A Mail Order Bride for the Fur Trader: Joy & Henry (Love by Mail #3)(6)

“Well, if you don’t think I’m good enough for you.” She paused. “I shouldn’t have expected you to express the same - interest...”

“No!” Henry blurted out. “I was just surprised is all.”

Now we’re getting somewhere, Joy thought.

Claire sighed. “I’ll tell my brother. Well, c’mon, he won’t wait forever.”

“Do you have any luggage?” Henry asked Joy.

Joy tilted her head towards the bags outside the shop. “Of course. Over there at Mr. Dubson’s store.”

Mercy gasped. “All three of those?”

Joy shrugged. “I told you I was ready to start a new life here.”

“I’ll help,” Cole said to Henry, who nodded.

The men walked up to the store. Joy watched the strong arm muscles work as Henry lifted two bags. Joy shielded her face with the fan, it felt hot. When she answered his ad, Joy thought more about furs and dresses, than her future groom’s looks. But now… seeing this handsome man fluster at her sight made her want him even more. She was determined to win his heart in the week she had.

*

The pastor’s house was a small and simple place, but she did have to admit there was a certain coziness to it. As she followed the group inside Joy wondered what Henry’s house was like. Surely, with a fur trading business, he would have a wide estate with many rooms filled with stylish furniture. Or even better, since he was a single man, maybe not much furniture and she could spend time making everything fashionable and nice.

A high-pitched giggle erupted inside a room, and a young girl rushed towards Mercy and Cole.

“Papa! Mama!”

“How’s our li’l girl?” Cole asked, as he hefted the girl up into the air.

“Grace and I were playing.” She giggled and placed her tiny arms around her father’s neck as he brought her to his chest.

Oh, what a precious little thing, Joy thought. She could see herself with a few children of her own. Especially if they have Henry’s eyes.

“Did Grace get some sleep?” Mercy pecked the girl on the cheek.

The girl nodded. “She slept a lot.” Then, she saw Joy. “Who’s that, Mama?”

“That’s Joy. We’ll be seeing a lot of her in town, Amy.”

“Oh.”

Joy smiled and waved at the young girl. Then, she turned to Mercy. “Is Grace your daughter, too?”

“Yes, she’s the newest member of our family. Do you wanna see her?”

“Oh, would I? Of course!”

Mercy led her into the room, where an older couple conversed with a younger, simply dressed man. The woman held a baby in her arms.

“Elias, Leanna.” Mercy greeted the couple.

The baby cooed and the older woman looked up at them. “Oh, Mercy! Your little darling is adorable. I remember the time when I had my first young’un in my arms like it was just yesterday.”

“And who’s this?” the older man asked, looking at Joy.

“This, brother,” Henry said, appearing beside Joy, “is Joy Fletcher.”

“Well, of course it is,” the older man said with a smile. He stood up and pumped her hand. “I’m Elias Briggs, your future brother-in-law. Glad to meet ya, we almost thought you weren’t coming with the coach being late and all.”

Finally, someone excited to see me.

Joy chuckled. “The stagecoach run into some trouble on the way.”

“Well, anyway, lassie, it’s nice to finally meet you,” Mrs. Briggs said.

“And this,” Claire said, laying a hand on the other man’s shoulder, “is my brother, Reverend Nathan Shepard.”

“You can just call me Reverend,” he said. His smile was definitely brighter than his sister’s. And he was certainly younger than Joy’s preacher back in Redemption.

“Anyway, I think we should get you settled into your room first.” Claire shuffled back into the hallway and Joy followed.

They climbed the stairs and walked down to a room at the end of the corridor. Joy couldn’t help but notice two photos hanging on the wall in the guest room. Two smiling couples – Mercy and Cole in one frame, and two people she didn’t recognize in the other.

“That’s our happy matches record.” Claire must have noticed Joy staring at the photographs. “I like to think the Lord smiles upon the brides who stay with us.”

“Mercy and Cole have such lovely daughters.” Joy eyed the rest of the room.

A small flower pot stood on the window with a view over the farmland nearby. A single bed took most of the space, with a small cabinet almost hidden in the corner. A bit sparse for Joy’s taste, but this was the pastor’s house after all.

“How long have they been married?” Joy asked.

“Oh, let me see. Time flies so fast. It’ll be two years now.”

Joy gasped. “Two years? But Amy looks almost seven? Eight?”

“Eight.” Claire grinned. “They adopted her. She’s from the same orphanage Mercy grew up in.” She fluffed up the lonely pillow on the bed.

“Oh.”

“Mercy’s one of the most generous people I’ve ever met,” Claire said. “Brave, too. I mean, imagine traveling so far to meet someone you’ve only known through letters, knowing that you don’t have a family to support you if things don’t work out.”