Read Online Della: Bride of Texas (American Mail-Order Bride 28) by Trinity Ford - Free Book Online
Authors: Trinity Ford
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Saga, Western, Short-Story, Texas, Religious, Christian, Inspirational, Cowboys, Bachelor, matchmaker, Marriage of Convenience, Faith, Community, victorian era, Forever Love, Single Woman, Banker, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, American Mail-Order Bride, Factory Burned, Pioneer, Twenty-Eightth In Series, Fort Worth, Store Owner, Trouble Maker, Heartache
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what’s so funny.” Milton said, looking disturbed by her frivolous behavior.
Della settled down instantly. “Nothing, sorry,” she replied. “What would you like to know about me?”
“I believe I know all of the relevant information,” Milton said. “You hail from Florida. You’re here due to unfortunate circumstances and a lack of financial stability. You obviously have a tolerable command of the English language and are capable of handling financial transactions at the General Store. I find you acceptable for our arrangement, just as Pastor Littlejohn promised.”
Her existence, summed up like that, sounded fairly pitiful to Della. Acceptable . No wonder she was alone, in a town where she knew no one, being married off to a man who couldn’t care less what she was like—provided she complete the image he wanted to project to the community.
Pastor Littlejohn and Mabel emerged as if to shut down the conversation and salvage their mission. “Della,” Mabel said sweetly as she handed Milton his top hat. “Stanley’s going to run you home to the Jennings’ place now. Milton? I’m so happy you were able to be here today.”
Milton stood quickly, as if relieved to be ending the visit. “Thank you for having us.” He put his hand on Della’s back and guided her out the door before turning to face her. “I’ll be in touch soon.”
Della forced a smile onto her face and nodded. Pastor Littlejohn chatted the whole way home, trying to cheer her up and make her look forward to her future with Milton. In the end, she agreed that maybe things would be better than her first impression of him. She just had to give it time.
When she went inside the Jennings’ house, Mary was waiting for her in the parlor, reading one of the raised letter books Hank Hensley had bought for her. “What’s he like?” Mary asked, wanting a description like the one Roy had provided about Della when she’d first arrived.
“Like the oily skin of a cooked chicken,” Della laughed. “Like the dry dust that hits your face when you walk outside in the Texas wind.”
“Oh, my”! Mary said, laughing along with her. “Will you go through with the marriage, then?”
“Of course I will,” Della said. “I’ll stick to the plan. I just have a lot of work ahead of me, that’s all! A lot of work.”
Chapter 6
The following week was busy for Fort Worth and its citizens and visitors. The Chisolm Trail was full of cattle drivers, which meant plenty of shoppers stopping by Hensley’s General Store for supplies before they left and made their way home. On this particular morning, Hank had asked all of the managers to stop by his construction company for an update, since he didn’t have time to make the rounds that week.
Roy Jennings came in shortly after opening the store and dropping Della off to run things for a spell. “Howdy, Hank!” he said, stepping into the office.
“Roy,” Hank said. “Come on in and have a seat. How are things going over at the store?”
“We’ve darn near sold out of everything,” Roy said. “Got another shipment coming in later today. Billy and the boys are coming over to help me bring it in from the depot. I tell you what, though—you might be using this here construction company to tack on an expansion if things keep up the way they’re going. It’s elbow to elbow in there, even when the trail’s not hot!”
“That’s good to hear,” Hank laughed. “And Della? How’s she working out?”
“Well, I’ll tell ya,” Roy said. “That little woman’s about the hardest worker I’ve ever seen. You can tell she enjoys meeting so many new people—and they take to her nicely, too. Said she’d never seen so many longhorns shuffling down the street at one time, although she could do without the smell.”
The men laughed. “Her and Tidwell doing okay?” Hank asked, curious about the state of that arrangement.
“Ah, we’ve been so swamped lately, I don’t think
Della settled down instantly. “Nothing, sorry,” she replied. “What would you like to know about me?”
“I believe I know all of the relevant information,” Milton said. “You hail from Florida. You’re here due to unfortunate circumstances and a lack of financial stability. You obviously have a tolerable command of the English language and are capable of handling financial transactions at the General Store. I find you acceptable for our arrangement, just as Pastor Littlejohn promised.”
Her existence, summed up like that, sounded fairly pitiful to Della. Acceptable . No wonder she was alone, in a town where she knew no one, being married off to a man who couldn’t care less what she was like—provided she complete the image he wanted to project to the community.
Pastor Littlejohn and Mabel emerged as if to shut down the conversation and salvage their mission. “Della,” Mabel said sweetly as she handed Milton his top hat. “Stanley’s going to run you home to the Jennings’ place now. Milton? I’m so happy you were able to be here today.”
Milton stood quickly, as if relieved to be ending the visit. “Thank you for having us.” He put his hand on Della’s back and guided her out the door before turning to face her. “I’ll be in touch soon.”
Della forced a smile onto her face and nodded. Pastor Littlejohn chatted the whole way home, trying to cheer her up and make her look forward to her future with Milton. In the end, she agreed that maybe things would be better than her first impression of him. She just had to give it time.
When she went inside the Jennings’ house, Mary was waiting for her in the parlor, reading one of the raised letter books Hank Hensley had bought for her. “What’s he like?” Mary asked, wanting a description like the one Roy had provided about Della when she’d first arrived.
“Like the oily skin of a cooked chicken,” Della laughed. “Like the dry dust that hits your face when you walk outside in the Texas wind.”
“Oh, my”! Mary said, laughing along with her. “Will you go through with the marriage, then?”
“Of course I will,” Della said. “I’ll stick to the plan. I just have a lot of work ahead of me, that’s all! A lot of work.”
Chapter 6
The following week was busy for Fort Worth and its citizens and visitors. The Chisolm Trail was full of cattle drivers, which meant plenty of shoppers stopping by Hensley’s General Store for supplies before they left and made their way home. On this particular morning, Hank had asked all of the managers to stop by his construction company for an update, since he didn’t have time to make the rounds that week.
Roy Jennings came in shortly after opening the store and dropping Della off to run things for a spell. “Howdy, Hank!” he said, stepping into the office.
“Roy,” Hank said. “Come on in and have a seat. How are things going over at the store?”
“We’ve darn near sold out of everything,” Roy said. “Got another shipment coming in later today. Billy and the boys are coming over to help me bring it in from the depot. I tell you what, though—you might be using this here construction company to tack on an expansion if things keep up the way they’re going. It’s elbow to elbow in there, even when the trail’s not hot!”
“That’s good to hear,” Hank laughed. “And Della? How’s she working out?”
“Well, I’ll tell ya,” Roy said. “That little woman’s about the hardest worker I’ve ever seen. You can tell she enjoys meeting so many new people—and they take to her nicely, too. Said she’d never seen so many longhorns shuffling down the street at one time, although she could do without the smell.”
The men laughed. “Her and Tidwell doing okay?” Hank asked, curious about the state of that arrangement.
“Ah, we’ve been so swamped lately, I don’t think
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