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Bride by Mail
Mail-order bride Judith Jones has barely arrived in Pepin, Wisconsin, before she’s whisked away to prepare for her wedding to Asa Brant. Though something about Asa seems so familiar, how do two strangers become husband and wife? Especially when Judith senses Asa’s hidden sorrow. His kindness in helping two young orphans could win her heart...if only he’d open up to her.
Determined to start over after four years of brutal war, Asa moved away and sent for a mail-order bride. He had no idea the woman answering his ad would be the sister of his former soldier in arms. The less he reveals, the fewer painful memories there are to confront. But Judith’s compassion—and two loving children—might just show them the path to true happiness...
“You buy whatever you need.”
Asa cleared his throat. “Our fields will provide most of our food. I hunt in the fall. And in the winter, I work with leather. The blacksmith keeps it and sells it for me.” He rose and went to the hearth. “Come here.”
Judith obeyed him.
He showed her the loose stone that hid a cavity in the side of the fireplace and the small cloth sack of gold and silver coins stashed there. “We have plenty, Judith. Just tell Mr. Ashford to put everything on our tab. I pay him once a month.”
“Thank you, Asa. I’m not an extravagant woman, but I do want to—” she waved a hand toward the room “—make everything more homey.”
He returned to his place at the table, and she followed him.
“I want you to...do that, too,” he said. But you’ve done so much more. The chain around his heart tightened. If only he had more than a house and sustenance to offer her. Judith deserved the best. But he would give her the best he could of the material world. The pity was that he could not give her more of his true self.
I hope you’ve enjoyed returning to Pepin, Wisconsin, for another Wilderness Brides book. (Or coming for the first time—welcome!)
Judith, to me, shows how a loving woman can win a man’s heart and change him for the better. However, you notice she didn’t try to change him. Her acceptance, faithfulness, patience and love changed her husband’s heart with God’s help. As her mother had taught her, “The only person you can change is yourself.”
Now, what about Emma and Mason Chandler? Will he return? What has kept him so long? And will Emma marry him or not? (BTW, I’ve never met a Southerner like Mabel Joy, definitely an anomaly!)
If you’ve enjoyed this story, you might want to read the first three books in my Wilderness Brides series—Their Frontier Family (Pastor Noah Whitmore and Sunny’s story), The Baby Bequest (Ellen and Kurt Lang’s story), and Heartland Courtship (Sheriff Brennan Merriday and Rachel’s story).
Fifteen Love Inspired Historical authors contributed recipes and family stories to the “Old Family Recipes” collection. If you’d like to receive a free digital copy of this, please drop by my website www.LynCote.com and subscribe to my newsletter and you will automatically receive your free copy.
Blessings,
Lyn Cote
A USA TODAY bestselling author of over forty novels, LYN COTE lives in the north woods of Wisconsin with her husband in a lakeside cottage. She knits, loves cats (and dogs), likes to cook (and eat), never misses Wheel of Fortune and enjoys hearing from her readers. Email her at [email protected]. And drop by her website, www.lyncote.com, to learn more about her books that feature “Strong Women, Brave Stories.”
Frontier Want Ad Bride
Lyn Cote
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.
—1 Corinthians 13:4–8 (KJV)
To Laura Ingalls Wilder (born in Pepin, Wisconsin) who left us such a clear and heartwarming account of life on the frontier.
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