Blog Tour Tuesday: THE COLUMBUS DAY MAIL-ORDER BRIDE

Welcome to Blog Tour Tuesday where we will feature Kit Morgan’s latest
western romance, The Columbus Day Mail-Order Bride (Holiday Mail-Order Brides Book 13).

About the Book:

The Weaver clan was growing. Not only was Arlan, Ma Weaver’s oldest son and his wife about to have a baby, but Benjamin, one of her identical twins, was about to get his very own mail-order bride! Ma Weaver couldn’t be happier! Sure, Benjamin and his brothers had been sheltered in the small valley where they lived most of their lives, and maybe they didn’t live as fancy as some folks. But they still lived well, and Ma Weaver was determined her sons would marry well too.

Charity Cross discovers just that when she becomes Benjamin’s mail-order bride and is introduced to the Weaver farm. But what the Weavers don’t know is that Charity has a secret, something with the power to tear them apart if she isn’t careful. The problem is, she has no idea how or what “careful” looks like. Not after what she’s been through …

Excerpt:

Benjamin stood next to Sheriff Spencer Riley and Deputy Billy Blake, his hands in his pockets. He tapped his boot nervously on the boardwalk a few times. “Oh dagnabit, what if I don't like her? What if she has warts or somethin’? What if she don’t like me?”

Spencer laughed. “Land sakes, you’re worse than I was when I first saw Elle get off the stage. Though I have to admit, I think I was more worried about whether or not she’d like me than if I liked her.”

Benjamin stopped his pacing. “Really? You were this nervous?”

“He was worse,” Billy commented. “Weren’t ya, boss?”

Spencer looked Benjamin up and down and noted his tight-lipped expression. “I don’t know. I think ol’ Ben here might be worse.”

“She’ll be lovely, you’ll see,” Ma Weaver said as she stepped onto the boardwalk followed by Spencer’s mother, Leona Riley.

Spencer took one look at the eager gleam in his mother’s eye, and cringed. “Now, Ma, you know we’re all heading to the church just as soon as she gets off the stage.”

“I know perfectly well that Benjamin plans on saying his vows right away. Can I help it if I pride myself on seeing that a woman is properly prepared? What if she doesn’t have a wedding dress?”

“What if she doesn’t?” Spencer asked with a shrug. “Then she gets married in her traveling clothes. So what?”

“Your mother’s right, Sheriff,” Ma Weaver said with a frown. “Every bride deserves to wear a wedding dress.”

“You're quite right, Mary,” said Leona, her chin high. “Which is precisely why we have your sister Betsy standing at the ready with one, just in case we need it.”

“Oh for the love of Pete,” Spencer groaned. He looked at Benjamin. “Do you care what your mail-order bride wears when you get married?”

Benjamin glanced around the small group. “She can get married in whatever she wants.” He looked at Mrs. Riley. “Beggin’ your pardon, but… well… what if she’s big as a house and cain’t fit into the dress ya got ready?”

Billy Blake almost choked trying to stifle a laugh.

“Oh dear, oh dear,” Mrs. Riley lamented. “I hadn’t thought of that. And to think Charlotte was kind enough to lend us hers.”

“Ya mean ya were gonna let Benjamin’s bride get married in Charlotte Davis’s… I mean, Charlotte Quinn’s dress?” Calvin asked.

“Well at least it would be a family member’s wedding gown,” his mother stated. “After all, Charlotte’s one of us now.”

“Yeah, I’m still sorta surprised cousin Matty up and married her,” Calvin said.

“And I’m surprised the stage isn’t here yet,” Spencer added as he looked down the street.

“I wish it would hurry up,” Benjamin said and started pacing again. “This waitin’ is killin’ me!”

“Tarnation, boy – control yourself before you have a case of the vapors,” his mother advised.

Then they heard the familiar sound of hoofbeats and the rumbling of wooden wheels. The group turned and looked as the stagecoach came down the street at a fast pace. Everyone smiled in relief. Everyone but Benjamin, who reached up and pulled at his shirt collar as sweat popped out upon his brow.

His mother leaned toward him and patted his arm in reassurance. “It’ll be fine, Benjamin, you’ll see. She’ll be wonderful, pure and bright and everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Just love her, son. Remember to just love her.”

Benjamin swallowed hard as the stage came to a halt in front of them. Part of him just wanted to turn tail and run into the sheriff’s office to hide. He hadn’t had the chance to exchange any letters with the girl – all he had was a “yes” along with the date of her arrival, and that was by telegraph. For Heaven’s sake – he was so nervous he couldn’t even remember her name!

Everyone watched in anticipation as the stage driver hopped down, walked around the coach and opened the door. A tall, thin, middle-aged woman got out first, eyeing everyone with disdain before she spotted the badge on Spencer’s vest. But instead of speaking, she glanced around again, looking very annoyed.

A wagon approached from the other end of the street. “Well, it’s about time!” the thin woman huffed.

Benjamin, welcoming the distraction, looked and saw that it was Warren Johnson and his wife Bernice. As Warren brought the wagon to a stop across the street, the woman crossed to meet them. Probably a relative of Warren’s new bride, Benjamin concluded. They’d only been married a few months.

Calvin jabbed him in the ribs. “Pay attention, will ya? Here she comes.”

Benjamin’s eyes riveted on the stage door as a well-dressed young woman emerged. He was vaguely aware of Calvin and Daniel whistling in unison, followed by Ma Weaver hissing at them both to behave.

The fuss drew the woman’s attention. She looked at the group, her blue eyes widening when she spied Benjamin and Calvin – a usual reaction for most when meeting the identical twins. But it was Benjamin’s mouth that had gone dry and his brow beaded with sweat, not his brother’s. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Just as well, he was so stunned by her beauty that he still couldn’t remember her name.

She took a few steps toward them, petticoats rustling as she did. The clothes she wore were of high quality. She must come from a good family, he thought. “Excuse me,” she said in a high, delicate voice. “I’m looking for Mr. Benjamin Weaver.”

Calvin kicked him when he didn’t say anything. “Oh, uh, that … that’d be me,” he squeaked.

She swallowed hard and began to look as nervous as he felt, nodding solemnly as if discovering her fate was sealed. “Well … Mr. Weaver. My name is Charity Cross. I am … your mail-order bride.”

Benjamin heard heavy breathing and realized it was his. He stopped and tried to swallow. “Ma’am,” he managed with a nod of his head.

She brushed a small gloved hand over her green velvet skirt. Never had he seen a woman dressed so finely.

“Well then,” she said, looking down at her shoes, or maybe his. “I guess we had better get married.”

Author Bio:

A consistent Top 100 amazon lists bestseller, Kit Morgan, aka Geralyn Beauchamp, has been writing for fun all of her life. When writing as Geralyn Beauchamp, her books are epic, adventurous, romantic fantasy at its best. When writing as Kit Morgan they are whimsical, fun, inspirational sweet stories that depict a strong sense of family and community. 'His Prairie Princess' is the first of the Prairie Brides books and the first in the series of a long line of stories about Clear Creek, Oregon. One of the wackiest little towns in the old west! Get to know the townsfolk in Clear Creek and come sit a spell! Also enjoy the Holiday Mail-Order Bride series!

 

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