Mail Order Brides of Band of Sister Outlaws (A Western Romance Book)

By Faye Sonja

Three inspirational stories of women who risked everything for love and traveled thousands of miles to the western frontier.

Part 1: The Widow Bride & Her Baby

Torn between the outlaw life she's led and the life she aspires to, Anne wonders if she will find a place in Edward Wilmot's heart. Or will her lies be the undoing of her entire family?

Part 2: The Scarred Bride & Her Mail Order Husband

Mary Keats saved her mother and sisters from the fire that took their father's life, but she could not save herself. Scarred and torn between her life of crime and the family she longs for, can Mary find true love before justice has its way with her?

Part 3 The Outlaw Bride & Her Sheriff

Emma Keats has never let others run her life. Her husband is no exception. When it turns out everything he's ever told her is a lie, she is forced to make a choice. Save herself or save the life of the man she should have married.

3 parts of heartwarming mail order brides tales of love, romance, and triumph over adversity in one book.

Love on the western frontier was a rare treasure. Follow these inspirational women who risked everything to travel to the untamed West in the hopes of finding love and starting a new family.

If you're a fan of clean western romance, you will love this book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Faye Sonja
• Release date: Feb 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393239444

Faye Sonja

Faye Sonja is a multi-voiced writer who aspires to use different voices in telling her stories, seeing characters coming alive through the multi-faceted writing styles give her great satisfaction. As a young girl, Faye Sonja has been fascinated with stories of the Old West, especially the theme of Mail Order Bride where a woman will find the courage to leave her homeland, take the plunge to seek out the love of her life out there in the unknown land. Such an act requires bravery, such an act requires faith. It takes a woman with strong Christian faith to step out on such a pursuit for her love. It is Faye's desire that readers will once again have the courage to believe in love again from reading her books, to be inspired through the characters in her story who through perseverance, in the face of obstacles, overcame the hurdles using that simple faith and belief of theirs. 

Book preview

PART 1

The Widow Bride & Her Baby

1

*   *   *

Sherburn City,

Kansas, 1880

Why isn't she breathing? Anne Keats cried. Mother, help! My baby's not breathing!

Louise Keats took the newly delivered child from Anne's arms. She hurried to the water basin Anne's sisters had filled and dunked the baby under it, bringing it up and slapping its bottom. The baby began to wail, and Anne began to cry. Thick tears rolled down her face.

It's a sign from God, Anne said. Anne's mother and sisters looked at each other. Anne ignored them; all she could see was her precious child, alive and well. She thanked God for the miracle.

The life I have here, Anne continued, is no life for this baby. God wants me to find her a better home.

What are you going to call her? asked Emma, who thought it best to change the subject. Secretly, Emma and Mary had discussed the possibility of their sister leaving once her child came, but they had hoped it would not come to that.

Clara, Anne replied. Clara Keats.

It's a beautiful name, Louise said to her daughter. You should both rest now. We'll keep watch.

Anne breathed in the forest air and lowered her head back onto the makeshift mattress her sisters had constructed for her using leaves and sheets taken from the banker's wife. Anne's eyes closed instantly, but sleep did not find her. Her mind wandered. How had she and her sisters come to this life anyway? It was less than a year ago that they had a proper home and Anne a proper husband.

The image of Joseph Adams flashed through her mind. She wondered where he was now. He knew Anne had been with child when he left her during the night, sneaking away without so much as a note; would he come searching for her now? After nine months without a word, Anne did not think it likely. Even if he did, the divorce she had managed to obtain on account of his desertion would prevent him from taking Clara. They were both better off without him anyway; he was not the good, Christian man she had thought she'd married.

Her mind left Joseph and wandered back to her father. If he were still alive, what would he say about the life his wife and three daughters had made for themselves? She could still hear his cries as the fire consumed him. Their house had fallen, and his life had been taken from them all in an instant. Anne opened one eye and watched her oldest sister, Mary, poke the fire, which glowed in the dark night air. Her face, once so beautiful, was forever marred by that fire.

Mary had managed to save them all, their mother included. Yet, she would never forgive herself for the one person she could not save—their father. Anne closed her eyes again, and this time sleep overtook her. The last thought she had before falling into her dreams was that if the bankers who had owned their land had given them more time, Anne and her sisters might have found a way to raise the money to keep their farmland. They could have rebuilt their home eventually, if only they had not lost it all.

As it was, the bankers had taken their land and pushed the women off it. What other choice did Anne and her sisters have but to take back from the bankers the very thing they had taken from her family? Bankers would not miss their money; they could always get more of it, and there were so many other families like Anne's who needed it. Since beginning their bandit ways, they had taken money from more than six bankers and given it away to more than twenty families who had managed to keep their homes and livestock because of it. Surely God would not fault them for helping people. Anne and her sisters only ever kept a few dollars from what they took—enough to get them the things they could not find in the forests. Things like bandages and medicine.

When Anne opened her eyes again, it was morning. Clara had spent the night in her arms, sleeping peacefully. She rocked her child as she sat up. Emma, Anne's youngest sister, approached her, holding something behind her back.

Anne, Emma whispered, looking around. I'm not sure that Mary would be pleased with me for giving you this, but I clipped it from the newspaper last week for you. I've been holding it to see if you would change your mind, but since you haven't...

She handed Anne a clipping for an ad.

Mail-order bride? Anne asked, raising her eyebrows and looking at her sister. Emma had always been the adventurous one. I don't think this is the right way to go about getting a husband, Emma, but thank you. She handed the clipping back to Emma, who refused to take it.

Just think about it, Emma said. It might be exciting. A new town. A new life. Isn't that what you wanted? For Clara?

Anne hesitated, folding the clipping and putting it into her pocket. I'll consider it.

* * *

I will miss you all, Anne said through hot tears that choked in her throat.

We will not be far, her mother said. Paw Paw Forest is large, and we can hide in it for some time before being discovered.

Anne agreed with her mother but still wished that the law was not a factor in their decision to separate. Anne would have much preferred to keep her mother and sisters in town with her, but she knew the recent photos that had been circulated to lawmen in nearby cities did not make it safe for her family. Anne was lucky in that the only known photo of her in circulation was terribly inaccurate, depicting Anne as a dowager with gray hair, matching eyes, and thick ankles.

Anne's auburn hair, which she had inherited from her father, contrasted with her sisters' and mother's dark brown locks. Her blue-green eyes sparkled in the sun, but now they were filled with unhappy tears. I will come to see you when I can, Anne told her mother.

We'll be right here, waiting, in case you need us, Mary said. Her scars crinkled as her face tightened. Mary did not think Anne should be leaving to marry a stranger, but Anne had been touched by his letters. Edward Wilmot sounded like a kind and generous man. When she'd told him of her newborn child, he had shown enthusiasm and excitement, unlike other men who would have abhorred the idea of raising another man's baby.

Anne left her sisters in the forest as she walked toward Sherburn City. She paused at its outskirts, clutching small Clara in her arms, and took a deep breath. The city was bigger than she'd imagined. From the forest, it had seemed tiny, but now she could see buildings two, even three stories high. People bustled about her as she walked down the street and looked into each shop window.

The farmland of Montana Territory, where she'd grown up, had been spacious—their nearest neighbor at least a mile away. Here, homes seemed to fit on top of each other. Anne wondered how she was to adjust to something like this. Kansas seemed much busier to her than she was used to. She looked down again at the paper she clutched in her hand. It had Edward's writing upon it and an address.

Anne was looking so intently at the paper, trying to decipher where she should go, that she did not see the man she bumped into. Oh! she exclaimed, looking up. Excuse me. Clara began to cry, and Anne's face flushed.

My fault entirely, the man she'd knocked into said. He was an older gentleman, in his late fifties, with gray hair and twinkling eyes. I say, you look a little lost. Might I be of some assistance? I'm Reverend MacMillan, and I know where everything is in this city.

Oh, yes, thank you, Anne replied, grateful for his kindness. I'm searching for 152 Main Street.

Ah! That's not far at all. I shall take you there personally. He led Anne to the end of the street and paused in front of a large building. Here we are, he said. Oh my, are you alright, my child? He had just noted Anne's face, which had gone stark white.

F-fine, she said, attempting to smile. Her throat ran dry. The address Edward had sent her had now delivered her directly to Sherburn City's sheriff's station. Her eyes widened as she noted the bars on the second floor window.

Does Edward Wilmot work here? she asked the reverend, thinking perhaps he was merely a reporter who covered cases from the jailhouse.

Why yes, Reverend MacMillan, replied. Edward Wilmot is the sheriff here in Sherburn City.

Anne's heart stopped. She could not go in. She was a criminal. A wanted woman. What was she to do? Baby Clara began to cry then, and Anne looked down at her, smiling. She wanted nothing more than to give Clara the very best things in life. She could not raise her daughter as a criminal. Anne thanked the reverend and took a deep breath as she stepped through the doors to the sheriff's station.

* * *

Edward Wilmot greeted Anne with warmth and affection. His bronze hair and rich brown eyes softened Anne's fears. A man who could look at her with such kindness could not be all bad.

I am honored, he said, bowing slightly to her.

Anne smiled. As am I, she replied with a slight curtsy.

This must be your child. Clara, wasn't it?

Yes, Anne said, bringing her daughter closer. Edward rubbed one finger under Clara's chin, and she smiled up at him. Anne's fears started to ease, but then she saw the handcuffs that swung from his waist and the gun in his holster.

Are you alright? he asked her.

Y-yes. I'm... But images of Clara's face peeking at her from the other side of a cell ruptured her mind.

I'm sorry, she said, quickly turning away. This was a mistake. She ran from the station with no idea where she was going, only certain she must get away.

She had not gotten far before she felt an arm tug on her. She turned and saw Edward. His eyes were wide and worried. Please, he said. Don't go. Not yet.

Anne hesitated. His voice was so soft, so smooth. She felt like she could trust him. She wanted to trust him, but how could she?

Let us walk a bit first, at least, before you make any decisions.

Anne consented, slowing her pace and allowing him to walk with her.

I understand this must be difficult for you, he told her. It is not easy for me either.

Then why do it? she asked. Surely a man such as yourself, handsome and strong, could have his pick of women. His cheeks grew pink.

I have met all the women in Sherburn. City life has made them all hard and uninviting. I have no family of my own of which to speak. My parents died when I was only fourteen, and I've been making my way alone in this world since. My dear brother George lives not far from her in Myers Corner, but he has his own life. When I read your letter... I saw your courage. A woman alone like me, a new child to contend with, her husband killed. It only makes sense that we should be together.

Anne blanched at the lie she told him about Joseph. She had not wanted to mention divorce, thinking it would paint her in a bad light. Now she questioned whether that had been the right thing to do.

Come, there's something I want to show you. Edward led her to his house. It was a modest-sized, two-story home near the center of town, made of bricks and flagstone, with a good-sized yard, which Clara could play in as she grew. Inside, Edward opened the door to a room on the second floor. It contained a crib with a soft pink blanket and a small stuffed toy.

I promise you, Edward said as Anne's eyes filled with tears. Before God, I will never hurt you. I will always protect you and Clara, and I will love her like my own.

Anne was so moved that she could think of nothing to stop her from accepting his proposal. This man before her was decent and kind; everything Joseph Adams had never been. When he'd left her so shortly after the fire, while she was with child and still mourning the loss of her father, she had known then that marrying him had been a mistake. She did not want to make another one. She thought that leaving now, without giving Edward the chance he deserved, would be an even bigger mistake.

Alright, she said. I accept.

Edward beamed at her. We'll be married at once then, he said.

Anne was relieved to hear him say that. She did not wish to wait. Reverend MacMillan smiled when they entered they church.

Well, he said, good to see you again. I didn't realize you were Sheriff Wilmot's intended bride. Anne blushed. Shall we begin then? the reverend asked, and Anne nodded, glancing shyly at Edward.

The ceremony was short but sweet. Deputy Jake was their witness, and Anne caught a tear rolling down his cheek as they took their vows. He held baby Clara for her while they exchanged rings. Anne's heart lightened as the reverend pronounced them husband and wife. Finally, she thought, I have a new life to lead. She prayed it would be a good one.

*   *   *

2

*   *   *

Anne awoke during the night to the sound of Clara crying from her nursery. She put a robe on over her bedclothes, noting Edward's absence beside her, thinking he had simply gone to his study to do some work. In the nursery, she found Edward holding Clara in his arms, rocking her back and forth while she looked up at him with blue eyes that spoke of love and trust. Anne thanked God that she had made the decision to remain with Edward. Clara would have a good life now.

Edward smiled as she stepped into the room. Here's Mama, he said to Clara, passing her over to Anne. Anne smiled as she took her child. I thought I'd let you sleep a bit, he told her, his cheeks turning pink. I had hoped her cries wouldn't wake you.

I am a light sleeper, she told him. But thank you so much. You have already done more for me than my last husband ever did.

She regretted the words as soon as she spoke them. She never wanted to think of Joseph again. She wished she had not told so many deceptions to Edward. What would he think if he knew about her past?

The morning sun brought a lightness to Anne's heart that she had not felt since her father's death. Edward left for the jailhouse, and Anne decided to take Clara for a stroll in the new buggy Edward had purchased for them. She pushed Clara along the street, exploring the city with its many shop windows and restaurants. She had never seen anything like it in Montana Territory.

Anne missed her mother and sisters terribly, but she had only to look toward Paw Paw Forest in the distance, with its thick covering of green, and know that they were not so very far. She longed for the day they could all be reunited. From the corner of her eye, she thought she saw a familiar face—a man's face with jet black hair and eyes as dark as the night. She turned toward him but then he was gone, and Anne imagined that she was seeing things.

Anne pushed Clara along, turning down a side street that intersected the main road. She found a barbershop and a second general store. She could hardly fathom it. A town with two general stores! She passed it by, but reaching the end of the street, which led to nothing but dirt and gravel, she thought she would turn and go back. Perhaps there was something in the general store that Clara might use.

Upon turning the buggy around, the man she had seen earlier stepped from behind a door and blocked her path. Anne's mouth dropped open.

Joseph! she whispered.

Good afternoon, Anne. Or should I say, Mrs. Wilmot?

Anne took a step back without thinking, and her heel stuck in some mud. She pulled it free to see that Joseph was mere inches from her.

What do you want, Joseph? she hissed.

He looked toward the buggy. Is that my child? he inquired. What are you calling her?

Anne's throat had run dry. Clara.

Clara, Joseph said. A beautiful name for my beautiful daughter. He reached out one hand toward her, but Anne pushed it away. She hadn't realized until this very second how much better their lives were without him. Joseph had never been anything other than a gambler and a cheat during their two years of marriage. He'd duped her into marrying him by pretending he was a good, Christian man, and almost overnight, he had changed.

You leave Clara be, Anne said. A man walked by, a young girl beside him. They both glanced at Anne and Joseph.

I think your husband might be interested to know that he's married to a felon.

Joseph, Anne warned him. You stay away from him. Edward is three times the man you were.

He smiled at her, but it was crooked and unsettling. That's all I wish as well, he said. To stay away. Only, of course... He gestured toward Clara with his right hand.

Anne gasped. What are you implying? That you wish to take Clara?

I am her father, he retorted, his lips curling up. He had grown a small mustache since she'd last seen him, and now it curled down along with his lips, creating the shadow of evil upon his face.

You can't have Clara! Anne shouted. Several passersby looked at her, and she lowered her voice. You deserted us both. You left us both. It's too late. She has a good home here.

As you wish, Joseph said, tipping his hat. Just know that if I do not receive Clara from you in three days' time, I will be forced to tell your husband not just about your past, but about your sisters as well. I saw them hiding in Paw Paw Forest not so very far from here. It would be a shame if they were arrested.

You don't mean that! Anne cried.

Joseph tipped his hat to her and said, No need to find me. I'll find you. Remember, three days. Not an hour more.

* * *

Anne waited until the quiet snoring of Edward sounded in her ears, then she rose from bed and dressed, kissing his cheek before she took her exit. She hated to leave him like this, even for a moment. Her lies were catching up to her quickly. Anne wanted nothing more than to be a good wife and mother; Edward deserved nothing less. But she could not abandon her sisters.

She found Emma walking near their old camp. Emma saw her and ran to her, throwing her arms around her sister.

Anne! she exclaimed. It's so good to see you!

There's no time for that, Anne replied. I mustn't dawdle. Edward could wake at any moment. She followed Emma back to a new camp they had set up and informed her mother and Mary that Joseph was back and making threats against them.

Don't you worry about us, her mother said. We can take care of ourselves. It's you I'm worried for.

I'll be fine, Anne said. Edward will protect me. He adores Clara.

Does he know about us? Mary asked. About you?

"No. I don't know if he'd understand. But