Heart Of Summer (The Brides Of Courage, Kansas, Book 4)

By Lenny Davis

Heart of Summer (The Brides of Courage, Kansas, Book 4) – A Sweet Western Mail Order Groom Romance!

Never judge a thing by its appearance! And especially not a person!
Once stunning, but now broken by the attack on her person last year, young Vicki Smith doesn't entertain any hopes of ever attracting a man. When Joshua Piperis, a young man from New York City, agrees to become her mail order groom, she wonders what his motives are. Why doesn't he court a normal lady? Surely New York is full of eligible young women. Why didn't he choose one of them? Why her?
Does this seemingly nice man carry secrets with him?

Joshua Piperis doesn't put much stock in a lady's pretty face anymore, not after what he'd gone through. Instead, he prizes inner values more than outward beauty. He doesn't mind that his bride is damaged, as long as she is a good person.
But just before he arrives in Courage, Kansas, he gets cold feet...
When the two meet — under dramatic circumstances — both are in for quite a surprise.

Rated G.

Please check out the other books in the series. They are:
Once Upon the Prairie, Book 1
She Came one Winter, Book 2
A Bride in Spring, Book 3
Heart of Summer, Book 4
Molly in Fall, Book 5

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sharaya Lee
• Release date: Feb 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311527479

Book preview

Lenny Davis

&

Sharaya Lee

Heart Of Summer

The Brides of Courage, Kansas, Book Four

A

Sweet

Wild West

Mail Order Groom Romance

Copyright 2014 by Lenny Davis and Sharaya Lee

All rights reserved!

No part of this book may be used, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law, or in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This story is a work of historical fiction.

Any resemblance to actual locales, incidents or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

The Brides of Courage, Kansas, Series:

Once Upon The Prairie, Book 1

She Came One Winter, Book 2

A Bride In Spring, Book 3

Heart Of Summer, Book 4

Molly in Fall, Book 5

***

Chapter 1

At least Vicki Smith wasn't destitute.

Thanks to Grandpa Smith.

She wasn't related to Grandpa, but had adopted his name and a new first name when she got baptized last July. The old man hadn't been doing good for a long time and on a bitter-cold day in February of 1872 Grandpa finally passed on. Since he had no family and on account that she had taken care of him — and the place — for the last seven months, she inherited his small farm near Courage, Kansas. A poor girl that the wind had blown into this frontier town not long ago, she now had a roof over her head that she could rightfully call her own. It wasn't much, but it was something you could build on.

Soon after the funeral, her friend Caroline MacRaven drove out to visit her.

Caroline was married to the town's sheriff, Theophilus MacRaven, but she also was its banker, having acquired Ranch and Plowman's Savings and Loan last year.

Together the two women chopped some kindling out in the shed. After they'd hauled the load in, they sat by the fireplace, talked and worked some more. Vicki plaited and braided twigs from the willows down by the creek into a fine-looking wicker basket and Caroline sat by the spinning wheel, turning wool into yarn.

Victoria, I can only repeat myself. You shouldn't live here by yourself, Caroline said to her friend.

What do you suggest? Vicki said, fully aware that she was still a bit of an outsider in town. Not everybody cared to have her around, because she'd been a very different woman once.

You should get married.

Vicki, sitting on the old rugged couch, shrank visibly. Caroline had touched a tender spot. Who's going to marry me? I'm twenty years old and a crip already.

Hush now. You have a sweet disposition, Caroline consoled her as there was no denying the obvious shortcomings of the younger woman. If they only knew you nowadays, fellows from all over Kansas would beat the door down to meet you.

Show me the man who is ready to marry a woman who walks with a cane, Vicki said warily, not even mentioning her crumpled face. She remembered well what men — especially those of means — wanted so many times.

Beauty and perfection.

She no longer could provide those. Since she'd been crushed in the attack on her person last year, one side of her once stunning face was a bit smaller than the other half. Her once adorable figure was ruined too, she felt, as her one leg was now almost two inches shorter than the other. Good Dr. Dickerson, the town's physician, had done what he could, but it had taken more than three months for her to heal up again. Her world had fallen apart back then. Having found faith since, she had changed a lot since it all happened.

You have a farm, Caroline argued like the businesswoman she was.

And what a farm it is, Vicki replied.

It has potential. A good worker could make something splendid out of it. We just have to find him for you.

Maybe I should order him through the mail, Vicki joked. She knew that Caroline MacRaven, formerly Caroline Baker, and Genie Folsom, the horse trader's wife, had been mail order brides, coming in from New York City. Special women, both of them.

But Caroline didn't laugh. Pumping the spinning wheel's treadle board with her foot, she said, That might be an idea. I think I will telegraph Mina Bartleby and ask her what she thinks of a mail order groom.

Are you serious? Vicki set the half-done basket down on her lap and brushed a stubborn strand of her sturdy black hair off her face.

Absolutely, Caroline said. We'll have to be very open about your condition, of course. But Mina knows so many interesting people, maybe she has just the right man for you.

Vicki's intense blue eyes stared into the air. Her face acquired a dreamy aspect. To be married — in spite of her condition. Wouldn't that be something?

But he'd have to be the right kind of man, she said.

If the wrong kind comes, we'll sent him back.

With the mail.

All the way to New York City.

Both women laughed at their silly banter. But Vicki noticed that in her heart Caroline was serious about this.

Chapter 2

The frost of winter gave way to the mild winds of spring and one hot Tuesday at the end of April Vicki was out working in the vegetable garden. The weathered shingle that said Smith Saddlebags hung on short chains from the roof of the veranda. It squealed as the wind moved it and she decided once again to remove the nuisance, when she spotted Caroline's familiar buggy coming down the grass road.

She stood and shaded her eyes.

A smile played around her mouth when she noticed that Caroline had brought blonde Genie Folsom and her two children with her, Vivian and little Luke. The children were always so much fun. She heard them yell with excitement.

Hello everybody! she greeted them when they rolled into the yard.

Caroline engaged the brake and jumped off the buckboard while the young ones spilled from the carriage with a big hullabaloo. The children rushed up and hugged Vicki around the legs. Vicki stroked their black hair — the children were half Wichita Indian — and enjoyed the affection.

Caroline held up a letter. We've got a surprise for you!

Apprehension washed through Vicki. She'd been wondering ever since she consented to Caroline's scheme what would come of it. Doubts had gnawed on her. Hope had trumped the doubts — only to see the doubts return full force. And now?

Ha! You've been confuted, old doubter, Caroline cheerfully said to Vicki as she came around the buggy. Mina Bartleby says she has just the right guy for you! He's a nice, clean gentleman, twenty-five years old, and wants you in spite of your accident.

I'm so happy for you, Vicki, Genie Folsom said with a smile.

Vicki was taken aback. So, it had happened. What she'd hardly dared to hope was now in the making. She'd be getting married. No longer would she be spending those long, dark nights in the hut by herself, aching with loneliness. Somebody would be in there with her.

Even though there wouldn't be a lot of love involved — not like in a normal marriage — the companionship was something to look forward to.

A bit confused, she said, How did this come about so quickly now?

Mina telegraphed me, Caroline said, She announced that one Joshua Piperis was sending a letter for one Victoria Smith, asking for her hand in marriage. He'd be sending it to me, since I'm the only one of us three living in town and go to the post office every day. The letter came just a few days after her telegram. It must have been on the way already.

And it's really for me? Vicki said.

Why yes, honey, Caroline replied. She handed the envelope over.

Vicki took it. And he knows what he's getting…?

Absolutely.

Vicki swallowed hard and gazed out over the tall grass of the prairie, holding the envelope close.

Of course, I didn't read your letter, Caroline assured her.

Neither did I, Genie said. When Vicki just stood there, silent, leaning on her cane, the children hanging on her, she added, But we want to see you read it.

We want to know all about what's in it, Caroline admitted.

We're nosy, Genie confessed.

We're so curious, we can hardly stand it, Caroline said with a sigh. Let's go in the house, so you can sit down and read.

Vicki cast a wan smile at her friends. At thirty, Caroline was the oldest one of them. The sheriff's wife stood, hands folded, like a picture of dignity, while Genie, at twenty-one, was jumping up and down with excitement, reminiscent of her children.

We can go in, Vicki said. I made some biscuits. We'll have a cup of tea, you'll fill me in on what's new in town, and then…

Her two friends stared at the sky with closed eyes, clenched their fists and groaned.

At the sight, Vicki grinned mischievously.

Aren't you interested in what your intended has to say to you? Genie said, her tone of voice beseeching.

Don't you want to know when he'll get here? Caroline inquired.

Vicki giggled, turned around and walked to the house, aided by her cane.

Not a minute later they sat around the heavy table in the cabin's good room. Biscuits and tea remained where they were for the time being and the children were told to play outside. Vivian was petting the lambkins in the pen by the house and little Luke played catch with Grandpa Smith's old shepherd dog, Felix. The good-natured animal was almost as big as the boy, but very family-friendly.

In the house, all eyes were on the cream-colored envelope in Vicki's hand.

Caroline slid the knife across the table towards her.

Vicki took it and sliced the envelope open. The sheet that she took out was twice-folded. She unfolded it, furrowed her brow and began to read while her friends tried to read her face.

Well? Genie said after what seemed an eternity to her.

The letter in Vicki's hand sank down onto the table and she looked at her friends.

This is the most wonderful piece of writing I've ever seen, Vicki said.

Caroline and Genie relaxed and sighed with relief.

His name is Joshua Piperis.

That's what Mina Bartleby wrote, Caroline said. Isn't that a special name? I wonder where he hails from. She herself had left a little kingdom in Europe five or six years ago to come to the United States.

Perhaps it's Greek, Genie offered. At the store in New York where I worked we once had a customer with a name sounding just like that and he'd been Greek.

But he writes that he has sandy-brown hair, Vicki said. Kinda light. Aren't Greeks dark?

That's what I heard, Caroline said. Dark, with lots of tight curls. Does your groom have curls?

He doesn't say, Vicki said.

What's his eye color? Genie asked.

He doesn't say, Vicki repeated.

Isn't that typical? Caroline said with mock consternation.

Genie rolled her eyes in mock agreement.

He's a widower, Vicki revealed.

Her two friends instantly sobered up.

A widower at twenty-five? Caroline said. That's so sad. I wonder what happened.

Does he have children? Genie asked.

No, Vicki replied. They were only married for a little over a year before she came down with a dread disease that did her in.

What was it? Genie inquired.

He doesn't mention that.

Caroline and Genie nodded silently, their unsatisfied curiosity written large on their faces.

But she departed already last summer, Vicki said. So, he's not a new widower.

Getting remarried right away would have been tasteless in her eyes. It would have signaled that he was some kind of driven man. It was important to her that her groom wasn't tasteless or driven, though she felt she couldn't be too choosy.

And he wears spectacles, Vicki said with a certain smugness.

Caroline noticed. Do you mind those?