Mail Order Sweetheart by Christine Johnson

Author:Christine Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Love Inspired Historicals
Published: 2017-08-24T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Never had Fiona so needed rehearsal. That morning, she learned Stockton had hired a buggy and left for Holland at dawn. No one knew if he would return. The similarity to Carson’s departure couldn’t be ignored. Though relieved for the moment, his departure made her situation more desperate. Rather than indulge in self-pity, she plunged into the day’s work.

Still, she couldn’t avoid the speculation that raced around the boardinghouse. Some thought Mr. Stockton had gone to the larger town to make arrangements before declaring himself. Others believed he wasn’t the advertised groom at all, though those people couldn’t come up with another prospect. For Fiona, every mention of the man’s name sent a wave of dread over her. She, Amanda and Louise had come to Singapore hoping to marry a man none of them had met. The six ladies were going to Harmony to marry men they’d never met. Fiona had even more cause to marry. Then why now wish for love from a man, Sawyer, who refused to give it?

The rest of the morning, she kept to the kitchen to avoid Clara and Dinah, who were in foul moods and stomped about the boardinghouse like petulant adolescents. After the midday meal, Mrs. Calloway chased her out of the kitchen, saying she had done quite enough. Since the young ladies were ensconced in the parlor receiving instructions from Mr. and Mrs. Adamson, Fiona went to the writing room to work out several sketches of the hotel lobby.

About the time she finished, Dinah dragged herself into the room with Linore on her heels. The two plopped into chairs drawn close together to facilitate conversation, but Dinah’s long face indicated any talk would be of the melancholy sort.

Fiona reviewed her designs for the lobby. One sketch was as elegant as Sawyer had described, but that would be beyond his means, so she did two other sketches in more affordable styles.

“What will I do?” Dinah wailed from across the writing room.

“Forget him,” Linore counseled. “He’s not worth the trouble.”

“But I don’t want to go,” Dinah whispered loudly, likely so neither of the Adamsons would overhear. “I can’t go there.”

Linore shrugged. “Then go back home.”

“I can’t.” This time Dinah’s cry was accompanied by tears.

Fiona would have ignored the histrionics if she hadn’t suffered through similar anguish when she’d endured her first crushing defeat in the singing world.

“I know it’s not polite to listen to other people’s conversations,” she began, “but you need to have faith that everything will work out for the best. If you don’t want to go to Harmony, then tell Mr. or Mrs. Adamson that.”

Dinah’s eyes rounded. Then she looked side to side to ensure no one had heard Fiona. “I don’t got no other choice.”

“There’s always a choice when marriage is involved.” Fiona ignored the fact that she had placed herself in virtually the same position as Dinah. “Marriage is final. The time to turn back or change your mind is now.”

“But what would I do?” Dinah’s lip quivered.

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