Free In Search Of Love: The Story of A Mail Order Bride (Mail Order Bride Series) by Susan Leigh Carlton Page B

me,?” he pouted.
     
    “Come here, you,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.  “Kiss me and I’ll give you a present.”  After a long, slow and tender kiss, they slowly and quietly made love.
     
    “Tell me about our house,”  she said later.
     
    “It’s a cabin not a house.  It has a large room, with a fireplace, stove and table at one end, a davenport, a chair and a fireplace at the other.  There is a small sleeping loft, and a lean-to storage room.  I told you, compared to your parent’s home, it’s primitive.  I plan to enlarge it, but I’m embarrassed to take you there.”
     
    “I’ll hear no more talk about you being embarrassed by what you have or don’t have.  You have nothing to be ashamed of and as long as you’re there, I’ll be happy.  We can improve as we go.”
     
    “Katerina Murphy, it’s a fine time to say this, but I’ve fallen in love with you already. I think it happened the first time I met you, but seeing you so at ease with my family made me realize it and how proud of you I am,” he said.  He kissed her cheek, pulled back and asked, “Are you crying?  What’s wrong?  Did I say something wrong?”
     
    “Wrong?  No you didn’t say anything wrong. I’ve been waiting and wanting to hear you say that.  The first time we kissed, I felt little sparks shoot through my body.  It made me tingle all over.  Papa told me you were a good man.  I believed him then and I believe it more now.
     
    “I just remembered, Papa gave me a small package and made me promise not to open it until I got to Oregon.  Let’s open it now!” she said.
     
    She went to her valise and got the small package out.  When she opened it, she burst into real tears.  “That dear sweet man,” she said.  “Listen to what he wrote.  “My dear sweet daughter.  Though I deeply regret you leaving, I think it is probably best.  Now you have the chance to spread your wings and fly.  I’ve always been proud of you and everything you’ve done in your life.  I want you to have this token of my love.  Your mother knows nothing of this, so do something nice for yourself and Patrick, and think kindly of your Papa every so often.  Liebchen, know that I’ll always love you.  Papa.”
     
    “Patrick, there’s five hundred dollars in gold pieces here.  He must have been saving it for years, and he gave it to me.  I would send it back, but it would hurt him if I did.  I’m going to save it and use it to buy a train ticket to come visit us when we have our first baby.”
     
    “What a wonderful idea,” Patrick said.  “I can’t think of a better way to pay him back.”
     
    The next morning…
     
    Katarina waved to everyone.  “Goodbye and thank you again,” she said. 
     
    Patrick clucked to the horse and they headed home…

Chapter 15: Home
    Patrick pulled the wagon in between a barn and a small log cabin.  It was a typical four room cabin with a sleeping loft.  The cabin had two windows and a door facing the front, and another two windows and a door facing back.  The windows were protected by shutters that were closed.  There was a small porch across the back and one the width of the cabin in front.  “Well, this is it, such as it is,” he said. 
     
    “If you don’t stop talking like that, I’m going to tell John I need his help,” Katerina said, almost angrily.
     
    He looked at her strangely.  What brought that on?   “I didn’t mean anything, honest, honey.  It was just an expression,” he said. 
     
    “Just an expression or not, I don’t want you putting what we have down.  It’s our home.  Now, are you going to show me in, or do I go in by myself?” she asked.
     
    He took her hand, went to the door and pulled on a latch string.  The door swung open easily and they walked into the darkened interior.  The windows all had bright yellow curtains, something they did not have when he had left.  He swung all of the shutters open to let