Heidi Vanlandingham - Lucie: Bride of Tennessee (American Mail-Order Bride 16) by Heidi Vanlandingham

Author:Heidi Vanlandingham [Vanlandingham, Heidi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical, Romance, Fiction, Forever Love, Victorian Era, Western, Fifth In Series, Saga, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, Short Story, American Mail-Order Bride, Bachelor, Single Woman, Marriage Of Convenience, Christian, Religious, Faith, Inspirational, Factory Burned, Pioneer, Tennessee, Responsibility, Twelve-Year-Old, Brother, Train Travel, Chattanooga, Groom Deceased, Hotel Owner, Little Girl, Single Father, Widower
Goodreads: 27826547
Publisher: Virtual Bookpublishing, LLC.
Published: 2015-12-04T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Martha fussed with Lucie’s hair, placing another pin in the already heavy coiffure. She’d be picking pins out for hours. Her hair may have been thick and long, but it was silky and tended to fall out of anything other than the braid she usually wore down her back or wrapped in a knot on the back of her head. Martha wouldn’t have it, however, and insisted on fixing it herself.

Lucie felt nauseated. Now that she was dressed, just enough color pinched into her cheeks, and hair done, she wanted to run down the stairs and out the door…to anywhere but the church. She still hadn’t a clue as to why she’d agreed to a church wedding; no one would be there but them. It would have been easier to go before the minister in his office—even the judge for that matter. There wasn’t anything she could do about it now.

Martha stepped back and gave her an appraising look and made one last adjustment to the gauzy bow at the small of Lucie’s back. “You are a beautiful bride.” Rising onto the balls of her feet, Martha kissed her on the cheek. “One more thing…” Something cold touched Lucie’s collarbone. “There. Now, you’re perfect.”

Lucie stared at her reflection in the mirror, the small diamond glittering in its thin bed of gold against her collarbone. “Martha, I can’t accept this.”

“Oh, pshaw. I will never have a daughter. It will make me happy to see you wearing it.” She touched the locket with the tip of her finger. “My mother gave me this necklace on my wedding.” She met Lucie’s gaze. “You can give it to Stella—your daughter—on her wedding day.”

Lucie couldn’t look her in the eye. Overcome, she wrapped her arms around the older woman’s neck. Becoming a mail-order bride may have been why she’d traveled to Tennessee, but actually going through with a marriage was something else altogether. She was terrified. She didn’t know the first thing about being a wife, even if it was in name only.

She dropped her arms and glanced back at her reflection, fidgeting with her lace cuff. A heavy pressure covered her chest and breathing hurt. She was going to be Stella’s mother. A mother to an angry little girl who hated and despised her. There was a slight tug on her arm, and she met Martha’s concerned gaze.

“Are you all right? All the color just drained from your face.” Martha’s brows drew together as she stared up into Lucie’s eyes. “You aren’t going to faint are you? I may be stronger than I look, but you’d squash me like a fly if you were to swoon.”

A nervous giggle escaped through her pinched lips. “I’ll be okay. Thankfully, I never swoon, so you should be all right too.” She held the older woman’s hand against her trembling arm. “Thank you, Martha. For being here with me—for everything. I’m just a little scared.”

“You’re welcome, my dear. That’s what mother’s do.”

* * *

Sebastian growled at the small bowtie as the two strands fell limply against his chest.

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.