Mail Order Bride - Latham's new wife

By Kate Whitsby

Sorcha Breck was not blessed with her sister's stunning beauty. In fact, she was cursed with a kind heart and gentle nature that made each condescending glance from a stranger, each judgmental stare from a child all the more painful. But when she travels from her beloved home of Scotland to America will she continue to be her sister's responsibility, destined to grow old alone? Or will she find the beauty within herself to guide her to a brand new life, a new home and dare she dream it...true love?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gold Crown Publishing
• Release date: Jun 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781540148506

Book preview

Mail Order Bride

Latham's new wife

Kate Whitsby

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Dedication

To YOU, The reader.

Thank you for your support.

Thank you for your emails.

Thank you for your reviews.

Thank you for reading and joining me on this road.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Copyright

Chapter 1

It was customary for the Captain of the ship to greet the first class passengers as they boarded his vessel. During this quick introduction the officers and staff would also keep their eyes open and mouths shut as they studied the new faces of the herds they would be taking to Boston, Massachusetts.

There’s a Scottish lassie to take your breath away. A man in a tightly buttoned white coat with brass buttons whispered.

Nodding his head in the direction of a peach-cheeked woman in a brown and blue plaid skirt who daintily lifted her hem just to the ankle to step onto the ship's deck.

The Captain cleared his throat and extended his hand.

Welcome aboard, miss. His gray hair fluttered like the flags atop the crow’s nest. I’m Captain Ramsey. My First Officer Dean. He tipped his head to the left.

The woman smiled with her eyes as she grasped the very tips of the Captain’s fingers in her delicately gloved hand.

Capt’n. Her voice was soft but not weak. Officer Dean. I’m Annis Breck. My sister is...Oh, where’d she disappear to now? Stretching and looking behind her Annis scanned the crowd finally spotting her lost sibling. Sorcha! She called to a downturned bonnet.

Quite stealthily the First Officer nudged the Captain as the woman approached.

You have a sister? How wonderful. I’d like to invite you both to join me at my table for dinner. Won’t that be lovely?

M’sister, Sorcha Breck. Annis tilted her head to the right and let out a sigh.

Welcome aboard, Sorcha. I’m Cap... The words stopped in his throat as the wide brimmed hat tilted upward.

Sorcha Breck looked up at the Captain and first mate. She had the same fair, soft, plump skin as her sister but the resemblance stopped there. A pug nose sat below two closely set almond shaped eyes. Her smile, if it could be called that, was more like an expression of discomfort, perhaps a bout of gas or a pinch from her corset.

Annis slipped her arm underneath Sorcha’s and pulled her close.

The Captain, now nudging the first mate cleared his throat.

Welcome aboard the Oceanic. He grinned pinching his thick, peppered eyebrows together. He didn’t have to say a word. The Breck sisters knew what the look meant as if the man had spoken the words outright.

How can these two be sisters?

It wasn’t so bad for Annis. She was referred to as the pretty one. But Sorcha had grown accustomed to the term the other one.

Dinner at yer table. Annis nodded her head and smiled. We’ll be lookin’ forward to it, Cap’n Ramsey.

Again he cleared his throat and nodded his head.

Dozens of people followed in the Breck sisters steps along a thick wooden plank aboard the huge ship. There were ladies wearing fine silk tapestries and hats with feathers. Most of them had come to Scotland for a visit and were headed back to America. Their gentlemen chaperones dressed just as well and in some cases better in coat tails and the gold chains of their watches dangling from their vest pockets.

Running back and forth as if the ship were sinking were an innumerable number of valets and maids escorting some of the guests to their cabins, helping others with their bags and the majority carrying silver platters with glasses full of spirits and ashtrays for their long cigars.

Can ya believe this, Sorcha? Annis whispered as they got out of the way of their fellow travelers trying to board. I’m besides m’self. The Cap’n askin’ us to join ‘im for supper. How excitin’?

Annis, darlin’, you know he wasn’t askin’ me to sup. If the man’s eyes left prints they’d be all over ya by now. Sorcha’s low voice was like a whisper. He don’t know how lucky he is, Denholm is at the port in Massachusetts. He’d have laid him flat, Cap’n of the Oceanic or no.

Annis blushed and giggled.

That fiancé of yours would get us tossed into the ocean before even settin’ sail. Sorcha continued, enjoying her sister’s laughter. "And I don’t know what ya find funny about it. You’re marryin’ the brute as soon as we land in America. I’ll