Attitude: Four Historical Romances

By Doreen Milstead

Mail Order Bride: From England To The California Wine Farmer - When a plain looking writer from England becomes the mail order bride of a California wine grower, she has an uphill battle to become accepted for her talents, and not just for her outward appearance.

Mail Order Bride: Overweight Flossy The Painter & King Shaw In San Diego - An independent woman becomes a mail order bride to a man in San Diego, not knowing about his two children. In turn, she hasn’t told him that she’s an overweight woman with a strong need to express herself.

Mail Order Bride: Helping The Wounded Warrior & His Children - A woman decides to go to Texas, along with her sister, to become the wife of a man with two children, who was injured in the Civil War. Her life is idyllic, but not for long.
Mail Order Bride: Saving Lonely Crippled Thomas, is about Thomas, who lives virtually alone in his house in Pennsylvania with only his cousin to look after him. His legs were damaged in a railway accident and the only way he can get around his house is by crawling, or by means of an awkward chaise lounge & prototype wheelchair that his cousin pushes. He loses his faith and reads only controversial books, and his neighbors begin to despise him.

His neighbors threaten to boot him out and he hasn’t been in the company of a lady for a long time. One day, Thomas’ cousin puts an ad in for a mail order bride and to Thomas’ utter surprise, one shows up from California a few weeks later. He is stunned, as is she, when they both learn about the deception. Thomas thinks the woman will despise him because of his crippled legs, while she, on the other hand, believes the same thing about her own physical disability.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susan Hart
• Release date: Apr 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310305566

Book preview

Attitude: Four Historical Romances

By

Doreen Milstead

Copyright 2016 Susan Hart

Mail Order Bride: From England To The California Wine Farmer

Mail Order Bride: Overweight Flossy The Painter & King Shaw In San Diego

Mail Order Bride: Helping The Wounded Warrior & His Children

Mail Order Bride: Saving Lonely Crippled Thomas

Mail Order Bride: From England To The California Wine Farmer

Synopsis: Mail Order Bride: From England To The California Wine Farmer - When a plain looking writer from England becomes the mail order bride of a California wine grower, she has an uphill battle to become accepted for her talents, and not just for her outward appearance.

American West, Eastern California

Pony Express Route

Friday, June 6, 1890

Leilani Tamm scribbled at a furious pace in her blank diary book labeled Personal Diary of Ms. Leilani Tamm from Worcestershire, Western, England, on the Severn River. The stagecoach rocked her back and forth as her green fountain pen dashed across the blank white page, filling it with wavy lines of black ink describing the old Pony Express Route.

She muttered under her breath. Dang stagecoach driver. You’d think Indians are chasing us. Chased by Indians, Leilani considered. Then she wrote that down, too.

What did you say? the gruff stage coach driver replied, turning around as he snapped the reins on two pair of powerful black horses. Their dancing black manes whipped back and forth like fire in the daylight.

Slow down!

What! We're already off our scheduled arrival in Sacramento by two hours, Miss Tamm, from Worcestershire, western, England, on the Severn River. His white beard covered his chin and neck. He wore a handlebar white mustache too. His brown pants and black riding jacket and boots reminded Leilani of pictures of 1849ers panning for gold.

Only, this was 1890. Not much gold left to be panned in California now.

Leilani smiled. Please slow down. I'm a travelogue writer. I must get a good description of this Pony Express Route to Sacramento, California. She paused. For my English editor, she lied. I'll take any blame for the late arrival, Jarvis, from Kentucky.

Okay. Sure thing. Why didn't you say you'se writing a book about the Old West? He pulled a little on the four black horses. Whooah girls, we've got enough time, if we're going to be part of a history book.

Leilani's jaw dropped in surprise. Sure, she emphasized her travel from location. Worcestershire the maker of leather-gloves predating the 15th Century; fine porcelain eatery, and bishop of Worcester's Worcester Cathedral built in the 12th century. The famous place where Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians routed Charles II forces in the Battle of Worcester in 1651. Men loved war stories, she discovered.

She shrugged her shoulders, dressed in her Bristol Taffeta Suit in garnet. Dust gathered on her garnet suit. An open window gave the best view. And, even Pony Express dirt failed to stop the garnet Bristol Taffeta Suit from gleaming like finest silk. Her jacket had nipped waist, puffed sleeves and five inch buttoned cuffs. Self-covered buttons fastened up the front end to a wing-tip collar.

A strip of black lace around the collar held her Cameo jewelry imaged on ivory. Her full-length skirt fell straight up and down to a seven inch pleated hem decorated with additional box pleats. If she wanted, she'd slip on an Edwardian Hoop Skirt to give her more volume. But, Leilani hated hoop skirts, because they interfered and hampered a woman's movements. How can she ever capture the outdoors like it deserved fussing and pushing her hooped skirt?

Leilani Tamm kept scribbling. Noting the terrain pleased her most. Occasionally, a buffalo come along. She stopped for a second. She closed her pale blue eyes. She thought back:

Plain Jane will never get married/Plain Jane will love in vain, the girls and boys teased her in grammar school.

Thirteen. Thirteen was a chaotic age, especially for a growing girl, wanting to be socially accepted. From that age, she began to link her person with the rich and famous. Her plain looks failed to say, 'woman of class from the administrative town on Worcestershire;’ Woman of value and substance, Leilani Tamm, has arrived. And Leilani believed in her own internal beauty, even if her only claim to it externally was her glossy long black hair. Hair of night and silk one spurned suitor complained to Leilani. She opened her eyes again.

She informed the stagecoach driver of her intentions to note the landscape. She didn't exactly say her journals make history. She opened her thin pale pink lips to correct the forty-five year old stagecoach driver. Then, Leilani thought better of it. Let him think what he wants. Men thought what they wanted to all the time. Men able and willing to ignored her beautiful mind, her skill at writing, and her loving attention to facts. She fixed her eyes on the Pony Express route and started looping, drawing short straight hooks and dashes and darts of text.

In America, I’ll find a husband, she mocked the children back in England. They were desperate for smart, talented wives, even if plain Janes. In the American west, only scruffy men panned for gold, silver or fought off Indians, they needed a woman's touch, her presence brought joy--even if a plain woman.

Leilani wasn't ugly, just plain. White paint on a wall described her effect on the male sex. She hoped her Mail Ordered Bride husband soon forget she wasn't a delicate and attractive Southern Belle. She wasn't a vaudeville Princess on the new silent screen reels. She was just a shy, loving, honest woman.

A little on the thin side, Leilani wasn't big boned. She didn't stand out in any way except for her meticulously pretty clothes. Still, she was a woman who deserved a man's touch and caring. How Leilani dreamed of someone tall, with dark curly locks of glossy hair like her own. Not too long, but she loved black hair.

John Merriday mentioned his dark curly locks in his letters. I'm searching for a mail order bride from England. My mom came over here as a girl of seven. She took the Overland Trail to Sacramento, California. I run a wine farm. We make spirits, not hard liquor. Just light reds and white wines. If you are not opposed to picking or crushing grapes in your bare feet, do write back. You'll find a receptive offer. Only Women born in England between ages 18 and 24 need apply. I hope to start a family one day.

Leilani Tamm Merriday. Leilani Merriday. Leilani Tamm Merriday. She bit the top of her green fountain pen. I like Leilani Tamm Merriday. She had practice writing it for days after Mr. Merriday accepted her as his mail order bride two months ago. Her name flowed from her green fountain pen like a river over rocky stones and logs. That journal now filled with places and people from the trip to England to New York lay buried in her suitcase.

She mused about her independence, but being a MOB gave her a degree of comfort, if not security. She closed her journal book and pressed it to her modest chest in sheer happiness. She already loved him. She was five feet, six inches tall and he was five feet, nine inches tall. Not too tall, just right; Leilani loved John Merriday’s height.

Tall men six feet and higher displayed arrogance. If she could easily look a man in his eyes, he'd love her for her inner beauty. She opened her private journal and kept writing.

I'll let you know when we get near to Sacramento, California Miss Tamm, from Worcestershire, western, England, on the Severn River.

Thank you, Jarvis from Kentucky.

I'd appreciate being part of your finished book. I'm a colorful character.

Leilani cast a vague smile and a suspicious facial expression. I'll do that, Jarvis from Kentucky.

Two hours later, Jarvis from Kentucky, pulled into the Sacramento, California Stage Coach Office. Whoooah Girls. Nice going. You'll get extra hay for making up time. He jumped from the driver’s seat to the ground.

Making up time, came the loud cheerful, but annoyed voice of John Merriday. He pulled out his gold pocket watch. You're two hours late! What in blaming carnations kept you?

Jarvis worked fast taking down Miss Leilani Tamm's luggage. The woman will tell you. Miss Leilani said she'll take all the blame for her book writing.

The stagecoach door opened and Miss Leilani Tamm stepped out; her white lace parasol opening first. Mr. John Merriday waited patiently for an English woman of good breeding not coarse and suntanned breeding. She covered her face and her satin Bristol Taffeta Suit in garnet glint in the daylight.

Mr. Merriday's jaw dropped in admiration as he saw how immaculate, and colorful her appearance. I--I. Miss Leilani Tamm from Worcestershire, western, England, on the Severn River? he said, as his wide short hand put away the gold pocket watch.

His apologetic tone pleased Leilani. She sensed eagerness in his hesitant cheerful voice. He was no longer angry, but what happened after she lowered the beige handle of her white lace parasol?

Yes, I am Miss Leilani Tamm from Worcestershire, western, England, on the Severn River? Are you Mr. John Merriday, the wine farmer?

Yes, I am, he replied. His breath halted, waiting to see her.

Leilani Tamm allowed the white lace parasol to rise a bit. She stuck out her hand at the frozen face of farmer Mr. Merriday.

You're--you're. This is unexpected.

Jarvis brought all her luggage and sat it next to, Leilani. Don't forget to write about me in that' there book of yours about the Pony Express Route.

Leilani felt relieved to be distracted from John Merriday's disappointed face. I'll mention you, Jarvis from Kentucky, at the point about those Indians that you out ran who attacked us. Leilani hated lying about the Indians, but further and worse lies had been told about them down through American’s history. Her lie didn't hurt anyone compared to those.

That's right. Right! Jarvis said, and flashed a big smile. I must be going now. Take care Miss Leilani Tamm from Worcestershire, western, England, on the Severn River.

You be careful out there, Jarvis. Leilani jested in return.

The stagecoach's four black fillies lurched into a gallop. The sound of wheels, sight of flying dust, taut reflexes of powerful filly muscles set into motion when Jarvis shouted, High! Get Up! Girls! broke the silent difficult moment between Leilani and Mr. John Merriday.

She waited for Mr. Merriday to get his bearings. First his excitement rose. Then disappointment showed. He became downright concerned at her being attacked by Indians.

Indians attacked you. We'll get together a posse. No Indians going to spoil my mail order bride before she gets to me! John Merriday flared anger. I run a newspaper. I'll publish the entire incident.

No harm came, John, dear. Mr. Merriday. We outran them and I wrote down their colorful face painting and the black crow feathers sticking out of their beaded head bands.

Leilani nearly swooned when she view John Merriday. His five feet, nine inches frame ended in a thick swash of curly, glossy medium length black hair. His eyes are a dashing liquid dark blue one sees in an Azurite stone. He seemed to switch between being glamorous to non-descript from one minute to the next.

Maybe he'd understand her nondescript 'plain Jane' appearance, too. He was big boned, to her thin slender body. His chest in his white shirt and black suit measured about 42 inches and tapered to a slim 32 inch waistline. He was all she wanted in a mail order bride husband. Only his chevron mustache turned her aside. She liked her men clean-shaven. But, his loud cheerful voice gave her confidence. A cheerful man generally stayed cheerful. His black boots were spotless, even in the dusty dirt main road of Sacramento, California.

Leilani hoped Mr. John Merriday could overlook her plain looks. She really wanted a mail order bride husband that took her under his wing and told her how to make it in America. She didn't want to be only a housewife. This stirred her guilty feelings in her heart. She loved independence and loved to work.

She read the works of John Stuart Mills. He advocated for women's rights, proportional representation, and farm cooperatives in On Liberty his most famous essay. German scientists, Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff developed the spectroscope that split a composite light into its component colors. The French Panama Canal project just failed. Times changed. Leilani hoped to change right along with them.

Mr. Merriday seemed to get his equilibrium back again. Let me guess; your family lost their wealth. You were one too many mouths to feed and so you lied to me about being a beautiful mail order bride.

He cutting tone bit into the history of her initial acceptance.

I assure you, Mr. Merriday, I never lied. I--I just didn't reveal everything about myself. I am a beautiful person from head to toe--on the inside. I'm honest, a bit shy, caring. People say they'd like me a whole lot better after they get to know me.

You told the truth about your glossy black hair. He cocked his head staring at her, scrutinizing every inch of her five feet, six inches. Nice hair. Plain face and even plainer body. Why, you're too thin to have children.

I am not too thin to have children. A woman's carriage is no indicator of her childbearing qualities, Leilani defended herself. I have many talents.

Let me guess. You love to sit around and eat food and dote on your husband.

I'm not a cow, Mr. Merriday. If you want me, I can stay. If you don't, I can get on the next stage--

Cut out the fantasies. You know as well as I you lacked money to make the trip here; so you lack money to make it back.

Leilani dropped her parasol and covered her plain face. Her thin lips trembled. She needed someone to break up this awkward first meeting. Tears came to her pale blue eyes. She fought hard holding them back.

A woman came out of the stagecoach office carrying a package, You're quite the dresser. That garnet dress is stunning, Miss Leilani Tamm.

Leilani started to add, From Wor--

Stop it, Leilani. I've seen your type before. All respectable and acceptable on paper until you show up and open your fibbing mouth.

She raised her white lace parasol again. She stared him in the face. You said you were a farmer. Farmers don't dress like you do--in black Frock coat, western bow tie, crisp white dress shirt, Callahand dress pants and lace up boots, she blurted out in retaliatory anger. "Your Deluxe