Page 1 of Mail-Order Millie (A Mail-Order Mystery #1)

One

B oston, September 1889

“I’m sorry Millie, but your father has passed.”

Millie stared at Dr. Garrett, her heart in her throat. Her father’s death didn’t come as a shock. He’d been ill for some time now. Still, the fact he was gone hit hard.

She sank onto a sofa, a hand to her chest, and took in her meager surroundings. She’d spent everything they had on doctors to keep Father alive a little longer. But Gene Scott’s time had finally run out.

“Miss Scott?” the doctor prompted.

Millie nodded and lifted her gaze to his. “Thank you, Dr. Garrett, for all you’ve done.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.” He patted her on the shoulder, put a few stray items into his doctor’s bag, and turned toward the front hall. “I’ll settle with you later. I know you have arrangements to make.”

She swallowed hard. “Thank you.” Millie was already doing calculations in her head. There wasn’t much more she could sell, and after she paid everyone, there would be nothing left. She’d be destitute.

The thought daunting, she headed for the kitchen when there came a knock on the front door.

Millie answered it. “Mr. Thornton.” She stepped aside for her father’s lawyer.

Mr. Thornton took off his hat. “I just spoke with Dr. Garrett. He told me the news. My condolences, Millie.”

She nodded once as an odd numbness took hold. Father’s passing wasn’t a huge shock, but she didn’t think it would affect her like this.

“Tea?” she managed to say.

“Yes, thank you.” Mr. Thornton entered the parlor and sat. “I’ll help you make all the necessary arrangements.”

Millie caught his upward glance. “Poor Gene. I wish he’d have held on a little longer.” He looked at Millie. “You realize you’ll have to sell the house to pay his debts.”

She closed her eyes. “Yes.” Tears stung the backs of her eyes. “Can you help me…”

He held up a hand. “I’ll take care of all of it. But… what will you do now? I know your father’s financial situation. He left you nothing. I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be,” she said, cutting him off. “He gambled himself to death, one could say.”

Mr. Thornton said nothing to that. Her father got shot for cheating at cards. The wound didn’t heal right, and eventually he succumbed to an infection that ravaged his body.

“You know, my wife knows a woman who became a mail-order bride recently. We just heard from her. She’s married now and starting a new life out west. Maybe you should consider…”

She looked at him, aghast. “Marry a stranger?”

“There are worse things.” He stood. “I should go. Thank you for the offer of tea. Please make some for yourself. I’ll send someone to gather your father.”

Millie nodded and realized she hadn’t been upstairs yet. She swallowed hard. “I want to say goodbye.”

“Of course. But expect someone within the hour to take him away.”

She nodded and looked at the staircase.

“I’ll let myself out.” Mr. Thornton left the parlor and headed for the door. When he reached it, he turned. “Think about what I said. There are plenty of advertisements for brides in the papers. You should at least peruse some.”

She gave him a blank look and nodded. “Yes, of course.”

Mr. Thornton gave her a nod and left.

Millie looked at the stairs, tears in her eyes. So, this was it. She was alone, destitute, with no place to go. What else could she do? Becoming a mail-order bride might be her only viable option. She didn’t have money for another place just now. She had no relatives to stay with, and because of Father’s poor reputation, who would take her in?

No money, soon no roof over her head, no job, no hope. Thank goodness Mr. Thornton was willing to help her with the arrangements. But, like everyone else, so long as he got his money, he’d be happy to do her a favor.

She trudged up the stairs. Boston was a big city; a change would do her good. There were lots of small towns out west. Maybe she’d wind up in one of them. There were large ones too. San Francisco, Seattle, Salem, and Portland to name a few.

She reached her father’s door, straightened her shoulders and went inside. Dr. Garrett had covered her father with the bed’s quilt.

Millie stared at the covered figure upon it. “So, you’ve left me. I hope and pray you’re in a better place, Father.”

She clasped her hands before her and caught sight of her reflection in the mirror over the dresser. Her dark hair was escaping its pins, and there were dark smudges under her brown eyes. Her creamy complexion made her brown eyes seem darker, and she noted how little color was in her cheeks.

“I’m going West, Father. I’ll marry and start a family. All the things I’ve talked about. My husband will be kind and a good provider. He won’t gamble or say the Lord’s name in vain a hundred times a day. Yes, you were… difficult, Father. You… you cared more for your cards than you did for Mother and me. I imagine if she hadn’t died a few years ago, she and I would have left you.” She wrung her hands a few times. “I’m trying to think of nice things to say, but… the words won’t come yet. You’ll forgive me if it takes some time to forgive you.”

She brought her clasped hands under her chin as tears stung the backs of her eyes. “So, this is goodbye. I’ll have my husband and my children to keep me company. Eventually I’ll have grandchildren too.” She took a step toward the bed. “You realize you’re forcing me to marry a stranger.” She caught the bitterness in her voice and took a deep breath. “But I’ll manage. I always do. He’ll be honest, forthright, and again, he won’t gamble. I’ll make sure of that.”

A tear slipped down her cheek, then another. She knew she had to forgive him, but the words still wouldn’t come. Dr. Garrett warned her they might not. He knew her family and knew the strained relationship she had with her father. Though he was in his late twenties, the doctor knew her family well and told her to give it time, and when she was able, to tell Father she forgave him, no matter where she was or how long it took to get to that point. She had to speak the words.

“I’ll tell you I forgive you when I’m good and ready, Father. Until then I’m afraid you’ll just have to wait.” She fixed her gaze on the quilt, and wiped tears from her eyes. “Goodbye.”

Millie turned and left the room. She was numb, her heart empty, and Mr. Thornton had given her a way to fill it. Eventually. She just hoped her future husband, whomever he may be, was nothing like her father.