Bride of Paradise by Katie Crabapple Read Free Book Online Page A

face.
    “What does your father do?”
    “He works in one of the factories.  I understand it.  There just isn’t enough to go around, and I’m the oldest.” 
    He wondered for a moment if Kristen’s parents would consider letting her live there, but he decided it wasn’t his place to interfere.  If God wanted her to be Joshua’s bride, then she should be Joshua’s bride.  “Joshua’s a good, godly man.  I’m sure the two of you will get along very well together.”
    Ida looked nervous.  “I sure hope so.”
    Kristen appeared back between them.  “I found another tray of the chicken salad sandwiches, so the party has been saved.”  She talked to Ida for a moment, asking what she’d found out while writing Joshua before her mother appeared beside her.
    “People are getting tired.  Tonight, and tomorrow night, you two need to be the first to leave.”  The words were whispered into Kristen’s ear.
    Kristen looked at Samuel.  “It’s time for us to go, so everyone else can go home and go to bed.”  She smiled at Ida.  “You’ll be at the wedding tomorrow?” she asked.
    “I wouldn’t miss it!”  Ida hugged Kristen tightly.  “I have your new address already, so I’ll be writing you as much as I can.”
    “You’d better!”  Kristen pulled away and walked toward the door. 
    Samuel watched her leave, before heading to the room he was staying in.  It was odd to think that this was the last night he’d go to bed as a bachelor.  At this time tomorrow, he’d have a wife.  Kristen wasn’t the girl he’d have chosen for himself, but he knew God knew better than he did what he needed.
     
    *****
     
    Laura sat on the edge of the bed she shared with Kristen watching her sister pack the last of her things.  Kristen’s wedding dress, a vision of white lace, hung on the back of the door, ready to be put on the following morning.
    Kristen carefully packed everything that she wouldn’t need until she got to Paradise into the last of the ten trunks she had.  She would put the things she needed to have tomorrow into a small carpet bag that she would keep with her instead of letting it be loaded onto Samuel’s wagon.
    “Are you nervous?” Laura asked her.
    Kristen shrugged.  “A little.  I’m more excited than anything, though.  I’m ready for the wedding, but nervous about spending the rest of my life with a man I barely know.”  She didn’t add that she found her fiancé very attractive.  She wasn’t sure what it was about him, but now that he’d cleaned up so well, she was looking forward to life with him.
    “He seems really nice,” Laura said.
    “He does.  We had enough time to talk alone together that I’m sure we’ll get along fine.  We have similar goals and like a lot of the same things.  It’ll just be awkward at first, I’m sure.”
    “I can’t imagine marrying someone I barely knew.  You had lots of men who wanted to court you here.  Why are you marrying a stranger?”
    Kristen shrugged.  “I just never thought any of the men who wanted to court me were very godly.  They were all more interested in their own lives than in serving our Lord.  I wanted to marry a man who looked to God first the same way I do.”  She put her spare nightgown into her carpet bag and snapped it shut before climbing into bed beside her sister and blowing out the kerosene light.  “I hope I can sleep.”
    Laura laughed.  “I know I won’t be able to.  My sister’s getting married tomorrow.  I’m so excited.  And did you know I get to be the maid of honor?”
    “I heard that somewhere…”
    “It’s going to be glorious!”  Laura’s voice was filled with excitement.  “Papa is nervous about walking you down the aisle.  He says there will be too many people there, and he will fall and embarrass you.”
    Kristen laughed.  “He won’t fall.”  She bit her lip.  “Do you think I invited too many people?  Samuel said to plan a small