EMMA (Mail-Order Brides Club, #1) Read Free Page A

pleasure to meet you, Emma. Do you have any other luggage with you?" He reached for her bag and picked it up as if it were as light as a feather.
    "No, this is it." They walked a short distance to where two horses and a wagon waited and Josh placed her bag in the back.
    "I'll run the two of you to our house while my assistant, Bill watches the store for a bit. I'll need to head back here to close up for the day."
    "I thought you might want a hot bath as soon as you arrived," Hannah explained. "Ethan will be coming for dinner and you'll meet him then." 
    Emma was grateful that she'd have a chance to freshen up before meeting Ethan. "Will I be going home with Ethan, then, after dinner?" she asked a bit nervously.
    Hannah and Josh exchanged glances and then Josh spoke. "It might be best if you stay with us for a week or so, to give you and Ethan a chance to get to know each other first."
    Emma was instantly relieved, but also a bit confused. Something seemed off. She looked at Hannah, who glanced at her husband again. Josh sighed and then admitted, "This came as a bit of a shock to Ethan. He didn't write to Mrs. Richardson for a wife. We did."
    "He didn't know I was coming?" Emma was horrified.
    "We told him as soon as we heard from Mrs. Richardson that you were on the way. We did it for his benefit, but he didn't see it that way. Not at first."
    "Is he okay with it now?" Emma asked. What if he refused to marry her? And she had to return to Boston?
    "He's not happy with us. But, he did admit that he should marry again and he knows he needs help with Emily. He agreed to meet you and see how the two of you got along."
    "What if he doesn't like me?" Emma was almost afraid to ask the question but knew that she had to mentally start preparing for plan B, and was grateful that she had some money saved for just this kind of emergency. Though she'd hoped not to need to use it.
    "This is our fault. We invited you here. So, we're hopeful that you and Ethan will find each other compatible," Hannah assured her.
    "I also reminded Ethan that he has eight single brothers and now that I've met you, I can say with confidence that if he's not interested, you'll likely have your pick of the others."
    Emma blushed at that and didn't quite know what to say, so she said nothing. It was all a bit overwhelming and she was suddenly feeling exhausted. She was looking forward to resting after her bath, if possible, before dinner, and knew she'd sleep well that night.
    Twenty minutes later, Josh turned the wagon onto a long driveway and a moment later a two story wooden home came into view. Hannah led the way inside and Josh brought her bag upstairs and into their extra bedroom. He then left to head back to the store.
    "Sit down and relax," Hannah ordered her as she set about in the kitchen, putting a teakettle of water on the stove to boil. "I don't know about you, but I could use a nice cup of tea. It should be ready in just a few minutes and I'll go get started heating up some water for your bath as well."
    "Can I help with anything?" Emma offered.
    "Yes. As soon as you hear that teakettle whistle, go ahead and pour for us both. I've set out two cups and there's a jar of honey on the counter if you want to sweeten it up a bit."
    While Hannah was off getting water to be heated for her bath, Emma sat at the kitchen table and glanced around the house. It was very different from the Beacon Hill mansion she'd lived at for the past few years, but it was neat and clean and there was no Gerald. That made it far superior as far as Emma was concerned. When the teakettle whistled, Emma jumped up and poured hot water into the cups that Hannah had set out. She was just adding a touch of honey to her tea when Hannah was back with a large bin of water that she set on the top of the woodstove.
    "By the time we finish our tea, it should be ready. Let's have a seat and chat a bit." 
    They both sat at the kitchen table and Hannah asked, "So what is it like in Boston? It