Free Not Quite A Mail Order Bride (Mail Order Brides) by Susan Leigh Carlton

Clara. She has her sister as a post to lean on. You don’t have anyone. I’ll tell you one thing, if you don’t ask her someone else will and you will lose a fine woman. To paraphrase the Bible, if you don’t ask, you won’t receive. You’ve heard enough of my lectures for today. Why don’t you come in for a cup of coffee?” Jed led the way into the kitchen, where Sarah was working on dinner. She poured them a cup of coffee, they exchanged pleasantries and he and Jed went into the living room. Martha was sitting in the chair by the window, using the bright light from the nice day outside. She laid the book and the papers in her hands on the table beside her.
     
    “Hello, Luke. Have a seat. I was just finishing up some lessons for next week. Quite a difference in the weather today compared to yesterday, huh?” she asked
     
    “It certainly is,” he said. “That one caught us by surprise. The first storm of the season doesn’t usually come along for another month. I hope it isn’t an omen of things to come.”
     
    She said, “I do too. I usually don’t mind winter, but I like to have enough time to get prepared. It seemed like we had warnings of what was to come back in New York, but I guess that’s just a matter of being in a familiar place.”
     
    Jed stood and said, “I’m going to try to sniff out what we’re having for dinner. Martha, can I get you anything? Luke, more coffee?” Both shook their heads and he left the room.
     
    “Would you mind… I mean would you like… Look at me. I’m acting like one of your students,” he said.
     
    “What is it, Luke,” she asked softly, looking him directly in the eye.
     
    Luke was stuck for a minute. He looked into her dark brown eyes, and felt as if he could lose himself in them. With her long, shiny brown hair framing her face, he became very aware, this was a beautiful woman sitting here. “Martha, the Laramie Cattlemen’s Association is having its annual dance next Saturday. Would you like to go with me?” A relieved look crossed his face now that he said it.
     
    “Why, I would love to,” she said, her eyes sparkling. Her smile lit the room. “I can’t even remember the last time I went dancing. I think it will be fun and thank you so much for asking me.”
     
    “I look forward to it, then,” he said. “I guess I’d better be getting home. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going and the boys get anxious.”
     
    She also stood and moved over and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you,” she said simply.
     
    They went into the kitchen together. “I’ve got to be going,” Luke told Sarah, thanks for the coffee.”
     
    “Anytime, you know you’re always welcome here.” He pulled on his coat, and pulled the door closed behind him.
     
    Sarah turned to her sister, who had a pleased look on her face. “Well, don’t you look like the cat who just ate the canary. Come on, tell me all about it.”
     
    Martha smiled and told her sister, “He asked me to the Cattlemen’s Association dance next Saturday.”
     
    “Yes,” said Sarah enthusiastically. “I thought for sure I was going to have to do something.” Jed was sitting at the table watching the sisters. He had a smug look on his face, but no one noticed.
     
    He took his wife by the hand and asked, “Would you do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to the dance, milady?”
     
    “I thought you would never ask,” his lovely wife said. “Why don’t we all plan to stay the night at the hotel? Mattie will be fine with John Lucas and Sarah Catherine.
     
    Should we tell Luke our plans? He might want to do the same, then we could all go to church Sunday morning.”
     
    That sounds like a plan to me. I’ll get word to Luke. It will be nice to stay in the new hotel, I hear they have water in very room. I just hope space isn’t a problem. We’ll need two rooms and Luke would need one.”
     
    Luke agreed the idea of staying in Laramie overnight following the dance was