A Western Heart: Four Historical Romance Novellas

By Doreen Milstead

Widowed, Pregnant & Not Telling Her Future Husband - A woman from London finds that the only recourse left to her after becoming widowed and being pregnant and living in a poorhouse, is to seek a mail order husband PLUS Under Primitive Conditions - Alone, a woman travels across the prairies to meet her cowboy fiancé in Nevada, but is unable to find him at first in the primitive tent town where he works PLUS Turning an Arrangement Into Love - An Englishwoman leaves England for what she assumes will be a loveless marriage as all that they had agreed to was to care for her rancher, look after his home, and respect each other – but it didn’t include love PLUS Worlds Apart - Trapped in a loveless marriage, and after her husband’s suicide, Emma decides to become a mail order bride and after finding a rancher, she boards the train headed for California. There’s only one thing on her mind though; the rancher wants a family, and she’s thirty-five.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387235452

Book preview

A Western Heart: Four Historical Romance Novellas

A Western Heart: Four Historical Romance Novellas

By

Doreen Milstead

Copyright 2017 Susan Hart

Partial cover photo copyright: alanpoulson / 123RF Stock Photo

Widowed, Pregnant & Not Telling Her Future Husband

Synopsis: Widowed, Pregnant & Not Telling Her Future Husband - A woman from London finds that the only recourse left to her after becoming widowed and being pregnant and living in a poorhouse, is to seek a mail order husband. She finds herself on board ship and sick from both morning and seasickness, and heading towards a man whose only requirement is that she helps him with the farm chores; until he sees her, that is.

Ma’am, I’m sorry but if you can’t pay the rent, you will have to leave, said the old man standing in front of Sarah.

Sir, I am with child. My husband has died. I have no place else to go, Sarah said as tears rolled down her face.

Sarah Rochester was just 22 years old and had found herself in one of worst possible situations. Her husband Michael had passed away due to illness and left Sarah without any income or way to pay for her home.

Ma’am, perhaps you should try the indigent shelter, the elderly man offered.

He was trying to be nice to Sarah but she could tell he would not have allowed her to continue staying in her home without money.

That night, Sarah cried and cried. She cried for the life she would not get to have with her husband. She cried for herself and the trouble she was now in without a man to help care for her. Sarah couldn’t stop her crying. She spent the whole night going through her and Michael’s belongings and tried to figure out which items she could sell and try to pay the rent.

When morning came Sarah made her way down to the local marketplace and started selling off her belongings. She arrived at sunrise and didn’t leave unto sunset. Exhausted and emotional, Sarah returned to her home with not even half of the money that was due to pay her monthly mortgage.

When the banker came by the next day Sarah begged and pleaded with him to allow her more time, but he was done being kind. He was a banker and it was his job to gather the money, if she didn’t have the money then she would need to leave.

Sir. Please. I will do anything. I cannot be out on the streets, Sarah begged.

You have until morning and then I will bring the law to remove you from the home. The elderly banker left without a care in the world for Sarah and her unborn child.

As the sun rose Sarah gathered her things and made her way to the shelter for the night. She had no intentions of staying there for too long, because surely she could find work or some other option for her and her child.

Sarah took to the streets of London and visited every store and pub she could find. She offered to sweep the floors, serve food, and sew clothing. She was willing to do anything. Unfortunately, there just was not any work in London at that time.

Standing at 5’8" tall with long blonde hair, Sarah didn’t look like the kind of woman that could work. But she did know how to work and she was more than willing to work hard so she could support herself and her child. She did not need handouts; she just needed someone to give her a chance.

The day finally ended and Sarah returned to the shelter, dejected and sad from not being able to find work. Her plan to leave the shelter after only one night did not seem to be working for her. Instead, Sarah thought she would probably be stuck in that shelter for months. Perhaps she would even have to deliver her child there.

Sarah shuttered at the thought of being homeless when she delivered her child. There was no way she would be able to work once she had a child to take care of. No way she could earn money or provide for herself and the child. The feelings and fear overwhelmed her.

That night, Sarah hit under the small blanket on a creaky cot in the shelter. She sobbed quietly as she mourned the loss of her life and her husband. Sarah felt like there was no way out for her; no way for her to be all right with this life she was left with.

Then, in the late hours or night as the dawn pushed closer, Sarah felt a tap on her shoulder through the blanket. She peaked out of her covers to see a tall and very dirty homeless man standing over her.

Fear rushed through her body for a moment before she saw the look on the man’s face. He seemed concerned for her.

Are you all right dear?

Sarah tried to put a fake smile on her face. She tried to hide all the fear that was surging through her body. But, there just was no hiding it from the kind man.

I’m all right. She smiled.

You don’t look all right. And you’ve been cryin’ for good near four hours.

The kind man pulled a chair close to Sarah’s bed and sat there. He waited for Sarah to decide she was ready to tell him why she was crying.

Soon, her story was flowing out of her. She cried and sobbed as she shared everything with this kind homeless man.

Have you visited the matchmaker yet? the man asked.

Sarah laughed. Well, that was the last thing she imagined would be good for her. What kind of man would be interested in a woman in the condition she was in?

I am with child, she said as she looked down.

So what? Us men are not the brightest. Simply find a new husband quickly.

I don’t think I could hide a child from a new husband.

Sarah laughed.

Miss, I tell you this... no man would turn down a beautiful woman like yourself. Simply don’t tell him you are with child.

But wouldn’t he realize the truth?

No, Miss. You have nine months of growing to do. Just go find yourself a husband quickly.

Well, I only have seven months left, Sarah said as she contemplated what the man was saying.

You best get to work them. Go visit the matchmaker on Howard Street. He has men from America who are always eager to have a new bride from London.

Well I guess it wouldn’t hurt to visit with them.

She felt hopeful that the matchmaker would be able to find her a husband quickly. But, she did feel bad about needing to lie to the man about her pregnancy.

Richard stood in front of the matchmaker’s office for at least ten minutes before he got the courage up to go inside. What was he thinking coming to a place like this?

Richard Holstein was a handsome guy; he didn’t need to buy a wife and have her shipped to him. But he didn’t have time to sleep he was so busy with his ranch. So, he certainly did not have time to find a wife.

Richard stood over six feet tall and had broad shoulders. He was a big man with a great deal of muscle. At 26 years old he wanted to find a wife and start a family. But most of all he needed help with his ranch.

The smaller animals, such as chickens, were being neglected because Richard spent all his time in the field with his cattle. He needed a good hard-working woman who wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.

Richard wanted a partner to help run his ranch, not just a wife.

Hello sir. How can I help you, the woman at the desk asked Richard.

Um, I was…Well, I want a wife, he finally blurted out.

The woman looked him up and down and then brought him over to sit and look through one of her books.

Okay. These women are my new selections. They are organized by age. Starting at eighteen and going up to about thirty years old.

Well, I’m twenty-six. I’m not sure I would want an eighteen year old. I want someone who is hard working, Richard said as he opened the book to the middle.

Do you prefer blondes or brunettes? Perhaps a redhead, the woman asked as she reached around Richard and started flipping through the pages.

I don’t really care I guess. I want a nice woman.

Richard really had not prepared at all before he showed up at the matchmaker’s office. He didn’t know what he was looking for. He really had not thought about it beyond having someone to help him with the workload around the ranch.

Oh, I know. How about this one, the woman asked as she pointed to Sarah’s profile.

Richard read the entry:

Hello kind Sir,

My name is Sarah and I am a widow. I am blonde haired and stand approximately five feet eight inches tall. I have many talents and I work very hard. My smile is known to make others happy and I would welcome the chance to show you happiness.

Well, she sounds nice, Richard said as he read through her profile again. Do you have a picture?

No. By the time we would get a picture most of the women are already taken. A young woman like this who speaks English will go very quickly. The woman worked her sales magic on Richard.

Well, I don’t know, he said.

It is all right. You could always think about it and come pick a different girl next week. But, this one will be long gone by then.

How do I know we will get along, Richard asked.

Oh, these women have no intention of arguing with their husband. I guarantee you will get along very well.

Richard thought about it for a moment and then decided he did not want to lose his chance at getting this woman. He liked her profile and thought she sounded like a good fit for him. He didn’t mind that she had been married before and thought it might mean she had more domestic skills than any other woman of her age might have.

Ok. I’d like her please.

Great. I will just need your deposit for now. I will send a telegram to London and ensure she is still available. We will then get her onto a boat and started on her journey here. At that time I will need the remainder of payment, the woman said.

The matchmaker grabbed some forms and started filling them out. She quickly wrote down the profile number and other information about Sarah.

Richard signed the contract and handed over his deposit money. Within only a few moments the whole deal was complete and he was walking down the street to meet his friends at the saloon.

You did what? Richard’s best friend Seth asked as he blankly stared at Richard.

I bought myself a wife. Richard threw back a shot of whiskey.

Why?

Because I want a woman around of course. He laughed.

Richard thought about all the things he would be able to do with another set of hands around his ranch. He would be able to add more livestock, increase his chickens, and even get a couple of egg-laying hens. Richard smiled as he thought about the income he would be able to generate from having another person who worked for free.

He was perfectly happy marrying the woman if she would help out around the ranch. It was a great business decision for sure. At least, that was what Richard told himself to justify ordering a bride from a catalog.

But Richard deep down was also looking forward to having a woman around. Just having a woman to talk to would be nice for him. His last woman friend ended up running off and marrying a lawman that had come through town.

That had been over two years ago.

Well, there seem to be better ways of getting a woman. In fact, I think you could take your money upstairs and have any one of the women working.

Seth pointed upstairs to the brothel.

That ain’t the kind of woman I want!

Any other kind of woman is just going to be trouble, Seth said as he took another drink of his own whiskey.

Well, I want a woman who can be my partner.

Richard didn’t really care what his friend thought about his idea to custom order a wife. But it would be nice to have someone who was supportive. It obviously was not going to be Seth.

So you just looked through a catalog and ordered her?

Seth laughed. Yep.

What, does she look like?

Well, her profile said she was five feet eight inches tall and long blonde hair. It said she was a hard worker. Richard smiled as he shared the details about his soon to be wife.

So, she could be fat? Seth questioned.

Well, I wouldn’t think so. But I guess it didn’t really say anything about her size. Richard took another drink of his whisky. He had not thought about her size at all.