Della: Bride of Texas (American Mail-Order Bride 28) by Trinity Ford
Authors: Trinity Ford
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Saga, Western, Short-Story, Texas, Religious, Christian, Inspirational, Cowboys, Bachelor, matchmaker, Marriage of Convenience, Faith, Community, victorian era, Forever Love, Single Woman, Banker, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, American Mail-Order Bride, Factory Burned, Pioneer, Twenty-Eightth In Series, Fort Worth, Store Owner, Trouble Maker, Heartache
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Bluebonnets mixed with the emerald green hillside, and red, yellow and pink flowers dotted the spaces in between. It was a beautiful day and a welcome break from the rain they’d had just the week before. Milton and Della approached the event together, but he always managed to walk just a step or two ahead of her.
A table had been set up for the picnic hampers and Della gently placed hers alongside the others. When she turned around, Milton had walked off—joining a group of men standing near the bank of the river, talking. Della was scanning the crowd looking for Millie or Annabelle when Hannah approached. “Della, you look stunning!” she gushed.
Della bowed her head shyly. “Thank you,” she said. She’d never liked drawing attention to herself with things like clothing and make-up, although she did wear a light amount here and there.
“The ladies are all over here,” Hannah said. “We’re going to start the event now—good luck with your bid!”
Della stood with the other single women off to the side of the table. Each hamper would be auctioned off one at a time, with bids being called out from the audience. Della’s heart was racing. She worried that Milton would try to bid too much just to make a showing in the community. She didn’t want to have all that attention on her. Or what if no one bids on my picnic at all? She thought. She really wouldn’t put it past Milton to do just that, being the cheapskate that he was.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer called. “We’re going to start the bidding at $5 for Miss Jean Davey’s picnic. Who will bid $5 for this lovely picnic, which includes biscuits and ham and some of her own peach preserves?” Della watched as Jean’s hamper received bids from three different gentlemen, settling in at $8. There were cheers and clapping all around.
The announcer went through several other bids before Della’s hamper came up. Ruth’s sold for $10, Ethel’s only got the beginning bid of $5, and Edna’s brought in the most so far at $12. Della’s hands trembled as she took her picnic hamper from the announcer and stood beside him for the auction.
“Tell us about the picnic you have planned, Della,” he said.
“Well, I’ve prepared fried chicken, biscuits, deviled eggs and peach cobbler,” she said. A round of applause went up as Della blushed. A few hollers were heard from the crowd, voicing their approval of the delicious and substantial feast she had prepared. She noticed a couple of men standing beside Milton patting him on the back.
“Let’s start this picnic off at $5, but you all know it’s worth a lot more than that,” the announcer said. “Who will bid $5 for Miss Della’s picnic and the chance to spend the afternoon with a lovely young lady?”
“Five dollars!” Milton voiced from the crowd. Della smiled, relieved that a bid had been placed at all—even thought it was a cheap bid from her fiancé. She immediately assumed that her picnic would go for that low price, since Milton would be the only one bidding.
“Very nice,” the announcer said. “Now surely, someone will bid more for this incredible picnic lunch. Remember, this is a fundraiser for the betterment of the town! Can we have a bid for $6?”
“Ten dollars!” roared a voice from the back. Everyone turned their heads and gasped as they watched Hank Hensley walk through the crowd and stand beside Milton Tidwell. Della held her breath in shock. Everyone knew she was betrothed to Milton. Hank was making a mockery of their relationship. She forced a smile on her face, but felt the heat rising up to her cheeks.
After hesitating a moment that was too long for Della, Milton nervously squeaked out, “$10.50.” Milton was smiling a bit too widely—a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes—and beads of sweat were prominently popping out on his forehead.
Hank didn’t hesitate at all after Milton’s bid. “Fifty dollars for Miss Owens’ picnic!” he yelled.
A table had been set up for the picnic hampers and Della gently placed hers alongside the others. When she turned around, Milton had walked off—joining a group of men standing near the bank of the river, talking. Della was scanning the crowd looking for Millie or Annabelle when Hannah approached. “Della, you look stunning!” she gushed.
Della bowed her head shyly. “Thank you,” she said. She’d never liked drawing attention to herself with things like clothing and make-up, although she did wear a light amount here and there.
“The ladies are all over here,” Hannah said. “We’re going to start the event now—good luck with your bid!”
Della stood with the other single women off to the side of the table. Each hamper would be auctioned off one at a time, with bids being called out from the audience. Della’s heart was racing. She worried that Milton would try to bid too much just to make a showing in the community. She didn’t want to have all that attention on her. Or what if no one bids on my picnic at all? She thought. She really wouldn’t put it past Milton to do just that, being the cheapskate that he was.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer called. “We’re going to start the bidding at $5 for Miss Jean Davey’s picnic. Who will bid $5 for this lovely picnic, which includes biscuits and ham and some of her own peach preserves?” Della watched as Jean’s hamper received bids from three different gentlemen, settling in at $8. There were cheers and clapping all around.
The announcer went through several other bids before Della’s hamper came up. Ruth’s sold for $10, Ethel’s only got the beginning bid of $5, and Edna’s brought in the most so far at $12. Della’s hands trembled as she took her picnic hamper from the announcer and stood beside him for the auction.
“Tell us about the picnic you have planned, Della,” he said.
“Well, I’ve prepared fried chicken, biscuits, deviled eggs and peach cobbler,” she said. A round of applause went up as Della blushed. A few hollers were heard from the crowd, voicing their approval of the delicious and substantial feast she had prepared. She noticed a couple of men standing beside Milton patting him on the back.
“Let’s start this picnic off at $5, but you all know it’s worth a lot more than that,” the announcer said. “Who will bid $5 for Miss Della’s picnic and the chance to spend the afternoon with a lovely young lady?”
“Five dollars!” Milton voiced from the crowd. Della smiled, relieved that a bid had been placed at all—even thought it was a cheap bid from her fiancé. She immediately assumed that her picnic would go for that low price, since Milton would be the only one bidding.
“Very nice,” the announcer said. “Now surely, someone will bid more for this incredible picnic lunch. Remember, this is a fundraiser for the betterment of the town! Can we have a bid for $6?”
“Ten dollars!” roared a voice from the back. Everyone turned their heads and gasped as they watched Hank Hensley walk through the crowd and stand beside Milton Tidwell. Della held her breath in shock. Everyone knew she was betrothed to Milton. Hank was making a mockery of their relationship. She forced a smile on her face, but felt the heat rising up to her cheeks.
After hesitating a moment that was too long for Della, Milton nervously squeaked out, “$10.50.” Milton was smiling a bit too widely—a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes—and beads of sweat were prominently popping out on his forehead.
Hank didn’t hesitate at all after Milton’s bid. “Fifty dollars for Miss Owens’ picnic!” he yelled.
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