Mail Order Bride: Deception (Historical Western Romance): Clean Romance Series (Western Mail Order Brides Book 1) by Samantha Price Read Free Book Online Page A

roll of fabric that had a pale green base with a darker blue floral design. “The blue and green will bring out the blue in your eyes.” She walked to the dress in the window. “I could make something like this one. The sides of the dress and the bottom of the dress in this, with cream gathered ruffles down the front and at the neck.”
    “Oh, that would look lovely,” Leah said, playing down her enthusiasm.
    “The bottom of the sleeves will be a deep layer of cream lace, and down the back, small fabric covered buttons. You could wear the dress again on other occasions.”
    “That sounds so pretty.” Leah turned to Beth. “What do you think?”
    “I think that anything would look good with your figure.” Beth laughed.
    Leah turned back to Jennifer. “Yes, I will have that for my dress. Thank you, Mrs. Pollard.”
    “I can have that for you by tomorrow afternoon, and, if I call one of my other girls in, I can have another dress done for you at the same time.”
    Leah and Beth stayed for another hour, and made some choices of fabric and designs, before they left the store, and headed to the Marshal’s office.
    “Thank you for coming with me today, Beth. You’ve all been so lovely and kind to me.”
    Beth smiled, and glanced over at her. “Of course, why wouldn’t we be? You’ll soon be my sister-in-law.”
    “I know, but I just feel a little awkward about Austin being married before. Mostly, I don’t know how I should behave, because I know Austin misses her. It all feels a little odd.”
    “It must be hard, but you’re you, and you’re not Charlotte, and no one wants you to feel that you have to take her place.”
    “Austin said you were good friends with her.”
    Beth nodded. “We were best of friends.” She reached over and patted Leah’s hand. “That doesn’t mean I can’t have more friends.”
    Leah felt a wave of nausea wash over her. When was she going to move on? She had to leave soon. Maybe she could disappear and not explain herself? Leah forced a smile at Beth, and wondered if there were some way she could stay on, forever pretending she was Victoria.
    “I suppose I shouldn’t tell you, but Austin says he wants to get married on the fifth of July,” Beth said.
    “That’s only days away,” Leah said.
    Beth gave a sharp nod of her head. “He’s taken his time about things already.”
    “Oh, I really didn’t mind that at all.”
    They had arranged to meet Hank at the Marshal’s office at noon. At a few minutes before noon, Leah pushed the door open. She stepped into the office, with Beth close behind her. A man behind a large desk rose to his feet. Leah glanced around, and saw that there were other offices behind this one.
    Leah looked back at the man who’d just stood. He stepped away from the desk, and looked at Beth. “Hello, Beth.”
    “Good afternoon, Jed. This is Victoria Hadley. Miss Hadley was robbed on the train, and Hank said that she should come here and make a formal complaint.”
    “Yes.” He nodded to Victoria, and then said, “Please have a seat.” He pulled two chairs away from the window, and moved them closer to the front desk.
    Beth and Leah down, and when they were seated, Jed sat too. “I can help you. Hank was called away urgently.” His eyes settled on Leah. “Now, Miss Hadley, what can you tell me about the robbery?”
    Leah tipped her chin up slightly. “I can’t tell you anything because I fell asleep, and when I woke up, my two traveling cases were missing. My money was in one of them.”
    “How much money?” He dipped his quill in the ink jar, and then looked back up at her.
    Leah shrugged. “I didn’t count it. It was money that my parents gave me. I thought it rude to count it in front of them.”
    The deputy rubbed his chin, and looked worried. “Shall we say it was a considerable sum of money?”
    “I can’t say. It would have been enough for my keep for the next three months. At least, that’s what I thought when my parents