{"id":206,"date":"2008-06-11T06:15:30","date_gmt":"2008-06-11T11:15:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/\/?p=206"},"modified":"2008-09-16T21:04:21","modified_gmt":"2008-09-17T02:04:21","slug":"a-bride-so-fair-by-carol-cox","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=206","title":{"rendered":"A Bride So Fair by Carol Cox"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It is time to play a Wild Card<\/span>!<\/strong> <\/span>Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a>. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his\/her book’s FIRST chapter!<\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/div>\n

Carol Cox<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

and her book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A Bride so Fair<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Barbour Publishing, Inc. (April 1, 2008)<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>CAROL COX is a native of Arizona, whose time is devoted to being a pastor’s wife, mom to her grown son, and a home-school teacher to her daughter, church pianist, and youth worker. She loves anything that she can do with her family: reading, traveling, historical studies, and outdoor excursions. She is also open to new pursuits on her own, including genealogy research, crafts, and the local historical society. She plans to write more historical inspirational romance, in which her goals are to encourage Christian readers with entertaining and uplifting stories and to pique the interests of non-Christians who might read her novels.<\/p>\n

Other Novels by Carol:<\/p>\n

Fair Game<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Ticket to Tomorrow<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Land of Promise<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Golden Gate Gazette-Love and Suspense Make Headlines in Historic San Francisco
\n<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Visit her at her website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/a>Chapter One<\/p>\n

SEPTEMBER 1893<\/p>\n

Stop, thief!\u201d ?The commanding bellow cut through the pleas-ant chatter of the crowds strolling the grounds of the World\u2019s Columbian Exposition.<\/p>\n

Emily Ralston shielded her eyes against the noonday sun and scanned the gaily dressed fairgoers on Government Plaza, trying to spot the source of the commotion.<\/p>\n

A lanky youth burst through a cluster of women and children on the far side of the plaza, scattering them like tenpins. Shrill exclamations followed him as he bolted past the ladies to the middle of the open area, where he slowed and glanced quickly from one end of its broad expanse to the other.<\/p>\n

A stocky man in shirtsleeves charged through the same group, evoking more outraged squawks. He stopped short, gasping like a winded horse while he scanned the crowd.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, you!\u201d he bellowed and started off in hot pursuit of the boy. In his haste, he collided with a young matron holding a small girl in her arms, nearly toppling them to the ground. The man halted long enough to steady the pair, although the infuriated look he cast in the boy\u2019s direction showed his longing to continue the chase.<\/p>\n

At the man\u2019s angry shout, the fleeing youth looked over his shoulder and picked up speed. Emily saw him snap his hand to one side and watched a paper container arc through the air and disappear behind a potted palm.<\/p>\n

Emily recognized the signs of someone doing something he shouldn\u2019t. She balanced on the balls of her feet, poised for action. She could never keep up with the long-legged adolescent if she tried to follow him across the fairgrounds, but there was more than one way to foil a troublemaker.<\/p>\n

The boy changed course and pounded across the pavement in her direction. Emily smiled. She waited until the last instant before he reached the spot where she stood then stepped into his path.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop right there!\u201d she demanded.<\/p>\n

The boy\u2019s eyes flared wide when he saw her blocking his escape. His feet scrambled for purchase as he veered abruptly to the right. Just as he passed, Emily darted forward and nabbed him by the ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cOw!\u201d The lad looked down at Emily with an astonished expression. \u201cLeggo my ear!\u201d He made as if to wrench himself out of her grasp, but a quick twist of her wrist brought him to his knees.<\/p>\n

Emily allowed herself a brief moment of smugness. It wasn\u2019t the first time she had been victorious against an opponent larger than herself. Growing up at the Collier Children\u2019s Home had given her plenty of time to learn how to equalize a difference in size.<\/p>\n

The stocky man raced up to them, puffing like a steam engine. \u201cThank you, miss,\u201d he gasped. \u201cThat was quite a catch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking command of Emily\u2019s captive, he seized the boy by his upper arm and jerked him to his feet. \u201cWhere are the goods you stole, you young guttersnipe?\u201d<\/p>\n

The look of alarm slid off the boy\u2019s face, to be replaced by a cocky grin. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not,\u201d the man mocked. \u201cWhy were you running, if you hadn\u2019t just stolen a package of Cracker Jacks right off the counter of my stand?\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily felt her jaw go slack. Cracker Jacks? She had risked her own safety for nothing more than a container of the new popcorn, peanuts, and molasses confection?<\/p>\n

Looking more confident by the second, the boy shook his head. \u201cI was just walking along, and you started shouting and chasing me.\u201d He shrugged. \u201cI thought you must be crazy. No one could blame me for running when someone so much bigger than me was on my tail.\u201d<\/p>\n

His captor looked at Emily with a glint of humor shining in his eyes. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t look to me like it takes all that much in the way of size to get you under control.\u201d His grin faded, and he gave the boy a shake. \u201cNow where are the Cracker Jacks you stole?\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy shrugged again. \u201cI\u2019m telling you, you\u2019ve got the wrong person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily broke into the exchange. \u201cThen what was that I saw you throw away?\u201d<\/p>\n

The youth paled, and the vendor turned his attention back to Emily. \u201cYou saw him throw something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBehind that potted palm over there.\u201d Emily walked briskly toward the plant and reached behind it, retrieving a paper package that rattled when she shook it. She returned to the waiting pair and held out the parcel. \u201cIs this what you\u2019re looking for?\u201d<\/p>\n

The man took it with a grateful smile. \u201cThank you, miss. I\u2019ll be obliged if you\u2019ll stay around until I summon one of the Columbian Guards so you can tell him what you saw.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily shook her head. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I work at the Children\u2019s Building here on the fairgrounds, and my lunch break is nearly over.\u201d From deep within the massive Manufactures Building, she heard the clock in its alabaster tower chime the three-quarter hour. If she wanted to keep her job, she\u2019d better get back to work and look sharp about it.<\/p>\n

The man\u2019s face fell. \u201cIf you don\u2019t, it will be my word against his. I left my nephew watching my stand so I could catch this young rascal, and who knows what kind of mess he\u2019ll have made of things by the time I get back? The least you can do is help me out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily wavered. Her supervisor took a decidedly dim view of tardiness, but the smug expression on the boy\u2019s face decided her. \u201cAll right, but only for a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

It took far longer than that for the guard to finish taking
\nher statement. With the thanks of the vendor ringing in her ears, she set off once more toward the Children\u2019s Building. In the distance, she heard a clock chiming the hour.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no.\u201d She glanced from side to side, taking note of the throngs of people dotting the broad walkways. None of them seemed to be paying a bit of attention to her. Taking heart from this, Emily hiked up the hem of her skirt, planted her hand on top of her hat to keep it from blowing off, and sprinted headlong across the plaza, paying scant attention to the gleaming white buildings as she raced over the bridges spanning the lagoon to the Wooded Island and then to the far shore. From there, a quick dash put her at the front of the Children\u2019s Building.<\/p>\n

She slumped against the outer door with one palm pressed against her heaving chest. When she managed to catch her breath, she pushed the arched door open and stepped inside. If she could assume her seat behind the reception desk before\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cYour lunch hour ended precisely three minutes ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily skidded to a halt and turned to face the gaunt woman standing against the opposite wall. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Miss Strickland. I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you plan to continue working here, Miss Ralston, I would suggest you make it a point to be punctual.\u201d Her supervisor\u2019s cold stare left no doubt about her disapproval.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, ma\u2019am.\u201d Emily ordered her knees to quit shaking and tried her best to appear composed as she hung her straw boater on the hat rack and walked toward her desk. Lucy Welch, her blue eyes shining with sympathy, rose from the heavy wooden chair to let Emily take her seat.<\/p>\n

Emily cast a grateful look at her friend; then she turned to bestow a wobbly smile upon the woman and boy who stood waiting in front of her desk. \u201cHow may I help you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould we finish here, please?\u201d The young matron tapped her foot and looked daggers at Emily. \u201cI would much rather be outside viewing the fair instead of waiting for you all to sort yourselves out. I\u2019m not certain I want to leave Alexander here if this is any indication of the competency of your staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the edge of her vision, Emily saw Miss Strickland\u2019s rigid posture grow even more erect. She fumbled with the heavy black book that lay open on her desk. \u201cI apologize for the delay. I wouldn\u2019t have been late, except\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuses are unacceptable.\u201d Miss Strickland\u2019s harsh voice broke in. \u201cI don\u2019t tolerate tardiness for any reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily clamped her lips shut to hold back the explanation she longed to give. She ought to have known better than to tarry long enough to give the Columbian Guard her version of what had transpired, but she couldn\u2019t find it within herself to let that boy get away with stealing the vendor\u2019s merchandise.<\/p>\n

She looked up at the boy\u2019s mother and forced a smile. \u201cIf you\u2019ll just give me some information, I\u2019ll check Alexander in and you can be on your way.\u201d She entered his name and his mother\u2019s in the ledger then pinned a numbered tag to the boy\u2019s back and handed his mother a claim check bearing the same number. \u201cPlease keep this in a safe place. You\u2019ll need it when you come back to pick up your son. Miss Welch will take Alexander to the gymnasium. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll enjoy that.\u201d<\/p>\n

She beckoned to Lucy, who had been hovering in the back-ground, then turned back to the boy\u2019s mother. \u201cEnjoy your time on the grounds. He will be well cared for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking somewhat mollified, the woman slipped the ticket into her reticule and turned to leave. Just before she reached the door, it swung open. A man in the uniform of the Columbian Guards smiled and held it open for her; then he stepped inside. His glance wavered between Miss Strickland and Emily before he approached the reception desk.<\/p>\n

She stared up at him, panicking at the thought that her attempt to do the right thing was going to cause her even more difficulty. \u201cI already told the other guard everything I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miss Strickland raised her eyebrows and moved toward the desk with a firm stride. \u201cBad enough to be tardy. What other trouble have you gotten yourself into?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s no trouble of this young lady\u2019s making.\u201d The guard stepped to one side, and Emily realized a small boy encased in a heavy woolen coat stood behind him. The tall guard lifted the toddler into his arms and smoothed the boy\u2019s tousled blond hair. A smile lifted the corners of his dark mustache when the boy sniffled and snuggled against his shoulder.<\/p>\n

Then he turned the smile on Emily, and she felt as if a giant vacuum had sucked all the air out of the room. She stared open-mouthed until Miss Strickland prodded her between her shoulder blades. Emily sat bolt upright and felt her face flame. \u201cHow may I help you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Before the guard could respond, Miss Strickland leaned toward Emily and looked her straight in the eye. \u201cI expect a high degree of professionalism from you, Miss Ralston. Your attitude reflects on the entire staff of the Children\u2019s Building. Please keep that in mind.\u201d Her heels clacked against the floor as she crossed the open court that occupied the center of the building and disappeared down one of the side corridors.<\/p>\n

Emily drew her first easy breath since the larcenous boy had crossed her path. She knew perfectly well what she had to do, and she could do it much better without her supervisor looking over her shoulder. She nodded a greeting at a couple who entered with two small children in tow then turned back to the waiting guard.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry for the interruption. What can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

The dark-haired guard hiked the child higher on his shoulder. \u201cThis little fellow seems to have lost his family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily took a closer look at the little boy, noting the tear streaks on his cheeks. He couldn\u2019t be more than three years old. She felt her heart go out to him. Standing to put herself on a level with the child, she adopted a cheerful tone. \u201cWe have lots of things for you to do until we find your parents. Would you like to stay here while this nice man tries to find them?\u201d<\/p>\n

The youngster buried his face in the guard\u2019s neck and shook his head. \u201cI want Mama.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily swallowed hard. She reached up to rub his back with a gentle touch. \u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy sniffled again then raised his head and looked at her. \u201cAdam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Adam.\u201d At least he was old enough to tell her that much. Emily turned toward the desk and pulled the ledger over to her. \u201cI\u2019ll write your name down here in this book, and then a friend of mine will come to take you to a room with lots of toys. You can play with them until your mama comes for you. Doesn\u2019t that sound nice?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. Emily could see his lower lip quiver.<\/p>\n

She dipped the pen in the inkwell and wrote \u201cAdam\u201d on the next blank line. She hesitated a moment with the pen poised in the air. \u201cDo you know your last name?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know your mama\u2019s real name?\u201d<\/p>\n

He gave the same response.<\/p>\n

The guard drew nearer and said in a low voice, \u201cSome people found him over by the north bandstand. When the performance was over, everybody walked away but this little guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The father who had just entered with his family stepped forward. \u201cExcuse me, but I couldn\u2019t help but overhear. I thought I recognized the boy. My family stopped to hear the performance at the bandstand, too. We saw his mother leave. I thought at the time it was awfully peculiar for her to go away and let such a young child stay there on his own.\u201d<\/p>\n

The guard turned an intense gaze on the man. \u201cYou saw her leave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right. In a hurry, too. She was practically running.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould you give me a description?\u201d The guard set Adam down beside Emily, and the two men moved a few feet away.<\/p>\n

Emily checked the couple\u2019s children in, half her attention on the task at hand, the other half focused on the story the father told while the guard made notes in a little notebook he pulled from his pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was a nice-looking woman,\u201d the man said. \u201cBlond hair, dark blue dress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith a gored skirt and a lovely shirred bodice,\u201d his wife put in. \u201cVery up-to-date. Her hat was trimmed with matching silk ribbon and ostrich feathers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her husband chuckled. \u201cTrust a woman to notice all the details of fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily handed two claim checks to the children\u2019s mother and rang the small brass bell on her desk to summon Lucy.<\/p>\n

Lucy appeared a moment later and gave all three children a bright smile. \u201cAre you ready to come with me?\u201d She bent to take Adam\u2019s hand, but Emily motioned her away.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust those two for now,\u201d she said. \u201cCome back in a few minutes, and I\u2019ll explain.\u201d<\/p>\n

The couple took their leave of their children. \u201cWe\u2019ll be back when your mother has worn me out seeing all the exhibits she\u2019s interested in,\u201d their father joked.<\/p>\n

When the door closed behind them, the guard walked over and knelt beside Adam. \u201cI\u2019ll go out and look for your mother now. You can stay here with Miss. . .\u201d He looked up at Emily.<\/p>\n

\u201cRalston,\u201d she supplied.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Ralston.\u201d He gave her another one of those smiles that made her stomach do flip-flops. \u201cShe\u2019ll make sure the people here take good care of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The little boy\u2019s chin wobbled, but he turned to Emily and placed his hand in hers. \u201cHello, Miss Rost\u2014Ralt\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily smiled down at him. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you call me Miss Emily?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, his expression solemn. \u201cMiss Em\u2019ly,\u201d he re-peated. His quick acceptance sent a rush of maternal feelings through her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t we take off your coat?\u201d she suggested. \u201cIt\u2019s lovely weather today, and I think you\u2019ll feel much better without it. I\u2019ll make sure we keep it safe so you don\u2019t lose it, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam hesitated then allowed her to pull the heavy coat off. Emily bit her lip at the sight of the sailor suit he wore, with its middy blouse and knee pants. This child was just too precious for words!<\/p>\n

While she tried to make Adam more comfortable, the guard left to go search for the child\u2019s parents. A moment later, Lucy hurried back into the reception area. \u201cWhat was it you couldn\u2019t tell me before?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll have to wait a little longer,\u201d Emily told her. \u201cAdam, this is Miss Lucy. She\u2019ll take you to those toys I told you about.\u201d<\/p>\n

The little boy studied Lucy then reached out to take the hand she extended and toddled off beside her.<\/p>\n

Free of responsibility for the moment, Emily propped her elbow on the desk and rested her cheek on her palm. She stared at the front door, lost in thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is a handsome fellow, isn\u2019t he?\u201d Lucy\u2019s voice came from right behind her.<\/p>\n

Startled out of her reverie, Emily jerked upright and banged her elbow on the edge of the desk. She yelped and glared at Lucy.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry.\u201d Lucy\u2019s unrepentant grin belied the sincerity of her apology. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to make you jump. . .that much, at least.\u201d Her grin faded. \u201cAnd I truly am sorry about what happened with Miss Strickland. I tried to cover for you when I saw you were late, but she came in and caught me at it.\u201d She wrinkled her nose. \u201cI should have known it wouldn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily sighed. \u201cIt\u2019s all right. It was my fault for not being back on time. I knew Miss Strickland wouldn\u2019t be happy about it, but she positively glared at me!\u201d She rubbed her sore elbow and winced. \u201cI hope she doesn\u2019t fire me. I don\u2019t want to lose the first job I ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst paying job, you mean. You\u2019ve been a hard worker ever since I\u2019ve known you. And don\u2019t worry about Miss Strickland. Did you know she has already gone through six receptionists in the four months the fair has been going on? I got that from Ruthie Lawson in the Day Nursery.\u201d She looked over her shoulder and lowered her voice. \u201cAnd they weren\u2019t all fired by Miss Strickland, either. Some of them got so fed up with her demanding ways that they up and left. People just don\u2019t do that on a whim, as hard as jobs are to find these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut that\u2019s my point. People are hungry for jobs right now. She knows she doesn\u2019t have to keep me here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lucy snorted. \u201cListen to me. While you\u2019re sitting here checking children in and out of the building all day, I have a chance to talk to the other employees. You are the best receptionist they\u2019ve had yet. Everyone says so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily hoped her friend was right. The thought of losing her job was always an underlying fear. With the silver crash, masses of people were unemployed, making it harder than ever to find work. But even if jobs were as plentiful as the sand on the shores of Lake Michigan, she would hate to leave the Children\u2019s Building. Providing a safe, nurturing place for children to play and learn while their parents saw the fair was a task she could embrace with her whole being, and taking part in such a worthwhile endeavor filled her with immense satisfaction.<\/p>\n

She had to admit that Lucy was usually right in her assessment of any gossip she managed to overhear. Maybe she could relax. . . just a little, anyway.<\/p>\n

Something pulled on her sleeve, and she realized Lucy was shaking her arm.<\/p>\n

Emily blinked. \u201cDid you say something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBack in dreamland again?\u201d Her friend sighed then took on the air of a patient teacher. \u201cI said you never answered my question about the guard. Don\u2019t you think he\u2019s handsome?\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily reached for a stack of papers. \u201cI suppose so. I didn\u2019t really notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lucy snorted again. \u201cOf course you didn\u2019t.\u201d She moved toward the back of the building. \u201cCall me when you need me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The front door swung open again, and Emily whirled around, wondering if the guard had accomplished his mission so quickly. Her heart sank when she saw the slender man who stood before her dressed in a double-breasted serge jacket and flannel trousers.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd how is my favorite receptionist today?\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily pressed her lips together and didn\u2019t answer. She watched as Raymond Willard Simmons III crossed the floor with a swagger that reminded her of a strutting peacock.<\/p>\n

What would it take to make him quit stopping by? Emily dreaded his unannounced visits almost as much as she dreaded arousing Miss Strickland\u2019s ire. If only she could tell him to leave her alone! But Raymond\u2019s father was one of the fair administrators, and upsetting Mr. Simmons would upset Miss Strickland. That was something Emily did not intend to do by choice.<\/p>\n

She tried to arrange her features in a pleasant expression while Raymond pulled a paper bag from behind his back like a magician producing a dove from his hat.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething to satisfy your sweet tooth.\u201d He set the bag on Emily\u2019s desk with a flourish. When she made no move toward the gift, he opened the bag and withdrew a caramel, holding it out for her inspection. \u201cFrom one of the finest candy makers in Chicago. I hope that when you enjoy them, you\u2019ll think of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily kept her smile in place, though what she would really enjoy doing was telling him never to darken the door of the Children\u2019s Building again. \u201cThank you, Mr. Simmons.\u201d<\/p>\n

His broad smile drooped. \u201cI thought we agreed we knew each other well enough to use our Christian names. Aren\u2019t you going to call me Ray? That\u2019s what my family calls me. . . and my closest friends.\u201d He said the last few words in an intimate whisper that was probably intended to make her heart melt. She ground her teeth instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really wouldn\u2019t be proper.\u201d Emily put all the primness she could muster into the statement.<\/p>\n

Raymond moved closer and rested his elbows on the desk, putting his face on a level with hers. \u201cPerhaps that\u2019s true here at the fairgrounds, where my father and I are seen as leaders. But away from the workplace, I see no reason to maintain such formality.\u201d He moved his hand toward hers. Emily immediately began straightening the papers on her desk.<\/p>\n

Raymond didn\u2019t appear to notice the slight. \u201cWhat about going to dinner with me tonight? It\u2019s time you got away from the fairgrounds and that dreary boardinghouse and saw something of Chicago. We could eat at the Palmer House\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout a chaperone? That would hardly sit well with your family, would it? What would they think if word got back to them that you had been seen in public with a young lady they\u2019ve never met?\u201d<\/p>\n

Raymond\u2019s face fell, and Emily knew she had scored a hit. His position as a member of one of Chicago\u2019s leading families meant everything to him, and he would do nothing to bring about his parents\u2019 disapproval or to risk their social standing.<\/p>\n

Three couples entered and formed a line behind Raymond. Emily lifted her chin and tried to look as businesslike as possible. \u201cI really must get back to work, Mr. Simmons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raymond straightened and gave her a sour look. He opened his mouth as if to say more but settled for a nod and exited, leaving Emily free to enter names and distribute claim checks.<\/p>\n

Alone once again, Emily tapped a stack of papers against the desk to square their edges then set them neatly in the upper left-hand corner of her desk. Spotting the bag of caramels Raymond had left, she set it in her bottom desk drawer, out of sight. She didn\u2019t want Miss Strickland to find things in less than perfect order.<\/p>\n

While she continued to straighten her work area, her mind turned back to the little boy the guard had brought in. There was nothing unusual about one of the Columbian Guards bringing a lost child to the Children\u2019s Building\u2014it had happened several times already in the two weeks she\u2019d worked there. But something about that little tyke tugged at her heartstrings.<\/p>\n

If she could feel such a connection toward a child she had just met, his mother must be frantic. Emily paused in the act of scooping up an armload of file folders. A frown tightened her forehead. Why would anyone go off and leave a child that age alone? And to leave in such a hurry, practically running, the man who witnessed it had said.<\/p>\n

She pulled open the file drawer and slid the folders into their places. A woman running through the crowded fairgrounds would be unusual enough to draw notice from any number of people.<\/p>\n

Emily wrinkled her nose. She had probably drawn a fair amount of notice herself with her undignified dash across the plaza earlier.<\/p>\n

MY REVIEW:<\/h3>\n

A Bride So Fair<\/a> is a romance novel with so much more. Set against the historical backdrop of the Chicago World’s Fair, A Bride So Fair<\/a> is a tale filled with murder, mystery, danger, suspense, romance, courage, and faith. After Stephen finds a lost little boy at the fair, he takes him to the Children’s Building where Emily becomes involved in caring for the child when his mother never claims him. The two are drawn into a web of danger and intrigue that draws them closer together as they endeavor to protect Adam – and themselves. I would recommend A Bride So Fair<\/a> to anyone who loves a good mystery, historical fiction, romance or all of the above.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time to play a Wild Card! Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his\/her book’s FIRST chapter! You never know when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=206"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":430,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206\/revisions\/430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}