Mail Order Marm: Brides of Beckham, #24

By Kirsten Osbourne

Frederica Hughes felt as if life were passing her by. She had a good job teaching school in the small town of Salmon, Oregon, and she finally had good friends she felt she could bare her soul to, but there was still something missing. When her friend Doris proposed sending for a mail order husband for Gretchen, who was seven months pregnant and unwed, she hoped for the best for her friend, but still felt badly for herself.
Darryl Miller has always been known as one of the demon horde. He knows that if he stays in Beckham, Massachusetts, he will never rise above the reputation, but he has nowhere to go! When he receives a letter from his twin sister asking him to marry her pregnant friend, he only hesitates for a moment. Two weeks later, he arrived in Salmon to marry a stranger. The only trouble is the stranger refuses to marry him. Within an hour, he finds himself married to another friend of his sister's. Will he be able to make a go of life with the beautiful straight-laced schoolteacher? Or has he made a huge mistake leaving everything to travel across country?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Unlimited Dreams
• Release date: Oct 29, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393778592

Book preview

Chapter One

DORIS BUTLER HAD BEEN in Salmon, Oregon for just over a month, and the town was already a different place. She hadn’t come to town with the intention of changing everything and everyone, but it had happened anyway.

She sat at the table with her two closest friends, who were like sisters to her already. Gretchen was to her left, and the schoolteacher, Miss Frederica Hughes, was to her right.

I’ve been thinking about your situation, Gretchen, Doris began. I think we need to send for a mail order husband for you. It’s not the way things are normally done, of course, but I’m sure my brother Darryl would come. He can work with Harv at the mill.

Darryl is your twin, right? Gretchen asked. It wasn’t easy keeping up with Doris’s thirteen siblings.

He is. He’s a good man, and if he doesn’t treat you right, I can box his ears.

Rica laughed. I’m not sure if we need more of your demon horde living here in Salmon . . .

Doris stuck her tongue out at Rica. I know Gretchen needs a husband. If she’s still living at her mother’s house when the baby is born, I’m afraid it’s going to be terrible for her.

Gretchen sighed heavily. You’re right about that. My mother will never forgive me for getting pregnant out of wedlock. It’s not my fault my fiancé was lost at sea, but she sure seems to think so. She patted her belly. We only have two months, though.

"I know . . . so here’s my plan. I’m going to wire my sister and tell her to put Darryl on the first train out here. I’ll make sure she knows that you’re pregnant because even my brother doesn’t deserve that kind of surprise. But when he gets here, you two can marry. I have to talk to Harv yet, but we all know that’s just a formality. The man is practically working himself to death to fill all the orders he gets. He needs a helper."

Gretchen and Rica exchanged a look.

I’m not so sure about this plan of yours, Doris . . . Gretchen said with a frown. Your brother deserves to be with someone who’s not already huge with another man’s baby.

Doris sighed. "We’re talking about the brother who insisted I put newspaper on the barn floor before we painted the cow purple."

Still . . . He’s been a good brother to you, which is why you’re suggesting he marry me. Are you sure you want him tied to a woman who has a bad reputation?

Demon. Horde. Doris shook her head. I promise you he’s used to having a bad reputation, and he cares just about as much as I do. Let me telegraph Lizard Breath.

Gretchen bit her lip. I don’t know if I’m ready to marry someone. Reginald was the love of my life. How can I just ignore that and marry someone else?

It’s your choice. But I think Reginald would want you to do it for the baby.

Rica nodded as well. I think so, too, Gretchen.

Gretchen buried her face in her hands. Fine. Do it. Her heart sank as she said the words, but she knew the women sitting with her, her two best friends, had only her best interests at heart. She’d do it, because she didn’t know what else to do.

DARRYL MILLER STOOD in the field, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a bandana. He longed for a way to leave Beckham, Massachusetts and never return. Some of his sisters had become mail order brides, traveling to the west for adventures, but as a man, he couldn’t do that.

He nodded to his father, pointing toward the house. He needed to go in and take a quick water break. They’d been at it since sun-up, and it was after five. Harvest season was always the busiest.

When he got to the house, he was surprised to see his sister Elizabeth there, quietly chatting with their mother. Elizabeth wasn’t exactly a stranger, but she usually came out for holidays or invited one or two of her siblings to come and visit her at once. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d just dropped in for a visit in the middle of the week.

Hey, Lizard Breath. Darryl had never gotten out of the habit of calling her by her childhood nickname. He was pretty sure none of their siblings had either. It just felt good and familiar. Elizabeth lived in a mansion in town and ran a big business, so it felt good to bring her back down to their level.

Elizabeth just smiled at him, obviously not bothered. Their mother was snuggling Elizabeth’s baby, happy to have a grandchild in her house for a while. "I’m actually here to see you, Darryl."

He blinked at her. Me? Why? You have a bride out west that’s looking for a groom to come marry her?

You think you’re kidding . . . Doris has a friend. She’s very pregnant. Her fiancé died at sea right before their wedding. She’s been pretty much ostracized in the town. Doris’s husband Harv would give you a job in the sawmill. They want you on the next train.

Seriously? Why me? Darryl had never dreamed of going off to be a mail order groom. Sure, their brother Wally had done it years before, but Wally had always been a bit odd.

I’m not sure. Doris says that you’re the man. I think she misses having her twin around. Elizabeth smiled at him. Are you interested?

Darryl sat down heavily, still trying to figure out if this was something he’d even think about being interested in. A marriage to a strange pregnant woman, who had been ostracized by her town. But his sister Doris, who had impeccable taste in friends, wanted him to marry her. And he’d have a non-farming job in the west. Oregon. Near the coast, from what he understood.

I think I am. We should be done with harvest tomorrow night.

Then you can leave on Tuesday? I’m going to go and wire Doris back. She’s going to be so excited to get to see her favorite brother. Elizabeth got to her feet and reached down for her baby. Come on, Benjamin. Let’s go home.

Did you walk? Darryl asked.

Sure. I may live in the city now, but I’m still the farmgirl who grew up in this house. Elizabeth had never put on airs, and she never would. Once a farmgirl, always a farmgirl.

Let me hitch up the wagon and drive you back. I can’t imagine walking that far with a baby in your arms.

Elizabeth laughed. I won’t say no to the ride, but I’m perfectly capable of walking.

I don’t think you’re some hot house pansy now that you live in your big house, but I have a hard time believing you enjoy the thirty-minute walk while carrying my nephew. He stood up. Wait here while I hitch up the wagon.

Ten minutes later, they were on their way. What more do you know about this girl? he asked as soon as they were out of earshot of their mother.

Her name is Gretchen. She’s kind and loving. No one speaks to her, and some of the ladies in town even tried to shun her! Elizabeth shook her head. "All of