Nellie (The Brides of San Francisco Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Malone for so long, it would take her some time to get used to saying, Blake. “I wouldn’t have come all this way and uprooted my children, had I not intended to marry you. How soon can you make the arrangements?”
    He reached in his pocket and produced a piece of paper. “I already have the license. We can be married tomorrow morning.”
    Before she could stop it, a gasp escaped. “Oh. My.” Nellie placed a hand on her chest and cocked her head. “Tomorrow. Well. I guess we’d better toast ourselves.” Pulse racing, she picked up her untouched glass of wine. “To us, soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Malone.”
    “To us,” repeated Blake. “All of us.” He clinked glasses with Bertha and Henry who had lifted theirs. He nodded to Violet across the table.
    Violet raised her hand and said. “Twuss”
    Laughter erupted from everyone else at the table.

CHAPTER 3

    The ceremony was a simple one, performed by a justice of the peace, at the courthouse. Nellie’s family, her friends Cora and Annie, and Blake’s business partner, Mr. Nicholas Cartwright, attended. Nellie wore her pink satin dress and outfitted the children in the best clothes they had. Henry’s growth spurt was painfully obvious by the fact his best pants were now about two inches too short and hit him above the ankle.
    Blake didn’t seem to notice or to care about Henry’s clothes. His attention was completely on the judge and the ceremony.
    When the judge spoke the words, “You may now kiss the bride,” Blake leaned down and gently kissed Nellie. It was one of the sweetest kisses she’d ever had. Soft, gentle, yet firm and full of promise.
    Then he leaned back and grinned, while still holding her by the waist. “Now, let’s go get Henry some new clothes. Since he needs them the most, he’ll be the first, then the rest of you. I’ve already got my staff moving your trunks to my home…our home,” he amended
    Nellie shook her head and smiled. “I thought you hadn’t noticed.”
    “I can see he’s growing like a weed. Young boys have a tendency to do that.”
    Violet let go of her mother’s hand and walked her now three-year-old self over to Blake. She pulled on his pants and held up her arms.
    With a smile he bent down and pulled her up into his arms. She cocked her head and looked at him and then kissed his cheek. “Mama kiss you. Me, too.”
    He chuckled and kissed her back. “You are such a sweet little thing.”
    By her action Violet had just accepted Blake as her new father.
    That didn’t take long. Poor little thing. She’s starved for a man’s affection and attention. Is she so much different than I am?
    *****
    An hour later, the carriage pulled off the street onto a long semi-circular driveway. Nellie watch out her window as they approached a grand, white, three story, house. Mansion was more like it.
    The house had columns supporting the porch on the first floor. Some of the columns extended up to the third-story roof, and some were on the first floor only. There were many windows, all sparkling in the sunlight. Those on the third floor had dormers. She saw a swing on the porch along with a table and chairs. They could easily entertain a few couples here on the porch after a nice dinner inside. Lordy, here she was already making plans.
    “What do you think?” asked Blake.
    Did she detect apprehension in his voice?
    “I think it’s magnificent. I can see why you’d need servants. The house is huge.”
    Blake took her hand in his and gave it a little squeeze. “It just needs a family. The place won’t seem so big when all of us get settled.”
    “Can I have my own room?” asked Henry, his eyes alight. “Up in the attic, so I can see the ships come in? And can I get a book on sea lions? I want to know about them, since there are so many.”
    “Yes,” laughed Blake. “You can have your own room, but no, not in the attic. Plenty of bedrooms on the third floor face the bay, so you can see the ships sail. We’ll visit the