Wayward Mail Order Bride 3: Wayward Mail Order Bride Series (Christian Mail Order Brides), #3

By Montana West

NEW RELEASE -- MUST READ FOR LOVERS OF CHRISTIAN MAIL ORDER BRIDE ROMANCE!

Will mail order bride, Katherine and her step-daughter, Ida be strong enough to save themselves from a web of deception that risks their homes, hearts, the safety of the nation and all of their lives?

When mail order bride, Katherine Gideon's 15-year-old step daughter, Ida is given the opportunity of a lifetime to sing before President Filmore in New York City, Katherine's new family is thrust into a web of deceptions that could risk the safety of the nation and all of their lives. Will Katherine be able to save her reputation from the lies of a false friend? And will this pair of young women, with God's help, save Katherine's new husband and the president from a plot that threatens to destroy them all?

Find out in Wayward Mail Order Bride 3, the riveting conclusion to the Wayward Mail Order Bride series.

If you LOVE Christian Mail Order Bride Romance, Grab Your Copy Today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Global Grafx Press
• Release date: Feb 2, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524227449

Book preview

WAYWARD MAIL ORDER BRIDE 3

MONTANA WEST

Copyright © 2016 MONTANA WEST

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 1523835928

ISBN-13: 978-1523835928

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

MAIL ORDER WIFE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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First, of course I have to give thanks to God for giving me the gift of writing and the opportunity to share my work with others. Second, I want to thank my family who has been a true rock to me as I’ve started this indie publishing endeavor. Third, I have to thank the ladies at Global Grafx Press (familychrisitanbookstore.net) who have really worked with me in all aspects of getting these books from my hard drive to your hands. Lastly, and most importantly, I have to thank you, my readers, for taking the time to read my work. I hope it touches you as much as it does me

CHAPTER ONE

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Ida Wallace was still bristling with energy, even after hours of rehearsal.  Her limbs were tingling, her lungs heaving with strength, throat fresh and strong.  She felt like she could sing for another two hours.

Can you imagine it, Horatio, my debut is just a few days away!

Horatio Brooks smiled and nodded, quietly reveling in Ida’s joy.  I don’t have to imagine it, I just watched you do each part five times!  I could almost sing the debut myself!

The two shared a chuckle, and the warmth in it brought Ida a sense of relieved contentment.  She’d come so close to losing him so many times: his death or her own, along with other tragedies looming and swirling around them.  But those trials only brought them closer together, solidifying their bond.  There had been doubts before and tensions, but they all seemed wiped away after the events of the previous autumn.

A lot of things were different now.  Ida looked around at the darkening night. Evening already passed and the air was crisp in her lungs and filled with the butterfly weed. That chilled sense of freshness signaled spring, renewal.  It had always been Ida’s favorite time of year.

And this was her best year so far.

She wrapped her arms around Horatio’s left arm as they turned right onto Barker Street, not as well lit or cluttered with the activity of Franklin’s central drag.

Sad news about the doc, Horatio said, Ida nodded sadly.  I still can’t help but think that I, somehow —

Stop it, Horatio, you mustn’t blame yourself.  The man had a heart attack —

He was ruined after what happened with your father, Horatio said.  You and I both know it’s true, we watched it happen.  I disgraced him, but I didn’t mean to of course.

Ida squeezed him tighter, pulling herself as close as she could to his strong arm, leaning against his shoulder.  He’d changed in the past year, she could feel it in every sinew of his body. He was taller, stronger, more calm, and certain.  The boy she’d grown up with had become a man - the man she loved.

I won’t have you upset yourself over that any further, Ida said.  You saved my father’s life.  The doc’s life came to an end.  These things are really God’s domain, we can only be faithful and patient and loving.

Horatio stopped and turned, his eyes locking onto Ida’s.  I’m so glad I have you to love, Ida. You're  so faithful and patient.

Ida nearly burst out in a chuckle.  Patient, me?

You’re still here, aren’t you?

Ida smiled, rolling her eyes playfully as they walked on.  I know, me and my dreams.  New York, Chicago ...

I have to admit, your talent is big enough for such places, or bigger!

Horatio, stop!

The London Palladium, perhaps.

Ida swatted his chest playfully.  Horatio, you tease me!

Not at all, your voice really is that good, Ida.  You know it, your father and Katherine know it, those theatre people know it.

"Those theatre people? Ida couldn’t help but repeat.  Stanton and Sally and Dale are good people, they helped save my life!"

Yes they did, Horatio said.  And that Dale is in love with you.  Ida shook her head, humble and bashful, but Horatio wasn’t about to hear of it.  Ida, we’re adults now, and soon enough I intend to marry you.  It’s time we saw the world for what it is .  We can no longer see the world as children see it.

Ida nodded, her smile melting away.  I know, Horatio, you’re right.  So strong and so wise. What a good man I’ve found.

Horatio couldn't help but smile, but it didn’t last.  And Dale?

Ida knew what Horatio was really asking, and she didn’t need to consider the answer.  I can’t control his feelings for me, Horatio.  But I do not encourage them, other than to be polite, as I must be.

And your feelings for him?

Only as a friend, Horatio.  How can you doubt that?

Horatio glanced back at the theatre in the center of town behind her.  I know how important the theatre is to you, how ... exciting and new it all is.  And I’m glad for how excited you are, really.  I can’t tell you how much joy your happiness brings me.

They stopped again, this time to kiss.  Part of their new maturity and closeness included more kissing, a lot more.  Each looked forward to it, Ida dipping her eyes closed as she felt his intimate strength, his soft, subtle command.  He was confident, his tongue warm and wet.

Well, well, a vaguely familiar voice said from out of the darkness.  What do we have here?

Horatio and Ida turned to see a group of young toughs approach them, four boys with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

Until now.

Their leader was a tall boy who’d grown up in Franklin and was well-known to both Ida and Horatio.  Barney Benstock, Ida said.  Go home and go to bed.

Like you two?

The other boys laughed, but Horatio held his hand out and said, in a low tone, Watch what you say.

Or what? Barney said, stepping toward them.  Ida pulled closer to Horatio as the boys spread out from a cluster to a circle, closing in around them.

After a tense moment, Horatio, watching the four boys subtly surround them calmly said,  Or I’ll kill you all.

They chuckled, shook their heads and moved in closer.

Ida said, What’s on your mind, Barney?  A town this small, there’s nothing you can do ... that you’ll get away with.

We’ll see, Barney said as they all closed in.

Horatio whispered to Ida, On my cue, drop to the ground.  Barney and his boys closed in, snickering, glaring.

Barney said, Why don’t you go back up to the mountains with the rest of yer kind, Big Chief. Leave the pastor’s girl here to us.  We’ll see her home.

Don’t be crude, Ida said.

Or stupid, Horatio added.

I’ll show you stupid, Barney said, lunging at Horatio.

Ida knew this was her cue, and she ducked down, crouching low as instructed.  She knew Horatio was more than capable of handling himself,  and she did not want to hinder him, or be caught in the crossfire either.

Horatio was a blur of action. In one swift motion he pulled a small knife from his breast pocket and threw it over Ida’s head at the young tough creeping up behind them.  The fellow snapped back, but Horatio didn’t linger over him.  There were three more yet to go, and Horatio went quickly to work on them.  He threw a punch into the gut of another to their right and threw a sidekick into Barney’s torso, standing in front of them.  After another blow to the side of the man’s gut, which sent him reeling, Barney pulled a jackknife from his jacket and opened it, glaring at the fourth man, still unhurt but dumbstruck and paralyzed.

The three others were rolling on the ground, moaning, clutching their guts.  The fourth man, surveying his beaten fellows, looked back at Horatio, who curled his index finger inward, drawing the young man in.

But he thought better of it and turned to bolt away, back into the darkness.  Ida stood, clinging to Horatio even as he crossed to the boy behind them, his knife still in the boy’s shoulder.  Horatio knelt to him and said, This’ll hurt, before pulling the knife out.  The young man flinched and scowled, his hand instinctively clamping over the wound.

Horatio wiped the knife off on the fellow’s pant leg, stood and said, A poultice of goldenseal will help that stay clean, and close it up, before turning to lead Ida away,. Leaving their attackers  helpless and writhing on the sidewalk.

Horatio asked Ida, Are you all right?

Sure, yes, I’m fine, she said, looking him over.  And I can see you’re even better than that.

Horatio tried not to smile as he led them back to her house, not too far to the east.  It had been a long day, and Ida had an awful feeling that things were about to get even worse.

CHAPTER TWO

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Two days later was a Sunday. And not just any Sunday, but the infant baptism of the newly born Aron Farina, son of former schoolteacher Daisy and her fur-trapper husband, Ralph.  Strong of body but short of stature, Ralph cut an odd figure in just about everybody’s estimation.  But he was a loyal and loving husband, a capable provider, and no one had any doubt that he would be an excellent father.

The congregation of Franklin were gathered in even greater numbers than usual.  Katherine was surprised to see that even more of the folks from the theatre troop were showing up.  Flashy Sally Marsailis started coming after the events of the previous autumn, when she almost lost her adored, nearly adopted son Dale.

Dale started coming more often too, after he realized how close Ida was to her father.  And though his face had healed from the savage beating he’d taken at the hands of the enraged Francis James the previous November, his heart was still aching from the loss of Ida’s love to her old boyfriend, Horatio.  But he came to church more often anyway, partly at Sally’s insistence and partly for his own earthly reasons.

On this day, even the troop’s leader and namesake, Stanton Caldwell, was in attendance. Sitting with his red hair combed back and spreading out from his cheeks.  He was uncomfortable, but Sally was smiling by his side. On his other, the grimacing stage manager Garret Osbourne sat scowling as usual, clearly there at his master’s behest.

At the alter, Gideon Wallace stood behind the baptismal font in his white robe, the baby Aron in his arms, and dipped his fingers into the water.

Katherine stood by, looking on with great wonder at the majesty of her husband and the place he held within the community.  He was their spiritual leader, their strength, their rock.  And he was all of those things to Katherine too. Returned to her as if from behind the very rock itself, which rolled away to reveal this noble man, nearly glowing with the power of God’s love.

Gideon looked out over the congregation.  ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.’

Horatio sat in the front row with Ida, his parents Balthazar and Selma Brooks on his other side, both looking on with great pride and holy satisfaction, contentment, and grace.

Gideon went on, ‘Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.’

Ida looked up at her father, then over at Horatio, sharing a sweet smile, their hands cupping one another’s.  Each had the same thought, of their own child, awaiting them in their future, baptized on a day just like this one. That very man with their own baby; a burgeoning dynasty in the eyes of God.

Gideon looked down at the innocent in his arms, nearly lost in the soft beauty of its round features, its guileless eyes,