Read BRIANNA: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (Mail-Order Brides Club Book 4) for Free Online Page B

also from back east.
    Colleen wiggled her brow, trying to place Gertie.
    “I don’t think I know her.”
    “She said she’s new here. Her family just moved to town a little over a month ago.”
    “Oh, that explains it, then. I still don’t know everyone in town, especially those who are new.”
    When they pulled up to the house, Colleen said, “I have something exciting to show you.”
    “What is it?” She could sense her excitement.
    “What do you think? Come see.” Colleen scrambled out of the buggy, tied up the horses and then they went inside. Colleen walked toward the den, where she kept her sewing machine. A moment later, she came back holding a breathtaking blue dress and held it out to Brianna.
    “Go ahead, try it on.”
    “I can’t believe you finished it already!” Brianna was amazed. It hadn’t even crossed her mind that the dress might already be done.
    “It doesn’t take me long. I worked on it some this morning before breakfast and finished it up while you were at choir practice. I need to check the length, though. I still might want to bring it up a little.”
    Brianna took the dress into the bedroom and slid it on. She walked back into the main room and turned so that Colleen could fasten the back.
    “What do you think? It feels good,” Brianna said. The smooth and silky material felt lovely against her skin.
    “Paul is going to be star-struck,” David said as he strolled into the room.
    Colleen smiled. “I really think he might be. The dress looks beautiful on you. There’s a mirror in my room. Go take a look.”
    Brianna walked into Colleen’s bedroom and turned in front of the mirror to get a good look at the dress. It wasn’t very fancy, but the color and the cut of the fabric were very flattering. Brianna realized that Colleen had left room in the middle, and the dress had more of an Empire waist, so that it was snug around her ribs but then flowed open so that even as she gained weight over the coming months, she would still be able to wear it. It was very cleverly designed. She walked back out into the room and gave Colleen a big hug.
    “Do you have any idea how talented you are? This is incredible, and I’ll be able to wear it for a long time.”
    Colleen’s eyes twinkled. “Yes, you will.”

Chapter Seven
    B rianna was on edge all day Friday, somewhat nervous about the evening ahead and anxious to get fully settled at school. The children were still on their best behavior, but she sensed that was bound to change. And it did, just before lunch, when they were outside for their mid-morning recess. She and Ellie took turns supervising the children when it was time for their short break. Today, Ellie was on duty, and Brianna took advantage of the time to go over her lesson plans for that afternoon. She had just closed her planning book and was expecting the children to return to the classroom any moment when there was a loud, angry scream, followed by yelling and the shuffling sound of movement outside, which she guessed was children fighting. She stepped outside to see what all the commotion was about and saw Ellie attempting to break up two children that were throwing punches at each other. She got the two of them separated just as Brianna walked over. Peter and a slightly older boy, Michael Simpson, were both disheveled and smudged with dirt.
    “What was all this about, then?” Brianna asked the two boys. Neither said a word, just looked down at the ground.
    Millie stepped forward then and put her hand on her brother’s shoulder.
    “Michael started it. He stole Peter’s lunch.”
    Michael looked up then, in surprise. “I did not! I just hid his apple. I was only fooling around.”
    “We don’t fool around with food,” Peter said quietly.
    “That apple is his lunch,” Millie explained to the two teachers. Peter looked down again, and Brianna sensed that he was ashamed. She also guessed that it was the same for Millie, as well. No wonder Peter was so upset. How