EMMA (Mail-Order Brides Club, #1) Read Free
Author: Ashley Merrick
Tags: sweet historical romance, Mail Order Brides, clean western romance, sweet western romance, montana cowboys, sweet clean historical romance
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that. Of course I have, but I've also decided that it's a risk worth taking," Emma assured her. "Plus, I have a fair bit of money saved that I'll be bringing with me. It's not enough for me to live on for long, but it's a safety net, in case I need to buy a ticket back or put myself up for a short while."
"I still don't like it. I understand why you think it's your only option. But selfishly, I'm going to miss you something fierce and I think it's just wrong that you're in this position to begin with. Gerald shouldn't be allowed to do that to you."
"It's not fair," Emma agreed. "But, he has all the power. He made it very clear that if I don't agree to go along with these new 'duties', I will be easily replaced. And you know that's true. There'd be a line of girls eager to take my position, even if they knew about Gerald."
Julia and Katie were silent. By the solemn looks on their faces, Emma knew they agreed with her assessment of the current job market.
"Did you say he is one of ten boys in the family?" Katie asked, with an impish look upon her face.
Emma smiled, sensing the mood shift to acceptance, "Yes, and maybe some of them are eager for wives, too."
"I still think you're crazy to do this—my best friend, a mail-order bride! But I understand, and I'll be praying for you, for safe travels and that this Ethan is a good and kind man." Julia's voice broke a little and Emma felt her eyes start to water again. It had been an emotional morning.
"I'll write you both as soon as I'm settled and I'll expect you to write often as well, and fill me in on how everyone is doing."
"I'll write every week," Katie promised. She was the writer of the bunch, always scribbling away in her journal, and Emma looked forward to her stories.
"When do you leave?" Julia dabbed at her eyes as she looked away toward the Charles.
"Next Tuesday, at nine a.m. Ethan's brother and sister-in-law will be meeting me at the station when I arrive in Bozeman."
"Ethan won't be meeting you?" Julia looked puzzled.
"His letter explained that his brother has a store in town, and that it would be easier for them to collect me and then bring me out to his farm."
"Hmmm, that seems a bit odd. Is his farm far from town?" Katie asked.
"I don't know. It seemed reasonable the way Mrs. Richardson explained it." Emma frowned then as a wave of doubt that she was making the right decision washed over her.
"I'm sure it will be fine, and maybe even a bit less awkward if you meet some of his family first." Julia pulled her in for a hug and Katie joined in as well. Emma felt her fears ease away and promised to let them both know she'd made it there safely and to keep them posted on her new life.
CHAPTER THREE
T he thrill of the train ride wore off by the third day. By the end of the third week, Emma had never felt so grimy before. She couldn't wait to take a bath and hoped that she would have a chance to do so before she met Ethan. She was so dirty that he would smell her well before he even saw her and she didn't want that to be his first impression.
It was just past three p.m. when the train arrived in Bozeman. Emma walked off the train with her one bag that carried everything that she owned, which wasn't much. She just had a few simple dresses and other clothing and personal items, shoes and several books, which she'd read more than once during the trip. She set her bag down and took a good look around. A tall, blond man and a woman with long, wavy brown hair looked around uncertainly as if they were hoping to recognize someone, and since there were no other couples in the area, Emma started walking towards them, hoping it was Ethan's brother and his wife, Hannah.
"Are you Emma?" the woman asked as Emma drew near. Her voice was soft and she wore a friendly smile.
"Yes, and you must be Hannah?" Emma breathed a sigh of relief.
"This is my husband, Joshua." Hannah introduced Ethan's brother and he smiled and held out his hand.
"Everyone calls me Josh. It's a
"I still don't like it. I understand why you think it's your only option. But selfishly, I'm going to miss you something fierce and I think it's just wrong that you're in this position to begin with. Gerald shouldn't be allowed to do that to you."
"It's not fair," Emma agreed. "But, he has all the power. He made it very clear that if I don't agree to go along with these new 'duties', I will be easily replaced. And you know that's true. There'd be a line of girls eager to take my position, even if they knew about Gerald."
Julia and Katie were silent. By the solemn looks on their faces, Emma knew they agreed with her assessment of the current job market.
"Did you say he is one of ten boys in the family?" Katie asked, with an impish look upon her face.
Emma smiled, sensing the mood shift to acceptance, "Yes, and maybe some of them are eager for wives, too."
"I still think you're crazy to do this—my best friend, a mail-order bride! But I understand, and I'll be praying for you, for safe travels and that this Ethan is a good and kind man." Julia's voice broke a little and Emma felt her eyes start to water again. It had been an emotional morning.
"I'll write you both as soon as I'm settled and I'll expect you to write often as well, and fill me in on how everyone is doing."
"I'll write every week," Katie promised. She was the writer of the bunch, always scribbling away in her journal, and Emma looked forward to her stories.
"When do you leave?" Julia dabbed at her eyes as she looked away toward the Charles.
"Next Tuesday, at nine a.m. Ethan's brother and sister-in-law will be meeting me at the station when I arrive in Bozeman."
"Ethan won't be meeting you?" Julia looked puzzled.
"His letter explained that his brother has a store in town, and that it would be easier for them to collect me and then bring me out to his farm."
"Hmmm, that seems a bit odd. Is his farm far from town?" Katie asked.
"I don't know. It seemed reasonable the way Mrs. Richardson explained it." Emma frowned then as a wave of doubt that she was making the right decision washed over her.
"I'm sure it will be fine, and maybe even a bit less awkward if you meet some of his family first." Julia pulled her in for a hug and Katie joined in as well. Emma felt her fears ease away and promised to let them both know she'd made it there safely and to keep them posted on her new life.
CHAPTER THREE
T he thrill of the train ride wore off by the third day. By the end of the third week, Emma had never felt so grimy before. She couldn't wait to take a bath and hoped that she would have a chance to do so before she met Ethan. She was so dirty that he would smell her well before he even saw her and she didn't want that to be his first impression.
It was just past three p.m. when the train arrived in Bozeman. Emma walked off the train with her one bag that carried everything that she owned, which wasn't much. She just had a few simple dresses and other clothing and personal items, shoes and several books, which she'd read more than once during the trip. She set her bag down and took a good look around. A tall, blond man and a woman with long, wavy brown hair looked around uncertainly as if they were hoping to recognize someone, and since there were no other couples in the area, Emma started walking towards them, hoping it was Ethan's brother and his wife, Hannah.
"Are you Emma?" the woman asked as Emma drew near. Her voice was soft and she wore a friendly smile.
"Yes, and you must be Hannah?" Emma breathed a sigh of relief.
"This is my husband, Joshua." Hannah introduced Ethan's brother and he smiled and held out his hand.
"Everyone calls me Josh. It's a
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