A Mail Order Bride for the Fur Trader: Joy & Henry (Love by Mail #3)(7)

Joy nodded, she could very much imagine that. She looked down the street. Despite the distant fields looking quiet and peaceful, the road itself was quite busy. She counted several families. It made her think about her parents. Joy imagined her mother crying, enraged, or both. Her father even when worried would likely stay stoic and comfort his wife. She swallowed hard at those thoughts. But she couldn’t marry Earnest. Even if that meant running away from Redemption and hurting her family’s feelings. She’d write to them after the wedding. Surely then they’d understand.

Claire cleared her throat. “You all right, Joy?”

She turned away from the scene below. “I’m fine. Just a bit tired.”

“Oh, of course. You can rest here for a while. I think the others are still cooing over baby Grace.”

Joy nodded as Claire left the room. She went to her bags and took out a framed photo of her parents. Would they ever forgive her for what she did? For what she was planning to do? She hoped so. She couldn’t imagine having their anger and disappointment over her head forever. “Honor thy father and mother,” she muttered, and closed her eyes. “I will, Lord, I will.”





Chapter 3


The shop was bare, drab, and boring. A simple sign hung outside that read Henry’s Fur & Leather. Joy stilled her tongue. Henry looked so proud when he led her down the street to his trading post. He unlocked the door, smiled and waved his arm signaling for her to come in.

Claire gave her a little nudge and Joy stepped over the threshold. The inside wasn’t much better than the outside.

“So, what do you think?” he asked.

His bright smile nearly blinded her. She blinked and fanned herself. She licked her lips, then closed the fan. She expected an established merchant, but maybe he had other shops elsewhere. She’d have to ask him later.

“It’s a start.” She smiled and batted her eyes at him. “I could help you decorate it.

“That’s a nice idea.” Claire entered too.

The strong smell of leather drew Joy further in. She walked up to the wall and let her fingers slip down a strip of hide. She glanced to the left and right. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the order of the wares on display. Claire was busy checking out belts on the other side of the room. She promised Joy would barely notice her presence.

Joy turned around to Henry.

“You’ve got a lot of leather,” she finally said.

“Yeah.” He scratched behind his ear. “I wasn’t sure what would sell best.”

“And the furs?”

“Over there.”

Joy sighed in relief. Finally, something to brighten her day amid the dusty landscape of Angel Creek.

“Here.” Henry patted the table on the far right corner of the room.

Joy gasped and rushed to dip her fingers in the soft material.

“I didn’t have time to put everything out yet. There’s more in the back room.”

Joy looked around the fur covered table. She ran her hand over them all. A multitude of colors and textures accosted her senses. Some furs were smooth and tingly to the touch, others thick and rough, others still fluffy and soft.

“They’re beautiful.” She turned to Henry. “Were they hard to get?”

His smile dimmed and he looked down at one of the furs. He chuckled dryly. “Trust me, you don’t wanna know.”

“Of course, I do!” She placed a hand on his shoulder and batted her lashes when he looked up.

“Well, I caught these…” He pointed to the silvery furs.

“What?” Joy blushed. “You hunt?”

“I did, yes.” Henry replied and she got a sense he didn’t want to talk about his past. “Used to be a fur trapper before I started trading.”

“You fearlessly trapped these dangerous beasts by yourself?”

He laughed again.

“No, not by myself.” Henry shook his head. “There was an entire party of us. We hunted a lot of animals, and sometimes people hired us to take out dangerous predators.”

He leaned against the wall and ran a hand down a chestnut brown hide. “We often sold the meat too.”

“Was it harsh?” Joy leaned beside him. “Your life before?”

Henry nodded. “That’s why I’m settling down to start a new one.”

“Well, I’d be happy to start it with you.”

He blushed, and Joy pressed her fan against her lips to prevent a giggle. He blushed more often than she did!

A loud bellow from the front of the shop interrupted their conversation, “Hello?”

A couple entered through the door looking around with interest. The man wore polished boots, and a clean plaid shirt. The woman sported a white dress with various black floral patterns stitched onto the material like vines. Her blonde curls were pinned with a silver comb. She reminded Joy of her friend, Virginia.

Henry straightened up. “Good mornin’!”

The man’s eyes lit up when he saw Henry.

“When they told me Henry Briggs was back in Angel Creek, I wouldn’t believe it till I saw it with my own two eyes.”

The edges of Henry’s lips stretched into a slow grin. “Duncan? Duncan Stone?”

“Who else?” Duncan gave Henry a one-armed hug, and said, “This is my fiancé, Bridgett Haynes. You remember the Hayneses?”