West For Love (A Mail Order Romance Novel) by Karolyn James, Claire Charlins Page B

the home and the baby, aside from nursing which is cared
by another woman who works as a wet nurse. She’s a wonderful woman, Abigail,
you’d love her.
    Each
day I’m greeted with a beautiful sun rise. My husband goes to work in the field
- perhaps the greatest crops I’ve ever seen grown. He works hard. I cook, I
clean, I care. It’s a life I never thought I’d have. To be happy and in love.
    I
share this with you, Abigail, to perhaps help cure your worries. Your worries
of what happened to me before and what happened to you. I can write to tell you
that happiness can come after a heartache. When I look at my husband, Thomas, I
feel it rush through my body. I’m sure it was how you felt at one point in your
life. And, Abigail, you can feel it again!
    How
did this all happen?
    I
met with a woman named Mary and her brother, Henry. They run the Lowemills
Daily newspaper. They also place ads from men looking for brides. They helped
me connect with Thomas through writing letters to him. And Thomas sent me money
and I traveled on a train to be with him.
    I
hope mother and father are well. I hope my absence hasn’t hurt them more than
my divorce had. I feel guilty each day about it, Abigail, wishing there was something
I could have done. But my body - and God - made those decisions! Not me! It’s wasn’t
fair for me to feel the way I did. I understand our parents position and I hope
you can share this letter with them. Let them see that I’ve gone off, on my
own, I’ve found a husband, a family, love, and I’m happy. I say this honestly,
Abigail, I am truly happy. I hope they are happy. Most of all, I hope you’re
happy. I want to know you’re okay. I want to know you’re going to find love
too. You deserve a husband. A family too.
    I
will eagerly await a letter from you Abigail.
    I
miss you, big sister!
           
    Love,
     
    Anna
     
    Anna slid the letters away from her
and took a deep breath. She had to collect her emotions. Everything came at her
at once by penning the letters. Thinking about William and the divorce. The way
her parents acted. The travel to Kansas. Meeting Thomas. Meeting Thomas Jr..
Everything else...
    “Are you done?”
    Anna gasped and jumped. She looked
over her shoulder and saw Thomas standing.
    “Yes,” Anna said. “I’m done. Can I
mail these tomorrow?”
    “Of course,” Thomas said. “We’ll go
into town. We’ll make a list of anything we may need too. I’ll ask Josephine if
there is anything she needs.”
    “Thank you.”
    Thomas stepped towards the table,
his eyes gazing upon the letters. He looked down at Anna. Anna could see the
intrigue in his eyes.
    “You could read them if you’d
like,” Anna said.
    “No, I couldn’t.”
    Anna smiled. “You could. I want you
too, Thomas. Please.”
    “Why?”
    “Maybe the written word has more
meaning. Since the ink is on the paper. Stuck there. It can be read again and
again...”
    Thomas leaned forward and took
Abigail’s letter first. Anna just stared straight ahead, with her hands folded,
waiting for Thomas to finish reading. She grew nervous wondering how Thomas would
take the words she had to write.
    Thomas placed the first letter back
on the table then took the other letter Anna wrote. The one to Mary. The one
with a little more honesty in it. That was the one Anna truly worried about.
She half expected Thomas to storm away. But Thomas didn’t. Instead, just like
before, he placed the letter on the table. He touched Anna’s shoulder.
    “Those are nice letters,” he said.
“I’m sure they will be able to receive them.”
    “Do they upset you?” Anna asked.
    “No,” Thomas said.
    It was a quick no and nothing more. He
then turned and left the room. Anna watched her troubled husband walk away, but
she didn’t chase right after him. One thing Anna had learned so far about
Thomas was that he liked to be alone when his mind was overwhelmed. Smothering
him only made things worse, often ending with him making a