Roberta: Bride of Wisconsin (American Mail-Order Bride 30) by Kirsten Osbourne
Book: Roberta: Bride of Wisconsin (American Mail-Order Bride 30) by Kirsten Osbourne
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Authors: Kirsten Osbourne
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Saga, Family Life, Western, Short-Story, Religious, Christian, Inspirational, Bachelor, matchmaker, Marriage of Convenience, Wisconsin, Faith, widower, victorian era, independence, Forever Love, Single Woman, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, American Mail-Order Bride, Factory Burned, Pioneer, Single Father, Deceased Wife, Thirtieth In Series, Problems, Two Boys, Differences, Loveless Marriage
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moment, wondering why he'd gone so quickly, but she knew. Deep down, she knew perfectly. He didn't want to have feelings for her. Erna was his true love, and he refused to ever feel anything for her. She'd doomed herself to a loveless marriage, tying her life to this man's forever. She only hoped she could keep her heart encased in ice as his obviously was.
Chapter Five
While she worked the following day, Bobbie couldn't stop thinking about the kiss she'd shared with Jakob the night before. How could she just go on as if something earth-shattering hadn't happened? She sat down, right after lunch, and wrote a letter to Sarah, wishing her friend were there to give her counsel.
As she wrote, she formulated a plan in her mind. It was a good one, if she could just get it to work. She couldn't spend her life in a loveless marriage. She knew that now. She already had feelings for Jakob. Yes, he was a stubborn German who needed a lesson in manners, but he was also gentle with his boys and a good man. She'd seen him look at pictures of Erna with love and longing in his eyes, and she wanted him to look at her that way.
She had always heard their cook say, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach." She would take out the recipes that Sarah had written down for her, and she would make him the most wonderful meals he'd ever eaten. She could do it. She knew she could. Maybe she'd win the boys to her side in the process.
While she was thinking about what to cook, she decided that a meal of fried chicken and potato salad wouldn't be amiss. Would the family be up for a drive and a picnic after church Sunday? She didn't know, but she'd ask. She wanted to see the area. It was a beautiful place, and though there was no ocean, he kept talking about a large lake nearby. She didn't know what the lake was, but she wanted to see it. She wanted to do anything she could with her new family that was frivolous and not work. She'd arrived on a Monday, and it was already Wednesday, but they'd done nothing but work. The boys had been in school all day every day, and Jakob had gone to the lumber camp. For her part, she'd stayed home and worked all day every day.
The bedrooms were clean, and the house was really starting to take shape. She was proud of the way it was looking. Every wall and every floor had been polished until they shone. She was a good wife, but surely he saw her as more than a cleaning woman. They'd kissed after all, and a man couldn't kiss a woman like that unless he had feelings for her. Could he?
When he got home from work that night, she kept hoping he'd come into the kitchen and at least kiss her cheek, but he didn't. He didn't say anything at all, but stopped in the parlor and picked up his German book.
She'd wondered what he was reading, so she'd picked it up but hadn't been able to read a single word. The fact that he could read German impressed her. She could only read English. He spoke two languages. She assumed his German was even better than his English which was excellent.
She pulled the pot roast from the oven, taking the drippings from the bottom of the pan and mixing them with flour and water to make gravy. She scooped the carrots and the potatoes from the pan and put them into a bowl. Then she poured milk for everyone. She knew he liked coffee, but surely he didn't drink it at night. It would keep him up.
She wished she had a flower to add to the middle of the table as a decoration, but there were none to be found. Instead, she put a pretty vase she'd seen on the shelf there, empty. It still looked nice to her.
She'd baked a cake for supper as well, hoping it turned out well. It was her first cake without Sarah standing over her telling her what to do.
When she called everyone for supper, they eyed the table oddly, but took their seats. Immediately after the prayer, Lukas asked the question she knew all three of the men had on their minds. "Why is there an empty vase on the table?"
Bobbie
Chapter Five
While she worked the following day, Bobbie couldn't stop thinking about the kiss she'd shared with Jakob the night before. How could she just go on as if something earth-shattering hadn't happened? She sat down, right after lunch, and wrote a letter to Sarah, wishing her friend were there to give her counsel.
As she wrote, she formulated a plan in her mind. It was a good one, if she could just get it to work. She couldn't spend her life in a loveless marriage. She knew that now. She already had feelings for Jakob. Yes, he was a stubborn German who needed a lesson in manners, but he was also gentle with his boys and a good man. She'd seen him look at pictures of Erna with love and longing in his eyes, and she wanted him to look at her that way.
She had always heard their cook say, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach." She would take out the recipes that Sarah had written down for her, and she would make him the most wonderful meals he'd ever eaten. She could do it. She knew she could. Maybe she'd win the boys to her side in the process.
While she was thinking about what to cook, she decided that a meal of fried chicken and potato salad wouldn't be amiss. Would the family be up for a drive and a picnic after church Sunday? She didn't know, but she'd ask. She wanted to see the area. It was a beautiful place, and though there was no ocean, he kept talking about a large lake nearby. She didn't know what the lake was, but she wanted to see it. She wanted to do anything she could with her new family that was frivolous and not work. She'd arrived on a Monday, and it was already Wednesday, but they'd done nothing but work. The boys had been in school all day every day, and Jakob had gone to the lumber camp. For her part, she'd stayed home and worked all day every day.
The bedrooms were clean, and the house was really starting to take shape. She was proud of the way it was looking. Every wall and every floor had been polished until they shone. She was a good wife, but surely he saw her as more than a cleaning woman. They'd kissed after all, and a man couldn't kiss a woman like that unless he had feelings for her. Could he?
When he got home from work that night, she kept hoping he'd come into the kitchen and at least kiss her cheek, but he didn't. He didn't say anything at all, but stopped in the parlor and picked up his German book.
She'd wondered what he was reading, so she'd picked it up but hadn't been able to read a single word. The fact that he could read German impressed her. She could only read English. He spoke two languages. She assumed his German was even better than his English which was excellent.
She pulled the pot roast from the oven, taking the drippings from the bottom of the pan and mixing them with flour and water to make gravy. She scooped the carrots and the potatoes from the pan and put them into a bowl. Then she poured milk for everyone. She knew he liked coffee, but surely he didn't drink it at night. It would keep him up.
She wished she had a flower to add to the middle of the table as a decoration, but there were none to be found. Instead, she put a pretty vase she'd seen on the shelf there, empty. It still looked nice to her.
She'd baked a cake for supper as well, hoping it turned out well. It was her first cake without Sarah standing over her telling her what to do.
When she called everyone for supper, they eyed the table oddly, but took their seats. Immediately after the prayer, Lukas asked the question she knew all three of the men had on their minds. "Why is there an empty vase on the table?"
Bobbie
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