BRIANNA: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (Mail-Order Brides Club Book 4) by Ashley Merrick

children sitting at the dinner table.
    “Hello, everyone. I didn’t realize we were having company.” He took his jacket off and then walked over to the stove. “Something smells delicious.”
    “Thanks, it’s a chicken stew. Peter and Millie are going to be staying with us tonight. Their father has been gone for a few days and we’re not sure when he’s coming back.” She didn’t want to say more than that in front of the children.
    He smiled at the two children who both looked a bit fearful of his reaction. “Oh, well, that’s just fine. They can stay as long as they like.” He then turned his attention to Brianna. “I’m just going to go wash up and then I’ll be back for soup, too.”
    Brianna set steaming bowls out for all of them along with a loaf of warm bread and butter.
----
    O nce everyone ate and the children were tucked into bed, Brianna and Paul discussed the situation.
    “We don’t know much, just that he’s been gone for three days. The children last saw him drinking heavily, as usual, before they went to bed. They haven’t seen him since.”
    Paul frowned. “David and I will take a ride out there tomorrow and if there’s still no sign of him, we’ll let the sheriff know as well.”
    “I hope you don’t mind that I brought them home with me. I didn’t know what else to do and I just wanted to keep them comfortable and well-fed, at least for one night.”
    “Of course I don’t mind. And I meant what I said earlier. They are welcome to stay as long as they need to. I have plenty of room.”
    “I’m so glad that you do.” Brianna had a soft spot for the two children. Her heart went out to them. It must be so hard losing their mother so recently and having such a horrible father. She secretly hoped that he might stay away a few more days, so she could fuss over them a bit longer.

Chapter Eleven
    T hree more days passed before there was finally some word about the children’s father. Colleen stopped by the school as Brianna and the children were getting ready to leave for the day.
    “You’re out early,” Brianna said as Colleen walked in.
    “Julia is finishing up for me so I could come say hello. Do you have a moment?” There was an odd tone to her voice that let Brianna know something was wrong.
    “Millie and Peter, go ahead and get into the buggy. I’ll be there in a minute.” She started to walk the opposite way so that the children couldn’t overhear them.
    “What is it?”
    “The sheriff just stopped into the pub for a late lunch and told Liam that they found the children’s father. He was lying dead in a ditch about a half-mile from his house. He was holding a bottle of spirits. He must have wandered off and gotten disoriented or something, maybe fell and hit his head. He had a nasty bump on his forehead. Sheriff said it was only a matter of time before the booze did him in, the way he’d been drinking.”
    “That’s terrible!” Brianna wondered how she would tell the children. Although he was a mean drunk, he was still their father.
    “What will you do with the children? I don’t think there’s any other family in the area.”
    “I don’t know. I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I just assumed their father would be home at some point.”
    “Poor little things,” Colleen said sympathetically.
    “I know. I’ll have to talk to Paul and see what he thinks we should do.”

Chapter Twelve
    P aul could sense that something was wrong as soon as he saw Brianna’s face. She confirmed it by following him into his bedroom and shutting the door behind them.
    “I haven’t told the children yet, but their father is dead.” She filled him in on what Colleen had shared.
    “Do they have any other family in the area or anywhere that should be contacted?” she asked.
    Paul thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. His parents are dead and he was an only child. His wife’s parents are gone, too, and I think I heard that her only sister died in childbirth a few