Prologue

Daisy Chambers slid the lacy curtain aside and stared out her bedroom window, watching intently as the Williams sisters tended their overflowing garden. For the past three days, ever since Daisy and her parents arrived from Albany, she'd been making the rounds of all the upstairs windows, acquainting herself with their new surroundings. Yet, always coming back to the same spot, often opening the sash just far enough to inhale the aroma of the fragrant flowers.

Invited to dine with their neighbors this evening, she was eagerly counting the hours. As intrigued as she was by the garden, it's the sign on the women's front gate that kept drawing her intense curiosity.

Garden Belles Mail-Order Bride Service.

What in tarnation was a mail-order bride?

Did they stick a three-cent stamp on the bride's forehead and send her off with the postmaster? It was all so confusing. She had so many questions. And, despite her mother's warnings about being on her best behavior, Daisy planned to ask each and every one of them.

"Welcome," the tallest of the sisters said as she opened the door on the first drop of the brass knocker. "Please, come in."

Her father escorted both Daisy and her mother forward with a sweep of his arm.

"Thank you so much for inviting us," her mother gushed. "I'm Sylvia Chambers, this is my husband Carl, and our daughter, Daisy."

"Daisy. How wonderful," the woman said. "We have at least two patches of daisies in our garden. I'll have to show them to you." Motioning everyone in the direction of the parlor, she continued, "My name is Zinnia. My sister, Dahlia, and our niece Tulip are busy in the kitchen but will join us shortly."

"Is everyone in your family named after flowers?" Daisy asked, her question drawing her mother's warning frown.

"Just the ladies, my dear," Zinnia confirmed. "Our brothers" names are Frank and Fletcher. Rather boring if you ask me."

Daisy smothered a laugh behind her hand. "How old is Tulip?"

"She's twelve," Zinnia explained. "How old are you, Daisy?"

"I'm nine, but I'll be ten in August," she said proudly. "Where are Tulip's parents?"

"Daisy Elizabeth Chambers!" her mother scolded. "Mind your manners."

"It's all right," a soft voice responded from the doorway. "I don't mind if Aunt Zinni tells her how I came to live here."

Tulip was tall, like her aunt, and rail thin… totally unlike Daisy's own plump frame. And very pretty.

"Tulip's father was our youngest brother, Matthew. He and Tulip's mother were lost to us in a buggy accident when Tulip was only two years old. We've raised her ever since."

"How horrible," Sylvia gasped. "But so fortunate you ladies were able to take her in and raise her as your own."

"She's been our most wonderful accomplishment. We're the fortunate ones," Zinnia told them. "Enough about us. Tell me, what's brought you to Saint Louis?"

"My work," her father explained. "I'm a solicitor for a textile company and we're building a factory here. I'll be overseeing the day-to-day operations and handling all the legal needs."

"And you, Missus Chambers? Do you work?" Zinnia asked.

"Please, call me Sylvia. At the moment, I'm busy getting the house in order. I was our church's secretary back in Albany. I'm hoping to find something similar once we're settled in."

"We have a lovely church not far from here," Dahlia said from just inside the parlor's double doors. "Zinni and I bring a bouquet from our garden every week for the dais."

"Even though it makes Reverend Becker sneeze," Tulip teased. "I think they do it on purpose, so he'll keep his sermons short."

Dahlia shook a stern finger in Tulip's direction but didn't issue a scolding. Instead, she announced, "Our meal is ready and waiting in the dining room."

Once they'd made their way to the huge table adorned with a lace tablecloth, and vases filled with flowers, Tulip steered Daisy to one of the open chairs and then dropped down beside her.

"What grade are you in?" Tulip asked.

"I'm supposed to be with the fourth-year students, but my teacher bumped me up to fifth year," Daisy told her. "How about you?"

"I"m in my sixth year, but I'm finding it really easy, so I hope they'll do the same and move me up an extra level when school ends in May."

"I'm going to be a teacher when I grow up," Daisy boasted, careful to not seem like a braggart.

"I want to be a doctor," Tulip admitted. "Now that they're finally letting women practice medicine, I want to go to Boston Women's Medical School. My uncle Frank lives near there with his family, so I can stay with them."

Despite the adult's conversation going on around them, she and Tulip were in their own little world. Tulip told her all about the school, and how they were lucky to have two teachers, rather than only one. They talked about boys… although Tulip seemed far more interested in them than Daisy was, or ever planned to be.

Discussions of slimy boys aside, Daisy got the sense she and Tulip were destined to become the best of friends. "Can I ask you a question?" Daisy said in a whisper.

"Sure."

"What's a mail-order bride?"