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    Mail Order Merry: Brides of Beckham, #19
    Mail Order Merry: Brides of Beckham, #19
    Mail Order Merry: Brides of Beckham, #19
    Ebook102 pages1 hour

    Mail Order Merry: Brides of Beckham, #19

    By Kirsten Osbourne

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    About this ebook

    Merry Winters wants something more out of life, but she feels beholden to her sister and brother-in-law, who have given her a home for the past four years. When a fire takes their lives, and leads her with their two young children to raise, she agrees to move to Montana to be a mail order bride as long as she can keep running her business.

    Clyde Bellman has a plan for his life, and he's at the point where that plan calls for a wife. He sends a letter to a matchmaker in Massachusetts hoping for a strong, independent bride. When Merry arrives with two young children in tow, he knows he needs to be the best uncle the two children have ever seen. Can he help his new bride to overcome her sadness and become a good wife? Or will he spend the rest of his life hoping for love that will never come?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherUnlimited Dreams
    Release dateFeb 21, 2020
    ISBN9781393339359
    Mail Order Merry: Brides of Beckham, #19
    Author

    Kirsten Osbourne

    Kirsten lives in Texas with her husband, son and a crazy new puppy. She is a stay at home mom who spends her life writing, doing volunteer work, and helping out with her son's Cub Scout troop.

    Read more from Kirsten Osbourne

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      Book preview

      Mail Order Merry - Kirsten Osbourne

      Chapter One

      Clyde Bellman climbed the stairs at the end of his long day mending fences for his bison herd, and his back ached. He knew bison ranching was an odd profession, but with bison being the only cattle indigenous to North America, he felt like they should be the main meat eaten there. Besides, they were going to be extinct before too long if the railroad kept killing them off.

      He went into his bedroom, peering out the window of the house he’d built five years before. It had four bedrooms, and he even had a bathroom with indoor plumbing on the first floor. It was built for a queen, but he had no lady to share it with him. He’d once thought he’d marry Miss Margery Dalrymple from Mistletoe, Montana, but Margery had long since moved on to greener pastures. He’d wanted to wait until 1891 to marry, because he had a plan—a good strong financial plan that didn’t account for marrying before then.

      He was in the exact financial position he’d wanted to be in, a few months ahead of schedule, and now he was ready. Ready to take on the family life. He’d heard tell in town of some of the men sending off for mail order brides, and he’d even seen an ad in the paper, looking for gentleman worthy of a good bride. He’d send for one.

      He stifled a yawn. It was after nine, and he had a lot more fences to be mended the next day.  He’d ride into town on Saturday and send a letter off to the matchmaker. Surely there’d be some bride who wanted to move to Mistletoe and marry him.

      *****

      Merry Winters smiled at Miss Elizabeth Miller, who held the door for her as she entered the post office. Thank you, Elizabeth. I swear the orders start getting crazy around the end of October. I never know how I’m going to keep up.

      Elizabeth smiled sweetly. You make the most darling Christmas ornaments anyone has ever seen, Merry. That’s why the orders come in so quickly.

      Merry smiled. Why, thank you. I’m pleased you like the one I gave you for Christmas last year. Merry had made a business of carving Christmas ornaments and painting them. She even had a small advertisement in a Christmas catalogue that went out every year. With a name like hers—and her occupation to boot—you’d think Christmas would be her favorite holiday. But Merry Winters had a secret.

      She hated Christmas. Her parents had been killed in a sleighing accident, trying to beat a storm home on Christmas Eve when she’d been only sixteen. Her older sister, Carole, had invited her to live with her and her new husband. It had been fine then, but four years and two children later, the house was quite cramped.

      How’s the mail order bride business going, Elizabeth? Did I hear right that you started a newspaper?

      Elizabeth smiled, taking a couple of the boxes from Merry and motioning for her to precede her in line. "I did start a newspaper. We’re calling it the Grooms’ Gazette."

      There have been so many times I’ve thought about coming to you to be sent off as a bride, but I just haven’t found the courage to do it yet. Besides, I don’t want to leave Carole and her family.

      If you ever do decide to be a mail order bride, we’ll find you the perfect man. I know you must have a hard time driving past the spot where your parents were killed every time you come into town.

      Merry frowned. It’s so hard. I’m just happy that I still have a family here.

      Elizabeth put the boxes she held on the counter. It’s shipping day, Merry announced with a smile. It feels like it’s always shipping day.

      The post mistress smiled. You have a dozen more orders here. She handed the letters to Merry while she carefully inspected the packages that were ready to be mailed. After getting the money from Merry, she handed Elizabeth a pile of letters. Let’s get a piece of pie! Elizabeth said.

      Merry nodded happily. She didn’t usually take the time to spend with friends, because she was so busy with her ornament business. Alfred and Carole had fallen on hard times, and they counted on the money she was able to contribute to the family’s income. She put half into the bank for her future, and the other half was happily given to her brother-in-law.

      I’d love to get pie. It’s been forever since we sat down together.

      Elizabeth wound her arm through Merry’s and the two ladies walked to the small café next door, taking a table off to the side. Your business is really growing, isn’t it? Elizabeth asked, nodding at the orders in Merry’s hand.

      Merry smiled. It amazes me how much people love my ornaments. I can barely keep up.

      I’m glad people appreciate the work you do. You have so much talent.

      I don’t know about that... Merry looked down, embarrassed. She’d been told from a young age that she was a talented artist, but she’d never dreamed she’d be making a living that way.

      Elizabeth slid one of her letters open while Merry studied the menu. Merry knew her friend ate there more often than she did.

      Merry, say you’ll be a mail order bride.

      Merry lowered her menu and frowned at Elizabeth. I can’t just run off and leave. Why do you want me to do it?

      Because I’ve found the perfect man for you.

      Merry frowned at her friend. And you can tell he’s perfect for me from just one letter?

      I’ve been doing this job for a long time. Listen to this. Elizabeth cleared her throat and read the letter aloud.

      "Dear Potential Bride,

      I’m ready to marry. I know that sounds strange, but I never thought I’d get to the point I am in life without having a bride waiting on me. I live in Mistletoe, Montana, and I own a bison ranch. I am exactly where I want to be financially to start a family, and it’s time.

      I’m looking for a bride who is rather self-sufficient. I’d like her to be able to cook and clean, but if we need to, I can hire out for those tasks. More than anything, I want a wife who can stand on her own two feet and be independent. I want children. I’d like a bride between the ages of twenty and twenty-five, who doesn’t mind crossing the prairie by herself. A woman who won’t be afraid if there’s a snow storm and she’s trapped in the house for days on end. I need a woman who can be strong without a man to lean on.

      My name is Clyde Bellman, and I’m twenty-eight years old. I have brown hair and brown eyes. If you think you’d be a good bride for me, I’d love to hear from you.

      Sincerely,

      Clyde."

      After Elizabeth finished the letter, she looked at Merry. He’s described you perfectly. I know you’re the wife for him.

      Merry sighed. I don’t think I can do it right now. Carole still needs help with the little ones on occasion.

      Elizabeth sighed. Promise me you’ll at least think about it. I want you to be happy.

      I’ll think about it. But that’s all you’re getting from me!

      "Give me an answer when you come into town next week. That’ll still give me enough time to get his ad in the Grooms’ Gazette if we need to."

      Merry nodded reluctantly. She didn’t see herself ready to go across the country in a week. There was no way.

      *****

      Three weeks later Merry woke in the middle of the night, feeling as if she was choking. The air was too thick to breathe and smelled of smoke. She hurried out of bed and ran for the children’s room, calling

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