Authors: Verna Clay

Baby Kisses (18 page)

BOOK: Baby Kisses

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Brant fingered the letter from Philadelphia. He'd placed ads in newspapers, local and cross country, and wondered if the call of the West would provoke responses from city girls. He'd received a few, but from the tone of the letters, they'd seemed to high and mighty to live in a simple cabin on a small ranch. He slipped a thumb under the envelope flap and ripped it open. The letter was short and written on quality stationary in neat print. He read it a couple of times.

Going to his room, he retrieved a paper and his quill, and returned to the dining table. Tapping his jaw, he thought about his response.

May 1, 1970

Dear Miss Vaughn,

Thank you for your letter and also your forthrightness. Please tell me more about yourself and why you would want to marry someone you have never met and mother children that are not your own.

As for myself, I will also be forthcoming. I am solely seeking a mother for my children. If you have romantic notions, I am not the husband for you. My wife died a year ago from lung fever. I have two sons, a fourteen year old and a two year old, and a ten year old daughter. My ranch is small, as is my cabin, so if you are looking for anything else, I suggest you not respond to this letter.

As for your qualifications, they are excellent. My eldest son loves reading. I can hardly get him to complete his chores without a book in hand. My daughter is very smart and an avid learner. Both my elder children attend school whenever there is a teacher available and I am the son of a teacher.

Two Rivers is a small town that does not have much in the way of diversion to keep folks interested.

So, as you can see, I have not painted a pretty picture. I have written the truth so as to not waste my time or yours.

—
Brant Samson

Novels and Novellas by Verna Clay:

Fantasy Romance

Shapeling Trilogy

Roth: Book One: Protector

Fawn: Book Two: Master

Davide: Book Three: Prince

11:11: Countdown to 2012

The Theory of Everything

Far Into Yesterday (Novella)