Free The New Year's Bride (Holiday Mail Order Brides Book Two) by Kit Morgan Page A

thought she went easy on Summer.”
    “Summer yes, Clayton no.  Ma about drove poor Clayton crazy with her we dding talk.  It went on for weeks after Summer arrived.  If it hadn’t been for her injury, Ma would’ve got things underway a lot sooner and had them married off well before Christmas.  As it turned out though, things worked out for the best and they were married just after midnight Christmas day.”
    “Oh, how romantic!  I didn’t realize they were married around midnight.  I thought it was so metime late Christmas morning.”
    “No .  They had their wedding and their wedding night all in a matter of hours.”
    Elle felt herself blush at his remark.  She knew well what he was saying.  She hadn’t thought about that aspect of marriage since she left New Orleans.  She’d thought about it before though and wondered what things would be like between her husband and herself.  Mrs. Teeters had given her a brief talking to about marital relations, but didn’t give her any real details.  She figured she was going to have to wait to find out, that is until she discovered Summer was now to be her sister in-law!  When they had some privacy, she’d ask her all about it.
    But right now, she had to send that message!  “Thank you so much for taking me with you to the telegraph office.  I know Mrs. Ridgley must be wondering why she hasn’t heard from me since my arrival.”
    “I’m sorry for not taking you sooner, but I’ve been pre-occupied with other things,” he said and gave her a pointed look.
    Did he mean her?  But then, what else could he mean?  “Oh, I’m sorry if I’ve kept you from your work.”
    “What?  Oh no, you mustn’t worry about that.  My wife comes first.  It’s just that … well maybe because I know you arrived safe and sound I wasn’t as adamant about getting word to Mrs. Ridgley.  But then, how is she to know unless you tell her?  I’m sorry I waited this long, it was selfish of me.”
    “The important thing is that I’m letting her know.  I suppose a few days delay doesn’t hurt anything.”  Except that they’ve been like torture!   She looked up at him and smiled as they approached the telegraph office.
    “I should have sent word to Uncle Harlan that his deputy Tom Turner arrived in town as well. I must be more preoccupied than I thought.”
    She smiled as they entered the telegraph office but said nothing.  If he had been preoccupied with her this whole time then what must he think of her?  She hadn’t avoided him entirely, that was impossible, but she hadn’t fallen all over his attentions toward her either.  He probably wondered if she was attracted to him at all!  But she couldn’t very well return his attentions until she knew what she was facing.  Wedded bliss? Or the gallows?
    What did they do to women out west accused of murder?  Oh she couldn’t bear to think of it!  Be logical Elle!  Self defense!  It was self defense!  The man was coming at them with a gun after all!  He was going to shoot Jethro and …
    “What did you want to say?”
    Elle jumped.  “OH!” She looked up at him, eyes wide.
    His brow furrowed as he quickly studied her. “What’s wrong?”
    “N … nothing.  Give me a few minutes while you go ahead and send yours first.”
    His eyes lingered on her a moment more before he turned to a man sitting behind the counter and began to tell him the message he wanted sent.
    Elle swallowed hard and turned from him as she wracked her brain over what to say that would convey what she so desperately needed to know without asking the obvious.
    “Miss Barstow?”
    Elle stiffened.
    Spencer put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him.  “Elnora?  May I call you Elnora?  We are to be married soon.”
    She looked up into his eyes.  He had a starry expression on his face that made her tingle all over.  He was attracted to her that was obvious.  How was she going to keep her heart in check for