Della: Bride of Texas (American Mail-Order Bride 28) by Trinity Ford Page A
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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Turning to Milton, Hank slapped him on the back. “For the good of the town, of course,” Hank said to him.
Milton shrugged and conceded defeat as Della stood by the jubilant auctioneer. “Sold to Mr. Hank Hensley for $50! Hank, come on up and fetch your prize,” the man said.
Comments were flying within the audience as Hank approached the auctioneer and Della. Some were shocked at Hank’s audacity at outbidding the fiancé and others were laughing and congratulating Hank on getting one up on Milton Tidwell.
“Why, Della Owens,” Hank said as he took the picnic hamper from her hands. “Don’t you just look ravishing in that dress?” The smug look of satisfaction on his face made Della wish she’d never worn the dress he’d personally chosen and paid for.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Della said. “I must go say goodbye to my fiancé .” Della shoved the picnic hamper toward Hank and hurried over to Milton, who was walking toward his wagon.
“What are you doing ?” Milton scolded when she came up beside him.
“I…I came to say goodbye,” she said. “That horrible Hank Hensley, bidding an obscene amount like that! Why no one in town could compete with that bid.”
“I really don’t understand why you’re over here instead of over there with him,” Milton said, confused. He turned his back to Della and stepped up into his wagon. “The last thing I want is for him to withdraw his business from the bank due to your rude behavior at a town event.”
Della was so shocked she couldn’t speak. She backed up as Milton’s wagon began to move and stood staring at him until he was out of sight—her chin quivering and her eyes welling up with tears she refused to unleash.
“This picnic’s going to go stale if you keep standing out here avoiding me,” Hank said softly as he walked up behind Della and gently bumped her with the hamper.
“Are you happy now?” Della said, turning on him with fury in her eyes. “You’ve made a fool out of him…out of me …ruined my plans for the day, and for what? So you could show everyone how much money you’ve got? How you can buy any woman you want? Well you can’t buy me, Hank Hensley. You can buy that food, but you’ll never buy my heart or my dignity.”
Hank stood in place, letting Della have her say. When she was finished, he was silent for another minute, letting her entirely vent her anger. Then, he spoke in a firm, but kind manner. “The way I see it, I did you a favor,” he said. “Milton isn’t the kind of man who enjoys spending money, even if it benefits the community, and he’s a fool regardless of what I bid or what he didn’t . You’re walking out of here having brought in the most money, contributed to the betterment of our streets and sidewalks—something everyone will appreciate. I’m not trying to buy you Della, I’m trying to make you see your own worth . As for your plans being spoiled, I can’t imagine any woman wanting to spend a beautiful day sharing a picnic with Milton Tidwell. And if you’re honest with yourself, I think you’ll admit that I’m right.”
Della knew Hank was right, but at that moment she was too mad to admit to anything. “Let’s get this over with,” she said coolly, grabbing the hamper out of Hank’s hands and marching to the bank of the river. She took the small blanket she’d used to cover the food and was about to spread it on the ground.
Hank grabbed it out of her hands and took the hamper from her once again. “Not here,” he said. “I want to show you something.”
“Well I didn’t agree to go elsewhere,” Della said sharply.
“Suit yourself,” he said, handing her back the hamper and walking off towards his wagon. Della noticed others looking their way and she felt embarrassed that their argument was on display—especially after Hank had paid an exorbitant amount for her picnic.
“Oh okay!” she said, stomping off to catch up with him and walking ahead of him so she could
Milton shrugged and conceded defeat as Della stood by the jubilant auctioneer. “Sold to Mr. Hank Hensley for $50! Hank, come on up and fetch your prize,” the man said.
Comments were flying within the audience as Hank approached the auctioneer and Della. Some were shocked at Hank’s audacity at outbidding the fiancé and others were laughing and congratulating Hank on getting one up on Milton Tidwell.
“Why, Della Owens,” Hank said as he took the picnic hamper from her hands. “Don’t you just look ravishing in that dress?” The smug look of satisfaction on his face made Della wish she’d never worn the dress he’d personally chosen and paid for.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Della said. “I must go say goodbye to my fiancé .” Della shoved the picnic hamper toward Hank and hurried over to Milton, who was walking toward his wagon.
“What are you doing ?” Milton scolded when she came up beside him.
“I…I came to say goodbye,” she said. “That horrible Hank Hensley, bidding an obscene amount like that! Why no one in town could compete with that bid.”
“I really don’t understand why you’re over here instead of over there with him,” Milton said, confused. He turned his back to Della and stepped up into his wagon. “The last thing I want is for him to withdraw his business from the bank due to your rude behavior at a town event.”
Della was so shocked she couldn’t speak. She backed up as Milton’s wagon began to move and stood staring at him until he was out of sight—her chin quivering and her eyes welling up with tears she refused to unleash.
“This picnic’s going to go stale if you keep standing out here avoiding me,” Hank said softly as he walked up behind Della and gently bumped her with the hamper.
“Are you happy now?” Della said, turning on him with fury in her eyes. “You’ve made a fool out of him…out of me …ruined my plans for the day, and for what? So you could show everyone how much money you’ve got? How you can buy any woman you want? Well you can’t buy me, Hank Hensley. You can buy that food, but you’ll never buy my heart or my dignity.”
Hank stood in place, letting Della have her say. When she was finished, he was silent for another minute, letting her entirely vent her anger. Then, he spoke in a firm, but kind manner. “The way I see it, I did you a favor,” he said. “Milton isn’t the kind of man who enjoys spending money, even if it benefits the community, and he’s a fool regardless of what I bid or what he didn’t . You’re walking out of here having brought in the most money, contributed to the betterment of our streets and sidewalks—something everyone will appreciate. I’m not trying to buy you Della, I’m trying to make you see your own worth . As for your plans being spoiled, I can’t imagine any woman wanting to spend a beautiful day sharing a picnic with Milton Tidwell. And if you’re honest with yourself, I think you’ll admit that I’m right.”
Della knew Hank was right, but at that moment she was too mad to admit to anything. “Let’s get this over with,” she said coolly, grabbing the hamper out of Hank’s hands and marching to the bank of the river. She took the small blanket she’d used to cover the food and was about to spread it on the ground.
Hank grabbed it out of her hands and took the hamper from her once again. “Not here,” he said. “I want to show you something.”
“Well I didn’t agree to go elsewhere,” Della said sharply.
“Suit yourself,” he said, handing her back the hamper and walking off towards his wagon. Della noticed others looking their way and she felt embarrassed that their argument was on display—especially after Hank had paid an exorbitant amount for her picnic.
“Oh okay!” she said, stomping off to catch up with him and walking ahead of him so she could
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