Mail Order Bride: Rescued By A Romantic: Rescued Western Historical Mail Order Brides, #5

By Kenneth Markson

Mail Order Bride: Rescued By A Romantic: A Historical Mail Order Bride Western Victorian Romance (Rescued Western Historical Mail Order Brides Book 5) is an action packed clean inspirational western romance. Pretty young Beth is working as a maidservant in the home of a socially prominent family in New York City, where she becomes the target of the master's lecherous advances. A friend helps her escape by becoming a mail order bride. Will Beth find true love with the older mail order husband or with the young handsome romantic who comes to her aid on the way to San Francisco? Will she finally find the loving home that she truly longs for? Will she right the wrongs that she and others have suffered? 

If you enjoyed this story, you may also enjoy Kenneth's Redeemed series or the other books in the Rescued series; "Mail Order Bride: Rescued By A Rascal," "Mail Order Bride: Rescued By A Rogue," "Mail Order Bride: Rescued By A Rake," "Mail Order Bride: Rescued By A Rover," "Mail Order Bride: Rescued By Resolve," and "Mail Order Bride: Rescued By Hope."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Markson
• Release date: Mar 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9780986252822

Kenneth Markson

While an English major at college, I wrote a column which was published weekly. I have been writing ever since. The old West and Los Angeles in the forties are eras which lend themselves to tales of romance, courage, and fast paced adventure. I particularly enjoy writing stories about the mail order brides who fearlessly took a chance and traveled West, hoping to find love and a better future. Many of the locales that I write about are places that I have either traveled through or actually lived in. I try to make my works richly accurate. My desire is to provide you with an entertaining and fun read. When I'm not writing, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two children.

Book preview

To my wife and children, always.

Chapter 1

Beth enjoyed strolling in Washington Square Park during a brief break from her work as a maidservant.  It was early spring in New York City, and the park's trees and flowers were starting to bloom.  She smiled as she sat down on a park bench, and watched the children playing in the grass.

Genteel, well dressed ladies and gentlemen strolled by her laughing.  It was a world away from the rough Five Points neighborhood where she had grown up, Beth thought to herself.  After fifteen minutes passed, Beth reluctantly got up and began heading back to Washington Place where she was employed as a maidservant for James and Millicent Van Wentzel.

Beth was a nineteen year old woman, with lovely blonde hair, pretty blue eyes, and a nice smile.  She was alone now, her mother having died nearly a year ago from an illness.  Beth never knew her father.

The Van Wentzels were part of New York's ruling aristocracy.  They were a small, tight knit set of families known as the Knickerbockers, referring to the knee length trousers worn by the early Dutch settlers of the city.  New York, they felt, was theirs to run.  They were the arbiters of who entered New York society, and they were determined to keep it that way.

James Van Wentzel had a nice blood line, but his dissolute ways had diminished much of his inherited fortune.  The real money came from his wife Millicent, the daughter of Conrad De Beeker, the founder of one of New York's prominent banks.  By virtue of being her husband, James had an extremely nice position as an officer of the bank.

Beth walked up the white marble steps of the Van Wetzel's elegant townhouse.  As she entered the home, Beth took off her shawl and immediately proceeded towards the kitchen.  It was her job to help the head maid, Helen, prepare for dinner.

Have a nice walk? a voice called out.

Beth turned to see Mr. Van Wentzel giving her a lascivious grin.  Master James was seated in the parlor, smoking a fancy cigar while reading one of the New York dailies.  He was a man in his early fifties, with pale blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed moustache. 

Van Wentzel was dapperly dressed in a navy suit, white dress shirt, and highly polished shoes.  He had the smug appearance of a man who thought quite a lot of himself.  The way his eyes leered at her, made Beth feel very uneasy.

Yes, sir, Beth said warily.  It was very pleasant outside.

Van Wentzel continued to smile, as he looked her well endowed figure up and down.

I happened to come home early today, he said, and saw you go out.  I wanted to catch you when you came back in, and have a chat.

Thank you, sir, Beth replied, but I need to report to Helen right away.

By all means, do so, he laughed.  I wouldn't want to keep you from your work.

His eyes leered at her again.

We'll chat some other time, soon, he said.

Beth breathed a bit easier, as she walked away.  She didn't like the emphasis that was placed on the word, soon.  The man made her quite nervous. 

During the month that she had worked for the Van Wentzels, master James had been away at work for the most part, during the day. She had managed to avoid him, except at dinner, when there were several people present.  This was the first time that he had actively sought her out.

Mrs. Van Wentzel was bossy, arrogant, and condescending, but that was not unexpected.  Despite being paid a pittance for the honor of serving the Van Wentzels, Beth was happy to have the job.  She hoped that the apprehension that she felt about Mr. Van Wentzel, was unfounded.

Where have you been? Helen asked, as she entered the kitchen.

I'm sorry, Beth replied.  Mr. Van Wentzel called me over, and I had to stop and talk with him.

Helen was the head maid for the Van Wentzels.  She had worked for the De Beeker family before master James came upon the scene.  Helen was a tall, attractive women in her early fifties, with light brown hair and eyes.  Over the past month, she had grown to like Beth.

Oh, really, she said.  And what did he have to say? she asked in a serious tone.

Beth had the distinct impression from the expression on the head maid's face, that she had no love for Mr. Van Wentzel.

Not much, Beth said.  He told me we would talk again, soon.

There was a strange look in Helen's eyes.  She cupped her hand to Beth's ear, and spoke softly.

Listen dear, she whispered softly.  I can't say much, but a word to the wise, is sufficient.  Avoid the man, as best you can.

The elder woman patted her on the shoulder comfortingly.

Come now, she said, we have to move quickly.  Mrs. Van Wentzel has invited some guests over for tea later this afternoon, and we need to get things ready.

Chapter 2

Charles Hanlon walked with a bit of apprehension to the den, where his father awaited him.  A summons from his father usually meant some sort of a demand.  It would mark the first time that father and son had spoken since Charles returned home from college the other day.

Charles was a tall, handsome man of twenty-one, with dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and an engaging smile.  Like his father, he had broad shoulders, and a powerful upper body.  Charles forced a smile as he entered the room where his father sat, puffing on a fancy cigar.

Even in middle age, Randolph Hanlon struck an imposing figure.  He was tall with steely blue eyes, and dark black hair and a moustache, peppered with gray.  His hard fists looked like they belonged to the founder of a real estate empire.  He and his partners had managed to gobble up a large part of downtown Chicago.

The elder Hanlon eyed his son, as he took another puff on his cigar.

So Charles, he said, you're back from college.

Yes, father, Charles replied, I'm back.

No handshake was exchanged between them.

There's something I want from you Charles, the older man continued.

I figured as much, Charles thought to himself.  His father never called him to this room, unless he wanted to exact some sort