Mail Order Bride: A Bride for the Doctor (Bozeman Brides Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

his town.
    “Oh, well, okay. I understand. Um, shall I collect you tomorrow for breakfast, or would lunch be better?”
    What did he mean? The boarding house provided breakfast and a bag lunch. “No, that won’t be necessary. I’ll meet you at your surgery when you open. What time would that be?”
    There was a brief pause. “My surgery?”
    “Yes, what time do you open?” She wasn’t sure why he sounded so perplexed. Maybe it was talking through the door that made him sound that way.
    “Uh, I usually go in around nine o’clock.”
    “Perfect,” she replied, trying to sound animated. It was clear from his earlier behavior that he was a friendly man, and she could surely muster up a bit of cheer for him. “I’ll see you there.”
    Silence rang out for another moment before his reply came. “Alright then. If that’s what you want. I’ll see you there.”
    She nodded at the closed door, more for her own sense of rightness than to confirm the appointment. Now she was content. Things were finally headed in the right direction.
----
    T he next morning , Geoff opened his surgery a little earlier than he’d told Katherine. Although she’d not given him permission to call her by her first name, he did so in his mind. If she was to be his wife, he couldn’t very well keep calling her Miss.
    He arrived early to make sure the surgery was in order. It was an odd request to him that she made last night, but perhaps she was interested in his work. He had mentioned that he needed someone to help him with his practice in the ad, but that was more for the future when he believed that he would be busy. He fully expected things to pick up once he married.
    At precisely two minutes before nine, there was a rap on the front door, and when he went to open it, he was so shocked at what he saw that he couldn’t speak.
    “Good morning, Dr. Wilson,” Katherine proclaimed as she sailed in past him. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to have dinner with you last night, but I feel much better today and I’m ready to put in a full day. I realize that it will take a while for me to get used to your routine, so perhaps today I’ll mostly observe and take notes. Will that be satisfactory to you?”
    Geoff was speechless. Before him, stood Katherine Buchanan dressed in formal nursing attire. Her dress was long and dark, her apron was stiff and white and on her head was perched a frilly white cap that appeared to be in danger of falling off at any minute. If he weren’t so dumbfounded, he might have burst out laughing at the sight. Through his confusion, a shred of sense began to stir.
    “You’re a nurse,” he said stupidly.
    “Clearly,” she stated, looking somewhat perturbed. “Why else would I be here?” The emphatic nod of her head caused the hat to waffle about precariously and he found he was mesmerized by it. Her miffed look combined with the silly hat tickled his funny bone. He made an effort to suppress the grin that was attempting to spread across his face, but then his belly began to shake and he couldn’t control himself.
    “Oh, Miss Buchanan…uh…Nurse Buchanan I suppose, I should say…” He attempted to control himself, but it was in vain. His face strained with the effort of not laughing.
    Her perturbed look changed into one of great vexation and her eyes took on a dangerous glint. “I’m not sure what is humorous, but if you don’t care for my uniform, I can certainly change it.”
    “It’s not…that…I… just…” he gasped. It was in part the uniform that made him laugh, but the absurdity of the entire situation overwhelmed him. Everything fell into place now, her behavior and her coldness toward what he had hoped was charming behavior, her indifference toward the house. He released a loud burst of laughter.
    “I can only surmise that you find my uniform unsuitable,” she said frostily. “So if you would kindly inform me as to the part that you find particularly offensive, I make an effort to