Tabitha: Bride of Missouri (American Mail-Order Bride 24) by Amelia C. Adams Read Free Book Online Page A

things under control gripped the reins of their horses a little tighter, looking ready to spring into action if one of the cows should try to bolt.
    Tabitha watched as the train pulled into the station, then walked along the length of the platform until she reached the man in charge of swapping out the mail. He handed her a medium-sized bag, she passed over the small stack she’d collected, plus the empty bag from the day before, and they bid each other good morning.
    “Here—let me take that.” Mr. Scott reached out for the mailbag Tabitha carried, but she hesitated.
    “Are you sure?”
    “Miss Phillips, I do still have one good arm.”
    Her face instantly felt warm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t capable. I just don’t know if you’re in pain . . .” Her words trailed off as she realized that she really had no idea what she was trying to say.
    He smiled. “It’s all right—I was teasing you. Please, let me carry your bag.”
    She held it out, and he slung it over his shoulder.
    “You do this every day?” he asked as they walked away from the station.
    “Herbert does it most often, but I’d come with him quite a bit when I lived here before. There’s a system to it, a familiarity I hadn’t realized I’d missed.” She paused at his look of confusion. “I lived in Massachusetts for the last two years and came home just the other day. That’s when you met me there on the platform.”
    They chatted about her work at the textile mill as they walked back to the post office. The more they spoke, the more comfortable she felt around him—not that he was growing any less handsome, but that her ability not to swoon at the sight of him was increasing. This made her feel considerably better—she never had liked the idea of swooning.
    “And what about you?” she asked as they climbed the steps of the porch. “We’ve spent this whole time talking about me.”
    “Not a lot to tell.” He paused until she was done unlocking the door and they had stepped inside the post office. “I moved here about half a year ago. My father is a rancher in Topeka, and I decided to try something a little different.”
    “And things are going well for you here? I mean, aside from crushing your hand and everything?” Tabitha tried to hide her embarrassment by taking the mail bag and setting it on the counter. It seemed she couldn’t go longer than thirty seconds without saying something clumsy.
    “Aside from that, everything’s going well.” He leaned on the counter. “Do you have a minute to write my letter, or should I come back later?”
    “We can do it now.” Tabitha picked up a piece of paper. “Who are we writing today?”
    “Ivy.”
    “But we wrote Ivy yesterday. You realize, that letter just went out on the train a moment ago—she won’t receive it for some time yet.”
    He grinned. “I know. I just like talking to her.”
    Tabitha shook her head. He was hopeless, but in a good way. Every girl should be able to find a man who loves her that devotedly.
    This time, Mr. Scott told Ivy about the fresh smells of autumn, the way he thought about her whenever he saw something beautiful, the plans he had for digging her a flower garden—but only if she wanted one.
    As Tabitha slid the letter into an envelope, she asked, “Are you going to write her every day?”
    “Well, I imagine not every day. That would get expensive, and until I’m working again . . .” He shrugged. “Maybe every other day. I just want her to know that I care about her already. It must be frightening, leaving your home to marry a stranger. I don’t want her to be afraid.”
    Tabitha blinked back the sudden tears that sprang to her eyes. He had to be the most thoughtful man she’d ever met. Ivy was blessed to have found him.
    “How does your boss feel about all this?” she asked, motioning to his hand. It was best to change the subject before the jealous feelings she had toward Ivy reared up again.
    “He’s