Mail Order Bride - Marietta's Destiny: Faith Creek Brides, #5

By Karla Gracey

Ambassador’s daughter Marietta Winthrop has given up her own prospects of marriage and family to be a companion to her melancholic aunt. She secretly longs for adventure and the love of a man who won’t try and change her but knows she is hoping for too much. She knows that all the men of her acquaintance would banish poor Aunt Clara to a sanatorium and she will not let that happen. But keen of mind, and inspired by a special day spent at the botanic gardens Marietta begins to wonder if there just might be more to life after all.

Byron Hempthwaite is a disappointment, to his own parents at least. But he has never let it stop him from following his passions. A highly respected lepidopterist, he has found success and contentment, but he longs to find love too. But, just as he thinks he may have found such joy a family tragedy tears him away to Faith Creek, Texas. But, being so useless, he forgot to ask the love of his life for her hand in marriage before he left. He knows she is pretty and clever, witty and delightful, and why should she wait for him? Will he be too late to win the woman he loves back?

• Language: English
• Publisher: KG Publishing House
• Release date: Mar 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386404347

Book preview

Mail Order Bride

Marietta's Destiny

Faith Creek Brides: Book 5

Karla Gracey

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Epilogue

Other books by Karla

Mailing List And Free Gift

Copyright

Thank you for choosing a Karla Gracey story.

As a way to say thank you, we would love to give you this lovely short story.

book image image.jpg

Click here to pick up your free story.

Chapter One

WHEN WILL THIS PASS? Aunt Clara sighed, as she gazed out of the window at the sheeting rain. Marietta worried about her. She could get terribly melancholic when the weather was inclement like this.

I do not know, but I have asked Wilson to call for a carriage and we are going to go to the botanic gardens, no matter the weather!

Oh do not be so ridiculous. We will be half drowned! Clara said turning to face her, her face aghast at such a suggestion.

No we shall not, Marietta said. The exhibit is to be housed in the Orangery, where it will be quite warm and dry. I think it will be quite delightful to be studying all the pretty butterflies, listening to the rain as it patters down upon the glass above us. Now, do fetch your hat and coat. The carriage will be here at any moment.

Clara left the room, grumbling under her breath. Marietta had heard all of her complaints before, and when she first came to live with her aunt after her parents had gone to England where her father was acting as the American ambassador to the government there, she had often given in to them. But no longer. If she did not insist Aunt Clara would never get leave the house, or escape her often crippling moods. It was strange to live with someone who could be so happy and content at times and yet so taciturn and difficult at others. But she had learned that distraction was often the best medicine for her aunt when she was morose like this.

Aunt Clara re-entered the dining room. Marietta noticed immediately that she had forgotten to put on her boots, and had managed to dig out a very old and unpleasant straw bonnet, rather than the smart hat that Marietta had laid out in the hallway for her. Let us find your boots, she said kindly, taking her aunt by the hand and leading her out into the hallway. To many it would have been frustrating, but it was no chore to be Aunt Clara’s companion; in truth, she rather enjoyed the many activities that she arranged to try and keep Clara content. Neither of them had ever mentioned the alternative. Marietta knew it had been a constant battle throughout Aunt Clara’s life. But, Marietta would not let her aunt be banished to an institution and then forgotten – even if her Father and Mother both thought it a more suitable arrangement.

Marietta knelt down and took one of her Aunt’s tiny boots. She indicated that Clara should take her place on the pretty loveseat by the coat rack. Marietta fiddled with the tiny buttons that ran up the outside of the boots and then eased it onto Clara’s tiny foot. She looked up to see her Aunt looking at her with an intense and sad expression upon her face. You should not have to look after me, I should be the one looking after you, she said, smoothing Marietta’s hair back from her face. When Mama and Papa had left for London, Marietta had been supposed to go with them, but her warm heart had not wanted to see poor Aunt Clara abandoned, left unloved and uncared for in one of those dreadful places they sent people with hysteria.

You do look after me, Marietta said honestly. Aunt Clara may drift in and out of her own mind, but she had always been there for Marietta when she needed her most. She had cried for weeks when Mama and Papa left, and Clara had been there to hold her every night.

Not as an Aunt should. I should be taking you out to balls and finding you a suitable husband, Clara said sadly. You would make some lucky man the most wonderful bride, you are so beautiful darling girl.

I don’t need or want a husband, Marietta said, but the quaver in her voice gave her away. She ducked her head and put on Clara’s other boot, fiddling awkwardly with the buttons as she tried to compose herself once more. She and Clara both knew that she longed to have a family of her own one day.

"Yes you do, but you are too sweet