Bride by Mail
Mail-order bride Judith Jones has barely arrived in Pepin, Wisconsin, before sheâs whisked away to prepare for her wedding to Asa Brant. Though something about Asa seems so familiar, how do two strangers become husband and wife? Especially when Judith senses Asaâs hidden sorrow. His kindness in helping two young orphans could win her heart...if only heâd open up to her.
Determined to start over after four years of brutal war, Asa moved away and sent for a mail-order bride. He had no idea the woman answering his ad would be the sister of his former soldier in arms. The less he reveals, the fewer painful memories there are to confront. But Judithâs compassionâand two loving childrenâmight just show them the path to true happiness...
âYou buy whatever you need.â
Asa cleared his throat. âOur fields will provide most of our food. I hunt in the fall. And in the winter, I work with leather. The blacksmith keeps it and sells it for me.â He rose and went to the hearth. âCome here.â
Judith obeyed him.
He showed her the loose stone that hid a cavity in the side of the fireplace and the small cloth sack of gold and silver coins stashed there. âWe have plenty, Judith. Just tell Mr. Ashford to put everything on our tab. I pay him once a month.â
âThank you, Asa. Iâm not an extravagant woman, but I do want toââ she waved a hand toward the room ââmake everything more homey.â
He returned to his place at the table, and she followed him.
âI want you to...do that, too,â he said. But youâve done so much more. The chain around his heart tightened. If only he had more than a house and sustenance to offer her. Judith deserved the best. But he would give her the best he could of the material world. The pity was that he could not give her more of his true self.
Dear Reader,
I hope youâve enjoyed returning to Pepin, Wisconsin, for another Wilderness Brides book. (Or coming for the first timeâwelcome!)
Judith, to me, shows how a loving woman can win a manâs heart and change him for the better. However, you notice she didnât try to change him. Her acceptance, faithfulness, patience and love changed her husbandâs heart with Godâs help. As her mother had taught her, âThe only person you can change is yourself.â
Now, what about Emma and Mason Chandler? Will he return? What has kept him so long? And will Emma marry him or not? (BTW, Iâve never met a Southerner like Mabel Joy, definitely an anomaly!)
If youâve enjoyed this story, you might want to read the first three books in my Wilderness Brides seriesâTheir Frontier Family (Pastor Noah Whitmore and Sunnyâs story), The Baby Bequest (Ellen and Kurt Langâs story), and Heartland Courtship (Sheriff Brennan Merriday and Rachelâs story).
Fifteen Love Inspired Historical authors contributed recipes and family stories to the âOld Family Recipesâ collection. If youâd like to receive a free digital copy of this, please drop by my website www.LynCote.com and subscribe to my newsletter and you will automatically receive your free copy.
Blessings,
Lyn Cote
A USA TODAY bestselling author of over forty novels, LYN COTE lives in the north woods of Wisconsin with her husband in a lakeside cottage. She knits, loves cats (and dogs), likes to cook (and eat), never misses Wheel of Fortune and enjoys hearing from her readers. Email her at [email protected]. And drop by her website, www.lyncote.com, to learn more about her books that feature âStrong Women, Brave Stories.â
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.
â1 Corinthians 13:4â8 (KJV)
To Laura Ingalls Wilder (born in Pepin, Wisconsin) who left us such a clear and heartwarming account of life on the frontier.
Chapter One
Wisconsin Frontier
March 1873
Standing beside her sister, Emma, on the deck of the steamboat, Judith Jones gazed out at the snowy, thickly wooded shore of the northern Mississippi River. The river ice had broken just last week.
âThe porter said Pepin is coming up,â Emma said, slipping her hand from her fur muff and through the crook of Judithâs elbow.
Judith clenched her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering from the piercing wind. âI canât believe weâve done this.â Answering an ad to find husbands.
âDid we have a choice?â Emma challenged. âOur dear sister-in-law wanted our fatherâs house to herself.â