Free Mail Order Bride: Love On The Line: A Mail Order Brides Western Romance by Catherine Harper Page A

know?"
    Tom nodded and waited for the penny to drop.
    "No. That's impossible she's not due to come in for another few weeks-"
    "She got the train instead…"
    Tom watched as John said nothing and gestured to the barman. "Bring over the bottle."
    "You have to understand, I didn't know until yesterday," Tom pleaded. "We got talking and then she realized that I was your brother."
    Taking the bottle, John said nothing and filled a pair of glasses. Lifting one he downed it and then refilled it.
    "You know if I'd known, I'd have stayed a mile away from her, I'm sorry, John."
    "So after all this time, you've discovered what love is really like. The playboy has finally had his heart broken-"
    "John-"
    John interrupted him. "Now you know how much Laura meant to me. You laughed at the time and said I was too young getting tied down. But I knew right from the moment I met her, I knew I couldn't look at another woman again. Those three years of marriage were the happiest time of my life—but the lord above needed her more than I did. Thankfully he left me with a small part of her." Holding out his shot glass, he waited for Tom to join him. "To Laura."
    "Laura," Tom saluted. "I'll stand back, John, I'll-"
    "I thought finding a mail order bride would be good for me and little Amy. Someone to take care of us both. Maybe I could fall in love with this woman. But I can't stand in the way of love, Tom, Laura would never forgive me if I did. Exchanging letters for a few weeks—it's never going to compare to what I had with her. Maybe I'll find someone, maybe I won't. Better one of us happy than two of us miserable. I've still got my little woman at home-"
    "So you're saying-"
    "I won't stand in your way Tom."
    "But mother, she'll…"
    John smiled. "I'll talk to her. She can't complain, there'll still be a wedding to go to. It just won't be mine. That's if you're thinking of marrying-"
    Tom leapt from his seat and held onto the table for a second to steady himself, "I've got to find her."
    "I don't think you're not in a fit state to go looking for anyone," John laughed. Standing up, he pushed his brother back into his seat. Looking at the grinning face across from him, John put the top back on their bottle and called for black coffee. Smiling to Tom, he added, "I suppose you'll be looking for a best man now."
    "Would you?"
    "Not everyday a man sees his bride marry someone else," John said. "I suppose I better. Now all we have to do is find her. That is if you haven't put her off marriage for life."
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 18
    Elizabet held the piece of paper in her hand and read through it a second time. Looking nothing like the previous addresses she'd called on, it felt like Alice was on a downward spiral. Knowing very little of what had happened since she'd come to San Francisco, it had been one of Alice's co-worker's that had given her the details. Wondering what lay inside, Elizabet hoped that it was better than its outside appearance. Feeling a little uncomfortable and wondering what to do next, a group of young men made up her mind for her. Walking toward her and giving her a wolf whistle, she decided that going inside had to be safer than remaining on the street. Pushing the front door open, Elizabet found the first impression as bad as she'd thought. Hit with a smell that made her almost gag, she held her breath and put her hand to her face. Walking toward the stairs it wasn't long before she found the source of the smell, someone had been using the hallway as a toilet. Side stepping the mess and hoping that the worst was over, she thought better of touching the stair's handrail or anything else as she climbed.
     
    Making her way up the stairs, Elizabet paused on seeing a child on the first floor watch her every move. Looking dirty and a little on the thin side, the boy ignored her hello and kept watching. Thinking of what Tom had done, she thought some candy might bring a smile to his face. Reaching into her purse and