Read Online Lilly: Bride of Illinois (American Mail-Order Bride 21) by Linda K. Hubalek - Free Book Online Page B

couldn’t get the idea out of his head when he thought of it yesterday. It would help Miss Lind get out of Chicago and away from the Stockyards Emporium owner.
    Miss Lind was free to do whatever she wanted to do, but Seth was worried Hardesty would find Lilly and have her imprisoned in the saloon again. Seth couldn’t believe the obsession Hardesty had for the woman, probably because her looks and voice could add to his coffers. Hardesty considered Miss Lind his “property” even though she wasn’t an employee—if there was such a thing as legally hiring a soiled dove—and he never married her. So…
    “Miss Lind, I’d like to propose an idea to help you with your predicament,” Seth’s stomach was swarming with butterflies. Was he nervous about what he was about to ask her, or excited with the prospect she’d say yes?
    She was eyeing the last piece of toast on the breakfast tray, but quickly looked up when he spoke to her.
    “Miss Lind,” he waited for her to look across the table at him, “will you marry me today?”
    Luckily she wasn’t eating the toast or she’d have gagged on it trying to sputter out, “What? Why? We barely know each other!”
    “You were going to marry a man you only had contact with through one letter.”
    “Yes, but he’d been checked out by the matrimony agency so I assumed he could be a good husband.”
    “Which he wasn’t. I am a sincere, honest man and you can send a telegram to the town marshal to confirm it. Marshal Wilerson, town merchants, and my father, Preacher Patrick Reagan, can all vouch for me if you need assurance.”
    “You would marry me, even though you don’t know my…background?”
    “Yes. But, what I’m offering is a marriage of convenience so you can get out of Chicago and have a new start in Kansas.” Seth took another breath to continue, “We can annul the marriage once you’re settled in the Swedish community near Clear Creek.”
    Seth didn’t know how to react when tears formed and slowly trailed down Miss Lind’s cheeks. Was she upset, sad or happy he made the offer? It was so hard to tell what the woman was feeling.
    “Are you sure of this, Mr. Reagan?”
    “Positive, or I wouldn’t have offered.” He realized she’d had a very hard life and found this opportunity to start over difficult to believe.
    “Yes, Mr. Reagan, I gladly accept your proposal of a marriage of convenience, and I can’t believe my luck of coming to Chicago and finding you,” she whispered as she folded her hands in prayer and looked up to heaven and back to him.
    “I’m glad I found you, too. And I believe we can be on a first name basis now, right, Lilly?”
    “Yes, Seth.” She beamed back at him even though she had tears of relief running down her cheeks. Seeing her grateful face made him feel good about his decision
    “So, your fiancé ,” Seth enjoyed saying the word, “bought his bride–to–be some clothes yesterday—besides the meager list you gave me.”
    “Oh, but I can’t…”
    “Uh, uh. You need to learn to say tack så mycket and open the packages on the settee so we can go get married, Lilly.”
    Lilly was out of her chair at the table where they had been eating their breakfast, and practically hopped over to the settee. She was excited as a child on Christmas morning. I hope she likes what I picked out for her.
    “Any order I should unwrap the packages?”
    “Well, now that you asked, yes,” Seth said as he moved his chair over to the pile on the settee. “Shall I bring over a chair over for you?” Lilly sat back on her knees by the settee like it was a Christmas tree.
    “No, I’m so excited, I just want to open a package!”
    “Let’s see…” Seth sorted through the packages and picked out one, but didn’t hand it to her outstretched hands yet.
    “Keep in mind because we’re traveling, I just bought a few pieces of clothing. Taylor’s Mercantile in Clear Creek won’t have the selection as Chicago, but we can buy more