Historical Cowboy Romance Two Book Box Set - Mail Order Brides Read Online Free

up and down next to him. “Is
that what it says, Pa? Pittsburgh? Can I see?”
    Dean smiled at Jack. “Yeah, sure. See right
there.” He pointed it out to Jack. “I’ll get you to learn it and
write it tonight, okay?”
    Jack nodded. “I’m hungry. When ya gonna read
it?”
    Dean loved the way his son was able to focus
on two things at once. His son had a busy mind and he was very
intelligent for his age. He got that from his mother, rest her
soul.
    “You’re hungry? I’m not surprised. You’re
always hungry. What are you making for dinner?” Dean asked.
    That stopped Jack. “Me? I don’t know how to
make anything except sandwiches and we had that for lunch. Can’t we
have steak?”
    Dean grunted. “Steak? What do you wanna have
steak for? It’s not like you like it or anything.”
    “Pa!” Jack said with a laugh. “You’re teasing
me. C’mon, let’s go get dinner,” he said and tugged at Dean’s arm.
“I’ll carry the toolbox. You’re probably tired from all that hard
work you did.”
    “Okay.” Dean agreed and gave the box to his
son.
    It was heavy and it fell to the ground at
first but then Jack picked it up in both hands and began walking
with it. He didn’t complain about the weight, but Dean could tell
it was tough going. About halfway to the barn, Dean said, “Hey,
Jack. You go on ahead and get cleaned up and tell Sadie to get that
steak out of the cold cellar and get it on the stove. I’ll take the
tool box. Where’s Uncle Seth now?”
    “Went in the barn!” Jack shouted. He dropped
the tool box and ran off to the house.
    Dean smiled as he watched Jack go. He picked
up the tool box and proceeded to the barn. Horses whinnied as they
heard him approach. He stopped by each stall, patting and stroking
sleek coats. His brother, Seth, came out of the tack room.
    “I see you got your letter,” he
commented.
    Dean nodded. “Jack was all wound up about it.
I guess it’s because we don’t get a whole lot of mail.”
    “Who’s in Pittsburgh?” Seth asked. His blue
eyes held curiosity.
    “I have no clue,” Dean answered.
    “Are you going to read it now?”
    Dean frowned at his older brother. “You’re as
bad as Jack. No. I’m going to read it after supper.”
    “How is it you have so much patience?” Seth
said shaking his head.
    Dean retorted, “And how is it you have so
little?”
    Seth smiled. “Because you’re like Ma and I’m
like Pa, remember?” It was an old joke between them.
    “How could I not? You staying to dinner?”
    “I better get some reward for bringing
that letter here,” Seth said.
    “Well, c’mon, then. I’m hungry.”
    Sadie was her mother, Sarah, out and out,
Dean reflected again as he watched his daughter set the table. Her
light brown hair was pulled back in a long braid with little wisps
flying about. Her coffee-brown eyes looked to and fro as she went
about her work. At eleven, Dean saw glimpses of the beautiful woman
she would become. He thought about the boys who would come sniffing
around in a few years and his stomach clenched at the thought.
    Sadie looked up and saw his expression. “Did
I do something wrong?”
    “What? No, sweat pea. I was just thinkin’ how
pretty you are. Just like your Ma. I’m gonna have to beat off all
the boys with a stick before too long,” he replied.
    “Pa, do I really look like her?” Sadie
said.
    Dean nodded. “You sure do. Why do you think I
tell you that? Look in the mirror and you’ll see your ma.”
    Sadie’s smile of pride touched Dean’s heart
and his throat constricted with emotion.
    “Is it ready yet?” Jack said.
    Dean checked the meat and saw that it was
done. “Yep. Let’s eat.”
    Once dinner was cleaned up and the children
sent to bed, Dean sat down in one of the comfortable chairs in the
parlor. The ranch house was one of the larger ones in the area
because of several additions that had been made over the years. As
the eldest son, Seth had originally inherited the house when