Mail Order Bride: Loving Brides: A Pair Of Historical Romances: Redeemed Mail Order Brides Western Victorian Romance Pair, #8

By Kenneth Markson

**A Pair Of Clean Historical Mail Order Bride Western Victorian Romances (Redeemed Mail Order Brides Western Victorian Romance Pair)** 

Mail Order Bride: A Wife For Charlie 
What happens when Gina, the not so beautiful sister, as she repeatedly has been told, becomes a mail order bride? What happens when Charlie, the shy, somewhat awkward, young man crosses paths with the local bullies? Will two lonely people find love?

Mail Order Bride: A Bride For Jim
In order to inherit, Jim needs a quick mail order bride. Annie needs to get out of El Paso fast. Others want them both to fail. Who will prevail, and will true love triumph?

If you enjoyed these stories, you may also enjoy the other books in Kenneth's mail order brides Redeemed series, or Kenneth's mail order brides Rescued series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Markson
• Release date: Dec 10, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386748595

Kenneth Markson

While an English major at college, I wrote a column which was published weekly. I have been writing ever since. The old West and Los Angeles in the forties are eras which lend themselves to tales of romance, courage, and fast paced adventure. I particularly enjoy writing stories about the mail order brides who fearlessly took a chance and traveled West, hoping to find love and a better future. Many of the locales that I write about are places that I have either traveled through or actually lived in. I try to make my works richly accurate. My desire is to provide you with an entertaining and fun read. When I'm not writing, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two children.

Book preview

MAIL ORDER BRIDE:

A WIFE FOR CHARLIE

BY

KENNETH MARKSON

Chapter 1

Gina waited up for her father to return from his job managing a saloon, in their Kansas City neighborhood.  She would prepare him a hot drink when he came through the door in the early hours of the morning, exhausted from a long, hard night.  Then they would talk for a few minutes, while her mother and younger sister, Caroline, slept.

Despite the difficult times, Tom Nesbitt remained a cheerful man, with an amiable disposition.  Approaching his mid-fifties, he was a stocky, rugged individual, with brown eyes and round features.  At best, he was no better than ordinary looking, but his pleasant manner caused people to go beyond the surface and like the man. 

Gina was clearly her father's daughter.  For better or worse, she had inherited his looks and his disposition.  She was a tall, stocky woman of twenty-one, with brown hair and eyes.  Like her dad, she was big boned and strong, with a hearty laugh and kindness in her eyes.

From the start, there had always been a strong bond between father and daughter.  Gina looked forward to their nightly talks.  By contrast, her relationship with her mother was cold and distant.

Charlotte Nesbitt, could be described as a handsome woman, long and willowy.  She came originally from an upper class family, and never let poor Tom forget it.  Her saloonkeeper husband, in her mind, had been a disappointment and had lowered her station in life.

Gina, who resembled her father, was simply an extension of that disappointment.  Pretty Caroline was the apple of her eye.  No dress was too expensive to purchase for her darling Caroline.

As she reached her twenty-first birthday, the loneliness which Gina felt had grown stronger.  Caroline had no problem attracting several young men who were interested in courting her, but there were none for Gina.  She had no jealousy towards her younger sister, and wished her only the best, but that did not alleviate the natural longing which she felt.

She could not speak of her desire to have a loving husband and raise a family of her own, with her harshly critical mother.  Her mother had once cruelly intimated that she should resign herself to spinsterhood, and get used to living by herself.  It was with her father that she felt comfortable enough to discuss her dreams.

He was always there to build her confidence up, and to tell her that there was nothing that she couldn't achieve.  When she told him of her decision to become a mail order bride and seek a better future, she saw the love and great sadness in his eyes as he pondered the thought.  Then he approved the suggestion with a hug, even though he knew that she would have to go away.

Gina heard her father's heavy footsteps coming up the front steps to the door.  As he was juggling with his key, she rushed to open the door for him.

Hello, pa, Gina said with a smile.

Hello, Gina, her father replied, wearily.

He looks worn out and troubled, Gina thought to herself.

Come pa, she said, taking his hand.  Sit down, and have the warm drink I've made for you.

He slumped down into the comfortable armchair, that was generally reserved for him.

You're a good girl, Gina, Tom Nesbitt said, as he sipped from the cup that she had given him.

How was your work, pa? Gina asked.

Tough, he replied, with a shrug of his hands.  Some rowdies came into the saloon, and started trouble.  I had to work hard to keep anyone from getting hurt.  In the end, they had to be kicked out.

He sipped more of the drink, and spoke again.

How about you, Gina? he asked.

My day was pretty good, pa, she said excitedly.

Gina leaned forward and whispered in his ear.

Remember that matter we discussed, she said, about my becoming a mail order bride.

Tom Nesbitt nodded.

I put an ad in the Kansas City Gazette, today, she continued.  Hopefully, some decent gentlemen will respond to me.

Her father clasped her hand, and his weary eyes gleamed.

Good, he whispered happily.  May God bless you, Gina, he stated quietly, and may much happiness come from this.

Gina lovingly rested her hand on his shoulder.

Thank you, pa, she said.  That means a lot to me.

Her father pulled her close.

There's something that I want to tell you, Gina, he said quietly, before we go to bed.

His eyes focused on her.

There are some here, he said, that haven't given you a square break.  I know it, and there hasn't been much that I could do about it.  But you're my girl, and you'll always be my girl.  I want you to know that I'm proud of you, and I want you to be happy.  Even if it means that you will be away from here.

Gina noticed that there were tears in her father's eyes.  She had rarely seen him get so emotional.

This will be our little secret, he continued.  "Your mother has spent an awful lot on Caroline, but I have not forgotten you.  Over the past few years, I have managed to set aside a small sum for you.  Given our circumstances, it is nothing tremendous, but it is enough to help