The Widow Finds Love (Mail Order Bride Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

There’s one other thing, she has a little girl, named Rebecca, who is seven years old.  She’s coming too.  What do you think?”
     
    “Papa, you’re not teasing me are you?  Am I really going to have a mother and a sister?”
     
    “If she likes us, and we like her, then we would be married and she will be your mother,” he said.
     
    “What if she doesn’t like us?” she asked.
     
    “Then she would take Rebecca and go back to South Carolina, and we will have to keep looking for someone to take care of us.”
     
    “I’m going to be extra nice, she has to like us.  She just has to,” Cassie said.  “Did Rebecca’s Papa die, like Mama did?” she asked.
     
    “Her father was killed in the war, when she was two years old.  She’s grown up without a Papa, but she does have her grandpas.”
     
    “That’s really sad.  I’m glad you didn’t get killed in the war, Papa.  I would have had to stay with Aunt Suzy.  She’s nice, but not very much fun.”
     
    “Aunt Suzy just doesn’t understand little girls, since she only has boys,” he said.
     
    “They’re mean,” she said.
     
    “They’re not mean, they’re good boys.  Boys just play differently from the way girls do,” he said.
     
    “They’re mean.  They pull my hair and call me names.”
     
    “Boys do that.  I guess I pulled Suzy’s hair when we were little.  I’m pretty sure I called her names too.”
     
    “How will they get to Texas,” she asked.
     
    “They’ll come in on the stage from Shreveport.”
     
    “I thought you said they were coming from South Carolina,” she reminded. 
     
    “Well, from South Carolina, they will ride the train to New Orleans.  Then they’ll take a boat from New Orleans up the river to Shreveport and then take the stage to Marshall.”
     
    “How long is that going to take, Papa?”
     
    “It is going to take them about a week to get here.  I will get a letter that tells me when they will be here, then you and I will go meet the stage, and bring them to our farm.”
     
    “That’s a long time.  I’ll bet they will be tired,” she observed.
     
    “I’m sure they will.  Now, I have another question.  Where do you think they should sleep?”
     
    “We have the spare bed Aunt Suzy uses when she stayed here.  You could move it into my room, then Rebecca wouldn’t be in a room alone and get scared,” she said.
     
    “What about her mother?  Where should she sleep?”
     
    “Papa, Mamas always sleep with the Papas  She can sleep in your room, just like Mama did.”
     
    “That wouldn’t bother you?  Her taking your mother’s place, I mean,” he asked.
     
    “If you get married, then it’s all right,” she said.  “I’m really glad we’re going to have them live with us.  It’s going to be fun having a sister.  I can show her about the chickens and eggs and the cows and stuff.”
     
    “I think she will already know a lot about that.  She lives on a farm now,” he said.
     
    “But not on a Texas farm, Papa.”
     
    “No, not on a Texas farm, but they grow cotton too.  Tomorrow, we’re going to Aunt Suzy’s and tell her all about our visitors.  Remember, they might not like us, or they might not like Texas.”
     
    “They will, Papa.  I know they will.”
     
    The next morning…
     
    “Suzy, I’ve asked Sarah and her daughter to come meet us.  They should be on their way now and get here next week.  It’s a long trip, and with the railroads all torn up from the war, it will take a week to get here,” he told his sister.
     
    “I am so happy for you and for Cassie,” Suzy said. She needs to have a mother to talk to.  Have you told her about it yet?”
     
    “Yes,” he said.  “We talked about it last night.  She’s all excited about having a sister and a new mother.”
     
    “You don’t think she will resent having someone take Ruth’s place?” Suzy asked.
     
    “No, I really don’t.  I asked her where she thought Rebecca