A Christmas Baby for Beatrice
(Mail-Order Brides’ First Christmas)
by Nancy Fraser
Blurb:
Beatrice Collier has had a hard life. Born into poverty, she was orphaned at six and raised in a state-run facility. As a child, she never knew the joy of the holidays. When she turned eighteen, she married for propriety, rather than love. Having never really known true affection, she had no inkling what she was missing.
Maxwell (Max) McCauley, a Professor at the state college, makes his living as a horticulturist. Well educated, a stickler for detail, his expertise is in demand, making him far too busy to properly court a woman. Fortunately, he has a meddling housekeeper.
Max wasn’t sure what he was expecting when his housekeeper told him that the woman she’d chosen for him was a widow. However, it definitely wasn’t the strong-willed, independent spitfire with dark red hair and the most magnificent green eyes.
Beatrice can’t believe what she’s reading when she receives the telegram offering her the chance to become Mr. McCauley’s wife. Perhaps, at last, she’ll find a real home, with a man who can support her, and with whom she can work side-by-side. Her only concern is how he’ll react when she tells him the one secret she’s been keeping from everyone for as long as she can remember. As much as she dreads the admission, she knows they can’t marry until she’s confessed.
Will the professor and the widow find what they both need? A happily-ever-after and Beatrice’s first ‘real’ Christmas?
Exerpt:
“A widow? You chose a widow to be my bride?” Max looked up from his journals and met Alice’s stern expression. “Without even discussing it with me?”
“Do you have a problem with a mature woman? A widow?”
Rather than respond to her question, he asked, “What about the other woman?”
“Too young, and she wanted to bring cats with her.”
“And that disqualified her somehow?”
“I don’t like cats,” Alice said simply. “Besides, she was barely of legal age. I gathered her main interest was to get to the west coast, and I was concerned she wouldn’t stay put past the first winter.”
Max released a haggard sigh. Perhaps this had been a bad idea from the very start. As a matter of fact, he was almost positive he’d made a mistake in letting Alice oversee his love life. “So, what can you tell me about my intended bride?”
“Her name is Beatrice Collier. She’s thirty-four, was married for ten years before her husband died in a factory accident.”
A sudden thought occurred to him. “Children? How many?”
“No children... not that I would have objected.”
“Yes, I suppose you wouldn’t, given your own children are grown and moved away.” He narrowed his gaze, and slowly shook his head. “I guess I have no reason to question or complain. After all, I did go along with this wild scheme.”
“You trust me, don’t you?”
“I do with most everything, but... a wife? I must admit I am uncomfortable with all this. Of knowing very little about a woman I’m supposed to marry.”
“Don’t forget, she’s accepting you sight unseen as well. You’re not the only one taking a leap of faith here.”
Another logical point. “Yes, of course.” He rubbed his chin, stewing again. “When will she arrive?”
“Her train arrives in Tacoma on Thursday morning.”
“But I have classes, I can’t—” he began to protest.
“Not to worry, Maxwell. Pete’s going to take that blasted motor car of yours and fetch her. They’ll be back before you return from the research station.”
He was silent for a few moments. “Fine. I can take the wagon. It’s more reliable on the bumpy access roads anyway.”
“There, you see. Everything is working out just as I planned,” Alice said with a wide smile.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B099HVPV86
Group Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B098NL7GB6
Bio & Links:
Nancy Fraser is a Top 100 best-selling and award-winning author.
She's also the granddaughter of a Methodist minister known for his fire-and-brimstone approach to his faith. Nancy has brought some of his spirit into her Christian romances. And, her own off-beat sense of humor to her clean & wholesome books.
When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.
