New Year’s Dilemma (The Sister’s Mail-Order Bride Company #2)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Augusta Merriweather sat at her desk with a pen poised above a blank sheet of paper. She squinted at it a few times with the distinct feeling that she was about to make a terrible decision. Again.

After the debacle with Phoebe and Braxton, the Sisters’ Mail-Order Bride Company’s last two assistants, she didn’t want to hire anyone new only to see them fly back out the door just as quickly.

Luck had not been with them, but she had to admit it had certainly been with Phoebe and Braxton. The two were now happily married.

“Well,” Margaret said, peering at Augusta over her spectacles. “This is a pickle, isn’t it?”

Josie, who had been pacing the office for the better part of ten minutes, stopped mid-stride and faced them. “I still say Val left us in a lurch. I don’t think it’s fair. She should have gotten a hold of us much sooner. Sent a telegraph message.”

“I’m not sure Wild Rose Ridge even has a telegraph office,” Margaret said.

Augusta sighed. “The fact is, Val is getting married. There’s nothing to be done about it. The girl fell in love. Besides, isn’t that the entire purpose of our business?”

Josie and Margaret exchanged a quick look. They couldn’t argue with that.

“Yes,” Josie said. “But she married so suddenly, and with very little regard for our filing system, not to mention the state of our books.”

“Be that as it may,” Augusta huffed. “We are not going to keep revisiting this. What’s done is done. We should be happy for Val.”

“Oh, we are,” Margaret said. “It’s just that Val was so dependable. As were Phoebe and Braxton. Now we’re by ourselves again, and let’s face it, sisters, we pale in comparison.”

“We just need to find someone dependable like Val,” Augusta said.

“And sensible,” Josie added, pacing to the other side of the room and back. “And unmarried.”

“Maybe she should be married,” Margaret said thoughtfully. “After all, look what happened to Phoebe.”

Augusta waved a hand. “The chances of that happening again are slim.”

The three sisters looked at one another and nodded solemnly.

Cleopatra, their cat, sauntered into the room at that moment as if summoned by her name alone. She leapt gracefully onto the edge of Augusta’s desk, flicked her white tail, and surveyed the sisters with imperial judgment.

“Meooooow.”

“Oh dear,” Josie said, rolling her eyes. “She’s in a mood.”

Augusta and Josie turned their glares on Margaret. “You did remember to feed her earlier, didn’t you?” Josie asked.

Margaret gave them an innocent shrug. “Well, at least George isn’t here. Isn’t it a good thing we talked the messenger boy into walking him now and then?”

As if on cue, the messenger boy, whose name was also George, came into the office with the big sheepdog. The dog’s eyes locked on Cleopatra.

Cleopatra arched her spine, hissed, then took off at a run, heading straight for the bookshelf and leaping onto it.

George let out a woof and took off in hot pursuit. He banged into the bookshelf, sending loose papers flying. A book slid perilously close to the edge while another fell and narrowly missed George’s head.

The bookcase was just settling back into place when Josie planted her hands on her hips. “Someone is going to get hurt one of these days,” she said, stepping neatly out of the way as the dog thundered past.

Young George chased after George the sheepdog. “Come back here, you shaggy mutt!” He followed them into the back parlor, and the sisters could hear them pounding up the staircase.

Augusta shook her head. “Please tell me the door is closed to our apartment.”

Margaret nodded vigorously. “Oh yes, Augusta, of course it is.” She made a face. “I think.”

Augusta retook her seat. “They’ll sort it out.” She dipped her pen into the inkwell. “They always do.”

“Yes,” Margaret said. “Right after we lock Cleopatra up in the apartment and keep George down here.”

Cleopatra raced back into the office first and sprang onto the windowsill. George skidded to a halt beneath her, and the chase paused in a tense standoff.

The sisters tried to ignore the chaos as young George hurried back in, breathing hard. “There you are, you hairy pup. Now come here and behave yourself.”

Margaret beamed. “You have such a way with him. Perhaps you should take him into the back parlor and close the door, or better yet, the kitchen.”

“Right away, ma’am.” Young George grabbed George’s leash and began dragging him across the office while a smug Cleopatra watched from the windowsill.

“Qualifications,” Augusta said. “We should be clear about them.” She tapped her pencil against the blank sheet. “Shall we list them?”

Josie and Margaret eyed her. They both knew exactly what she meant. “We need to be very clear,” Josie said. “Last time, I think we were too vague in our advertisement.”

Augusta scribbled as they spoke.

“They must be organized,” Margaret said, “and of course level-headed.”

“And comfortable with paperwork,” Augusta murmured, writing it down.

“And with people,” Margaret added. “Young women in distress, in particular.”

Josie resumed pacing. “They also need to be capable of following rules.”

All three sisters exchanged the same look. “Do we have rules?” Margaret asked.

“Of course we have rules,” Josie shot back.

“Yes,” Augusta said firmly. “Rules that should be emphasized.” She paused, then reconsidered. “Or perhaps simply stated.” She nodded and wrote a few more lines.

“We should include that the position is respectable,” Margaret said. “And steady. Some girls need steady.” She wrung her hands. “Phoebe was looking for steady when she came to us. I’m so glad we were able to give it to her, even if she did leave.”

Augusta tapped her pencil again. “Yes. We need someone else looking for a job. Someone who isn’t going to move off to some ranch in Texas.”

Margaret and Josie exchanged another look but said nothing. Of course, they wished Phoebe and Braxton the best on his enormous cattle ranch. And really, what were the chances of losing another assistant to love?

They kept adding to the list until the room grew quiet. The scratch of pen on paper was oddly soothing. For a few minutes, the office almost felt normal again.

“The dog has settled down,” young George said as he reentered. “I must be going now. I need to get back to work. Thank you for letting me walk him.”

Augusta smiled. “We know you enjoy it, and so does the dog. Thank you. We’ll see you again tomorrow.”

“If I can get away,” he said with a grin. “Good afternoon, ladies.” He tugged on his cap and hurried out.

As the door closed, the sisters noticed a young woman standing in the vestibule. She was adjusting her hat, her eyes wide and hopeful in a way Augusta had learned to recognize immediately.

The young woman cleared her throat. “I was told to come here,” she said softly. “For assistance. They said you could help me.”

Margaret rose at once. “Of course, my dear. Come in. Oh, Josie?”

“I’ve got her,” Josie said, already moving. She smiled at Augusta. “Best finish the draft while I get us all some tea.” She disappeared into the back.

Augusta watched her go, then turned her full attention to the girl. “Have a seat, dear.” She gestured to the chair opposite her desk and glanced at the paper. The advertisement was nearly complete.

“Josie will be right back with tea,” Margaret said. “Then you can tell us your… trouble.”

Augusta smiled at the girl and reread their list of qualifications. “It will have to do,” she murmured.

Cleopatra hopped down from the windowsill and landed neatly beside a stack of ledgers, then sauntered toward the back.

Augusta smiled faintly. “Thank heavens George is contained.” She folded the paper. Outside, winter pressed against the windows. January could be a harsh month in Chicago. “Would you like to warm yourself by the stove, dear?”

The young woman’s eyes drifted longingly toward the potbellied stove. “If you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” Augusta motioned her over.

The girl hurried to it and held out her hands. “Oh, that feels good.”

Margaret crossed the office and cleared her throat. “You’ve come on a very cold day,” she said gently. “The wind and cold have a way of pressing in on people’s troubles.”

The girl nodded, her hands still hovering near the warmth. She blinked a few times before finally speaking. “Yes, ma’am. It does.”

Josie returned with a tea tray before Margaret could continue and set the cups down with practiced ease. She glanced from the young woman to her sisters and softened at once. “Here you are. Some hot tea will do you good.”

She poured each of them a cup, then carried one to the girl. All three sisters noticed how reluctant she was to step away from the stove.

“Thank you,” the girl said, accepting the cup and saucer. She closed her eyes briefly in bliss. “It’s so warm.” She took a tentative sip. “May I add some sugar?”

“Of course,” Josie said, fetching the sugar bowl and a teaspoon.

Augusta studied the young woman. “Tell me, do you have any office experience?”

The girl’s eyes widened. “Oh, no, ma’am. I’m afraid not. I’m not very experienced in anything.” She hesitated, then added, “That’s why I’m becoming a mail-order bride. I was told you could help me.”

Augusta’s shoulders slumped, as did Margaret’s. Well, they had tried.

“Of course we can help you,” Augusta said kindly. “In fact, we have several gentlemen seeking a bride. We can go over them just as soon as we finish our tea and you tell us a bit more about yourself.”

The girl nodded, relief flickering across her face.

Josie returned with the sugar bowl, and the three sisters watched as the girl added a spoonful and stirred. Augusta folded her hands on the desk, forgoing her own tea. “Why don’t you tell us what brings you to the Sisters’ Mail-Order Bride Company?” she prompted.

The girl swallowed. “My name is Edith Belknap. I was told you help young ladies find better situations. Respectable ones.”

“Oh, we do,” Margaret said warmly.

“I mean marriages,” Edith clarified. “You do deal in mail-order brides, don’t you? Or is this some sort of employment agency as well?”

“Oh no,” Augusta said with a small wave of her hand. “We’re simply in the process of hiring a new assistant. That’s why we asked about your experience.”

Edith shook her head and took another careful sip of tea.

“Go on,” Augusta encouraged.

Edith drew in a breath. “My father passed last spring. My mother is gone as well. I’ve been keeping house for my uncle, but he’s decided to move west and wants me to come with him.

” She shook her head again. “I don’t want to.

He’ll work me to the bone, and if I’m going to work that hard, I might as well do it for someone I’m married to. ”

“That makes perfect sense to me,” Margaret said.

“You were right to come to us,” Augusta agreed. “We can’t promise quick solutions, but we do promise care.” She gestured toward Josie. “Shall we continue?”

Edith’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Yes, please.”

Josie guided Edith to her desk and began explaining the process. Margaret edged closer to Augusta and glanced at the advertisement draft. “Well,” she murmured. “This is something else we need to add.”

“What do you mean?” Augusta asked.

Margaret nodded toward Josie and Edith. “We’ll need someone capable of managing situations like this. Someone calm.”

“And discreet,” Augusta added.

“Yes.” Margaret clasped her hands. “Someone who understands that this work is not always romantic. We should make that very clear.”

Augusta hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, I suppose we should.” She picked up her pen and added one final line to the advertisement. Thinking of Phoebe and Braxton, she wrote: No fraternization with clients or fellow employees.

She stared at the sentence for a moment as Josie peered over her shoulder. “That might be too harsh,” Josie said quietly.

“I think it’s necessary,” Augusta replied, underlining the words.

Margaret inhaled slowly. “Do you think we’ll find anyone soon?”

“There’s no telling,” Augusta said. She set the pen down. “As soon as we’re finished with Edith here, I’ll take the advertisement to the newspaper.”

A gust of wind rattled the front windows, making them all jump. “Oh dear,” Margaret said. “It’s getting stormy out there. We may have to wait until tomorrow.”

“I think you’re right,” Augusta said. “In the meantime, we’ll take care of Edith.” She turned to the girl and smiled. “Let us show you the three applicants we have. If none suit you, you’ll have to wait until more arrive.”

“Do you get them often?” Edith asked.

“Often enough,” Augusta said. “Winter tends to slow things down.”

Edith nodded. “I understand. But I can’t wait until spring. My uncle is set on leaving, and I don’t want to be talked into going with him.”

“No,” Augusta said softly. “I suppose you wouldn’t.” She made a small tsking sound. “It really is a shame you aren’t trained in office work.”

“Are we willing to train?” Margaret asked.

Josie snorted. “Us? Train someone to be organized?”

Margaret winced. “Oh. Yes. You’re right. Forget I asked.”

Augusta nodded sagely. “That would be wise.”