Mail Order Bride: The Master: A Historical Mail Order Bride Story (Mail Order Brides) by Lily Wilspur Read Free Book Online

here.”
    The Master steered Matthew out of the hotel by his shoulder. They walked side by side until they reached the lane where they would separate to go to their own homes. The Master stopped and faced Matthew.
    “Go on home now,” he told the boy. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the church.”
    Matthew glanced down the lane toward his house, then back at the Master. “Are you sure it’s a good idea for you to go to the church tomorrow? Are you sure it wouldn’t be better to get away from Noah Bartlett?”
    “Don’t worry about tomorrow,” the Master replied.
    “I can’t help it,” Matthew told him. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
    The Master chuckled to himself. “I appreciate your concern. Go home and try not to worry too much.” He chuckled again. “I’m counting on seeing you at the church. Tell me you’re going to be there.”
    “I’ll be there,” Matthew replied.
    “Good,” the Master exclaimed. “I wouldn’t want to get married without you there.”
    Matthew stared at him. “Really?”
    “Really,” the Master replied. “After everything you’ve done to help us get married, I wouldn’t want you to miss it. If anyone’s going to be there, you should be.”
    “Really?” Matthew gaped.
    “Yes, really.” The Master flipped his coat as he turned away. “Now go home.”

Chapter 11
    Matthew woke up sick to his stomach the next morning. In spite of the Master’s assurances, he lay awake most of the night fretting about what would happen at the church. He believed Noah Bartlett’s threats over the Master’s confidence.
    The Master complained that everyone in town thought he was going to his own funeral. Now Matthew believed it, too. The last thing in the world he wanted to see was Noah Bartlett killing the Master and Polly on their wedding day.
    But the only way to avoid it was to stay away from the church. After all his machinations to get himself taken there, after years of struggle to keep his Sunday mornings free, he couldn’t back out now. He had to go.
    Some morbid fascination compelled him to see the conclusion of this adventure in which he’d entangled himself. Maybe he’d get lucky and Bartlett would gun him down, too, along with the Master and Polly. Then he could put the whole sordid affair to rest and stop thinking about it.
    His brain just wouldn’t leave it alone. He wracked his mind trying to think of a way to divert the tide of destiny. But what could a young boy do? If he tried to intervene, Bartlett would split his sides with laughter. Bartlett would crush him like a bug under his heel if he so much as raised his head in defiance.
    Matthew tarried over his breakfast until his mother hounded him from the table and threatened violence of her own if he didn’t get dressed and get ready to go. All his family dressed in the Sunday best, and Matthew’s mother took along a special bouquet of flowers she’d made especially for the occasion. The village saw so few weddings that everyone wanted to make it a celebration to remember.
    Matthew watched his parents prepare for church. They didn’t seem affected by the anticipation of a confrontation with Noah Bartlett. Like Matthew, they’d made scrupulous efforts to stay out of his way. They admonished Matthew day in and day out about minding his own business and leaving the confrontations to someone else.
    And he’d happily complied—until now. Why, oh why, hadn’t he kept out of all this? Why did he cross first Felix, and then Noah? Now they would never rest until they paid him back.
    At last, he got his Sunday clothes on and his mother tied his tie for him. She chided him on his reluctance to go to church when his hero was getting married. Matthew didn’t respond. He only waited at the garden gate for the family to come out of the house. Then they all walked to the church together.
    On the way, they met other families, all headed to the church, too. They chatted and the little children ran up and down the