Tabitha: Bride of Missouri (American Mail-Order Bride 24) Read Online Free Page B

forth.”
    Thomas blinked in surprise, and she chuckled again. “I’m rather interested in his cases, so he tells me about them. He’s the cleverest doctor this side of the Mississippi, and his stories are fascinating. Why, there was this one time where a man had broken his knuckle—”
    Dr. Gideon cleared his throat as he came back in the room, and his wife turned a shade of red. “I’m sorry. I’ll bring out those pancakes now.” She bustled back the way she’d come.
    The doctor smiled as he took a seat. “I married a gem. Few women would be able to tolerate what I do, let alone want to hear about it. She’s a good support to me.”
    “Yes, I can see that. She’s very kind, too.”
    “That she is.”
    And an excellent cook, as Thomas found out a moment later when he tasted her pancakes. It was awkward to eat with his left hand, but neither the doctor nor his wife seemed to be paying any attention to his table manners at all. He imagined they’d seen much worse, but that didn’t keep him from feeling ashamed.
     

Chapter Three
     
    Tabitha took a deep breath as she stepped into the post office. Here she was again—back behind the desk where she used to work. Just as with the house, everything was exactly the same, even down to the placement of the pen on the counter. She wondered what would happen if she were to move that pen. Would Clara be struck with a fit of apoplexy? Would lightning come down from the sky and set the post office on fire?
    Clara bustled in just then, and Tabitha startled. She was grateful no one could read her thoughts.
    “Guess you remember how we do things,” Clara said as she walked over and unlocked the front door. “Same as always—nothing’s changed.”
    “I remember quite a bit, and I’m sure the rest will come back to me,” Tabitha replied.
    “Good. Herbert’s feeling poorly this morning, so I’ll be taking the mail to the train. You see to the office while I’m gone.”
    “I will. I hope he’s all right.”
    Clara lifted a shoulder. “Too much pie at dinner, I suppose. You get to work sorting that bunch.”
    Tabitha lifted the sack from the day before onto the counter and began organizing it. As she read the names on the fronts of the envelopes, she smiled. So many of these people were friends of hers—it was good to see that they still lived here, and it would be even better to see them when they came in to collect their letters. They were what made living here tolerable.
    “Well, there you are, right where you belong,” Mrs. Smith gushed as she stepped inside the building. “Why, it’s just like old times. Now I feel like the world can keep spinning.”
    “Good morning, Mrs. Smith,” Tabitha said, smiling at the woman’s effusiveness. “How are you today?”
    “Much better, now that I’ve seen you. I went home yesterday and said to my husband, ‘Mr. Smith, I believe my eyes were playing tricks on me just now. I saw Tabitha at the train station.’ So I had to come in and make sure I hadn’t dreamed it all up.”
    “Here I am, in the flesh,” Tabitha replied.
    “Indeed you are, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! Now, let’s see. I need to mail this letter.” She fished in her bag and pulled out an envelope. “I need to mail another one too, but it’s not written yet, and it’s very hard to mail a letter when it hasn’t even been written yet, don’t you think?” She gave a little giggle.
    “It is.” Tabitha took the envelope and Mrs. Smith’s proffered coin. “What else can I do for you today?”
    “Nothing, dear. But be looking for me tomorrow. I’m going to finish that letter even if it takes me all night to write it. You know, it’s much more pleasant corresponding with people when they’re people you actually want to talk to.”
    Tabitha chuckled. “Why are you writing to people you don’t want to talk to?”
    “It’s polite, dear. And we must never forget that being polite is the most important thing in the whole entire