Contents
A Bride’s Journey
Copyright
Opt in
Chapter 1 – Just Another Day
Chapter 2 – The Changing of Seasons
Chapter 3 – Moving Forward
Chapter 4 – Riding Out West
Chapter 5 – California State and Mr. Jacob Ray
Chapter 6 – The Dust Settles
Chapter 7 – Heading Home for Good
Chapter 8 – New Beginnings
Bonus Notice
Hannah’s Story
Kidnapped Bride
Looking For Love
Widow Finds Love
Love Never Fails
Sisters Find Love for Christmas – Book 1
Sisters Find Love for Christmas – Book 2
Western Love
Hope For A Widow
The Cowboy’s Bride
Love Unexpected
Widowed and Pregnant
Finding my Cowboy
Lover’s Escape
Winning Her Heart
My True Love
Wandering Cowboy
The Christmas Orphan
Lost and Found
The Wondering Bride
About the Author
A Bride’s Journey
Mail Order Bride
CHRISTIAN MICHAEL
Copyright 2016 by Purely Publishing - All rights reserved.
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
For complete access to every Christian Michael release click here.
To receive free clean romances every week from Purely Publishing click here.
Also, please Like our Facebook page!
Chapter 1 – Just Another Day
“I have some very exciting news for you, Mrs. Cromwell. You are with child!” The doctor beamed at Hope with a glow in his eyes. Her heart thudded inside of her. She had suspected this, but part of her had hoped it was just a touch of the flu.
Life hadn’t been fantastic for her and her husband lately. It seemed they had more to fight about than anything, and few words were exchanged between the two of them these days that were civil, let alone polite. It seemed as though the love had vanished out of their marriage, and they were just two souls that lived under the same roof.
Hope had tried to do what she could to bring back the romance in their relationship, but her husband, John, was just drifting further and further away. He seldom went to church with her, and never brought home any money from work.
He spent his days at the sawmill and his nights at the saloon. Hope tried to find odd jobs around town, but the best she could do was sell some baked goods to the small general store on the corner. Nobody needed her help.
“I… I don’t know what to say…” she finally stammered. The doctor laughed and clapped her on the back, sending another wave of nausea over her.
“You don’t have to say anything, your face says it all. Won’t John be pleased?!” He laughed again and wrote something down on the paper he had lying on his desk.
“I will expect to see you again in a few weeks. Take it easy and stay away from anything too greasy, as that is going to make you feel sick.” He handed the paper to her, and she could see right away what it was, but he continued, “You are my last patient of the day, so I’m going to get out of here now. Tell John I say hello, and congratulations to you both!”
Hope took the bill he handed her and thanked him for his time, then left. The doctor had no idea what it was like for her and John these days, in fact, nobody did. Hope always made excuses for him not being in church, and told everyone they were as happy as could be.
She didn’t know, but she assumed John did the same, for she never heard otherwise when she was out and about in the town. Or perhaps nobody asked him, he was either working or drunk these days, and not one for conversation.
Hope walked down the street toward home. They lived about a few miles outside of town, so it wasn’t far for her to go, but it was far enough for her to think about what she was going to say. She didn’t know how John was going to take it, they had drifted so far apart lately, it seemed like she was talking to a stranger more often than not.
They had been married only 5 months, but it was the longest 5 months Hope had ever endured. She had known deep down he wasn’t the right man for her, but she was young, and he was exciting. He had so much mystery in his past and she came from a small town. He had swept her off her feet from day 1, and everything had been a blur since then.
Hope opened the door to her house. The windows were dark and there wasn’t the smell of smoke in the air, so she knew John wasn’t home. She looked over her shoulder back towards town. It had taken her nearly an hour and a half to get home, and the sun was getting low in the sky.
She could hear the light sound of mosquitos in the air, and crickets starting to chirp to each other. She sighed and let her bonnet fall down to her shoulders. Virginia was so beautiful in the fall, but she missed summer. Back at the beginning of summer she felt like a completely different person.
Now, she felt stuck. What was she going to tell John? How was he going to take it?
Hope continued her slow walk to the house, and started a fire when she was inside. There was no sign that her husband had even come home after work. She scoffed to herself and opened the pantry door, wondering what she should start for dinner.
The past few nights she had made and eaten dinner alone. In fact, she wasn’t even sure John had come home a few of those nights.
Long after 9 o’clock came and went, Hope decided it was time to retire. She was tired, and waiting for John to come home was a never ending battle. She wasn’t even sure if he was coming home, and even if he did, she didn’t think he was going to be in the mood to hear her news.
She heard John come in just as she slipped into her night gown. Hope took a deep breath and went to the kitchen.
“John? How was your day?” She asked, trying to find the words.
“Fine.”
“Are you hungry? There’s dinner in the-“
“I’ve eaten.”
“I have something I need to tell you.”
“Not now, Hope, I’m tired.”
“But it’s importan-“
“I said not now! How many times do I have to say it? Huh? I’m tired! I’ve been working all day, I said tell me later!”
John yelled as he shoved past her. Hope had an angry reply on the tip of her tongue, but she decided not to say anything. Perhaps he really was tired, and did want to hear what she had to say.
Maybe he really did still care, and was just stressed. Maybe if she eased up, he would come around.
She slipped into bed next to him, but his back was to her.
“John?” She said softly.
“Hmm.” Was all he replied.
“I love you.”
She waited in the darkness for a response, but none came. Hope gently rolled over so their backs faced each other, and shut her eyes. She felt tears well up, but she didn’t shed any.
Chapter 2 – The Changing of Seasons
Light poured into the room, and Hope squinted her eyes together. She rarely slept in, and almost never slept in so late the sun made it up before her. She tossed the bed covers off of herself, and slipped her feet into her slippers.
Odd, I didn’t hear John get up.
She usually heard her husband getting ready in the mornings
, if she wasn’t up to make breakfast he would make enough noise getting ready for the day to wake her and remind her she had overslept. Hope slipped into the kitchen.
Nobody was there.
She checked the parlor and the main room, but both were empty. Without getting dressed, hope walked out to the barn. She didn’t know why, but she had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Again, she found nobody.
“You’re getting yourself all worked up for nothing.”
Speaking out loud to herself made it seem as though she wasn’t so alone, so she would do it from time to time. Now, thought, her words hung in the air, as though they were suspended there in front of her.
She shook her head and told herself not to be silly, then she turned to go back inside the house. Hope hurried to the bedroom and pulled on her dress. She tied the back in a large bow as she always did, then she went back to the kitchen to start breakfast.
Suddenly, something caught her eye. It was a piece of paper on the counter right by her stove.
With an odd feeling in her stomach, Hope walked over to the paper and picked it up.
It read:
Hope,
I can’t do this anymore. I have tried to settle down, and I have tried to love you, but I just can’t. You will always hold a place in my heart, but it’s time for you to let me go.
John Cromwell
Hope’s hand shook as she held the note, and she suddenly felt faint. She stumbled to the chair in the parlor and sat down, her head spinning around her. She didn’t move for a few minutes, waiting to regain her strength.
He left me? How could he just leave me?
She was in such shock she didn’t know what to feel. She wasn’t sad, she wasn’t angry, and she wasn’t happy. She felt absolutely nothing whatsoever.
Suddenly, it struck her.
“What am I going to tell everyone?”
Saying it out loud once again did nothing to help her, and she felt even more uncertain. How was she going to face everyone in town without John? They didn’t know of any of the problems they were having, and now he was just gone. Hope shook her head.
Why do they have to know? I can just hole up here, I have enough food to last me, I can stay here for a while, and when they come to look for me, I can have some story of how he was kidnapped.
She laughed at herself for the thought. There was no way anyone was going to believe that. And part of her wanted to tell them that he left. She wanted them to know how he had treated her, and ultimately abandoned her.
But what good would that do? He’s gone either way, and it doesn’t seem like he is going to be back. I may as well just face the music, and let life come as it may.
Hope stood up and steadied herself on the chair. She didn’t know what she was going to tell anyone, and she certainly didn’t know what she was going to do about this place. Their mortgage was falling further and further behind, and it wouldn’t be long before the bank wanted their house back.
Then she would be homeless.
Wandering the streets like a gypsy, with a baby to boot! A fine picture I am fixing up to be indeed!
Hope grabbed a basked off the counter and went out to methodically do the chores. She was functioning without any feeling in what she did. It all felt so strange, as though she were in the middle of a dream. But a dream she could never wake up from.
The next day Hope woke early. She hadn’t left her house the day before, letting the news sink in before she let anyone else know what happened. She had to talk to someone, and the only person that came to mind was the Reverend. He understood a lot more about life than she did in her young age, and he may be able to help her.
She tossed on her cloak over the dress she had slept in, and headed to town. The walk was brisk and clear, one of her favorite kinds of mornings, but again, she couldn’t feel it. It seemed as though the entire world was going on around her, and she was stuck in the middle of it, just watching what was happening from a distance.
You need to talk to the Reverend. He will know what you should do. Just get to the church, that’s your next step.
She tightened her cloak around herself as she hurried through town, avoiding the looks she got from the townspeople. She didn’t want to say anything to anyone until she had a chance to speak with the Reverend. And she knew if she hurried she’d be able to catch him before he left to make his rounds.
Hope arrived at the bottom of the long stairs leading up to the door of the church. She slowed to a walk as she reached it, and took in a deep breath. Then, with a sudden surge of resolution, she walked up the stairs and went inside.
Chapter 3 – Moving Forward
“I don’t know what to tell you, Mrs. Cromwell, but it’s not your fault.” Reverend Grant held the note in his hands, looking at the writing rather than Hope.
“I just don’t know if I should stay and wait, or if I should make other arrangements. The bank wants their money, and the fact of the matter is I ain’t got it. And with a baby on the way, I just don’t think I can sit here and wait for him.”
Hope kept her tone very factual during their discussion. She didn’t want to betray herself by showing any emotion… or lack of emotion. In all honesty she was rather relieved that John had left. Things were going from bad to worse, and she didn’t want to think where they could have ended up.
“I don’t get the impression he is coming back. Why don’t you pack a few things and settle into the hotel? I know the congregation would be happy to have a bake sale and fund you for a week or two…” Reverend Grant was clearly at his wit’s end, trying to both figure out what happened as well as give her a solution.
“Oh, that’s quite all right. I feel better now, and I think I’ll get it sorted myself.”
Hope rose and smoothed her skirts. Reverend Grant remained seated in the pew, looking up at her.
“God bless you, my dear, wherever it is He takes you next.”
Hope smiled at his kind words, and extended her hand. He gently pressed it in his, and she turned to go. She really did feel better after speaking with the reverend. Even though he didn’t offer her any solution, just getting the news off her chest made her feel light.
Once on the street again, she looked up and down. Funny as it felt, this town didn’t seem like home anymore. She wondered if it was John that made it feel that way to her, but shrugged off the notion, remembering how much she hated it when he was home.
I suppose I’ll just have to find a new home. One where I can raise my child without fear or him hearing about his daddy. Hopefully one with a new daddy for him.
The last part of her thought made her stop in the middle of the street. In the past months, with as poor as her relationship with her husband had been, she had to admit the thought of having a new husband had crossed her mind more than once.
She had known she was trapped where she was with John, but he was gone now, which meant she was free to do as she pleased. Hope ran through the list of eligible young men she knew, and none of them jumped out at her as good husband material… or father material for that matter.
They were all friends of John, and they were all a lot like him.
If I know one thing, it’s that I’m never going to be in that situation again. I want to be married in love. I’m not a servant to keep the house, and if my husband ain’t going to see that, I’ll be the one to walk out!
Hope squared her shoulders. She was often about in the streets, so the fact she was out and about today didn’t cause any unjust attention, but she still did what she could to keep to herself. Hope had heard of marrying men through the paper, but she hadn’t known anyone who had actually done it.
It’s a gamble, to be sure, but I’m not afraid to take on gambles.
With resolution in her step, she headed straight for the boy on the corner who was waiving papers above his head.
Hope clipped out the ad she liked the best. There were more to choose from than she thought there would be, all by men who were out west.
The thought of moving out west was very appealing to her, especially since she wanted nothing more than to get away.
Suddenly, there was a rap at the door.
“Hope! Hope! Let me in!”
Hope scarcely opened the door before her old friend, Mrs. Tumbler, came in.
“What’s this I hear? John’s gone! Where?”
She was speaking so quickly Hope couldn’t answer. Mrs. Tumbler was married to Jasper Tumbler, the owner of the sawmill. Hope put her hand to her forehead, feeling foolish for not realizing her friend would be one of the first to know of her husband’s absence.
“That’s right. He’s gone. It’s just as well I suppose.”
Hope sat back down and finished clipping out the ad.
“And what’s this? Are you leaving?”
Mrs. Tumbler snatched the paper and skimmed it, then looked about the table at Hope’s letter. She looked at her friend and burst into tears.
“Oh Hope! You can’t leave, you mustn’t!”
Hope put her arm around her friend, and tried to calm her. It took a long while before Mrs. Tumbler was able to speak, and Hope explained everything to her from the very beginning. When she finished her discourse, Mrs. Tumbler just shook her head.
“Oh, Hope, I didn’t know things were so bad for you guys. I’m sorry. And with the bank and everything…” Again she started weeping, but Hope cut her off.
“It’s really for the best, Anna. What with the baby on the way, I want him or her to have a good daddy. And this man sounds like as good a man I’ve ever heard of.”
She lifted the ad and waived it in front of her friend, who reluctantly nodded.
“You should go as soon as you can. I’ll take care of selling this house and settling things with the bank, and I’ll send you the money when it is all said and done. You need to be in a happy place, and that’s not going to happen here.”
Anna Tumbler looked up at her friend, tears staining her face as she spoke.
[2016] A Bride's Journey Page 1