The Business of Marriage: Mail Order Bride Series, #4

By R L Butler

This is a clean Western Historical Mail Order Bride Romance book that does not contain any foul language or sexual situations.

Winifred Scott's father brokered an agreement for her to marry Frank Crawford, a long-time friend of his, in Breckenridge, Colorado. Frank had recently lost his wife with two small children to raise, he was in need of a mother for his two young children.  Since Winfred had no potential marriage prospects she agreed to the marriage.
 
Soon after her arrival, and their abrupt marriage, tragedy struck throwing her life into complete turmoil.

What happened next will change her life forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mail Order Bride Press
• Release date: Jul 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386737292

Book preview

Chapter 1

Stepping off the Denver, South Park, and Pacific train onto the boardwalk before it, Winifred Scott adjusted her traveling bonnet and gazed around her.  The station itself was small but looked new here in Breckenridge, Colorado . 

Winifred Scott was here to wed a friend of her father who had recently lost his wife and newborn during childbirth.  Frank Crawford had two young children who needed a mother, so Robert Scott offered Winnie, if Frank would agree to marry her.  At twenty-three, she’d had no other prospects, so when her father had shown her the letter with Frank’s agreement, she decided to agree to the terms. 

So now here she was in Breckenridge, trying to find her father’s friend, or someone who looked to be about her father’s age.  The only man she saw appeared to be about thirty years old.  Surely her father didn’t have a friend that young here in the West. 

Suddenly, another man stepped onto the depot boardwalk with two young children in tow.  One child appeared to be about two years old and was being carried by the man.  The other child, a girl, was holding her father’s hand and she looked about four years old.  She looked like a tiny version of the man with brown hair holding her hand, so he was obviously her father, too. 

A stiff breeze caught her unbuttoned coat and blew into it, causing her to shiver.  Winnie buttoned her coat as the man and the children approached her.  The month of May in Des Moines Iowa, was typically warm, but here in the mountains of Colorado it was still cold. 

Are you Miss Winifred Scott? the man asked when he stopped before her. 

Yes?

He smiled as the little girl released her father’s hand and hid behind him, clutching his right leg. 

I’m Frank Crawford, he announced.  And I’m carrying Amy.  She’s two and a half, almost three.  Hiding behind me?  That’s Caroline.  She’ll turn five in the fall, and it will take her a while to warm up to you.

How do you do, Mr. Crawford, Winnie replied, shaking his hand.  Hello, Amy.  You have a very pretty bonnet.

The child grasped her hat with a giggle, and Winnie squatted down in front of the trio.  Now that she was on Caroline’s level, she smiled at the little girl.  Aren’t you the cutest thing?  It’s very nice to meet you.

Then Winnie rose again and faced Frank, saying, This is a little awkward, isn’t it?  I don’t know what to say or do.  Do you live at the saloon you own?

No, he replied, I have a house not far from there.  Rose, my late wife, insisted that a saloon was no place to raise children, so after Amy was born I had a house built and surprised her with it as a Christmas gift.

That was kind of you.  I’ll go see if someone can get my trunk from the baggage car.

All right.  I’ll have it delivered to the house so you can unpack.  I hope you didn’t bring too much.  I’m limited on space.

Chapter 2

Winnie followed Frank and his daughters up the steps of the wide porch to the front door of the two-story house.  The house was white, with brown trim around the windows and door.  To Winnie, it looked just like a man had designed it . 

Once inside, Winnie set her valise down by the door, taking in the parlor furnishings while Frank took off his coat then helped the girls take their coats off.  Flowered wallpaper covered the parlor walls.  There was a plain, peach fabric settee placed just below the window.  The house looked nice from the outside, but the interior was plainly decorated.  The parlor also contained a wood-burning cast iron stove big enough to heat the room, a smaller settee, and two side chairs.  All the furniture was covered in the same fabric.  At least it’s a pretty color, Winnie thought as she walked into the room.  It worked well with the greens and yellows in the wallpaper. 

A half-wall opened up into the dining room that was also moderately furnished. 

I know it’s not much, Frank joining her.  Girls, go upstairs and play now.  I need to talk to Miss Winnie alone.

Okay, Papa, Caroline said, pulling Amy by the arm toward the stairs in the foyer. 

Have a seat, he said as he extended his arm toward the sofa. 

Although she was afraid that he would sit next to her, she lowered herself onto the settee.  She wasn’t sure if she was ready to be a wife yet.  She did not even know him.  To become a stranger’s spouse and then join him in his bed was more than she could even consider right now.  Now that she was here though, it was certainly going to happen. 

Instead of sitting with her on the couch, he sat down in a nearby chair.  He began the conversation, leaning on the wooden arm. 

This is what I propose, he said in a business-like tone.  The day after tomorrow, Sunday, after the service is done, we’ll go to the Methodist church and have Reverend John Dyer marry us.  He’s retired, but I spoke with him, and he’s agreed to perform the ceremony.  It won’t be anything big.  Just you, me, and a couple of friends of mine as witnesses.

The day after tomorrow? Winnie asked, stunned that