A Mail Order Bride for the Fur Trader: Joy & Henry (Love by Mail #3)(3)

Joy shook her head and turned to the woman. “Are you all right, Miss...?”

The woman chuckled. “Anna. The name’s Anna. And yes, I’m fine.”

“I’m Joy Fletcher. Are you new here?”

“Yes, but I’m just passing through. I’m staying over at the local inn and then it’s back on the coach for me.” She giggled. “I’m on my way to Colorado to meet my husband for the first time!”

Meet her husband for the first time?

“Oh!” Joy’s eyes widened.

“So you’ve never really met your husband before?”

Anna shook her head. “No. But we’ve written to each other for a few weeks now, and I can’t wait to get married to him!”

“Wait, that fast?” Joy’s mind spun. “But you’re basically strangers!”

Anna shrugged. “We’ve sent pictures. And plus, the agency runs a background check, so I know he’s an honest, reputable man.”

“Agency?”

Anna blushed. “You know,” she lowered her voice. “A mail order bride agency, like Frontier Hearts. They put up ads in the papers for young men and women looking for love. Taylor, that’s my future husband, runs a store with his brother who trades goods, cloth, and fur.”

Ooh, a fur trader.

Anna looked up at the sun. “It’s almost sundown, I’ve gotta hurry now. Thanks for your help, Joy.”

“No problem.”

Anna rushed down the street and Joy was left with her thoughts again. A husband from the papers? Now that was a solution she had never thought of before.

“Joy? What’re you doin’ out there?”

Joy turned around to see her father standing in the doorway, smoking a cigar, probably a quirley. He always liked to make his own smokes.

“Nothing, Pa.”

“Well, come on in. I can smell your Ma’s chili a mile away.”

She climbed back onto the porch an idea forming in her mind.

“Uh, listen, Pa, can I borrow your paper for a while?”

“Sure, it’s on the table in the hallway.”

As soon as he disappeared into the living room Joy grabbed the paper and immediately opened the ads section. So many to choose from! Her finger traced line by line across the page. Jobs, announcements, goods for sale… She flipped to the next page and finally found what she was looking for.

“C’mon, Joy, supper!”

“Coming!” she said, but her nose was still glued to the paper.

A strapping man of 35 seeks the companionship of a lady able to work the field... “Uhm, no,” she muttered.

A farmer, a merchant, a cook, a doctor - should she consider it? Then, her eyes fell on an ad by a fur trader from Montana. All she could see was Virginia Patton’s fur coat draped over her own shoulders. Yes, she wanted that!

“Joy!” her mother yelled louder this time. “We have to say grace, and we can’t do that without you.”

“I’m coming!” She closed the paper and joined her parents.

“Well, why don’t you lead the prayer?” Her mother said with a frown.

Joy smiled. “Sure thing, Ma. I’ve got a lot to be thankful for today.”

*

Angel Creek, Montana, June 1872



Henry stepped away from the hides laid out on the table in the back room of his small store. He threw a towel over his shoulder and wiped away sweat from his brow. Both Henry and Cole, who was still sanding a cabinet on the other side of the room, worked hard all day.

The clean leather reflected the light shining through the window. Henry took the hide and hung it between the exquisite grey wolf fur and the striking red fox coat.

“Were these from Idaho?” Cole asked.

Henry nodded. “My last fur-trapping hunt.”

“And now you’re trading them furs.” Cole circled the table like a vulture his hand gliding over the various hides.

Cole Beckett, the local undertaker and furniture maker was actually kind enough to offer his services in barter. Something Henry needed badly with the little funds he had left after stocking his newly opened shop.

Henry puffed his chest. “Yeah. Now I’m a trader.”

“And about to be married, too.” Cole paused over the beaver skin and shot Henry a wide grin.

“Land sakes, Cole.” Henry grimaced. “Don’t remind me! Still can’t believe I let you and my brother talk me into that whole mail order bride scheme.”

Cole chuckled. “You won’t regret it, buddy.”

“I dunno the first thing about being a husband!”

“Well, neither did I. Neither did Hank! But I’d like to think we did just fine.”

Just then, Mercy Beckett’s voice rang loud outside the shop. “Cole! Henry!”

“Speaking of which,” Cole said with a grin. “My wife is convinced you’ll make a great husband for some lucky girl.”

Cole moved to the front room and Henry followed to greet his matchmaker. Mercy stood by the door with another woman beside her. They both had dark hair, Mercy’s was long and wavy, but the latter wore a white bonnet that covered most of her dark curls.

Cole placed a hand around Mercy’s shoulder. “What brings you and Hannah here?”