Not Quite A Mail Order Bride (Mail Order Brides) by Susan Leigh Carlton Page A
Authors: Susan Leigh Carlton
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“I’ll bet mine is on the same subject telling me I shouldn’t be trying to talk you into staying here.” Martha didn’t tell Sarah about the other letter. That would be her own secret for now.
As they headed home, Martha said to Sarah. “The students are going to be excited about the books. I had told them we would have to wait at least three weeks before we got them. I can begin in earnest now.”
“I’m glad it’s working out for you, Sis. How are you and Luke getting along?”
“That man is one of the biggest puzzles I’ve seen,” Martha said. “The other day when he was rearranging some of the desks, his hand brushed mine. I felt a spark and evidently he did too. He apologized and moved away. I just wish he would wrap his arms around me and kiss me. He won’t do it though. Do you know he hasn’t moved a thing in the house since Clara died? He’s very active and loving with his boys, The two days we had school, he brought Will and we chatted a few minutes each time. If I’m to find a husband, I guess I’m going to have to look elsewhere.”
* * *
Taking in a view of the Front Range while driving the buggy to school, Martha thought, “I don’t remember seeing snow on those peaks before. I guess I missed it, but it sure is beautiful. Oh well, we’ll have plenty of snow before long.” She thought no more about it.
After getting a pail of water from the well, Martha was standing in the doorway, waiting for the rest of her students to arrive, she thought, “The wind is picking up too. It has a bite to it.”
One of the last students to arrive was Clayton Vintner, who had turned out to be one of the harder working students. As he came in he said, “Papa says it’s going to snow today.”
“Really,” she said. “Why does he think so?”
“When a storm is coming, the rheumatism in Papa’s back gets bad and he said it kept him awake last night.”
“Well, we’ll have to make sure we have plenty of wood for the fireplace,” Martha said. “Why don’t you check it out, Clayton?”
“Yes’m. I’ll make sure.” With the help of two other boys, they brought in an armload of wood each and piled it in the corner.
She started the older children on their geography lessons and another group on arithmetic while she worked with the young ones on penmanship. She switched the subjects later in the morning.
Since it was windy and chilly outside, they ate lunch in the classroom, with each student opening their lunch pails to see what their parent had packed for them that day. Martha had packed cold chicken and honey biscuits for her own lunch. Those that had the need, went to one of the outhouses in back of the school. As she came back in, one of the little girls said, “Miss Martha, it’s cold outside.”
“Why don’t you move closer to the fire and get warm, Mary?”
An hour after lunch, Martha heard the sound of boots outside the classroom. Luke walked in. “Martha, we’d better get the children over to the ranch house. It’s blowing pretty hard and starting to snow. We’ll keep them there and if their parents come, they’ll find them. They’ll know we took them in. I don’t think it’s a good idea for them to go out by themselves. You either for that matter. One of the hands will help them get the horses to the barn.”
“I’ll just finish up here and then I’ll go on home then,” she said.
“Martha, I don’t think that’s a good idea. It can get real nasty in a hurry,” he said.
“Luke, I’m an adult. I’ve been through snowstorms before. I’ll be all right.”
“Martha, this is Wyoming. You haven’t been through one of our storms. Now come on,” he said.
“Luke Hastings, stop ordering me around,” she said, little sparks shooting from her brown eyes.
“You are one stubborn woman,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder, feeling an instant warmth when he touched
As they headed home, Martha said to Sarah. “The students are going to be excited about the books. I had told them we would have to wait at least three weeks before we got them. I can begin in earnest now.”
“I’m glad it’s working out for you, Sis. How are you and Luke getting along?”
“That man is one of the biggest puzzles I’ve seen,” Martha said. “The other day when he was rearranging some of the desks, his hand brushed mine. I felt a spark and evidently he did too. He apologized and moved away. I just wish he would wrap his arms around me and kiss me. He won’t do it though. Do you know he hasn’t moved a thing in the house since Clara died? He’s very active and loving with his boys, The two days we had school, he brought Will and we chatted a few minutes each time. If I’m to find a husband, I guess I’m going to have to look elsewhere.”
* * *
Taking in a view of the Front Range while driving the buggy to school, Martha thought, “I don’t remember seeing snow on those peaks before. I guess I missed it, but it sure is beautiful. Oh well, we’ll have plenty of snow before long.” She thought no more about it.
After getting a pail of water from the well, Martha was standing in the doorway, waiting for the rest of her students to arrive, she thought, “The wind is picking up too. It has a bite to it.”
One of the last students to arrive was Clayton Vintner, who had turned out to be one of the harder working students. As he came in he said, “Papa says it’s going to snow today.”
“Really,” she said. “Why does he think so?”
“When a storm is coming, the rheumatism in Papa’s back gets bad and he said it kept him awake last night.”
“Well, we’ll have to make sure we have plenty of wood for the fireplace,” Martha said. “Why don’t you check it out, Clayton?”
“Yes’m. I’ll make sure.” With the help of two other boys, they brought in an armload of wood each and piled it in the corner.
She started the older children on their geography lessons and another group on arithmetic while she worked with the young ones on penmanship. She switched the subjects later in the morning.
Since it was windy and chilly outside, they ate lunch in the classroom, with each student opening their lunch pails to see what their parent had packed for them that day. Martha had packed cold chicken and honey biscuits for her own lunch. Those that had the need, went to one of the outhouses in back of the school. As she came back in, one of the little girls said, “Miss Martha, it’s cold outside.”
“Why don’t you move closer to the fire and get warm, Mary?”
An hour after lunch, Martha heard the sound of boots outside the classroom. Luke walked in. “Martha, we’d better get the children over to the ranch house. It’s blowing pretty hard and starting to snow. We’ll keep them there and if their parents come, they’ll find them. They’ll know we took them in. I don’t think it’s a good idea for them to go out by themselves. You either for that matter. One of the hands will help them get the horses to the barn.”
“I’ll just finish up here and then I’ll go on home then,” she said.
“Martha, I don’t think that’s a good idea. It can get real nasty in a hurry,” he said.
“Luke, I’m an adult. I’ve been through snowstorms before. I’ll be all right.”
“Martha, this is Wyoming. You haven’t been through one of our storms. Now come on,” he said.
“Luke Hastings, stop ordering me around,” she said, little sparks shooting from her brown eyes.
“You are one stubborn woman,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder, feeling an instant warmth when he touched
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