Read Josephine: Bride of Louisiana (American Mail-Order Bride 18) for Free Online Page B

into the mirror and threw her long, honey braid back over her shoulder and patted at the circles under her eyes.
    Her cooking session with Bernadette had been about what she’d expected--she remembered very little about cooking anything French. After all, she’d been cooking little besides potatoes, cabbage and the occasional brisket for quite some time, money being scarce for her and her roommates. She had gotten good at feeding many mouths with very little--but here, that didn’t seem to be as valuable a skill. Here, spices, sauces, baking and butter were the priority and she’d fallen into bed exhausted, her head spinning.
    Bernadette had been kind, of course, only raising her eyebrows a few times at what must have seemed like ridiculously simple questions to her--things that Josephine should have known. How to knead? She should know that, but she couldn’t remember. How to whisk? Again...any French woman would have known what that was, she speculated, and she was grateful that Bernadette had been so busy that she’d not commented on these things if she had noticed at all.
    As exhausted as she’d been, she hadn’t slept well, still stunned at what Bernadette had told her--that she was to go shopping today for a new wardrobe. She supposed that they’d all realized that her better clothes were not coming as she’d told them, and what she had wasn’t fit for a lady.
    Either way, she was nervous and excited--both at the prospect of new clothes and that she would be going into New Orleans. Her stomach fluttered with excitement at the thought. She’d read what she could about New Orleans and it seemed to be a very exotic place, compared to Lawrence--well, the factory anyway, which was just about all she had gotten to see for the past several years.
    She dressed quickly and grabbed the only coat she had, a little twinge in her heart as she noticed the thin fabric on the elbows. At least she’d have something new shortly. At first, she thought maybe she shouldn’t accept, it was too generous. But as she rolled it around in her mind, she decided that it was necessary, and if she was going to be a help rather than a hindrance, she may as well go along.
    Even though Bernadette had mentioned they would need to leave early for the fairly long ride into town, she’d been up for hours and headed downstairs at the appointed time. Bernadette looked up as Josephine walked down the steps, trying not to go too fast in her excitement. She hadn’t had new clothes in--well, she couldn’t really remember when, but she knew it had been a very long time.
    “Look at you, all ready to go,” Bernadette said as she shrugged on a coat and smiled at Josephine. “An early start will mean we can get back in time for supper. I wouldn’t want to delay your meeting with Pierre any longer than we have to.”
    Josephine’s stomach flipped at the thought and she drew in a deep breath. Yes, today would be the day. She looked down at her shabby coat and worn shoes and was grateful that at least she’d be wearing something different when she finally met him.
    A man she hadn’t met, dressed in a black coat and hat, helped her into the back of the covered buggy and Bernadette right after her. He climbed up in front of them and flicked the reins, heading down the willow-lined drive.
    As they reached the end of the drive, Josephine turned to look at the house she’d noticed the young woman come out of the evening before. Her heart tugged as she saw the small child--a girl, she could see now in the light of day--ran from her mother, who laughed and chased close behind.
    She sighed and leaned back into the buggy. She’d never really thought about having children before. The only future she’d seen for herself was the factory, so she’d never allowed it to enter her mind. But now, as it was firmly not in her future, she felt a vague longing for something she would surely never have--a child of her own.
    “Is something wrong, Josephine?”