Freedom For A Bride: A clean historical mail order bride romance (Montana Passion Book 2) by Amelia Rose Read Free Book Online

out. Nathaniel drove this time, while Gretchen sat in the back, a bundle held close to her chest. When they finally came to a stop, the maid didn’t need Nathaniel’s help climbing down as Moira was already beside the wagon, reaching for her son. Gretchen passed the baby to his mother with a smile, knowing how Moira must have missed him all day. She jumped down on her own and followed mother and child into the cabin, leaving Nathaniel to stand in the yard rather awkwardly, holding his hat in his hands at having been in the company of not one, but three ladies.
    “You must as stay here, Mr. Russell,” Gretchen ordered in a voice that would have stopped a kitchen servant in her tracks, a voice she’d only just learned to employ with unruly customers in Jorgenson’s shop. “I’m sorry for the cold, but Mrs. Pryor will have a need to feed the baby, it’s not fitting.”
    “Oh, no, I would never… I mean, no, there’s no need of me coming inside…” Even in the near dark, the red flush that colored his face up to the roots of his blond hair was evident, but the ladies were too mannerly to say anything more. Gretchen and Moira carried Matthew inside while Katia stood at the porch rail and looked out at the property.
    “Good evening,” he said kindly, watching Katia’s face for any hint of reaction. She smiled and nodded her head once upon hearing a term she was at least familiar with. Nathaniel looked around, fidgeting as he fought to find something else to say, but was at a loss. He nodded at Katia and turned to go, but stopped and turned back hopefully when he heard a sound.
    It was only the cabin door closing firmly shut behind her.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Nathaniel finally put his team in the barn. He watered his horses and fed them from the store of oats that Pryor kept on the place for livestock that passed through, then fetched his bedroll from his wagon and spread it out on a pile of hay.
    Gretchen came out just as he was hanging the lantern on its hook from the rafter. She peered through the crack in the barn doors cautiously as she held out a plate of supper and a tin of buttermilk.
    “Mr. Russell? I’ve brought your supper. I’ll just put it out here,” she called without stepping inside. He heard her rustling with the door as she tried to move a crate over to hold the dishes. Instead, he jumped up and threw open the door, startling her so badly, she nearly fell backward in her haste to get away.
    “Miss O’Brien? Don’t go, I’m sorry I scared you. I just didn’t know if Mrs. MacAteer meant to head home tonight or not, so I didn’t leave. How’s my… how’s Miss Noryeva?” he asked hopefully, remembering his manners at the last minute.
    “She’s fine, sir,” Gretchen answered, looking uncomfortable. “I mean, so far as I can tell without speaking to her, of course. She seems quite content, and amicable. She’s quite helpful in the house and skilled in the kitchen, so do naw let that worry you. She prepared your supper, to be honest.”
    Nathaniel brightened considerably. “Do you think she… likes me?” he asked hesitantly, knowing full well that Gretchen couldn’t possibly know the woman’s mind when she couldn’t speak it plainly. The maid smiled genuinely.
    “I can naw be sure, you know, but she seems rather glad to be here. She’s quiet, of course, and seems somewhat withdrawn, but I attribute that to a long journey by train. I’ve made that same journey myself, and I do naw feel the least bit ashamed of admitting it was quite difficult and entirely exhausting. I’m sure that’s all ‘tis wrong.”
    “I hope you’re right,” Nathaniel mumbled, more to reassure himself than anything else. “I mean, I’m sure of it. I’m sure you’re right.”
    “I know that I am,” she said with a comforting smile. “Give her time, the girl has only just stepped off the train. It must be so horribly disorienting to arrive in a place such as this when you are from so foreign a