Free The Anonymous Bride by Vickie Mcdonough Page B

She picked up a colonial blue shirt with loose buttons that belonged to three-year-old Micah. In the fields past the barn, she saw her father walking behind the huge draft horses, plowing.
     
    “Nooo, you do it.” Mabel shook her head and wrung her hands.
     
    Molly grinned. “Sue Anne Carter is going to be a mail-order bride. She’s got a magazine with ads in it, and she’s studying them for a husband.”
     
    Leah blinked, and her mending dropped to her lap. There were advertisements where one could find a husband? “Why would she do such a ridiculous thing? Sue Anne could have any man she wanted.”
     
    Mabel piped up now that Molly had brokered the subject. “Maybe she wants to get away from her strict father, or maybe she wants an adventure.”
     
    The image of Sam Braddock rose in Leah’s mind, as handsome and strong as any man she’d known. He’d been the only male to ever capture her heart, and he’d returned the attraction. But he died when influenza ravished the neighboring town, killing Leah’s dreams. She placed her hand over her heart. Even after a year, the pain still felt fresh. She remembered her eagerness to marry Sam as the days to their wedding had drawn closer. Instead, Sam had been buried that day.
     
    She shook her thoughts back to her best friend. Sue Anne hadn’t mentioned anything to her about being a mail-order bride. And how could she consider traveling hundreds of miles to marry a man she’d never met? Seemed like a recipe for disaster.
     
    The twins were huddled together, whispering, but Leah could still hear them. “Tell her the rest,” Molly whispered.
     
    “Nooo, we ain’t supposed to know. Remember?” Mabel crossed her arms and flipped her long brown braids behind her.
     
    Leah looked back at Molly and leaned forward. The little busybody never could keep a secret.
     
    Molly glanced at Mabel. Guilt marched across her face, but her eyes twinkled with mischief. She stood up and swung her faded skirt back and forth as if she were dancing. “Mr. Abernathy is buying you from Pa.”
     
    “Mo–ll–y!” Mabel jumped up, her gaze darting to the field where their father worked. “Pa is gonna be furious with you for telling.”
     
    Leah’s hands dropped to her lap like lead weights. Mr. Abernathy was ... old. And fat. And had hair growing out of his nose and ears. “Wh–what do you mean, buying me?”
     
    Proud that she knew something her big sister didn’t, Molly puffed up like a toad. “Mr. Abernathy wanted me. ” She shuddered, as if the thought repulsed her. “But Pa said I was too young to marry and that he could have you instead. Pa said he had too many mouths to feed. Am I ever glad, for once, that I ain’t the oldest.”
     
    “I don’t believe you.” Leah glanced at Mabel. Seeing the confirmation in her sister’s brown eyes, her heart jolted, Molly might lie, but Mabel couldn’t. Needing to get away by herself, Leah stood. “Did you two finish the laundry?”
     
    Evidently realizing they’d said enough, the twins fled down the stairs and around the side of the house without answering. Pa was selling her like some ... old cow? Shock pulled Leah back down into the rocker. He wanted to be rid of her because he had too many mouths to feed. Hadn’t she proven her worth by taking up the slack when Ma needed help and working from before sunup to past dusk? How would Ma manage without her?
     
    Tears stung her eyes. Hurbert Abernathy had to be forty. More than twice her age. He was an obese, smelly man, and the whole town knew he preferred gambling to working. How could her father agree to let her marry someone like that? Even if it did help the family.
     
    Tears trailed down her cheeks. Once Pa made up his mind, he wouldn’t be swayed. What could she do? She had no money. Nowhere to go.
     
    Maybe she should visit Sue Anne and have a look at that magazine. Could marrying a stranger be any worse than being forced to wed Hurbert Abernathy? Funny, how