Peter's Bride: Millshore Brides, #4

By Morgan Dawson

Cecelia created a new life for herself when she came to work at the Millshore textile mill when she was fifteen, leaving the pain of her past behind her. Always being a dreamer and a lover of all things romance, she doesn't hesitate to take the chance to find love when Mrs. Durant offers to help her. Heading out West with the great expectations of love in her heart, will she be able to find the man of her dreams?

Peter has always hoped to one day find a love like his parents had shown him, and being the only brother left without a wife, he finds himself anxiously searching. When the opportunity arises to respond to an advertisement in the papers, many people doubt his decision, but he knows that this might be his only chance. Can he prove to others and to himself, that sometimes fate works in unusual ways?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Morgan Dawson
• Release date: Nov 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215109755

Book preview

Chapter 1

CECELIA

Her shoulders sang a constant ache as she rhythmically followed the movements she’d long since memorized at the loom and it took every ounce of strength to keep going.

It felt like the afternoon had dragged on more than usual today and she wondered if maybe the bell had forgotten to ring. All around her were other girls with sweat dripping off their foreheads and tired expressions on their faces.

When the sweet bell finally rang, she let out a relieved sigh and considered curling up on the floor for a nap. The machines powered down with a whirr until the room around her returned to silence and she could even hear the birds outside.

Often when she was working in the mill, she forgot the outside world even existed.

The overseers dismissed them for the day, and she made her way outside, ignoring the shooting pain in the bottom of her feet. She was the first of her friends outside, so she went to wait for them by the spindly tree they always met at.

Soon enough, she was joined by Audrey and Sadie. Interlocking her arms with theirs, they crossed the mill grounds in the direction of their boardinghouse where she knew a delicious and much-needed meal was waiting for them.

As she walked in comfortable silence with her two friends, she thought of her three friends who were now so far away.

For so long, it had been the six of them in their little room and she’d cherished the friendship she’d had with them. Of course, three new girls had now taken her friends’ places in their room, but it still felt strange.

Cecelia loved her new roommates, but they could still never replace Josephine, Rebecca, and Grace. She knew her friends were happy in their new lives, though, and she was so proud of each of them, but she missed them every single day.

In their room, she quickly scrubbed the dirt from her hands and wiped the dust from her face with a damp cloth as her stomach grumbled.

The smell of supper wafted through the entire house, and it took everything in her to not run straight toward it. She waited at the door for her friends and when they’d all washed up, they headed downstairs to the dining room where a few other girls were taking their seats.

A plate of steaming vegetables and a thin slice of pork waited for them, and she eagerly took her seat.

Their keeper, Mrs. Durant, sat at the head of the table, smiling and waving to each girl as they came in. After a long day of work, coming home to the kind woman’s smiling face was so comforting in a way Cecelia often couldn’t place.

Mrs. Durant oversaw all the girls Cecelia shared a boardinghouse with and made sure they were following the rules and meeting curfew. Above all that, though, she’d become a sort of motherly figure in their lives, and every girl that lived here, had nothing but love for her.

I hope you all had a good day. Eat up so you can replenish your strength, Mrs. Durant said once every seat was taken, and the dining room erupted with noise as everyone picked up their forks and began to eat.

I found the most wonderful poem to share with you at our meeting tonight. I can’t wait to read it to you. Cecelia grinned, glancing toward her friends.

You always find the most wonderful poems, Cecelia, so I know it will be great. I wrote a short story for tonight that I think turned out alright, Sadie replied, taking a sip of her drink.

Turning to the new girls who’d joined their room, she wondered if they’d be attending the meeting. They weren’t as interested in the club Cecelia and her friends had created in which they shared poetry and other writings amongst each other every Wednesday evening.

Are any of you going to join us this evening?

Amelia and I are going into town for a lecture, but I think Mary said she was going, Ruby replied, giving her an apologetic smile.

Cecelia nodded. She understood that her new friends had different interests than her and never wanted them to feel guilty about skipping a meeting.

As for her, she wouldn’t miss it for the world. She loved the cozy, warm feeling of curling up in their little room with papers and books sprawled out around them as they escaped into the written word with each other for a while.

It felt like getting to live in a whole new world. One where they didn’t work at the mill but got to wander through enchanted fairy forests and meet new people.

It was a distraction from the pain in her heart that was always threatening to resurface and suffocate her. At night, when the other girls had long fallen asleep was when it was the hardest, but somehow, she always made it to another day.

And she knew deep down that if it weren’t for her friends and love of poetry, the darkness would’ve pulled her right under many years ago.

It scared her to know she might be leaving the mill soon. It had been a difficult decision, but she knew she’d regret it if she didn’t take the chance when it had come her way.

She didn’t know what the future had in store for her, but Mrs. Durant had helped all her friends find true love, and Cecelia was hopeful that she’d be able to find something like it for her too.

Chapter 2

PETER

He stared at the envelope in his hand, swallowing the lump in his throat. The post office loomed above him and it took everything in him to force his feet to take him inside.

Writing the letter had been easy enough, but now that he was actually sending it, everything felt much more frightening. Of course, he didn’t know if she’d even reply anyway as she likely had other people to choose from.

Mrs. Kurmit looked up at him from over the top of her narrow spectacles before taking the letter from him and sticking a stamp on it. To Massachusetts, I see.

Yes, ma’am.

You have family there?

A…I have a friend out there.

Hmmm, she grumbled, shrugging her shoulders, although clearly not totally satisfied with the answer.

Peter didn’t want anyone around here knowing about the possibility of him getting a mail-order bride, and out of all the townsfolk, Mrs. Kurmit, was the one he definitely wanted to keep it from the longest.

She was a nosy woman who always liked to insert her personal opinions into other folks’ lives. He had a feeling he wouldn’t like her opinion on this one and a strong one she was likely to have.

Hurrying back outside before she could question him any further, he almost ran right into Mr. Mercer who was walking by.

Oh my, lad, I’m sorry about that. Why are you in such a rush? The bald man chuckled, holding out a hand toward him.

Peter took it and forced a smile. I’m the one to be sorry, Mr. Mercer. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.

It’s alright, I’ll see you around, Mr. Hoff. Have a nice day.

You, too.

Turning in the opposite direction as Mr. Mercer, he crossed the road to where he’d left his horse tied up in front of the mercantile.

Norwich was busy at this time of the morning as the school children all made their way to the church and people came into town to do errands.

Peter would be glad to get back home and sit down to think about what it was exactly that he’d done.

Hoisting himself up atop Oak’s back, he lightly dug his heels into his sides and set off in the direction of home.

Once he was out of town and the land opened up before him, the warm wind pressed against his face and the chatter of crickets hummed through the long grasses.

Riding was one of the few moments in his life where he felt at peace, and as he urged Oak into a trot, he let out a long breath. If he could spend the rest of his life riding around the countryside with nothing but his trusty horse, he could