by Natalie Dean
He paid for her nursing education on the condition that she nurse him. It was a taxing job. More than anything else, Mr. Peabody was lonely. Lottie knew his failing health was more to do with a broken heart and grief than any physical cause. He missed his wife who had passed on. While he was a good man, his son, Daniel, was very different. It was because of him that Lottie was leaving the city.
One night as Lottie was taking some medicine to Mr. Peabody, she heard his son Daniel come home. He had a lady friend who was giggling. Later in the night, Lottie heard the woman scream, and she ran to her aid. Lottie picked up the fire poker and smacked Daniel Peabody with it. Her shock heightened when she discovered the woman was Mary Jones, a girl from her orphanage. The nuns had always told Mary she'd get into trouble with men. Mary had cuts and bruises. As Lottie lead Mary away, Daniel was nursing his shoulder and screamed at Lottie for interfering.
Lottie never paid him much heed before and wasn't going to start now. As she took Mary to her room to tend to her wounds, Lottie presumed that would be the end of it. She was certain Daniel Peabody wouldn't want his father to know about his behavior. Lottie was safe while Mr. Peabody was alive.
Unfortunately, two days later, her benefactor was dead. Now she was afraid. Daniel called her into the drawing room. It was then that she started asking questions. "But have the police investigated his death? I do not think his death was natural."
"Then the blame will fall on you, Miss Cahill. You don't want an investigation into my father's death, I can assure you of that." His cold eyes and tone sent shivers down Lottie's spine. Could he have killed his father?
"You are to leave this house immediately…" Daniel continued.
"But certainly you can give me time to find a new…" Lottie had interrupted Daniel, and now he interrupted her by putting his hand up.
"There will be no other position in this city for you. I will discretely spread my doubts about father's death. You oversaw his medicines. Don't even think about applying to any of the hospitals either. Furthermore, you will not receive any references from me. That will teach you…Lottie…not to interfere with another person's business."
Unfortunately, Lottie didn't have much in the way of friends, so she found herself wandering the streets. Her few belongings were in the little case she held in her hand. Mary was the only person Lottie could call upon for help. So, that’s what she did. It was at this time that Mary told her about the new lives people could have out West. It was then decided, Lottie would be a mail order bride. And it had come to be. Lottie had found a farmer in need of a wife. Lottie was sure her nursing skills would come in handy out West. Every day people re-invented themselves, and now it was her turn. Only this re-invention had not started very well.
If you’d like to read more of this mail order bride mystery romance, you can find it here:
Lottie: Brides of Bannack Book 1