His Chosen Bride. Rhonda Gibson

any indication, they had.

      Hannah took over the conversation once more. “Millie, I’d like you to meet Emily Rodgers.”

      A dimple in Emily’s right cheek flashed as she offered a shy grin. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Millie. I’m glad you decided to join us for supper.”

      “Really, Emily. We don’t even know her. How can you sit there and pretend to like her?” Susanna snapped. She stood and walked to the window.

      Emily offered Millie another grin. “I don’t have to pretend, Susanna. Some folks you just know you’re going to enjoy being around the moment you meet them. I think Millie is one of those people.”

      Millie decided to speak up before Susanna could respond. “Thank you, Emily. I’m sure you are right.”

      Susanna huffed. She turned and eyed all the women in the room. “Don’t you all find this a little strange? It was bad enough when three of us showed up and now to have a fourth bride.” She pointed at Millie.

      Hannah cleared her throat and became the schoolteacher Millie remembered. “That will be enough, Susanna. God only knows what the outcome of this will be, but until He reveals His plan, you will all get along.” Her eyes snapped to each face.

      Anna Mae and Emily immediately nodded their agreement. Millie watched through lowered lashes as Susanna crossed her arms and proceeded to try to stare Hannah down. A grin threatened to break through Millie’s lips as the two women faced off. Susanna would soon learn Hannah could stare all day and she would win.

      Susanna dropped her eyes and lowered her arms. “How long should this go on?” she asked in a soft voice.

      “Until my son chooses a bride.” Bonnie Westland swept into the room and smiled at everyone. She stood in front of the fireplace looking much like a queen in a picture Millie had once seen in one of her schoolbooks. “You will all remain my guests until he decides.” Her green gaze landed on Millie and said, “Except Miss Hamilton. She will be returning to town after supper.”

      Millie acknowledged the command with the slight bowing of her head. She had no intention of staying under this woman’s roof any longer than she had to. Bonnie Westland reminded Millie so much of her own mother she felt like weeping. The sad thing was she wasn’t sure if they were tears of joy or sadness that she felt stinging the backs of her eyes.

      “Hannah, since Levi has already met Miss Hamilton, would you be so kind as to take her to the library? My son will be here shortly and I’d like him to meet the other three ladies.”

      It really wasn’t a request, and both Millie and Hannah knew it. Hannah stood and smiled at the other ladies. “Ladies, we’ll see you in a little while.”

      Millie followed but not before she saw Anna Mae’s face pale and Susanna flash a look of triumph. Emily closed her eyes as if in prayer. She could only imagine what each woman thought. Well, if truth be told, Millie knew Susanna saw her as competition. She wondered if she should tell the other woman she had no interest in marrying Levi or any other man.

      Hannah led her into a big room with wall-to-wall bookshelves. Large comfy chairs sat about with end tables between them. She grabbed Millie’s hands and declared, “You must tell me everything you know about Cottonwood Springs. Have I missed much since I’ve been gone?”

      Where did she begin? Millie allowed Hannah to lead her to one of the chairs, where she released her hands and took the chair opposite her. “Haven’t you received any news from Mrs. Kelly or Mrs. Billings?” she asked, stalling for time and praying Hannah’s two best friends hadn’t figured out that she’d burned down Mrs. Kelly’s house.

      “Oh, well, both have written, but I’d hoped you’d have newer news.” Hannah leaned forward in her chair as if Millie’s next words would be golden.

      Millie straightened in the chair. “Let’s start with their letters. What did they tell you? I’ll be able to fill in anything else I might know.”

      “Eliza wrote that her house was burned down and that they think it was a group of boys that might have caused the fire, but she refuses to press charges against anyone. She’s married now to the new blacksmith, Jackson Hart, and they have adopted a little boy.” Hannah smiled across at Millie. “What she didn’t tell me was what kind of man her new husband is. All I know is that he brought Eliza home from Durango the day after I got on the train to come out here. What do you think of him? Is he a God-fearing man? What does he look like?”

      A smile crept over Millie’s face. So Hannah didn’t know she’d burned down Eliza’s house and she basically wanted more information on the new blacksmith. “I didn’t know they got married, but she did seem sweet on him. And, yes, I have to say he’s as handsome as they come.” But not as handsome as Levi. She pushed the troublesome thought away and continued, “As for him being a God-fearing man, I have no idea. I left shortly after they arrived back from Durango.”

      “Why?” She waved her hand as if to stop whatever answer Millie was about to give. “Oh, I know you came to be Levi’s wife, but why did you decide to be a mail-order bride?”

      The time had come. Millie knew she had to be as honest as she could with Hannah. “I ran away from home. Since Rebecca came to Cottonwood Springs as a mail-order bride, and she and Seth are so happy together, I thought that doing the same would get me out of Ma’s house and far away from her bossiness.”

      Hannah raised her hand to her mouth. “You didn’t,” she whispered.

      “Yes, I did. I left home shortly after you did.” Millie leaned back into the soft cushion of the chair. She prayed Hannah wouldn’t mention Eliza’s house again, so that she wouldn’t have to confess her part in its destruction.

      Horror now filled Hannah’s face as she shot off her questions. “But I left over six months ago. Where have you been all this time? I bet your mother is worried sick. Have you contacted your parents? Told them where you are?”

      Millie leaned forward and grabbed Hannah’s hands between hers. “I’ll answer your questions, Hannah, but you have to promise me that you won’t write and tell anyone from home where I am. I’m not ready to face my parents yet.”

      Hannah gently removed her hands. “Millie, I can’t force you to contact your parents, but you have to let them know you are safe. You can come out here and live with me and Daniel, tell them that and they will at least know you are all right.”

      “Thank you for the kind offer of letting me stay with you, but I have a job and place to live in town. I will tell them I’m here.” Millie felt the air rush from her lungs as panic seeped through her blood. “Just not yet.”

      “But why?”

      Millie tried to control her emotions. “You know how Ma is. I just need more time to prove myself as an artist. She will never let me do that if I go home now. And if I contact her and tell her where I am, she and Papa will be on the next stage out here. They will insist I’m too young to be on my own.”

      Confusion covered Hannah’s face. “But I thought you were going to marry Levi.”

      Millie knew she was botching this conversation. She took a deep breath and tried again. “I was, but when I arrived in Lubbock, I realized I’m not ready for marriage. I worked for about six months and sold a couple of my drawings so that I could give Levi back the money he sent for my passage here. Then I took the next stage and came on out to tell him I’d changed my mind. I arrived today.”

      “Have you told him yet?” Hannah’s eyes were the size of summer apples.

      Millie grinned. “Yes, I did, and he was just as relieved as I was. He’d changed his mind, too.”

      Hannah shook her head. “And here Bonnie has been collecting other mail-order brides for him.” Her eyes twinkled with merriment. “Speaking of which—” she pushed up out of her chair “—maybe we should head back to the sitting room and try to rescue my brother-in-law from the other ladies.”