Elizabeth's Unlikely Marriage: Hollister Sisters Mail Order Brides, #1

By Debby Mayne

After conditions at home in Georgia become unbearable, Elizabeth goes to Colorado to become a mail order bride. When she arrives, a man by the name of Richard picks her up from the train station and informs her that the man who sent for her has married someone else. She's distraught because she has nowhere else to go. Richard takes her to his pastor's home, where she finds kindness and loving care. Will Elizabeth find the love that she has always wanted?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Debby Mayne
• Release date: May 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533724625

Book preview

Chapter 1

(Georgia 1878)

Where do you think you're going, young lady?

Elizabeth cringed as the sound of her stepmother's disapproval rang through the tiny house she'd grown up in. Just to the post office.

Be hasty about it. You haven't finished your chores yet.

I won't be long. Before her stepmother could say another word, Elizabeth dashed out of the house and onto the road.

Fortunately, they lived only a few blocks from the town that had a post office, feed store, and dry goods store. She'd applied for a job at all three places, but no one was hiring. So she decided to look into other ways to get out of the house that used to be her home—until her father decided to bring that woman into the family. Now she felt like an unwelcome intruder.

Elizabeth understood why her father wanted to remarry. He'd been on his own with two children since Mama passed away eight years ago. Her older brother had married and moved out a couple of years ago. Now Elizabeth was nearly twenty, so it was natural to expect her to leave soon. And that was exactly what she planned to do.

She walked into the post office and smiled at the clerk. I finally have something for you, the man said. It's from Colorado.

Elizabeth's heart pounded, and her palms became moist as she tore into the envelope. She expected nothing more than a note. When she spotted the train ticket and some cash with the note, she had to grab hold of the railing on the wall.

The clerk came around from behind the counter and tried to steady her. Is everything okay?

She nodded. Yes, everything is just fine. She glanced inside the envelope again before looking back at the clerk. In fact, everything is perfect.

If you're certain.

The clerk's concern touched her, but she needed to be strong. This is exactly what I was waiting for, so I'm absolutely positive.

Well ... then, if you're fine, I'd better get back to work.

As Elizabeth left the post office, her thoughts went to the task she had ahead of her. No one else knew she'd responded to the advertisement requesting mail order brides for men belonging to a church out west in Colorado.

She walked toward her house but stopped and leaned against a post to read the letter. It was brief and to the point. The handwritten note was from a man named Lawrence who looked forward to meeting—and marrying—her. He requested a response letting him know when she planned to leave Georgia and her estimated date of arrival in Colorado.

After reading the letter a second time, she folded it and put it back in the envelope. A swarm of emotions—some good, some bad, and some confusing—flooded her. This was exactly what she'd wanted, but now she was afraid.

The instant she walked back into the house, her stepmother confronted her. Elizabeth, I don't know what's gotten into you, but I'm sick and tired of your attitude. Now get yourself in that house and start slicing the onions I put on the counter. I can't start supper until that's done.

Why don't you slice them? Elizabeth dared a look directly at the woman's sourpuss face.

You know good and well I hate slicing onions. They make my eyes burn.

I don't like it either.

Her stepmother swatted her on the back of the leg with the broom