A New Mam for the Girls

Bridget O'Grady is a mail order bride, an Irish girl from Boston. She replies to an advertisement for a wife to a man named Seth Masterson, and after a few letters back and forth, she agrees to travel the distance to marry Seth, using her last funds in the world to do so. When the poor young woman arrives at her destination, though, there is no Seth waiting for her at the stage depot in town.

After having to depend on the townspeople for help, Bridget arrives at Seth's home only to have him deny any knowledge of any letters. The culprits are soon found: Seth's two young daughters just knew their father needed a new wife, and they have written the letters!

Bridget has no money to return to Boston, and Seth certainly can't afford to send her back. There's nothing waiting for Bridget there anyway. Deep down, Bridget would like to stay, but she'd have to be a fool to contemplate marrying a man who on the very first meeting threatened to paddle her for her sharp tongue, wouldn't she? Problem was, those darling little girls needed a new "Mam," and she was hard-pressed to say no to them...

Joannie Kay does it again, with a sweet/spicy Western blending old-fashioned romance with old-fashioned discipline.

Book Length: 15,000 words / 5 chapters