Rocky Mountain Dawn (Rocky Mountain Bride Series Book 1) Read Online Free
Author: Lee Savino
the dishes were done, she bid him adieu in the parlor, with her mother and Mattie listening outside the door, she was sure.
"Dr. Shepherd, I thought on what you said. And I want you to know, I'm ready for adventure. All these pretty things—" she indicated the parlor, "mean nothing to me. I want to serve." She lifted her chin, standing as tall as she could to look him in the eye. "I can be a good wife to you. I promise."
"I'm sure you will be," he said, gazing down at her in a way that made her skin heat.
"Does that mean...you wish to have me?"
Again, the subtle smile. "I do. Will you let me ask your father for your hand?"
"Of course." She blushed. "He's in his study. Right that way."
With a full grin, Dr. Shepherd strode to the side room, hat in hand, leaving Esther to realize she'd just proposed to a man she'd met yesterday.
*****
Their wedding day came quickly, too slow for Esther and too soon for her mother.
On the dawn before the church, Esther climbed her tree and said good-bye to the orchard. The eldest child of ten, she found solitude precious. But she wasn't too surprised when she caught a glimpse of her tall intended, weaving his way to her tree.
"Morning, Dr. Shepherd," she called down.
He grinned up at her.
"You're the only bride I've met willing to climb a tree the morning of her wedding." He held out his arms, and she slid into them, telling her heart not to beat faster as he easily set her on the ground. "Do you remember what I told you about broken bones caused from climbing trees?"
"Of course," she said pertly, setting off for home.
Her fiancé fell easily into stride beside her. "You know, your father has given me a list of things to discipline you for. Apparently he's been keeping it since you came back from seminary and he thought you'd soon find a husband."
She held her breath. That would be quite a long list.
"I must say, Esther," he caught her hand, and faced her, "that as of now, the slate is clean. But if you insist on crossing me, I will not hesitate to take you in hand. God set the man to be the head of the household, and I take my duties very seriously."
"Of course," she said, leaning closer.
"So you are prepared to vow to obey me in all things?" he murmured.
That brought her up short.
"I suppose so. Within reason."
He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "I promise to always be reasonable."
Taking her hand, he pulled her along. It took a few moments for her to find her feet. The skin of her forehead burned where his lips had touched it.
*****
In keeping with the Richardson tradition, Esther's wedding dress was black to symbolize grief at parting from her family. Indeed, her mother cried so hard during the minister's speech, anyone watching would think the ceremony was a funeral.
Afterward, they all ate a great table in the orchard. Esther couldn't resist climbing up one last time to shake down white blossoms for her siblings, only coming down when her new husband approached, shaking his head.
Before alighting into the hired coach, Esther kissed her whole family, knowing it may well be the last time she ever saw them. Once settled beside her new husband, Esther leaned against the side of the coach with a sigh. Tonight they would travel to an inn, then onto Boston by train. From there another train to St. Louis, then a covered wagon all the way to the far side of the Kansas territory. It had all seemed so exciting when she wrote the letter to the Mission Board. Now, with her journey underway, the adventure seemed daunting.
"Tired, my dear?" Her new husband sat swaying across from her in his fine wedding suit. His shock of brown hair waved in the air, almost touching the roof of the coach.
Gulping down sudden tears, she nodded.
"Come here." He held out his hand and helped her across. Before she knew it, he'd thrown an arm around her and tucked her into his side. His other hand took out his handkerchief.
"I feel so silly," she sniffled. "I never
"Dr. Shepherd, I thought on what you said. And I want you to know, I'm ready for adventure. All these pretty things—" she indicated the parlor, "mean nothing to me. I want to serve." She lifted her chin, standing as tall as she could to look him in the eye. "I can be a good wife to you. I promise."
"I'm sure you will be," he said, gazing down at her in a way that made her skin heat.
"Does that mean...you wish to have me?"
Again, the subtle smile. "I do. Will you let me ask your father for your hand?"
"Of course." She blushed. "He's in his study. Right that way."
With a full grin, Dr. Shepherd strode to the side room, hat in hand, leaving Esther to realize she'd just proposed to a man she'd met yesterday.
*****
Their wedding day came quickly, too slow for Esther and too soon for her mother.
On the dawn before the church, Esther climbed her tree and said good-bye to the orchard. The eldest child of ten, she found solitude precious. But she wasn't too surprised when she caught a glimpse of her tall intended, weaving his way to her tree.
"Morning, Dr. Shepherd," she called down.
He grinned up at her.
"You're the only bride I've met willing to climb a tree the morning of her wedding." He held out his arms, and she slid into them, telling her heart not to beat faster as he easily set her on the ground. "Do you remember what I told you about broken bones caused from climbing trees?"
"Of course," she said pertly, setting off for home.
Her fiancé fell easily into stride beside her. "You know, your father has given me a list of things to discipline you for. Apparently he's been keeping it since you came back from seminary and he thought you'd soon find a husband."
She held her breath. That would be quite a long list.
"I must say, Esther," he caught her hand, and faced her, "that as of now, the slate is clean. But if you insist on crossing me, I will not hesitate to take you in hand. God set the man to be the head of the household, and I take my duties very seriously."
"Of course," she said, leaning closer.
"So you are prepared to vow to obey me in all things?" he murmured.
That brought her up short.
"I suppose so. Within reason."
He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "I promise to always be reasonable."
Taking her hand, he pulled her along. It took a few moments for her to find her feet. The skin of her forehead burned where his lips had touched it.
*****
In keeping with the Richardson tradition, Esther's wedding dress was black to symbolize grief at parting from her family. Indeed, her mother cried so hard during the minister's speech, anyone watching would think the ceremony was a funeral.
Afterward, they all ate a great table in the orchard. Esther couldn't resist climbing up one last time to shake down white blossoms for her siblings, only coming down when her new husband approached, shaking his head.
Before alighting into the hired coach, Esther kissed her whole family, knowing it may well be the last time she ever saw them. Once settled beside her new husband, Esther leaned against the side of the coach with a sigh. Tonight they would travel to an inn, then onto Boston by train. From there another train to St. Louis, then a covered wagon all the way to the far side of the Kansas territory. It had all seemed so exciting when she wrote the letter to the Mission Board. Now, with her journey underway, the adventure seemed daunting.
"Tired, my dear?" Her new husband sat swaying across from her in his fine wedding suit. His shock of brown hair waved in the air, almost touching the roof of the coach.
Gulping down sudden tears, she nodded.
"Come here." He held out his hand and helped her across. Before she knew it, he'd thrown an arm around her and tucked her into his side. His other hand took out his handkerchief.
"I feel so silly," she sniffled. "I never
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