Chapter One
Joy Miller ran through her father’s wheat field as she hurried home from a long day of work, picking strawberries for a nearby farmer. She hadn’t been able to get a job taking care of children as most of her older sisters had. No, she had one of the worst reputations of any of the demon horde, as the community called her and most of her siblings.
She loved being outside. She loved gardening. She was filled with unspeakable joy as she rushed home, thinking that it was time for her to find a husband. It was a daunting process because of her reputation, but she had a secret weapon at her disposal. As one of the youngest of the Miller children, she knew she could do what many of her siblings had done. She could go see her sister and be sent out as a mail-order bride.
Oh, to be the wife of a farmer who could spend her days in the fields helping him with the pure joy that came from growing things. Abruptly, she changed directions, paying no mind to the fact that she was barefoot, and her legs were covered in dirt. She wasn’t going to marry anyone from Beckham anyway. No, she’d marry a farmer, she hoped.
She ran all the way into town, not stopping before she’d reached her sister’s house on Rock Creek Road. There she knocked on the door, her eyes lit up with excitement at the very idea of marrying a stranger. Most women would find such a prospect daunting, but not Joy. No, she loved the idea of being a bride.
When her brother-in-law, Bernard, came to the door, she grinned up at him. “I want to see Elizabeth about becoming a mail-order bride!”
Bernard couldn’t hide his smile. “Joy, your enthusiasm is a breath of fresh air around here. Most women come in and feel like it’s their last hope. But you—only you—feel like you can change the world with your smile. You will make a wonderful wife for a good man.”
“Well, then tell Elizabeth she’d better send me to a good one!” Joy said with a laugh.
“She’s in her office,” Bernard replied, opening the door wide. “I’ll get tea and cookies.”
“I want milk with my cookies!” Joy told him. “Who drinks tea with cookies?” She ran past him and opened the door to her sister’s office without bothering to knock. “Elizabeth!”
Elizabeth looked up from her work with a smile. “Joy. What brings you here!”
Joy walked to the sofa in her sister’s office and plopped down, crossing her legs and showing off all the dirt that covered her feet and calves. “I’ve decided to take the plunge. I need a husband.”
Elizabeth laughed. “I think you need a bath more than you need a husband.”
Joy wrinkled her nose. “I spent the day harvesting strawberries at the Hunt farm. I love strawberries.”
Elizabeth nodded. “I can see that. You’ve stained your chin with some of the berries that probably should have ended up in a basket and not your mouth.”
Joy giggled. “They were so good!”
Sighing, Elizabeth looked at the letters on her desk. “I don’t have any farmers who are looking for a wife at the moment. A couple of ranchers if you’re interested in being a rancher’s wife. There’s a banker in Boston who needs a wife, which would have you close enough to visit more often…”
“A banker? I wonder if he has a garden I can dig in!”
Shaking her head, Elizabeth dug through the letters until she found the one from the banker. “Maybe? Here’s his letter. Read it and tell me what you think.” Elizabeth was unsure if sending her tomboy sister to marry a banker was the best idea, but perhaps it would work out. Joy was so true to her name that Elizabeth was certain she could bring happiness to anyone. “How on earth are you ever going to fit into Boston high society?”
Joy grinned at her sister. “Who says I have to fit in? Maybe Boston’s the one that needs a bit of shaking up!”
Elizabeth chuckled. She handed her sister the letter that had come from the banker in Boston and watched the play of emotions on her face as she read it.
Joy’s eyes scanned the letter, her brow furrowing as she absorbed the words. “Well, well, well,” she muttered under her breath. Leaning back against the sofa, she couldn’t help but laugh. “It sounds like this Thomas could use a bit ofjoyin his life, doesn’t it?”
Dearest Mrs. Elizabeth Tandy,
I am, as you may know, a man of finance. My days are filled with ledgers and numbers, my nights with the echo of ticking clocks and rustling papers. Yet amidst the arithmetic and solitude, there is a longing—a longing for companionship, for warmth, for shared smiles and shared life.
In seeking a wife, I yearn not just for a partner, but for a confidante and a friend. A woman who possesses not just beauty, but a depth of character. A woman who carries within her the strength of kindness and the courage of compassion.
In my position, I am often called upon to entertain clients of a certain social standing. It is here that I seek a woman who can navigate these waters with grace and charm. She should possess the poise to entertain, the wit to engage, and the wisdom to know when to simply listen. Her laughter should fill rooms.
She need not hail from the upper echelons of society herself, but she must be comfortable amongst them.
I believe, Mrs. Tandy, in your ability to find this woman, a woman who can stand by my side in both the quiet moments and the crowded rooms. A woman who can share in my joys, soothe my worries, and create a home that is not just a place of residence, but a sanctuary of love and warmth.
Thank you for your assistance in this deeply personal matter. I await your response with bated breath, hopeful for the future that your expertise may help me build.
Yours faithfully,
