Mail Order Bride: Westward Winds by - (children's books read aloud .txt) 📖

Maureen O’Connor watched her eldest daughter once again turn down a request to dance. She sighed resignedly. This was yet another night wasted on her headstrong girl. Theresa O’Connor was beautiful, witty, intelligent, and completely bored with their society. None of the would-be suitors were up to her high standards because they were, in her estimation, also boring.

She turned back to the conversation between her husband, Geoffrey, and his long-time friend, Mr. Alex Winters. They were discussing some matter of business that really didn’t interest her. Maureen knew her husband better than anyone and could tell Geoffrey had also noticed their daughter’s dismissal of the elegant young man. His handsome visage tightened imperceptibly and his deep brown eyes reflected his disapproval.

She laid a hand on his arm and smiled slightly.

He arched a brow at her and said, “Do you find this amusing?”

“I find it aggravating and amusing, dear. It’s aggravating because these events thrown in her honor seem not to be doing any good. It’s amusing because she reminds me so much of you. Always wanting things her way,” Maureen responded.

Geoffrey tried to keep the smile from his face but it was a lost cause. He knew Maureen was right. Geoffrey was caught between pride that his oldest offspring was so much like him and annoyance because he couldn’t make her behave for the very same reason. “I’m glad you’re enjoying this so much.”

Maureen’s smile grew. “Oh, no, Geoffrey. Not I. I think it’s awful.” She broke off into laughter, not able to continue as Geoffrey’s expression darkened.

Mr. Winters turned and watched Theresa sit with two of her friends and talk animatedly. “Tessa shot down another one, eh?”

Geoffrey grunted. “Yes. How does she ever expect to marry a good man if she doesn’t give anyone a chance?”

His best friend turned back to him. “She knows what she wants and none of the men you keep thrusting upon her are what she’s after, I’m afraid.”

Maureen cleared her throat. “Maybe she’s a little more like me in that respect. I, too, wanted something different and I got it,” she said with a gentle squeeze of Geoffrey’s arm.

“As did I,” her husband responded.

Mr. Winters grinned as he remembered their courtship. “And what a splendid time it was, watching the two of you duke it out. At times, it was hard to tell who the hunter was, or who was the prey.”

“Some of both, as I recall,” Maureen said.

“Agreed,” Geoffrey said. “Well, my wife, I suppose we should mingle and dazzle the masses with our charm and wit. Too bad dear Tessa hasn’t learned any of that from us.”

“Oh, I think she has it in spades. After all, she charms her way out of punishment well enough,” Maureen said and followed her husband.

“Oh, and did you know that Melinda Wainwright was caught sneaking around with Scotty Monroe? He’s supposed to be courting Rachel Linden,” Roxanne Carter told the other two young women with whom she sat.

Johanna Dillinger sat forward, “No! Who told you that?”

“I’m not going to reveal my sources, Jo,” Roxanne said. “But, they are quite close to both of them. It’s going to be quite interesting when it comes out, don’t you think, Tessa?”

“Surely,” Tessa said with no enthusiasm.

Her blue eyes, so like her mother’s, scanned the ballroom of their family home for any sign of anything that might interest her. She’d had no luck so far.

“And wild monkeys flew down from the heavens and landed on unicorns that took them to the desert, where they were eaten by naked old witches,” Roxanne said.

“Too bad I’m not one of them,” Tessa said.

Jo laughed behind a hand. “Which?”

“Either. It’s not every wild monkey who gets to fly and ride on unicorns and it’s not every witch who gets to sit around naked and eat monkeys,” Tessa answered, smiling brightly at Roxanne. “You thought I wasn’t listening. Fooled you.”

Roxanne frowned. “Don’t you want to know what’s happening in the world? You have to keep on top of things so you can make good decisions.”

Tessa gave a short laugh. “So