Cora: Bride of South Dakota (American Mail-Order Bride 40) Read Online Free Page B
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
father sauntered in.
“Widow Skinner has been told, her services are no longer required as you have recovered. You will come downstairs and prepare breakfast.” He turned to leave the room.
“Will you be leaving my door unlocked now?”
He swung around to face her. As he stepped forward, she shuffled back.
“No. Ernest has been informed you will marry him in five days’ time. He is delighted and preparations are almost complete. Until then, you will remain locked in this room as you cannot be trusted and I will not be humiliated by having you run away.” He stomped from the room.
Fear gripped Cora. “Dear Lord, please help me. I can’t marry that man, I would rather die.”
Peter had been passing her door and must have heard her anguished plea. He stopped and entered her room. Her head was buried in her hands and she recoiled as her father sat on her bed. She suddenly realized it was Peter and breathed a sigh of relief.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“My shoulder has healed but father has vowed to keep me locked in my room until I marry Ernest. Peter, please help me. I can’t marry that horrible creature.”
Peter’s sorrow for her showed in his eyes. He hugged her to him as she cried. “I’ll see what I can do about this, but for now please, don’t anger father.”
Cora nodded, wiped the tears from her face and allowed Peter to escort her downstairs.
***
Cora remained locked in her room and two days later, her wedding day loomed. She had all but given up hope of her brother helping her. Then, midafternoon, she heard her door being unlocked. Peter stepped into her room.
“Hurry and gather your things together. I have a carriage waiting to take you to North Reading where you are booked on the stage for Boston. I have secured a room at the Parker House and you will catch the first train from there to Chicago. You will again stay overnight before catching a train to Sioux City. I have wired Millie’s father and he has responded. He will meet you at the station. I have asked him to ensure your whereabouts are kept secret and he has agreed. You will travel under the name Rose Brown to make it harder for father to find you.”
Cora sat stunned. Her brother was helping her. She was going to be free! Rose Brown was an alias she would easily remember – Rose being her middle name and Brown, the maiden name of her mother.
“Cora, hurry!” her brother urged.
She bounced to her feet, pulled a trunk from under her bed and threw in the things she needed. Personal items and a change of clothes were packed into a small travelling bag. She paused, “Peter, why are you helping me?”
Peter sighed and lowered himself to the bed. “Mary informed me that one of her friends was raped two days ago. By our father! Apparently she is inconsolable but refuses to bring charges against him. Mary took me to visit her yesterday hoping together, we could change her mind. Oh Cora, it was dreadful. Her wrist is broken and she’s covered in bruises. One eye is badly bruised and she is unable to open it.” Sorrow saturated his voice.
Cora lowered her fist from her mouth. “You must go to the authorities. Father must not be allowed to get away with it. What do her parents say?”
“She has only told Mary and me. She threatened if we go to the authorities, she’ll deny everything. Her parents are beside themselves with grief but she refuses to tell them it was father who is responsible and has sworn us to secrecy. Our father, as it turns out, is as bad as the fiends he mixes with.” He wrung his hands. “I would never had dreamed he was capable of anything as monstrous as this.”
“If he finds out you have helped me, he will ruin you.”
Peter smirked. “No, he won’t. I’ll threaten to tell the authorities about Mary’s friend ……”
Cora interrupted him, “but…..”
Peter held up his hand to silence
“Widow Skinner has been told, her services are no longer required as you have recovered. You will come downstairs and prepare breakfast.” He turned to leave the room.
“Will you be leaving my door unlocked now?”
He swung around to face her. As he stepped forward, she shuffled back.
“No. Ernest has been informed you will marry him in five days’ time. He is delighted and preparations are almost complete. Until then, you will remain locked in this room as you cannot be trusted and I will not be humiliated by having you run away.” He stomped from the room.
Fear gripped Cora. “Dear Lord, please help me. I can’t marry that man, I would rather die.”
Peter had been passing her door and must have heard her anguished plea. He stopped and entered her room. Her head was buried in her hands and she recoiled as her father sat on her bed. She suddenly realized it was Peter and breathed a sigh of relief.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“My shoulder has healed but father has vowed to keep me locked in my room until I marry Ernest. Peter, please help me. I can’t marry that horrible creature.”
Peter’s sorrow for her showed in his eyes. He hugged her to him as she cried. “I’ll see what I can do about this, but for now please, don’t anger father.”
Cora nodded, wiped the tears from her face and allowed Peter to escort her downstairs.
***
Cora remained locked in her room and two days later, her wedding day loomed. She had all but given up hope of her brother helping her. Then, midafternoon, she heard her door being unlocked. Peter stepped into her room.
“Hurry and gather your things together. I have a carriage waiting to take you to North Reading where you are booked on the stage for Boston. I have secured a room at the Parker House and you will catch the first train from there to Chicago. You will again stay overnight before catching a train to Sioux City. I have wired Millie’s father and he has responded. He will meet you at the station. I have asked him to ensure your whereabouts are kept secret and he has agreed. You will travel under the name Rose Brown to make it harder for father to find you.”
Cora sat stunned. Her brother was helping her. She was going to be free! Rose Brown was an alias she would easily remember – Rose being her middle name and Brown, the maiden name of her mother.
“Cora, hurry!” her brother urged.
She bounced to her feet, pulled a trunk from under her bed and threw in the things she needed. Personal items and a change of clothes were packed into a small travelling bag. She paused, “Peter, why are you helping me?”
Peter sighed and lowered himself to the bed. “Mary informed me that one of her friends was raped two days ago. By our father! Apparently she is inconsolable but refuses to bring charges against him. Mary took me to visit her yesterday hoping together, we could change her mind. Oh Cora, it was dreadful. Her wrist is broken and she’s covered in bruises. One eye is badly bruised and she is unable to open it.” Sorrow saturated his voice.
Cora lowered her fist from her mouth. “You must go to the authorities. Father must not be allowed to get away with it. What do her parents say?”
“She has only told Mary and me. She threatened if we go to the authorities, she’ll deny everything. Her parents are beside themselves with grief but she refuses to tell them it was father who is responsible and has sworn us to secrecy. Our father, as it turns out, is as bad as the fiends he mixes with.” He wrung his hands. “I would never had dreamed he was capable of anything as monstrous as this.”
“If he finds out you have helped me, he will ruin you.”
Peter smirked. “No, he won’t. I’ll threaten to tell the authorities about Mary’s friend ……”
Cora interrupted him, “but…..”
Peter held up his hand to silence
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