Cora: Bride of South Dakota (American Mail-Order Bride 40) Read Online Free
Author: Susan Horsnell
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Saga, Family Life, tragedy, Western, Short-Story, Religious, Christian, Inspirational, Bachelor, South Dakota, ranch, Marriage of Convenience, Faith, Decision, victorian era, Forever Love, Single Woman, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, American Mail-Order Bride, Factory Burned, Pioneer, Forty In Series, Political Ally, Grandfather Age
to send for another to replace it which took a few hours. I’m fine, if you care to know.” She attempted to push past him but he reached out and grabbed her arm. His large fingers pinched and dug into her soft flesh. She attempted to pull away. “Father, you’re hurting me!”
The gleam of anger radiating from his eyes frightened her.
“What were you doing in North Reading?” His voice was menacingly quiet and despite not wanting him to know how frightened she was, she shuddered. She watched as his lips twisted into a satisfied smirk.
“I was applying for a position.” Not exactly a lie. She pushed at his arm and he relaxed his grip slightly.
“That’s too far away. We would have to rise earlier for breakfast and supper would be later. No, I won’t allow it.”
“You can’t stop me,” Cora spat.
His grip tightened again and she winced. “Yes, I can.” He dragged her to the steps pushing her in front of him.
She stumbled causing her knees to crash into the bottom step. He angrily yanked her up by the arm. She felt the burn of her muscles as they tore and heard a loud pop. She screamed in pain which brought Peter running.
“Father, what are you doing?” He moved to his sister’s side. Despite his many faults, Peter did not condone violence. Cora noted his concern through her tears. He took her arm gently. “Are you okay, Cora?”
Tears burned her cheeks and the pain in her shoulder was almost unbearable. She shook her head, too upset to form words and answer.
“Let her go, father,” Peter growled.
Cora felt her eyes widen in surprise. It was the only time she had ever heard her brother angry with their father.
Pierre reluctantly released his grip. “Take her to her room and lock her in. She will be allowed out only when we are at home.” He glared at her, hate radiated from his eyes. “In two weeks’ time you will marry Ernest. I will inform him in the morning that we have accepted his proposal.”
“I will NOT marry that horrid little man. You can both go to hell!” Cora screamed.
Pierre’s slap to her face sent her reeling but before she could fall Peter’s strong arms wrapped around her.
“That is quite enough, father. I will take Cora to her room and settle her. Then, you and I will discuss your brutish behavior.”
Peter led her upstairs before their father could utter another word. He guided her to the bed and assisted her to sit. When his hand brushed her shoulder, she yelped. “Let me have a closer look. You are terribly pale and I fear he may have broken your bones.”
He noted her limited movement and assisted her to unfasten the buttons on her bodice. He carefully slipped the dress from her injured shoulder while leaving the rest of her covered. “The bones don’t look right and I can see bruises forming. I’ll fetch the doctor to treat you. Damn father and his temper. Why were you so late?”
Cora explained the broken wheel on the stage and the wait for a replacement.
“Father can hardly blame you for a broken wheel. I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately. His temper is becoming worse and worse. I heard he was rough with one of the girl’s from Mabel’s cathouse last week and left her with a badly bruised wrist. You are going to have to learn not to provoke him, Cora.”
“I can’t seem to help myself. He makes me so angry with the way he treats me. I’m not a child anymore and I won’t be dictated to.” She remembered Peter’s parcel which she had refused to stay in for. She felt guilty for her actions now with her brother being so kind. “What happened with your parcel?”
“I went by the Post Office on my way to the office and asked for them to deliver it to my workplace. I authorized for one of my colleagues to sign for it. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before instead of insisting you stay at home. As it turned out, it didn’t arrive today.
The gleam of anger radiating from his eyes frightened her.
“What were you doing in North Reading?” His voice was menacingly quiet and despite not wanting him to know how frightened she was, she shuddered. She watched as his lips twisted into a satisfied smirk.
“I was applying for a position.” Not exactly a lie. She pushed at his arm and he relaxed his grip slightly.
“That’s too far away. We would have to rise earlier for breakfast and supper would be later. No, I won’t allow it.”
“You can’t stop me,” Cora spat.
His grip tightened again and she winced. “Yes, I can.” He dragged her to the steps pushing her in front of him.
She stumbled causing her knees to crash into the bottom step. He angrily yanked her up by the arm. She felt the burn of her muscles as they tore and heard a loud pop. She screamed in pain which brought Peter running.
“Father, what are you doing?” He moved to his sister’s side. Despite his many faults, Peter did not condone violence. Cora noted his concern through her tears. He took her arm gently. “Are you okay, Cora?”
Tears burned her cheeks and the pain in her shoulder was almost unbearable. She shook her head, too upset to form words and answer.
“Let her go, father,” Peter growled.
Cora felt her eyes widen in surprise. It was the only time she had ever heard her brother angry with their father.
Pierre reluctantly released his grip. “Take her to her room and lock her in. She will be allowed out only when we are at home.” He glared at her, hate radiated from his eyes. “In two weeks’ time you will marry Ernest. I will inform him in the morning that we have accepted his proposal.”
“I will NOT marry that horrid little man. You can both go to hell!” Cora screamed.
Pierre’s slap to her face sent her reeling but before she could fall Peter’s strong arms wrapped around her.
“That is quite enough, father. I will take Cora to her room and settle her. Then, you and I will discuss your brutish behavior.”
Peter led her upstairs before their father could utter another word. He guided her to the bed and assisted her to sit. When his hand brushed her shoulder, she yelped. “Let me have a closer look. You are terribly pale and I fear he may have broken your bones.”
He noted her limited movement and assisted her to unfasten the buttons on her bodice. He carefully slipped the dress from her injured shoulder while leaving the rest of her covered. “The bones don’t look right and I can see bruises forming. I’ll fetch the doctor to treat you. Damn father and his temper. Why were you so late?”
Cora explained the broken wheel on the stage and the wait for a replacement.
“Father can hardly blame you for a broken wheel. I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately. His temper is becoming worse and worse. I heard he was rough with one of the girl’s from Mabel’s cathouse last week and left her with a badly bruised wrist. You are going to have to learn not to provoke him, Cora.”
“I can’t seem to help myself. He makes me so angry with the way he treats me. I’m not a child anymore and I won’t be dictated to.” She remembered Peter’s parcel which she had refused to stay in for. She felt guilty for her actions now with her brother being so kind. “What happened with your parcel?”
“I went by the Post Office on my way to the office and asked for them to deliver it to my workplace. I authorized for one of my colleagues to sign for it. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before instead of insisting you stay at home. As it turned out, it didn’t arrive today.
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