A Bride for Logan by Barbara Goss (free children's online books TXT) 📗

had finished eating, she said, “Thank you, Rachel. It was delicious.”

“Now, I’ll give you a slice of kuchen.”

The ham sandwich was delightful, and Emma had tried to eat gracefully, but it hadn't been easy because she’d been starving. The kuchen had finally filled the void in her stomach, and she sipped her tea contently.

“The kuchen was fantastic,” Emma said.

“Now, tell me how you met Logan.”

Emma was faced with a dilemma—what should she tell the woman? Surely not the truth. Emma crossed her fingers under the table. She’d have to lie. She hoped God would forgive her for it.

Emma gave Rachel the same story Logan had given his sister about their meeting and falling in love when Logan had gone to Springfield to breed a horse.

“How romantic,” Rachel said. “I love a romantic story.

"So, you and Logan are happily married?”

Emma took a long sip of tea while thinking up a good answer. “Yes, of course. It all happened so quickly, and we’re still adjusting to married life, but we’re doing well.”

Rachel stood and opened the kitchen windows. “It’s growing warm in here. It looks to be another warm, late spring day, and with the stove fired up, it gets hot in here quickly.” She went around the kitchen, opening several windows.

Emma enjoyed the breeze coming in from the windows near the table. The aroma of flowers permeated the air, and she could see several large flower beds in the backyard. With the flowers and birds chirping, the mood in the room turned sunny and pleasant.

“This is lovely,” Emma said. “Your flowers are breathtaking. I’d love to do something like this at our place.”

Rachel refilled their cups and sat down across from her. “My crocuses came up wonderfully this year, but my daffodils are already sagging.”

“The colorful tulips along the path leading to the house were extremely welcoming,” Emma said.

“When you start your garden, I could—well, that is, if I see you again, I could give you some tips.”

“How far am I from Hunter’s Grove?”

“About fifteen miles. We’re between Hunter’s Grove and Russell. Russell is our nearest town and where we pay our taxes. It’s quite a ride, though, so we only pick up mail and supplies a few times a month.”

Emma figured she’d been unconscious on Dallas’s horse for a good four hours.

Rachel stood, collected the dirty dishes, and put them in the sink. “Shall we sit out on the porch? I’m eager to hear how you became stranded out here in no-man’s-land.”

Emma began her tale once they'd settled on the porch, with the aroma of flowers and the sound of birds chirping in the background.

“A man, whom I’d rejected in favor of Logan, followed me to Hunter’s Grove for revenge. He partnered with a saloon woman and tried to blackmail Logan. When that didn’t work, he came to the house, kidnapped me, and took me to a barn that had belonged to a family called Anderson, where he tied me up. The saloon woman came just in time to stop the man from ravishing me. I think she wanted him all to herself, which saved me. She also loosened the ropes around my wrists. When they left, I was able to free myself.”

“They didn’t hurt you at all?”

“No. I prayed the whole time, and I know it helped.”

“So, where is Logan? Isn’t he trying to find you?”

“I’m sure he is, but I’m not sure he’d know where to look. I had no idea they’d taken me so far from Hunter’s Grove.”

“Logan’s father has connections. Surely he could—”

“No, he passed about year ago,” Emma said.

Rachel gasped. “Did he? How sad.” She stared into space for several minutes before saying, “He was a good man.”

“It seems like you knew him well.”

Rachel took a deep breath before saying, “You might say that. He was my husband.”

Now it was Emma’s turn to gasp. “Your husband? Are you…Logan’s mother?”

Rachel nodded.

Emma recalled how Logan didn't want to talk about his mother. “I’m confused, Rachel. What happened?”

“It’s a long story, but you deserve to hear it, and I’m in the mood to tell it. Especially with Henry gone, I need to tell someone.”

“I’m all ears,” Emma said.

“I met Henry in Kansas City. He was extremely romantic and he swept me off my feet. He offered me a good life, so I accepted his proposal. He’d bought land in Hunter’s Grove and was building a home there. He was a good-looking man with a substantial bank account, and that influenced my decision, I have to admit. I was fond of Henry, but I didn’t know what love was. I had just celebrated my eighteenth birthday and had never been courted before.

“Things went well for a few years. I gave birth to Prudence and then to Logan, who was named after my father. Henry’s best friend, Tim, was a frequent guest in our home. He was lively and fun while Henry was serious and seemed fonder of his horses than he was me. I needed liveliness in my life, and I gravitated toward Tim. He took me riding often, since Henry was too busy, and we fell in love. It just happened.

“We both knew it was wrong, but how could we deny our feelings? I felt torn between two worlds. Tim was the brave one. He suggested we go our separate ways. He started courting a woman, and I tried to be happy with Henry and the children, but my heart ached.”

Tears rolled down Rachel’s face. She wiped them away and continued. “Tim felt the same. One day, he found me out riding, and we…ran into each other’s arms; it was the most heart-wrenching scene. I knew—I think we both knew—that I had no choice but to leave Henry. It broke my heart to leave the children, but I couldn’t