Read Mail-Order Bride Ink: Dear Mr. Weaver for Free Online Page A

throat and she cringed in pain.
    “Is everything all right?” Mr. Weaver asked. “Is the coffee too hot?”
    “A little,” she said. But her voice sounded better already.
    “Land sakes, child,” Mrs. Weaver said. “Have you not been well?”
    Sheriff Hughes was suddenly at her side. “The poor thing coughed and sneezed nearly half the trip.”
    “Is that so?” Mrs. Weaver said. “I know just what you need, but I’m afraid I’ll have to go to the saloon.”
    “The saloon?” Ebba asked in shock. “What do you need from the saloon?”
    “Isn’t it obvious?” asked the sheriff with a chuckle. “But don’t worry none – Mary here can fix you right up.”
    “You stay right there, dear, and I’ll hurry back as fast as I can,” Mrs. Weaver said with a smile.
    “I’ll go with you,” the sheriff offered. “A woman ought not to be barging into the saloon by herself. Especially when it’s you – you’re liable to scare the men half to death.”
    Mary Weaver just laughed. “Oh Harlan, don’t be silly.”
    “Yeah,” agreed Daniel. “She’s liable to scare ‘em completely to death!”
    Ebba couldn’t help but grin, even though she wasn’t quite sure what they were talking about. “Do you really think you can make something that will help? This has been a problem of mine for a long time.”
    “Common occurrence around here,” Mrs. Weaver said. “You aren’t the first to cough and sneeze around these parts, and you won’t be the last, trust me.”
    Ebba’s heart swelled. She wasn’t the only one? Of course she knew that, but she’d never been around people that had things as bad as she did. “Then by all means, don’t let me keep you, Mrs. Weaver.”
    “Daniel, why don’t you order up this pretty thing some lunch?” his mother suggested. “The two of you can get acquainted while Harlan and I take care of business.”
    “Sure, Ma. I’ll take good care of her.” He met Ebba’s gaze and smiled shyly.
    She studied him and had to agree with his first letter. He had beautiful eyes, and for a second she saw a part of his heart staring back. But could that be? They’d only just met. “Does this place have a menu?” she asked him, unable to think of anything else to say.
    “Kind of – depends on what day it is. This bein’ Tuesday, it’s beef stew.”
    “As long as it’s hot, that’s what matters.”
    “Are ya cold?”
    “No, it’s just that my throat feels so raw from coughing.” Maybe she shouldn’t have told him that, but it’s not like she hadn’t said so already. And if they were going to marry, better he know now.
    “Ya’ll like Hank’s beef stew. It’s not as good as Ma’s or Samijo’s, but it’ll do in a pinch.”
    “Who is Samijo?”
    “She’s my sister-in-law. She’s married to my brother Arlan. They were gonna come with us to pick ya up, but one of their younguns got hisself a bellyache day before yesterday.”
    “Is he still not feeling well?”
    “Don’t rightly know. I ain’t seen him since early yesterday mornin’.”
    It took Ebba a moment to absorb that. “You mean you’ve been in town sinceyesterday?”
    “Sure have.”
    She blinked a few times, unsure of what to say next. Why would they have come to town yesterday when the stage didn’t come until now? Maybe they had a lot of business to attend to and decided to spend the night? “Well,” she said. “I hope he feels better soon.”
    “Oh, he will – he always does. But he’s got what ya might call a sensitive stomach. That’s what Doc Brown calls it anyway.”
    Ebba smiled. “How many children does your brother have?” she asked as Hank approached their table again.
    “Three – two boys and a girl.” He turned to Hank. “Could you bring this pretty lady a bowl of your beef stew, please?” Hank grunted some sort of response before he turned and headed for the kitchen. “Don’t mind Hank,” Mr. Weaver said. “He gets grumpy like that ‘bout this time of day. Prob’ly