The Mail Order Bride's Deception Read online

  Gilbert peered over at the girl. “Sitter.”

  Sadie chuckled. “Close enough.” She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “When she gets older, the two of you will have a lot of fun together. You two can play with blocks, learn how to ride a horse, help your pa with the animals, go for walks, and lots of other wonderful things. There’s a whole world out there to explore. Lots of good moments ahead to enjoy.” She glanced between him and the girl. “You two are going to have a wonderful childhood. Your pa and I will see to that. I promise.”

  The door opened and Al smiled at them as he stepped into the house. “The animals are good for the night.” He set his hat and coat on the hooks by the door and approached them. “Have you decided on a name for her yet?”

  “I think so,” Sadie said. “I’d like to name her Hazel. I think it’d be a good way to honor Hazel’s memory.”

  Al knelt beside her and rubbed her back. “I think that’s a great idea. We have a lot to be thankful to her for.”

  She nodded. “It’s good that her father’s new wife is expecting. He’ll have another child this fall.”

  “The new child won’t replace Hazel, but he doesn’t have to be alone anymore.”

  “I feel better knowing that.”

  “I do, too,” Al said. “I’ll take care of our daughter tonight so you can get a good night’s sleep. You don’t do anyone any good when you’re so tired you can’t remember the difference between flour and baking powder.”

  “It was an easy mistake,” she replied. “Anyone could have made it.”

  “Maybe, but it doesn’t make for good pancakes.”

  She laughed. “At least we had some leftover muffins from Aunt Betty.”

  Grinning, he brought Gilbert into his arms. “You think you might want to go out to the barn with me tomorrow and help out?”

  “Yes,” Gilbert replied, giggling as Al tickled him.

  Al looked over at her. “Next week we’ll pay Aunt Betty and Bear a visit. I’m anxious to give them the skin from that elk I caught.”

  “I’m looking forward to it,” Sadie said. “It was nice of her to help me when I was giving birth to Hazel.”

  “I think she would have been disappointed if she couldn’t be here. She loves to help out whenever she can. She says it makes her feel useful.” Al got to his feet and picked Gilbert up. Leaning forward, he kissed her. “After I put him in bed, I’ll take care of Hazel so you can go to sleep.”

  “Thank you, Al. And good night, Gilbert.”

  “Bye, Ma,” Gilbert replied.

  To her surprise, Al bent down and gave her another kiss. “I love you, Sadie.”

  Her smile grew wider. “I love you too, Al.”

  She watched him as he took Gilbert to the bedroom before she turned her gaze back to Hazel. “You, your brother, and your pa are all good things in my life,” she whispered. “And someday I’ll tell you about the woman who made this all possible.”

  She kissed her daughter’s forehead. Yes, she had much to be thankful for, and she would embrace every good moment granted to her for as long as she lived.

  Another Mail Order Bride Romance

  by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Eye of the Beholder

  Mary Peters despairs that she will never get married. At nineteen, she has no prospects of finding a husband, so she takes matters into her own hands and becomes a mail order bride. When she arrives in Omaha, Nebraska to meet the man she's due to marry, he takes one look at her homely appearance and rejects her.

  But fate has other plans for Mary, for Dave Larson happens to be nearby and figures she will make a suitable companion to help him on his farm. Though she is stunned that someone as handsome and as kind as Dave would ask her to marry him, she accepts, realizing that this marriage of convenience will not bear the fruits of love. Love, after all, is for beautiful women. Isn't it?

  A Mail Order Husband Romance

  by Ruth Ann Nordin

  A Husband for Margaret

  When Margaret Williams posted an ad for a husband, she expected Paul Connealy to arrive, but instead, his older brother Joseph came...and he brought four children with him.

  List of All Romances by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Regencies

  Marriage by Scandal

  The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife

  A Most Unsuitable Earl

  His Reluctant Lady

  The Earl’s Scandalous Wife

  Standalone Regency

  Her Counterfeit Husband

  Historical Westerns

  Nebraska Romance Collection

  Her Heart’s Desire

  A Bride for Tom

  A Husband for Margaret

  Eye of the Beholder

  The Wrong Husband

  Shotgun Groom

  To Have and To Hold

  His Redeeming Bride

  Isaac’s Decision

  South Dakota Romance Collection

  Loving Eliza

  Bid for a Bride

  Bride of Second Chances

  Montana Romance Collection

  Mitch’s Win

  Boaz’s Wager

  Wild Hearts Series (Co-Written with Stephannie Beman)

  The Stagecoach Bride

  Historical Romantic Anthology (Co-Written with Janet Syas Nitsick)

  Bride by Arrangement

  Native American Romance Series

  Restoring Hope

  A Chance In Time (novella)

  Brave Beginnings

  Bound by Honor, Bound by Love

  Virginia Romance Collection

  An Unlikely Place for Love

  The Cold Wife

  An Inconvenient Marriage

  Romancing Adrienne

  Standalone Historical Westerns

  Falling In Love With Her Husband

  Kent Ashton’s Backstory

  Catching Kent

  Meant To Be

  Contemporaries

  Omaha Contemporary Romances

  With This Ring, I Thee Dread

  What Nathan Wants

  Florida Contemporary Romances

  Substitute Bride

  Across the Stars Series

  Suddenly a Bride

  Runaway Bride

  His Abducted Bride