying a complete stranger! Who would want to do that? But then, I looked closer at his situation. Not many young ladies here in West Liberty that want a ready-made family. I know most of them and I don’t want them for sisters.” She chuckled before continuing. “I think maybe my brother has found a gold mine with you. You seem caring, you are pretty, and it’s obvious both Sam and Lizzy are smitten with you.”
Kate finished and turned to face Maddie. “I love my brother, but it’s only fair you are happy. Do you want this marriage, Hannah?”
Maddie opened her mouth but nothing came out. Even though she was Samuel’s sister, Kate seemed like a person she could talk to. Tell her! Tell her now! Maddie swallowed and tried again. “I do, Kate, truly I do. In just a few days, I have developed feelings towards your brother and Lizzy. But I…I…” Maddie just couldn’t say the words. “I don’t have any kind of a dress to wear. I did not have much money so I couldn’t get one made before coming, and even if I were able to get material, I might not be able to get it finished.”
A smile spread across Kate’s face and her blue eyes watered. “I’m so glad to hear that. The dress is no problem. I have many dresses that would work for a wedding. You can look at them and make a decision. I realize I’m a bit more endowed than yourself, but we can alter them.” Kate hugged her again. “Come on. Everyone’s waiting for cobbler.”
By the time their wagon pulled out of Kate and Frank’s yard, the temperature had dropped and the sun had disappeared behind looming thunder clouds. Not only was Lizzy huddled between Maddie and her father, but the newest member of the Morrison family, a black and white, pudgy little puppy, was in the back of the wagon, crying for his mother.
Samuel looked at Maddie, nodding his head toward the puppy. “This could be a long ride home.”
Maddie stuck her lower lip out. “Poor little thing wants his mama. He’ll settle down.”
They were halfway home when two riders approached. Maddie’s eyes went wide when, out of nowhere, a rifle appeared on Samuel’s lap. “Just being cautious,” he muttered.
The two men pulled their horses up short when they reached the wagon. “Morrison,” said the rider who looked oldest. His hat sat low on his head covering his eyes, giving Maddie an uneasy feeling.
“Carl.” Samuel’s voice was low. “How’s your pa?”
“Sits in his chair all day not doing a dang thing. Don’t eat much and don’t talk, which is fine with me.”
“Who’s this purty thing you got there, Morrison?” Maddie shivered at the sight of the younger rider. His hair was long and dirty and stuck to the side of his face. He spit a stream of tobacco, a bit stayed behind to make its way down his chin. When he smiled, rotten teeth filled his mouth.
Samuel stiffened, saying nothing to the man. The puppy threw his head back and began to cry and yelp. “I don’t like being not talked to, Morrison, like I’m some sort of white trash. Maybe you couldn’t hear me none cause of this here mutt.” He drew a gun from his holster. “And maybe I should take care of it so you could hear me.”
In a flash, Samuel had the rifle cocked and trained on the man’s heart.
“No!” Lizzy cried, turning to try to get into the back of the wagon. Maddie grabbed her and struggled to hold the screaming little girl on her lap while watching Samuel. She had no doubt he’d kill the man without blinking an eye if he needed
“Of course.” She got up and followed Kate to the kitchen. “The dishes are in that cupboard, Hannah. I’ll get the cobbler.” Kate took her time dishing it into the bowls. “When Sam told me he was sending away for a mail order bride, I thought he was crazy. Marrying a complete stranger! Who would want to do that? But then, I looked closer at his situation. Not many young ladies here in West Liberty that want a ready-made family. I know most of them and I don’t want them for sisters.” She chuckled before continuing. “I think maybe my brother has found a gold mine with you. You seem caring, you are pretty, and it’s obvious both Sam and Lizzy are smitten with you.”
Kate finished and turned to face Maddie. “I love my brother, but it’s only fair you are happy. Do you want this marriage, Hannah?”
Maddie opened her mouth but nothing came out. Even though she was Samuel’s sister, Kate seemed like a person she could talk to. Tell her! Tell her now! Maddie swallowed and tried again. “I do, Kate, truly I do. In just a few days, I have developed feelings towards your brother and Lizzy. But I…I…” Maddie just couldn’t say the words. “I don’t have any kind of a dress to wear. I did not have much money so I couldn’t get one made before coming, and even if I were able to get material, I might not be able to get it finished.”
A smile spread across Kate’s face and her blue eyes watered. “I’m so glad to hear that. The dress is no problem. I have many dresses that would work for a wedding. You can look at them and make a decision. I realize I’m a bit more endowed than yourself, but we can alter them.” Kate hugged her again. “Come on. Everyone’s waiting for cobbler.”
By the time their wagon pulled out of Kate and Frank’s yard, the temperature had dropped and the sun had disappeared behind looming thunder clouds. Not only was Lizzy huddled between Maddie and her father, but the newest member of the Morrison family, a black and white, pudgy little puppy, was in the back of the wagon, crying for his mother.
Samuel looked at Maddie, nodding his head toward the puppy. “This could be a long ride home.”
Maddie stuck her lower lip out. “Poor little thing wants his mama. He’ll settle down.”
They were halfway home when two riders approached. Maddie’s eyes went wide when, out of nowhere, a rifle appeared on Samuel’s lap. “Just being cautious,” he muttered.
The two men pulled their horses up short when they reached the wagon. “Morrison,” said the rider who looked oldest. His hat sat low on his head covering his eyes, giving Maddie an uneasy feeling.
“Carl.” Samuel’s voice was low. “How’s your pa?”
“Sits in his chair all day not doing a dang thing. Don’t eat much and don’t talk, which is fine with me.”
“Who’s this purty thing you got there, Morrison?” Maddie shivered at the sight of the younger rider. His hair was long and dirty and stuck to the side of his face. He spit a stream of tobacco, a bit stayed behind to make its way down his chin. When he smiled, rotten teeth filled his mouth.
Samuel stiffened, saying nothing to the man. The puppy threw his head back and began to cry and yelp. “I don’t like being not talked to, Morrison, like I’m some sort of white trash. Maybe you couldn’t hear me none cause of this here mutt.” He drew a gun from his holster. “And maybe I should take care of it so you could hear me.”
In a flash, Samuel had the rifle cocked and trained on the man’s heart.
“No!” Lizzy cried, turning to try to get into the back of the wagon. Maddie grabbed her and struggled to hold the screaming little girl on her lap while watching Samuel. She had no doubt he’d kill the man without blinking an eye if he needed
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