Not Quite A Mail Order Bride (Mail Order Brides) by Susan Leigh Carlton Read Free Book Online

hugged her sister fiercely. “Thank you. My day is made. I can’t wait to tell Jedadiah.”
     
    “Sis, why do you call him Jedadiah? Everyone else calls him Jed.”
     
    “It’s all I’ve called him from the first day I met him. He just looks like a Jedadiah. I think it is a beautiful name and it suits him perfectly.”
     
    Jed walked in at that moment. “What suits who perfectly?”
     
    “Jedadiah suits you perfectly. Martha asked why I call you that. She just told me she’s going to ask for the teacher position. Isn’t that wonderful? She asked.
     
    “Well, that suits me perfectly. I am really pleased you made your decision that way. Luke will be happy too. He was out of ideas. He even asked me if I thought Sarah would do it.” He hugged both Martha and Sarah. “Now, I have my arms full of beautiful women. What more could a man want?”
     
    “One beautiful woman that loves him?” Sarah asked.
     
    “You’re right.” He looked at Martha. “You might want to cover your eyes. We might embarrass you.”
     
    “Embarrass away,” she said. “I love you both.”
     
    “You heard the woman, big man,” his loving wife said. “Take your best shot.”
     
    “Martha, we’ll be back in thirty or forty minutes.” Jed said to the laughing Martha as he picked his giggling wife up and carried her down the hall toward their bedroom. Sarah looked back over her shoulder at her smiling sister and winked a big bawdy wink.
     
    An hour later…
     
    Sarah came back into the kitchen wearing a satisfied smile. “Thank you for that,” she told Martha.
     
    “I envy you, Sis, I really do.”
     
    “I am a truly lucky woman,” Sarah said. “I have two wonderful children, a loving and thoughtful husband, and all we’ll ever need. You will have your chance one of these days.”
     
    “I truly hope so,” said Martha wistfully. “I truly hope so.”
     
    “We’re going over to Luke’s, why don’t you come with us and tell him your good news?”
     
    “I’d love to,” Martha said.
     
    When Jed pulled the horses to a stop, and helped the children from the wagon, He took Sarah’s arm. She took the opportunity to wind up in his arms. He helped Martha down also. He looked around and said, “Ah, there’s Luke.”
     
    Luke had removed his shirt and was chopping firewood. His hat was cocked to the side and his muscled chest glistened with perspiration. Sarah whispered to Martha, “Isn’t that a magnificent sight. He is a handsome man. Go get him, Sis.”
     
    Martha said, “In his eyes, he still has a wife.”
     
    Sarah replied, “Sadly, I think you’re right. I’ll have to work on that.”
     
    “Sarah Grace Harding, you stay out of it. I mean it,” Martha said with vehemence.
     
    “I’m only trying to help,” Sarah said.
     
    “So was mother,” answered Martha.
     
    “Point taken,” Sarah said.
     
    Buttoning his shirt, Luke said, “I’m trying to get a jump start on winter with the firewood. Jed told me the news. That’s great,” he said and picked up a surprised Martha and whirled her around. “Wait until I tell the boys. They will be pleased. So will the other families, for that matter.” He was still holding Martha aloft. Turning crimson, he said, “I ‘m sorry, Martha. I meant nothing by it. I was just so pleased with your decision, I did it without thinking.”
     
    “It’s all right, Luke. I’m glad you’re pleased. Would you let me know what your group says, please?”
     
    “They left it up to me. I know what the answer will be. Welcome. You don’t know how much this will mean to the families. The education of their children has a high priority in their minds.”
     
    At the meeting…
     
    “And in conclusion, I think we are fortunate to have Mrs. Sanders as our teacher.”
     
    “Hold on there a minute, Luke. How do we know she is qualified to teach our young‘uns?”
     
    “A number of reasons, Jake. She taught back in New York. She was the town librarian until