Genevieve: Bride of Nevada (American Mail-Order Bride 36) Read Online Free Page A

chest of drawers. The dirty diaper pail is next to the dresser.”
    He nodded toward the piece of wooden furniture.
    Genny walked over to the chest and found two stacks of neatly folded diapers, Vaseline, safety pins and talcum powder. From the bureau, she poured water onto one of the wash cloths next to the pitcher, and then she walked back to Stuart.
    “Would you put her on the bed there, please?”
    She pointed to the small bed in the corner of the room. Both children must share this room and that was Billy’s bed.
    Stuart lay down Lucy and stepped back.
    The baby started to kick.
    Genny took over, just as she remembered in the orphanage. She unfastened the diaper pin and removed the wet cloth, cleaned Lucy and put on a new diaper. She dropped the dirty diaper in the pail and then picked up the dry baby, gave her a kiss on the cheek and held her out to her father.
    “No, you keep her. I have to go back to work.”
    “That’s fine by me. I’ll get to know Billy a little bit today. Maybe he’ll be, less shy without you there.”
    “It’s possible. I’ll see you at supper time.”
    Stuart smiled at Lucy, gave her a kiss on the forehead, then turned and left the room. His scent remained. Leather, sandlewood and man. Stuart didn’t say goodbye, which was fine, as least he said he’d see her later.
    Genny went back to the kitchen and found Nettie.
    “I see you’ve got our little princess.”
    “Yes, and she’s all clean and dry.”
    Lucy started to fuss.
    “Ah, I wondered when she’d be letting us know she’s hungry. I’ve got her bottle ready here.”
    Nettie handed Genny the flat glass bottle with a black rubber nipple. She hadn’t used one before and took a moment to figure out how to hold it, but soon she had it comfortable in her hand and Lucy was sucking greedily to get the milk within.
    “After she finishes, I’ll give you a tour of the house.”
    “I’d like that.”
    Lucy emptied the bottle in no time and Genny put a towel on her shoulder before she put the baby up there to burp her. Lucy gave a loud burp and spit up just a little. Genny was glad of the towel.
    Genny loved the house. As soon as she’d walked in, she fell in love. The structure was two stories and had three bedrooms. Stuart and Joe both had big bedrooms and then the children had a smaller room that they shared. There was a fourth bedroom but it was full of furniture and other things that were in use only irregularly and needed to be stored in between uses.
    The lower floor had the kitchen, with a bedroom off of it for Nettie and Pete, dining room, parlor and a large office with two desks, one for Stuart and one for Joe. They shared everything in the house. Genny couldn’t help but wonder what would happen when Joe married. She thought that a new house would be built for one of the brothers and the other would stay in this house. If Genny had her way, she’d choose to live here. She liked the way the house was set up and it just felt…like home. She’d never had a place that she could call home. The feeling of contentment rose through her, like roses growing in a garden. Slow and steady.
    *****
    Supper was a family affair, where family meant everyone on the ranch. Genny met all the cowboys and Pete, Nettie’s husband, who was a handsome man just as slender as his wife was stout. Pete and Nettie teased each other incessantly. He referred to her as the old woman and she referred to him as the old man. Genny could tell they loved each other very much. They’d been with Stuart and Joe since the boys were young and their parents owned the ranch. Nettie and Pete’s three sons and one daughter had been raised with the MacDonnell boys.
    “Where are your children now?” asked Genny.
    “Well the boys have their own places, cattle spreads around Reno and Carson City. And Martha, we lost her about six months ago.”
    Nettie’s eyes watered but no tears fell.
    “Martha?” Genny’s gaze flew to Stuart and back to Nettie. “Oh, my