Free Mail-Order Bride Ink: Dear Mr. Weaver by Kit Morgan Page A

under the big willow tree near the water. Ma explained that Charity and Benjamin had fallen in love with each other in that very spot.
    It was all Ebba could do not to scorn the romantic notion, because to her, that was all it was. How could two people fall in love that quickly? Mail-order brides didn’t marry for love, they married to survive. That was why she became one. She certainly hoped Daniel realized that, and that it might take her some time to feel any sort of affection for him.
    But apparently such was not the case with his brothers and their wives. They seemed to fall in love just by tripping over one another or being in the same room, if one believed Ma. Ebba didn’t, and worried that Daniel might.
    Truth be told, she hadn’t planned to fall in love at all. In fact, she’d convinced herself there might be no such thing in her marriage with Daniel. Convenience had a way of dampening romance. She liked him and his mother so far, and the townspeople (okay, the Quinns and Sheriff Hughes) spoke highly of them. But only time would tell.
    Mrs. Pettigrew, on the other hand, believed in love at first sight. She’d gone on about it at length when Ebba dropped by the bridal agency to get her train ticket, even though the Pettigrew Bridal Agency had sent out only two brides so far. Ebba made three, and the third time wasn’t always the charm.
    Ebba hoped to fall in love with her husband one day. But she wasn’t counting on it happening tomorrow or the next day, or the next month for all of that. Maybe in the years to come. Her parents had taught her there was no such thing as instant romance.
    “Whoa,” Daniel called to the horses as he brought the team to a stop. Ebba studied the two-story farmhouse in the darkness. A light shone downstairs, and two of the windows upstairs were also aglow. “Ma, Ebba, why don’t ya go inside and I’ll bring everythin’ in?” Daniel suggested.
    “I’ll get Benjamin to come out and help you,” his mother said. “Come on, Ebba – I’ll show you to your room.”
    Daniel helped his mother out of the wagon first, then reached up to help Ebba. His hands were warm and she shivered at his touch. She was curious about the tingling sensations he caused and wondered why she would feel them. No one else had ever caused them. Was it because she thought he was attractive? The idea was sobering. And he’d said he thought she was …
    “Thank you,” she told him as her feet touched the ground.
    “Go on in, sweetie. Ma’ll show you around, and ya can meet Benjamin and Charity.
    Ma was already standing in the doorway. “Listen to the man, child. Follow me.” She turned and went inside.
    Ebba did the same. She closed the door after she entered, studied her surroundings and found she liked the rugged warmth of the house. This was a home, no doubt about it. None of the tenements she’d lived in had ever felt or looked like this. There was a parlor to her left, a dining room to her right. She didn’t see anyone in either and wondered where the rest of the family was.
    The answer came in the sound of heavy footsteps descending the staircase. “Is that you, Ma?”
    Ebba smiled as a man reached the bottom. She could see the resemblance between Daniel and his older brother and wondered if this was one of the twins. Or perhaps Arlan, the oldest – Ma had explained to her that he visited the main farmhouse a lot with his wife Samijo. Best to let him introduce himself, lest she make a mistake.
    “Oh, you’re not Ma. So you must be Ebba – did I say it right?”
    Ebba smiled brightly. “Yes, you did, thank you.”
    “I’m Benjamin, Daniel’s big brother.” He held out his hand.
    She took it and gave it a healthy shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Benjamin. Your brother and mother have told me a lot about you.”
    “Just stick with the good parts and forget the rest. I’m sure the rest was real bad.”
    “Not as bad as you would think,” she said with a smile.
    “The look on yer