A Mail Order Bride for the Fur Trader: Joy & Henry (Love by Mail #3)(5)

Joy leaned back and closed her eyes enjoying the sun on her face. She raised the fan ready to make her own breeze when she heard voices nearby.

“Do you have the picture?” A man asked. “Let me see what Joy looks like again.”

Her head swiveled at the sound of her name. Sure, she might not be the only Joy in town, but still...

Two men and two women were huddled around a photo. One of the men, with greyish brown hair placed a hand around the smaller of the two women.

The other man had dirty blonde hair and light blue eyes that rivalled the morning sky, eyes that were looking wide and shocked at Joy.

She gasped. “Henry!”

The rest of the group turned around to face her.

“Joy?” Henry asked.

“The one and only.” She rose from the bench, fanned herself and patted her hair. Did she look all right? She sniffed. Her perfume’s chamomile scent was still there.

They approached her, eyes wide but smiling. She must have made a good first impression.

“Hello, Joy, welcome to Angel Creek!” the taller of the women said. “I’m Claire Shepard.”

“And I’m Mercy Beckett. This is my husband, Cole.” Mercy extended her arms around Joy and gave her a hug. “I run the agency that put up Henry’s ad.”

“Oh, thank you, Mercy.” Joy smiled and hugged the woman back, but quickly turned her attention to the silent man who could only be Henry Briggs. She raised a brow and hid a smile behind her fan.

“I’m -” Henry cleared his throat. “I’m Henry Briggs.”

Joy extended her arm. Henry blushed and pressed her hand to his lips. A gentleman! What a catch in the West!

“Aww,” Claire said, “that’s so sweet, but you’ll have plenty of time for long glances later. We need to go see my brother now. He still needs to pack for tomorrow and he’s eager to see you before he travels.”

“Your brother? Why?” Joy closed her fan.

“Her brother is Reverend Nathan Shepard,” Mercy said.

“Oh!” Joy dusted her dress. “Who else will be attending the wedding? Has everything been prepared?”

Cole raised a brow and turned to Henry, who furrowed both of his. Had she misunderstood how this mail order bride thing works? She’s the bride, he’s the groom, they get married and live happily ever after with a wardrobe full of fur coats and fashionable dresses… But they all just stared at her.

Joy batted her eyes at her intended. “We’re getting married now, right?”

Mercy’s jaw dropped and Claire cleared her throat.

“What gave you that idea, Joy?” Claire said raising a brow at Mercy, who just silently shook her head. “You and Henry need to get to know each other first. Normally you’d have exchanged a few letters, but even then it’s good to see how you feel about each other’s company. You’re gonna stay with my brother and me for at least two weeks -”

“Two weeks!” Joy gasped.

“Then if you both want to proceed, you and Henry will get married and live together as man and wife,” Claire finished with a stiff smile.

Joy turned to Henry and pouted. “But two weeks is far too long! I’m ready now.”

“Not really,” Mercy muttered. She looked up at Joy. “It’ll fly by, you’ll see. Anyway, you can spend time with Henry, and you’ll get to know each other well. I mean, marriage is a lifelong commitment after all...”

“But I wouldn’t have answered Henry’s ad if I didn’t like his character,” Joy said, chuckling. “I mean, I’m - I - I can do household chores. I’m very supportive and caring...”

Cole and Mercy exchanged a look.

“I’m sorry, Joy,” Claire said, her smile hardening. “But it’s two weeks.”

But two weeks was too long. Her parents and Earnest would surely find her by then. There was only so much she could do to cover her tracks. And Margaret was bound to talk eventually. Joy opened her mouth, then closed it. She took a deep breath and smiled. She turned watery eyes at Henry. “You don’t want to get married?”

“No,” he replied in a cold voice. Time stopped for Joy, but then he opened his mouth again. “I mean yes, yes I do want to get married. It’s just all so quick.”

Joy took a deep breath. Right, she needed to change tactics. Like Virginia said, don’t be too eager, make them come to you.

“Well, I’ve had plenty of suitors back home. If you don’t want to get married,” Joy looked away and fanned herself, “then I guess I’ll just take the next coach back.”

“Fine,” Henry said and Joy was glad she had her fan open to cover her surely bright red cheeks.

Her plan was falling apart fast. She couldn’t believe someone would reject her. Oh, the shame! Then she noticed Mercy’s face reddened too.

“No need to be rash.” Mercy glanced from Henry to Joy and back. “And there’s no coach back for another few days…”

Joy sighed loud making sure everyone heard. “Alright, I could give it a week.”

Henry opened his mouth, then closed it and raised a brow at Cole.

Joy bit her lip waiting for an answer.

“Fine,” Henry said.

Wow, he’s a talker. She wasn’t going to let this go. Joy cast her eyes down.