Montana Sky: Mail Order Machinations (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Free

I’m not allowed to go.”  Esther wasn’t certain if she should mention her plans to take her sister West with her, so she didn’t say anything about Coral at all.
    “You’ll both stay with me then.”  Elizabeth acted as if the offer was something she made every day.  “There’s plenty of room, and I could use some friends.  I may have you help a bit with filing while you’re here, as well.”
    Esther stared at her with surprise.  “Do you mean it?  It would help us out tremendously.”
    “Of course, I mean it.  Have you seen my desk?” Elizabeth grinned.  “You need to write a letter to Brody, telling him your age and what your qualifications are. It takes about a month to get a response, so you can hide out here and make certain you avoid your former fiancé.”
    “Perfect.” Esther accepted the pen and paper Elizabeth offered and quickly wrote out a reply.  When she was finished, she handed the letter to Elizabeth.
    Elizabeth didn’t even glance at it.  “I’ll send this off first thing tomorrow.”
    “Thank you!”

Chapter Two
     
     
    As they walked home, Coral looked at her sister.  “Did you mention me in the letter?”
    Esther shook her head.  “I thought it best not to.  You’ll just be an added surprise.”
    “Did you mention you can’t cook?”
    “I’ve got a whole month to learn.  How hard can it be?  Besides, you’re going, and I know you know how to cook.  You’ve been in the kitchen with Mary learning to cook every day for years.  You’ll help me.” If all else failed, they’d make the man think that Esther was doing the cooking instead of Coral.  How much did it really matter as long as the man got fed?
    Coral frowned.  “Of course, I’ll help, but what if your new husband doesn’t want me there?”
    “Not want you?  Everyone wants you around, dear sister.  No, it’ll be fine.”  Esther refused to believe otherwise.  And if the man was in an area with few women, it would be easy to marry Coral off soon after they arrived.  She wasn’t as classically pretty as Esther, but she was sweet natured.  Everyone seemed to prefer that.
    Coral shook her head.  She wouldn’t let herself believe disaster would happen.  She would do her best to be indispensable.  Besides, they had more important things to worry about.  Like what they were going to tell their mother.
    They found their mother in the parlor, right where they’d left her.  She was still crying.  “Mother, we’ve determined what we’ll do.  Now we just need to get our things packed tonight, before the men come to take the furniture tomorrow,” Coral announced when she walked in.
    Esther watched her sister take charge, guiding their mother up the stairs and putting her to work in a way she would never be able to do.  There was just something about Coral that made people not mind being managed by her.
    The three women worked together through the long night.  First they packed their mother’s things, because she had a ticket for a train that was leaving at nine-thirty the following morning.
    Once they finished there, they went to work on the girls’ rooms.  There were so many things Esther would pick up, and think, Oh, I need to take this with me.  It would look grand in my new home, but Coral would shake her head, and Esther would put it back down, knowing her sister was right. There would be limited space to take all their things to Montana.
    Esther’s eye caught the diamond sparkling from the ring on her finger.  First thing in the morning, she’d take that ring and sell it.  Then she would be able to pay for Coral’s ticket out West, and not have to worry about asking for money from either Elizabeth or her future husband.  She never wanted to have to see it again anyway. 
    They finally fell into bed just before four in the morning, knowing they’d have to be up before seven to get Mother to the train station.  Esther fell into an exhausted sleep, refusing to worry about