West For Love (A Mail Order Romance Novel) by Karolyn James, Claire Charlins Page A

made it
my own. Tended the fields, gave the ground the attention it needed to give
right back to me. From the first crop it has been nothing short of a miracle.
Sure, we’ve faced cold winters and rainy summers, but it’s nothing that ever
makes the land stop giving.”
    “A blessed piece of God’s world,”
Jo added from the back of the carriage.
    “The whole world is blessed,”
Thomas said. “From the corners we’ve found to the  corners we haven’t yet.”
    The rest of the ride was mostly
silent. This time Anna took the chance to enjoy the scenery of Kansas, silently
comparing it to that of Massachusetts. The ride from the train depot to
Thomas’s home had been too nerve racking to focus on anything but the thoughts
that had run through Anna’s head. Now, there was a sense of relaxation, even
though she was on her way to get married.
    To get married!
    When Anna started to really think
about it, that’s when the nerves hit her. She looked at her clothing, her dark
color dress and she wondered if they should have  waited for a better day. To
plan. To properly dress.
    “Thomas,” Anna said. “Are we...
dressed for this?”
    “It’s all set,” Thomas said. “Days
before you came I made arrangements. I explained to the minister, an old friend
for obvious reasons, of my intentions. He’s there, waiting. Trust me. He’ll be
pleased to see us arriving together.”
    And that’s exactly how it happened.
For a moment, Anna worried that she was going to be judged. A woman divorced
now marrying a widower. Or she’d be compared to Thomas’s first wife and how she
looked different, talked different, acted different. But none of that happened.
In front of the minster, in front of Jo holding Thomas Jr., and most important,
in the eyes of God, Thomas and Anna were married. It all seemed to happen so
fast, right down to Thomas kissing Anna for a brief second. He slipped his hand
into Anna’s and squeezed, turning to face the world with Anna as his wife.
    Anna turned too, as Mrs. Calhor.
    Her first step as wife was a wobbly
one. Her second step was easier and by the time she reached Jo, she was tall
and proud.
    Wife
to Thomas Calhor.
    Jo hugged both Anna and Thomas,
then gave Thomas his son.
    Thomas held the baby out and smiled
at him. Thomas Jr. had a big smile and made noises as he stared at his father.
Thomas then embraced the infant and turned to Anna.
    “Our family now,” Thomas said.
    “I’m happy,” Anna said.
    “Me too,” Thomas said. “I want to
feel more, my Anna, to do more, but...”
    Anna saw a small glimmer of pain
come through Thomas’s eyes. She didn’t want the day to wear any kind of scar of
the past, no matter the memories. Anna simply nodded and took Thomas’s hand.
They walked, the three as a family, for the first time, to the carriage.
    After gathering all the supplies
they needed, the trip back home ensued. It seemed to go extremely fast, perhaps
faster than Anna cared for at the moment, because she only thought about that
night.
    With Thomas.
    What would happen, if anything.
    She wanted to love her husband, more
than any woman could love a husband. And that included all aspects, even in the
bedroom.
    The thoughts left her feeling
excited and worried at the same time for the rest of the day into the evening.

Chapter Ten
     
    Anna washed the last dish from
dinner and went to find Thomas ( her
husband! ) and Thomas Jr. ( her
son! ). Along with Jo, Thomas Jr. enjoyed his last meal for the
evening. Anna had grown accustomed to the sight of Thomas Jr. suckling against
Jo’s gracious bosom. She watched as Thomas stood with his back to a wall, his
arms crossed, his eyes distant. Anna could only imagine the thoughts going
through his mind as he had to endure the knowledge and sight of a wet nurse
caring for his son in a way he couldn’t. And even worse, in a way that Thomas
Jr.’s birth mother should have been able to do.
    But even still, Anna told herself
she would be thankful that