Violet: Bride of North Dakota (American Mail-Order Bride 39)
Read Violet: Bride of North Dakota (American Mail-Order Bride 39) Online
Authors: Heather Horrocks
Tags: #Historical, #Romance, #Fiction, #Forever Love, #Victorian Era, #Western, #Thirty-Nine In Series, #Saga, #Fifty-Books, #Forty-Five Authors, #Newspaper Ad, #Short Story, #American Mail-Order Bride, #Bachelor, #Single Woman, #Marriage Of Convenience, #Christian, #Religious, #Faith, #Inspirational, #Factory Burned, #Pioneer, #North Dakota, #Runaway Groom, #Jilted Bride, #Change Status, #Northern Lights
Excerpt: Once in a Blue Moon by Diane Darcy
VIOLET
Bride of North Dakota
Heather Horrocks
American Mail-Order Bride Series
Description:
Violet: Bride of North Dakota
This is a stand-alone book by
USA Today
bestselling author Heather Horrocks that is also 39th in the
unprecedented
American Mail-Order Bride Series
—50 states, 50 mail-order brides.
Violet Keating is thrilled to be a mail-order bride—until she arrives in North Dakota and discovers she has a runaway groom!
Feeling protective of her, confirmed bachelor Daniel Lund vows to help this jilted beauty find another husband—until he realizes he’d like to change his own status from “confirmed” to “eligible.”
Can a man who’s given up on love and a jilted mail-order bride find magic under the northern lights?
Dedicated to . . .
Kirsten Osbourne for inviting me into this awesome series, motivating me, and opening my eyes to the many possibilities.
And to every woman who dares to take a risk to follow her heart.
THE HAPPY ENDING IS AT ABOUT 83
%
~ ENJOY!
In case you’re like me and want to know how close you are to the end of a book, and because there are pages that come
after
the book ends (excerpts, copyright, about the author, and—in some boxed sets—more novellas), I just want to let you know that ‘The End’ of the book is at approximately 83%. Enjoy.
NEW RELEASES NEWSLETTER ~ BE THE FIRST TO KNOW & RECEIVE A FREE STORY!
To learn about new releases by Heather Horrocks or contact the author, visit
www.BooksByHeatherHorrocks.com
.
IF YOU ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK, THERE ARE 49 MORE IN THE SERIES!
Find out about the rest of the American Mail-Order Brides
here
. Also click on the link in the first paragraph on that page to read the first ten pages of the prequel free (or
click here for the free prequel
).
DISCOVER HEATHER’S OTHER BOOKS.
Heather Horrocks has written numerous books. If you’re new to her writing, go see what else she’s written—funny mysteries and romantic comedies. Learn all about them at
www.BooksByHeatherHorrocks.com
. You can find them for sale at the major online booksellers.
Violet
Bride of North Dakota
To the woman of my dreams...
I am searching for my soul mate, a woman with whom to share my life. Though I am but twenty-three, I have ample funds to take on the support and care of a wife. I am currently preparing my home more to the liking of the refined woman I seek. I want someone who can serve as hostess to my parties, who reads and likes to discuss interesting topics, and who is pleasing to the eye (I hope it will ease your mind somewhat that I have been told on numerous occasions that I am the proverbial tall, dark, and handsome.). I have not been married before nor do I have any children, yet I am ready now to begin a family of my own—of our own. I look forward to meeting you.
Nathaniel James Evans of Minot, North Dakota
(Advertisement placed in the
Grooms’ Gazette
on September 5, 1890)
Lawrence, Massachusetts
October 11, 1890
“LOOK—THEY’RE LOADING YOUR BAG!”
Violet Keating watched as the sum total of her possessions was tossed into the baggage car of the train. Having worked as a seamstress for the past three years, she’d made the bag as pretty as she could, with a floral pattern of blues and greens and purples that evoked optimism to her. And it seemed quite pathetic that everything she owned fit into one lonely bag, even if that bag was a brightly colored one.
“There could only be two like it in the world.” She’d made one for Rachel West, too, of the same material. She turned back to her dear friend.
They had other friends, mostly coworkers at the now-burned-out Brown Textile Mill. Laurel, Cora, and Darby had already left on their own frightening, exciting adventures. She worried especially for Darby, for her groom specifically requested no Scotswomen, and Darby’s Scottish brogue tended to escape when her temper flared—a fairly frequent occurrence.
It had been hard enough to say goodbye to the others, but Rachel was not only her roommate, she had become Violet’s
family
. How could she possibly say farewell to her and be alone in the world again? Who knew how long it would be before they would see each other again. Blinking back tears, she promised, “I’ll write you often and tell you all about my new life—and my new husband.”
“And I will write you back.” Her dearest friend pulled her into a fierce hug. “Are you sure about this, Violet? North Dakota is so far away—much farther than New Hampshire.”
Violet clung to her friend. “I’m no more sure than you are. But we both have to move on with our lives. We already know this is the best decision.” The fire at the factory where they’d worked had left them with very few choices, but now she was scared to take the next step. “New Hampshire will be as foreign to you as North Dakota is to me. And we both have wonderful men waiting for us.”
They released each other and smiled. It was a bittersweet moment she would remember forever.
Rachel said, “I’m still amazed I let you talk me into it.”
“It surprised me, as well.” A surge of excitement flowed through Violet. “In mere days, you’ll meet your Thomas and I’ll meet my James. And our new lives will begin.”
Rachel shrugged. “You are such a romantic. I still would prefer a job to a marriage—but it can’t be helped.”
“Surely you will fall in love once you arrive in New Hampshire. And I do not believe he will be angry with you for long simply because you are so beautiful and he asked for a homely bride.”
“Look at my unruly red hair, and my freckles, and my skinny frame,” Rachel’s tone teased. “I am nothing if not homely. Thomas and I will get along swimmingly.”
“I know you will.” Violet sighed. “I will miss you, Rachel. You are truly my sister.”
“And I will miss you, dear friend.”
The train whistle blew, and Violet’s heart tapped against her chest quickly.
Rachel touched her arm. “It is time for you to take flight.”
“I think flight is more frightening when it comes time to actually flap your wings and leap off the branch.” She sighed. “Just think. The next time we meet—when we exchange our first letters even—we will both be wed.” Violet smiled and held out her left hand. “All our dreams will have come true.”
Rachel drew in a short breath and nodded.
The train whistle sounded again, insistently, and the conductor called out, “All aboard!”
She hugged Rachel once again. “I really must go.”
“We will see each other again,” Rachel assured her.
Violet wasn’t sure it was true. Her friend was simply acting like a mama bird, encouraging her, pushing her from the nest into the big world outside.
She wondered if baby birds were as scared as she was at this moment, perched on the edge of the nest, their little feet clinging to the only safety they’d ever known.
And then, struck with anxiety, wondering if she was doing the right thing, her breathing quickening, she forced herself to draw in a deep breath to calm herself and climbed aboard the train, turning to wave to her friend once more before stepping inside and finding her seat.
The car was only two-thirds full, so the seat next to hers was empty.
Soon enough, the train had lurched a few times and then began to pick up speed. She watched her friend and the station until they were out of sight.
Fear nipped at her, and she opened her beaded reticule and pulled out the letter that had changed her life. Perhaps if she read his letter again, she could remind herself why she was on this train and she would calm down.
She unfolded the paper, smoothing it carefully. And read it again in full, from “
Dear Miss Keating, I was delighted to receive your correspondence. I believe in true love and—though I have received many responses to my advertisement—I did not feel the stirrings of it until I read your sweet letter”
to the sweet ending of “
So you will become Mrs. James Evans. Yours faithfully and forever, James Evans.”