Judith: Bride of Wyoming (American Mail-Order Bride 44) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Judith a very different lifestyle than living in town with a blacksmith.
    It had been fortunate that he’d been able to find her to care for Bethany and, yes, he was in need of a wife. Not that he wanted one per se. However, since seeing the pretty woman, he’d not been able to think of anything else other than joining her in bed.
    When he’d woken that morning and found Bethany gone, at first, he’d panicked. But it had turned to a totally different situation at seeing the beautiful picture of the woman with his child in her bed. Her long auburn tresses loosened from a braid, framing the pretty woman’s face perfectly. She’d allowed him to move closer to ensure his daughter was well, knowing instinctively that, at the moment, he needed assurance of it.
    Now after the most awkward of proposals, he waited, hopeful she’d agree to be his wife. Judith looked to him, her eyes meeting his, as if searching for something. He didn’t look away and wished for the right words to assure her, but none came. Finally, he let out a breath and spoke.
    “Miss Murphy, I will ensure you are always provided for. I will give you time so that we may become acquainted with each other before…” He cleared his throat and gave his sister a pointed look. Thankfully, Eloise got the message he silently conveyed and, after taking Bethany from Judith, she went to his bedroom.
    Judith finally looked away, her gaze moving around the room. “I wondered how we’d deal with this situation. It had not occurred to me you would ask to marry me.”
    “Are you opposed to the idea of marriage?”
    Her eyes flew back to him. “No, of course not. As you know, I came here to get married. Obviously, the idea of marriage is much newer to you than to me. Tell me, Mr. Montgomery…what were your plans before I came here? Did you want to get married?”
    Honesty was his way, so he went to the table and pulled out a chair. “Please, sit down.”
    She did and he sat in a chair next to hers. “Six months ago, I had no plans to either marry or start a family. There was no one special in my life and, honestly, work takes most of my time. As you can imagine, things changed when a woman showed up with a baby, claiming she was my daughter. The mother was someone I’d known only briefly.” He let out a breath. His face heating at the implication of how he’d fathered Bethany. “The woman who brought the baby told me Bethany’s mother was dead and although she was the grandmother, she was too ill to care for a baby.”
    Sean continued. “Miss Murphy, I don’t know if Bethany is actually mine or, perhaps, the other man’s. At this point, it doesn’t matter. She’s my daughter as far as I’m concerned.”
    “So things changed drastically for you all of a sudden.” Judith nodded. “I can certainly relate to that. I planned to continue to work in a factory in Massachusetts before a fire destroyed everything. I’d hoped to rent a place of my own and be independent. Although I aspired for a family, honestly I didn’t expect it.”
    Sean wanted to reach for her hand but refrained, not wanting to be too forward. “After Bethany came to live with me, I began considering marrying and a family. So to answer your question, as far as marriage, I’m not against it. Especially to you.”
    She blinked and a pretty blush colored her cheeks. “Very well. I think…” she left off and swallowed. “I think it’s best we do marry. I will do my best to be a good wife and come to care for you and Bethany and take care of this house. But Mr. Montgomery, if we marry, then I believe it’s best we follow God’s law and become husband and wife in every way possible. Which includes the consummation, of course.”
    Her words both shocked him and excited him. Without knowing what else needed to be said, he only nodded and searched his suddenly blank brain for more to say. The only thing that beamed bright was the picture of her in his arms and didn’t that just make him