Indiana Goes West (Mail Order Brides of Pioneer Town, Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

half-starved longhorns. She’d
likely never see her sisters or mother again. Was that really worth
this race to wed before the grooms found out how poor they
were?
    “There is more to life than our rank,
Mother,” Indiana said quietly as she squared her shoulders, her
heart pounding in fear over her small defiance. She gave her mother
a pleading gaze, imploring her to understand the insanity of this
whole situation.
    Her mother’s face froze. “Spoken like a
sheltered, spoiled child who has never known want in her life—and
might you never know it! How easily you are discarded when you have
nothing of value. How inconvenient you become when they desire
nothing you have to give!”
    Indiana’s heart stung at the cold, firm tone
of her mother’s words.
    “You must resolve yourself to securing our
futures by any means necessary,” Deborah said as she glared at
Indiana. “This is for our sakes, not only your own.”
    Indiana lowered her gaze to stare at her
hands, clenched tight around the blankets on her lap. She scarcely
heard the sound of the door closing as her mother let herself
out.
    * * *
    Indiana quickly began to wish she had stayed
in her bed and endured her mother’s scathing disapproval. Despite
the childishness and selfishness of the desire, anything would have
been better than being forced to try on every scrap of clothing in
the store and paraded around like a prized horse. She was getting
tired of being poked, pricked by needles, yanked around, and
scrutinized as the seamstress pondered alterations.
    On a normal day, Indiana would have enjoyed
shopping. It was fun to sort through clothes and imagine the lands
from which they were imported, to imagine meeting a stranger at a
ball. However, there was no happily ever after at the end of this
story that she could foresee. It rather dampened the mood, as she
was smothered in one dress after another.
    Indiana glanced over at her sisters, who were
chattering and giggling over dresses they were examining. It was
eerie how normal they were. It was like they were perfectly content
with their lot. Not even Montana seemed hesitant about choosing her
wardrobe for a future in which she had little choice.
    Is something wrong with me? Indiana
wondered. Seeing her family so relaxed and cheerful as they
chattered away made her feel as she were somehow being
unreasonable. But how could she possibly be unreasonable? They were
about to be scattered to the four winds among strangers who would
be their husbands. They were starting up new lives completely
blind. Most parents would strenuously protest such a decision had
it been the daughter’s choosing. However, it was the parent that
was driving exactly that. How could she be unreasonable about
something this huge?
    She gazed down at the soft green sea foam
dress she wore. It was imported from London and was supposed to be
the latest fashion in Europe. It fitted her perfectly, accenting
her form in all the right places. The lace and bead work suited her
as well. A few weeks ago she would have been breathless with desire
to own it, but when she tried to imagine herself performing a waltz
with a suitor, it all felt so woefully extravagant, a waste of a
beautiful thing.
    As Indiana imagined trying to live her life
as the wife of the Texas rancher, she felt her chest tighten until
she could barely draw a breath. The room suddenly felt as if it
were shrinking in on her. There was no air within the four walls.
Noises were dull and thundering in her ears. Her vision blurred and
tilted dangerously as she fought to draw a breath.
    She ignored the questions and protests of her
mother and the seamstress as she whirled and scrambled for the
entrance. She did not stop until she pushed the door open and
caught herself on the railing. She took in a few deep shuddering
breaths as she fought down the choking wave of panic.
    “Indiana, whatever is the matter?” Deborah
demanded as she made her way out of the store. Seeing her
daughter’s