The Convenient Mail Order Bride by Ruth Ann Nordin

mother said. “I’m not fully rested
from our trip.” She looked at Abe. “We packed light. You wouldn’t
mind it if she bought a couple items to pretty herself up, would
you?”
    When Phoebe’s gaze went to him, he said,
“You’re welcome to get whatever you need.”
    Of all the things people could say about
him, withholding things a woman needed wasn’t going to be one of
them. While Phoebe and her mother were there, he’d see to their
needs.
    “We’ll leave in thirty minutes,” he added
then left the cabin to get the horses ready.
    He suspected her mother had ulterior motives
for sending him and Phoebe into town. Most likely, Phoebe knew it,
too. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to sitting with Phoebe for
nearly an hour, but he figured it wouldn’t hurt to get some things
resolved. They would have to spend a couple weeks in the same house
until the next stagecoach came back. Surely, they could come to an
understanding that would allow them to live peaceably.
    He got the horses hitched to the wagon
before the half hour was up, and he fully expected to wait for her
to come out, much like he’d have to wait for his mother, who
insisted on making sure she looked as beautiful as possible in case
they ran into his father while in town. Even now, Abe grimaced in
irritation. Why did she degrade herself that way? No wonder Carl
thought he could walk all over him. He’d watched his father do it
to Abe’s mother his entire life.
    The door to the cabin opened, and Abe’s mind
returned to the present. Phoebe had put her hat on, and she was
sliding the ribbons of her drawstring purse up her arm. There was
no doubt she was a pretty thing. She almost seemed too good for
this place. A bigger house with far more land would have suited her
better. Why hadn’t any of the white men back in Ohio taken an
interest in her? Were men stupid over there?
    Phoebe took a deep breath, squared her
shoulders back, and marched toward him, much as a man would do when
faced with a battle.
    Despite the situation, a chuckle escaped
Abe’s throat. “I’m not going to hurt you. You have nothing to
fear.”
    “That’s not what I’m thinking,” she said,
seeming surprised by his comment.
    “Then why do you look as if you’re going to
die?”
    Her eyebrows furrowed and her steps slowed
as she reached the wagon. “I don’t have any reason to think I’m
going to die.”
    He went over to her. “Well, something’s on
your mind.” He held his hand out to her. “I’ll help you in.”
    She bit her lower lip.
    “If you want to get in yourself, you
certainly may,” he said, gesturing to the seat. “But that skirt’s
likely to give you some problems unless you lift it. Of course, if
you lift it, I’m likely to see something I shouldn’t.”
    At that, her face went bright red, and she
thrust her hand out to him. He stared at her, not sure if he should
laugh or be concerned. Something was troubling her. She hadn’t been
afraid of him when she asked him if she could stay, nor was she
afraid when she brought the nails up to him while he was fixing the
roof. He thought over the things he’d said or done that might have
spooked her, but he couldn’t think of anything.
    After a moment, he took her hand and helped
her into the wagon. When he made it to his side, he got in next to
her and glanced her way. Again, she refused to look at him. Perhaps
she worried about being alone on the trail with him. Maybe she
thought he’d take advantage of the situation.
    He unlocked the brakes and snapped the
reins, encouraging the horses to move forward. She gasped and lost
her balance. Leaning toward her, he put his arm around her waist
and steadied her before she fell back.
    “I thought you were familiar with wagons,”
he said.
    “I-I am,” she stammered as she finally found
her balance. He released her, and she cleared her throat. “I just
didn’t expect the horses to go so fast, that’s all.”
    She hadn’t expected the horses to go