Free Della: Bride of Texas (American Mail-Order Bride 28) by Trinity Ford Page A

She’d already taken a peek at the Threads and Top Hats store, where Beatrice Reynolds housed all the latest fashions—but with the amount Milton had sent, she’d never be able to afford one of those. Instead, she’d opted for a simple chartreuse and cream, high neck gown with lace and a bow in the back. It didn’t have many adornments, but it was a step above what she wore on a daily basis.
    “How do I look?” she asked Mary, immediately realizing she’d done it again—forgotten the girl was blind.
    “Beautiful,” Mary said, laughing.
    “Oh, Mary, I’m so sorry,” Della apologized.
    “It’s okay,” Mary said. “I kind of like that you forget I’m sightless. It means you look at me like I’m normal. Other people treat me like I’ve lost my mind, not my vision—talking louder, whispering in front of me as if my hearing went the way of my sight. Besides, I know you mean well.”
    Della put her arm around Mary and gave her a hug. “You’re better than normal,” she said. “You’re an amazing young woman and if I could be half the person you are, I’d say a prayer of thanks to the good Lord above!”
    Mary took her hands and gently placed them on Della’s face, guiding them softly to her hair. She brushed her fingertips along Della’s collar, feeling the lace and material, and brought them down slowly along the puffy sleeves and down the back of the dress to the bow. “It…it is beautiful,” Mary said. “What’s it like?”
    “Like the soft underbelly of a lovebird,” Della said, trying to describe the color. “Mixed with the color of creamy, warm grits.”
    Mary smiled and nodded, as if envisioning it in her head. “You promise to tell me all about it the second you get home?” she begged.
    “I promise,” Della said. There was a knock on the front door. “He’s here. Wish me luck.”
    “Luck!” Mary said as Della hurried out of the room and into the parlor where Roy had let Milton in to wait.
    “Much improved,” were Milton’s first words as he looked her up and down when she entered the room. Della’s heart sank. Not exactly the kind of compliment she wanted to hear. “Shall we?” Milton stood and motioned for her to leave before him, nodding to Roy and Mary as he and Della went outside to the wagon.
    “I’ll be introducing you to some very important people this evening,” Milton bragged. “It’s vital that you make a good impression. They’ll be attending our wedding, and God willing, using my services at the bank for some rather large transactions.”
    Della folded her hands in her lap and looked away from Milton, toward the hilly countryside. Think about the positives, she reminded herself. He’s trying to procure a stable future for us. “I’m looking forward to meeting your friends,” she said with a smile.
    The rest of the ride was silent, but they only had a short distance to go before arriving at the Stockyards. The area had been turned into a festive event, and music could be heard coming from the banquet inside the auction hall. As Della stepped down from the wagon, she still smelled the strong odor of cattle, but it was to be expected here—and she was oddly starting to get used to it—something everyone told her would happen when she first moved to Texas.
    The Fort Worth Union Stockyards was located about two and a half miles north of the Tarrant County Courthouse and saw an amazing four million head of cattle pass through from 1866 until this day in 1890. There were rumors of plans for a new Livestock Exchange Building—just another star in the crown of success for Fort Worth.
    But today, cattle were in the background and the big event was about to begin. Couples strode into the hall in pairs. Milton offered his arm, which Della took, happy for the first sign of courtesy he’d given her, even though she suspected it was all for show. Della had never seen the inside of the auction barn and she was amazed at its size. The hay on the auction floor had