Free Montana Bound: A Sweet Mail Order Bride Historical (Mail Order Bride Journeys Book 2) by Claire Holiday

“I’m not hurting. Why would you say that?”
    “Oh come on, Grace.” Constance gave Grace a consoling look as she spoke. “We are both women, and we pick up on these things. I know that you have fallen for my brother.”
    Grace was shocked at her words. Have I been so obvious? She thought. She struggled to figure out how to respond, but came up with nothing.
    “There is no use denying it, Grace. It is obvious in the way you hang on his every word, and your eyes give it away every time he walks into the room.”
    “Fine, I’ll admit it. But I’ve done everything that I can to stifle my feelings ever since I found out about her. You have to believe that. I hope I haven’t done anything to be the cause of his confliction unknowingly.”
    “I do believe you.” Constance said. “Look, it’s not my place to say, and like I said before, I’ve never violated a confidence with my brother before, but you may not intend to be a source of confliction for him, but you are.”
    “Oh my.” Grace had a million thoughts running through her mind. “He told you that he is conflicted because of me? I’ve tried very hard to hide my feelings. I really don’t want to be a point of confliction for him, and to be honest, I am not eager to get my heart broken either.”
    “It’s not your fault. You see, he told me that he had never had a moment of doubt about how he feels about his girlfriend until that day that you first showed up. He said that every day he is around you his doubts grow, and it has been worse for him ever since the trail ride. He wrote to her because he was hoping that hearing from her would put to rest the doubts that he is having, but he still has not heard back from her.”
    “I’m so sorry. Maybe I should find a job in town so that I can move out. I should never have stayed here this long, it’s just that I like it here so much.” Grace was overcome with grief as she spoke, but held back her tears.
    “You can do that if you feel it is best, but you are more than welcome to stay here longer. We’ve really enjoyed having you here to. You’ve become like a sister to me.”
    The two women embraced in a hug briefly. “I appreciate it, but I think I should start looking for a job tomorrow. I do have strong feelings for your brother, but I don’t want to be the cause of his relationship with her falling apart. If that happened on its own simply because their feelings for each other have changed, without my putting undue influence on him, then I would welcome any interest that he might have in me. But I would never want to marry a man that might later come to regret his decision and wish that he was with the other woman.”
    “I understand. And I’ll support your decision completely.” Constance said.
    “Please promise me you won’t tell him the reason that I am planning to move out, or that we have talked.” Grace asked.
    “I promise. We girls have to look out for each other, and you are making your decision for the right reasons.” Constance hugged her again, and then both women turned the attention back to the housework.
     

CHAPTER 8
     
    Later that afternoon, Grace heard the sound of a wagon pulling up to the property. Constance heard it too and quickly retrieved her brush and mirror to make some quick touch-ups to her hair.
    Grace could hear the two men greeting each other. Owen had been outside working in the barn ever since walking out of the house earlier in the morning, and it was the first time she had heard his voice since then. She felt the familiar flutter in her heart at the sound of his voice, but quickly squelched it.
    Constance, satisfied that she had done her best with her hair, rose and started for the door but stopped. Turning toward Grace, “Come. I’d like to introduce you to my beau.”
    Grace rose and walked out onto the porch with Constance. There the two women stood and waited as the men approached. Grace imagined how that this is how it would be if the two men were