Roberta: Bride of Wisconsin (American Mail-Order Bride 30) Read Free Page B

food, but he'd made it clear to Jakob, he didn't want either of those things coming because there was a new mother in their household.
    "Ja," Lukas said, bouncing a little. He didn't want a replacement for his mother, but he was so excited at the prospect of not having to ever wash another dish that he was ready to have Roberta there.
    "What do you think she looks like?" Konrad asked. "She didn't tell us in her letter."
    "Does it matter?" Jakob asked. "As long as she can cook and clean, she can look like a troll for all I care." Of course, a little voice in his head told him that an ugly woman would be embarrassing to go out and about with. Erna had been a beauty, and although he wasn't a vain man, it would seem strange to go out with a woman who was less than pretty on his arm.
    They sat watching as the train pulled in. "You boys wait here," Jakob said, jumping down from the buggy.
    "But we want to see if she looks like a frog," Lukas said, making a face.
    Jakob laughed and shook his head. "I will bring your new frog- mutter back in a moment, and you will see her then."
    Jakob went and stood on the platform, waiting as the train emptied. Superior was as far as the line went, because there were no bridges to take a train across Lake Superior. Someday maybe there would be, but not today.
    He saw an unaccompanied woman with medium-length blond hair in her early twenties get off the train, and he frowned. Was that his Roberta?
    His Roberta? Where had that thought come from? She wasn't his at all. She was just a woman he would marry for the sake of his boys. Never would she be his. He loved his wife too much to ever let another replace her in his heart.
    The woman looked confused as she looked around her. Jakob walked toward her, hoping he wouldn't make a fool of himself by talking to the wrong woman.
    "Roberta?" he asked.
    Bobbie looked up at the mention of her name, feeling nothing but relief. "Yes, I'm Roberta. My friends call me Bobbie." How did one greet the man she was to marry in a short while? A kiss was probably appropriate, but Bobbie made do with a handshake. "Jakob?"
    "Ja. I am Jakob." He looked down at the two carpet bags in her hands. "Is that all you have?" She nodded, and he took them both from her. "Come. My boys are waiting to meet you in the buggy."
    Bobbie followed him through the crowd of people, dodging a young couple who was obviously having a joyous reunion, kissing as only a young couple in love could do in public. "Did you have to come far to get me?"
    He shook his head. "No. We live on the outskirts of town." He handed the two bags up to Lukas who held them in his lap. "This is Bobbie. Konrad, sit in the back beside your brother, so she can ride up front with me."
    Bobbie watched as the boy jumped down and climbed up beside his brother. Jakob offered her his hand and she climbed up into the buggy, waiting for him to walk to the other side and climb in himself.
    " Vater , she doesn't look like a frog- mutter ," Lukas said from the back.
    Bobbie whirled around and looked at the boy. "You must be Lukas. Why would I look like a frog- mutter ?"
    Lukas shrugged. "I don't know, but Vater said we must be kind even if you look like a frog- mutter ."
    Bobbie gave Jakob a look that had made her employees scramble back to work immediately when she'd given it to them. "Really? A frog- mutter ?" What was a frog- mutter ? Whatever it was, it didn't sound complimentary.
    Jakob gave her a look that showed his embarrassment. "I'm sorry. The boys were curious about how you would look."
    "And do I look good enough to satisfy their requirements? Should I rub grass on my face to make it green like a frog's? Is that what they want?"
    Jakob laughed. "I think they just wanted to scare me about meeting you."
    "I see. And did it work?"
    "Not at all. You're not bad to look at." Jakob refused to compliment her. He didn't know her at all, and didn't know what she wanted from him.
    Not bad to look at? "I'm glad your breakfast hasn't