A Valentine's Sorrow (Mail-Order Bride) by Emma Ashwood

Author:Emma Ashwood [Ashwood, Emma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Novella Short Story, Historical Romance, Women's Fiction, Forever Love, Christian Stories, Faith Based, Inspirational Reads, Love Inspired, Bachelor, Single Woman, Hearts Desire, Clean & Wholesome, Life-Changes, Second Chance Reunion, Honesty & Trust, Home & Family, Lifetime Love, Romantic Schemes, Love-Family & Forever, Action & Adventure, Small Town & Rural Area, Beautiful & Feisty, Mail-Order Bride, Holiday Celebration
Publisher: Emma Ashwood Publishing
Published: 2020-02-05T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Gambler’s Creek, California, 18 September 1868

Mary Beth was hanging out the laundry on a cool Saturday morning. Although there was a chill in the air she didn’t think it would rain. Working at the tailor from Monday through Friday meant weekends were for cleaning and catching up on the chores around the house.

Living alone meant not too many chores to be done, but Mary Beth enjoyed doing the laundry and cleaning her cabin. Some days when the weather was nice she would even venture into the fields just outside of town to pick flowers for the kitchen.

She had just hung the last sheet on the line she had spun with twine when she noticed someone coming around the side of the house.

Eric smiled at her even as he dipped his hat. Mary Beth’s heart did a flip at the sight of him. Ever since her friends had made it perfectly clear to her that they believed Eric was romantically interested in her, Mary Beth couldn’t help but start to acknowledge the attraction she felt for the handsome sheriff.

Whenever he stopped by the tailor shop over the last two weeks, she found herself wondering if they had been right. Surely if Eric had been interested in her he would have asked her out or somehow have made his intentions clear? She pushed the wayward thoughts aside as she moved towards him.

“Good morning, Eric. What brings you about this early?”

“It’s mid-morn, wouldn’t call it early as such. Busy day?” Eric asked, glancing at the laundry.

A blush colored Mary Beth’s cheeks and she was grateful that she had the common sense to hang her undergarments in her room to dry. “Something like that. No highwaymen to chase down today?”

The conversation felt a little stilted, not like other days when they just spoke about anything and everything without even a second thought.

“Not today, no.” Eric scuffed his boot in the dirt before meeting Mary Beth’s gaze again. Was that anxiousness in his deep brown eyes, she wondered.

“Mary Beth, I was wonderin’…” Eric chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t do this often so excuse my clumsiness. Would you happen to be free later this afternoon?”

Mary Beth frowned. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but she had to admit to being unsure of what he was asking of her. “I might be, depends on what’s going to happen.”

“I ah… I was hopin’ you’d like to join me on my wagon. Thought we might drive down to the creek?”

“Gambler’s Creek?” Mary Beth asked excitedly. She had yet to see the creek after which the town was named, despite having lived in town for so long. “I thought it had run dry and didn’t even exist even more.”

“Where do you think the water wagon gets its water?” Eric asked with a teasing grin.

“Right.” Mary Beth said, feeling foolish. “I’d love to see it, Eric.”

“Great, I’ll pick you up at about one?”

Mary Beth nodded and before she could say another word, Eric had walked away.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.