Big Bad Rancher: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance by Tia Siren (22)

Chapter One

Frustrated and hot, Claire “Gabby” O’Reilly threw a blue sheet over the line and roughly straightened one side, then the other. She coughed once or twice and cleared her throat. She didn’t like the way her anger was growing. She didn’t want to be miserable all her life, either.

She repeated her earlier motions with another sheet, tossing it and straightening it just as roughly as she had the first. Her brothers, Aeden and Donovan, were also tossing something – a ball. They were able-bodied. Why didn’t they have chores to do?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She was 23 years old and had never experienced a true day of her life. There was only cleaning, cooking, laundry, when would it end? It would never end, as far as she was concerned.

Her brothers were not little children. She picked up a towel and looked at them as she shook it straight. Aeden wasn’t wearing a shirt and his muscles bulged when he caught the small ball and sent it flying back to Donovan, who was affectionately called “Donnie” by everyone in their little New York country town. The population was mostly Irish and many were kin to each other. She herself had many relatives nearby. It was like they had just brought Ireland over to New York and claimed a bit of land.

But the officials in town weren’t Irish. They were Americans and they let all the Irish people know it. She didn’t like it. She didn’t like the way they treated her relatives one bit.

Gabby’s thoughts ran in roundabout fashion, coming back to her personal situation when her eyes focused on her brothers again. They had stopped throwing the ball and were wrestling all over the lawn. Donnie’s shirt was also off and their tan bodies were sweaty. She reached up, pulling her apron up to her forehead and wiping her own sweat away.

They weren’t expected to do any chores around the house. Gabby’s family owned one of the largest general stores in town. Aeden and Donnie ran it. She narrowed her eyes, throwing yet another sheet up on the line to dry. She straightened it, stewing in her exasperation. They didn’t really do anything. They just told other people what to do. They never did anything around the house.

She heard a bell ringing from inside the house and peered in through one of the windows on the second floor. She saw a hand waving. Her grandmother needed something. She glanced over at her brothers, who had now stopped wrestling and were just sitting in the grass, talking. They didn’t move. She knew they heard that bell. But were they going to go help Nana? No. Of course they weren’t.

She sighed heavily and abandoned the remaining part of the wet laundry to attend to her grandmother. Both of her grandparents were elderly and frail. It seemed amazing that she had lost both her parents, who had been so strong and vibrant, in a tragic train accident and was left with grandparents who couldn’t even get out of bed by themselves most of the time.

She was disgusted that all her life was about was cleaning, caring for her grandparents – though she truly did love them – and doing menial chores like an old spinster. She didn’t go into town to do anything, she had only a handful of friends and they were marrying off faster than she could blink.

Gabby went up the stairs to the second floor with determined feet.

One foot after the other, she thought. This is the way it’s always going to be for me. Aeden and Donnie will never do anything but frolic with the ladies in town and take care of themselves.

She pushed open the door to her grandmother’s room and went in.

“You all right, Nana? What can I get for you?” She smiled as she went in the room, not wanting to give her grandma the impression she didn’t want to be there helping her. She cared for the old woman greatly, whether or not she wanted to be stuck in her life like this forever.

“Hello, little flower.” Her grandmother was tiny, sitting in a rolling chair near her window where she’d been looking out. “Little flower” was always what Nana called her and she didn’t mind. It was better than Gabby, a name she had despised from the first time it had come from her brother’s mouth. Her older brother, Aeden, had first called her that and the rest of them just followed along. As usual. Except for Nana. Nana always called her “little flower” no matter how big she got and gave her a sweet smile to go along with it. “Do you think you could make me a cup of hot tea?”

“I would love to.” She nodded. “I’ll be right back.”

Anxious to retrieve hot tea for her Nana as quickly as she could, she hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. One glance out the window told Gabby her brothers had not bothered to help her out by finishing the laundry for her. But it was okay. The two sheets and cases she’d left in the basket where theirs. They would have to deal with wrinkled sheets.

She set a pot on the stove and waited for the water to heat up. She set the flame to the highest she could and waited. She took another smaller pot and set it on one of the other areas of the cooking-stove and dropped in three heaping spoonfuls of tea. When the water was boiling, she poured it over the tea, enough to make at least three cups worth.

When the tea was brewed to her satisfaction, she removed it from the heat and poured it into two mugs, one for her and one for her Nana.

She took the two steaming cups of liquid up the stairs carefully and pushed Nana’s door open with her backside. “Here we go, Nana. I thought I’d join you for a bit of tea, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh of course not, dearie.” The old woman replied. “I love to sit and have time with my garinίon! I love to talk to you.”

Gabby smiled at the sound of her mother’s Irish word. It was the only one she ever heard from the homeland. It meant “granddaughter”. It pleased Gabby to hear it. “Thank you, Gamma, you are so wise. I like talking to you, too.” She set the cup down next to her Nana on the table and then sat near her on a small cushioned chair that she dragged up close. She sipped her tea, which was still quite hot.

“Tell me,” The old woman leaned forward, her still red hair, though lightened over the years, fell forward, curling down to touch Gabby’s hand. Gabby was impressed with the quality of the old woman’s long locks. It seemed to her since she was like her grandmother, she would likely keep her own flaming red hair for quite a few years. Even her Nana’s green eyes flashed when she looked over at Gabby, catching the sun through the window for just a brief moment. It made Gabby wonder how a frail woman like Nana could have such fine hair and flashing young eyes. “Have you met a young man to marry yet?”

Gabby’s cheeks flushed. “No, Nana. I don’t have time for that. I have to care for you and Grampa.”

Nana leaned forward and retrieved the hand Gabby had taken back. “You will find your life changing soon enough, little flower. You need to think about your future. You need to be happy.”

Nana always made her feel better. She had the right words to say and always calmed Gabby’s heart when she was down.

“Have you been saying your prayers, little flower?”

“Yes, Nana. I really have.” And she had. She wasn’t sure God really wanted to hear her complaints, though. He was hearing them all the time, if He was listening to her. She took a sip, thinking maybe it would be better if He wasn’t listening. She looked at her Nana and thought about how long the old woman had lived and what she had gone through during troubled times in Ireland. Gabby had always been fed and clothed and safe, for the most part. She was just miserable and bored.

“I know He’s going to give you a good life, little flower. You are so young. My sweet little girl, you will be happy.”

“Nana, if you’re talking about when you and Grampa pass, I really don’t want to think about it.”

“Oh, but you don’t have to worry about us, dearie. We have both lived very long and are still living! You are very young and need to live! You won’t have to wait too long, I’m certain of it.”

Gabby shook her head. “I don’t see how, Nana. I don’t know any man I’m interested in and there have been no suitors.”

“You must have hope and faith. Both are things you can’t see. Since you believe in God, you must have believe in hope and faith. Try it out! You’ll see it will change your perspective.”

“Oh, Nana.” Gabby smiled at her. “I will try very hard to have hope for my future. I just…”

Nana cut her off, shaking her head. “Don’t you do that, dearie. You will be happy.”

She sounded so certain, Gabby couldn’t help but believe her. She nodded. “Okay, I will try to be positive.”

Nana nodded and looked out of the window again, sipping her tea. Her hand was shaking when she lifted it and Gabby reached out to help her steady it. “Thank you, dear.”

“I love you, Nana.” Gabby said. “I really do. I don’t want you do pass very soon.”

Nana looked at her, widening her eyes. “You mustn’t say such a thing. I have lived a long time, as I said. I am ready to see the Lord.”

Gabby felt tears rising to her eyes and fought them.

“I love you, too, little flower. My life now is not very active. I used to be very active and was for many years. But time has caught up with me and now I just wait for my final judgment. I love the Lord and I am ready for Him.”

“Oh, Nana.” Gabby couldn’t help letting her tears fill her eyes. She looked up and out at the sky when two of them escaped and rolled slowly down her cheeks. She hid them and her flushed cheeks by taking a sip of her tea. When she discovered it was just the right temperature for her, she took longer drinks of it. Soon, it was gone.

“I need to go finish hanging the sheets, Nana.” She stood up and leaned to kiss her Nana on the cheek. “I love you.”

A chill of delight ran through her when her Nana giggled. If she was ever to leave this place, she would miss her sweet grandmother the most.

She felt a lot better as she went down the stairs and out to hang up the sheets she’d left behind. Her brothers were nowhere in sight when she stepped out into the blazing sun. She was immediately hot again and her forehead was wet before she even got to the line. She wasn’t as frustrated now. When she got to the basket, she began singing an old hymn Nana had taught her when she was young.

“Lord, ‘tis a pleasant thing to stand, In gardens planted by thine hand; Let me within thy courts be seen, Like a young cedar, like a young cedar, Like a young cedar, fresh and green.”

She finished the sheets and cases fairly quickly, anxious to get back into the house, where it was cooler. It was uncommonly hot for this time of year. It was already November. She expected snow soon. But not if the heat remained where it was. Thanksgiving would be celebrated soon. She wondered if her brothers had plans. She had to assume they did. They usually did. Before she could begin to dwell, she resumed her singing.

“Laden with fruits of age, they show the Lord is holy, just and true; None who attend his gates shall find A God unfaithful or unkind.”

****

Chapter Two

The sun burned bright outside Edward’s window and he could feel the intense heat through the glass. He was dreading going out there, even though he was used to the heat in Arizona. His depressed state had only gotten worse and he was beginning to think he was going to lose his mind. Mark looked over the land, watching Jonathan play in the yard. He was pushing the pram quickly over the short grass, stopping short and then leaning over to make sure his baby sister had a smile on her face. When he saw that she did, he would take off again, only to stop once more and lean over.

Jonathan repeated the motion over and over. It was as if he would never stop. Edward didn’t stop him. He knew that Jon wouldn’t let anything happen to Emilia. She was precious to him, a reminder of the mother he had lost.

Edward’s heart squeezed when his dear wife, Beth, passed through his mind. He was glad Jon didn’t resent the baby when it was during her birth that they had lost his sweet Beth. In fact, the boy treated the little baby girl as if she was made of precious gold, a fine gem that would shatter if put under too much strain. He hadn’t expected it but it was a true blessing. He hadn’t taken it nearly as well.

It had been six months since then. Edward’s sister, Patricia, had been visiting every single day since, trying to get him to give the baby to her.

He couldn’t do it. He loved Emilia more than his sister or anyone else realized. His depressed mood didn’t come from having to care for a baby. It came from having the opportunity to live his life happy with the woman he loved ripped from his hands, crushing his heart. His spirit for life, the flame that keeps everyone going, was almost out.

He’d been in deep thought all morning. He had decided to miss work today, knowing that his job as the head groundskeeper for the vicarage in town was secure. He’d worked there since he was sixteen, ten years ago. They loved him there and he loved his job. The only other time off he’d ever asked for was when Beth died. He took a week and then went back to business as usual.

But it wasn’t business as usual in his heart. Nor his mind. He was finding it hard to concentrate. And his children needed him to pull it together. He wanted so much to care for them properly, to be a happy, playful father like he would have been, like he was before he lost Beth. Jon had seen the change and said nothing. For a nine year-old, he was extremely wise.

Edward didn’t want Jon to grow up so fast. He didn’t want the little boy to miss out on playing and having fun and enjoying his life because he needed to be a father and mother to a newborn.

He heard the door slam and turned in his seat to look behind him, leaning forward on the table. He grunted and nodded when Patricia came into the room.

“Hello, Eddie, how are you today?”

“I’m all right,” Edward said, his deep voice resonating naturally through the room. Patricia came over and stopped to stand next to him. He turned and looked back out at Jon, who was still playing the same game.

“You shouldn’t let him play out there in the heat like that,” Patricia said, her stern tone irritating him immediately. She acted like he didn’t know how to parent without Beth, that he hadn’t raised Jon to the age of nine, too. “He’ll turn red and fall over unconscious.”

“He’ll be fine, Patty. Did you need something today?”

“Why aren’t you at work?”

“I took the day off.”

“You never take days off. And do you think you should? You will never get your head back on straight if you aren’t working. You’ll just sit here and think about it day in and day out. How do you think that’s going to make the children feel? Well, Jonny anyway. If you don’t…”

She continued on until Edward thought she should be glad their father had taught him to respect the weaker sex. All he really wanted was for her to be quiet. He would have welcomed her help otherwise. If only she could have come over to help without criticizing every step he took.

“Did you suppose to leave the children here by themselves today?”

“Of course not, Patty. I take them to the vicarage with me on Saturdays. Always have. Why would it be different today?”

For the first time in a long time, Patty didn’t reply. He glanced up at her and saw the look on her face. It irritated him even more. She was gazing at his children as if they were hers. That wouldn’t have been so bad if the look wasn’t mixed with such jealousy and bitterness. She and her husband had not been able to conceive. She had always been upset that her little brother had a child first. When Beth became pregnant the second time, it was like Patricia’s pain doubled.

Her dark hair was pulled back from her face and pulled up in a tight bun. She had a long, thin face and a large pouty mouth. They had never been close. That wasn’t going to change.

“Patty, why are you here today? I don’t remember asking you to come by for anything.”

“You don’t have to ask, Eddie.” Patty looked down at him through narrow eyes. “You know those kids need someone to watch out for them and I’m just doing my part.”

Edward’s jaw clenched and he abruptly stood up, knocking Patty backwards slightly. She was the same height as he but much thinner, with less muscle power. She steadied herself on her feet, widening her eyes in shock and anger.

“Excuse me, Edward!”

He narrowed his eyes at her and leaned toward her. She took a step back.

“My children don’t need someone to watch out for them, Patricia! They have their father! That’s me! Don’t you forget that!”

Patricia stiffened her spine and huffed at him. “Well! I was just trying to help my brother!”

“Yes, to his children! But you can’t have them. They are not going with you. And yes, I understand you were only really interested in taking Emilia. But for the last time, woman, I am not turning them over to you, even for a night! I do appreciate all the help you’ve given me, especially when Emilia was first born! But I do not want your help any longer, do you understand me?”

Patricia was making small noises, unable to get a complete word out. Her face had drained of all color and she was staring at her brother, stunned.

“That means you do not need to come by whenever you wish any more. I will raise my children and I do not want your interference, criticism or bitterness in my house anymore!”

He began to walk toward her. She moved backward and was eventually at the threshold of the house. She turned quickly and was out on the porch in half a second. He followed her out on the porch to make sure she went back to her small wagon.

She turned back to spit out the words, “You’re going to regret pushing me away, Edward. You’ll never have anyone and you’ll be miserable all your life.”

He shook her off with one hand, gesturing wildly in the air. “Go on, Patricia! Go on out of here! You can’t have them! Just leave!”

“Oh!” Patricia stomped to her wagon and pulled herself up. “Scoot! Go!” She slapped the reins and rode off, stiffening her back and looking as refined and dignified as possible.

“Good riddance to ya.” Edward mumbled as he watched her go. Soon the wagon was lost in the dust and he turned back to go inside.

He let the door slam behind him, went through the house and out the back door to the yard where his children were. His young son had carefully taken the baby from her pram and laid her on a blanket he’d prepared on the ground under the shade of a tree he’d planted ten years ago when Jon was born.

“Hey there, Jon. What are you and Emilia doing?”

“I was pointing out some shapes I see in the clouds.” Jon pushed himself up on his elbows, giving his father a large smile. “But it’s kind of hard to do that when we are under the tree. I thought maybe she needed to be in the shade for a bit because I don’t want her face to turn red.”

“You are one smart lad.” Edward nodded and dropped to sit cross-legged on the ground next to his children. Emilia turned her tiny head to look at her papa and gave him a large smile.

Edward’s heart lifted, feeling as if it was up in the clouds Jon was trying to look at. Both of his children were smiling at him. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He wanted to shed his mood and bring back the happiness to his home.

But how?

That evening as he perused the newspaper after his children were in bed, he had an idea. He’d heard that some men were sending for a woman from the East to travel to them to become their bride. He looked in the section where they usually had any advertisements but didn’t see anything like he was thinking about.

Edward realized that there wouldn’t be any in this newspaper because the wives were being sought from the East. He wondered if such a thing would be good for his children. He would be brutally honest with any woman who might answer such an ad. He had no plans of lying. He would let the woman know he had lost his Beth and was interested in rebuilding his family.

Could he fall in love with a woman this way? Would he really be able to do that?

He put one hand over his mouth and debated the thought.

He turned so that his legs would swing off the edge of the bed and touched his feet to the cold floor. He immediately pulled them back up and pushed them into a pair of slippers Beth had gotten him as a Christmas present.

He reached into the drawer in the stand by his bed and pulled out a writing board with a small piece of chalk. He didn’t want to waste paper just to write the same thing over and over.

He leaned over the board and began to write. He only wrote a few words before he used one sleeve to wipe it clean. He wrote again. He started again.

I am looking for someone to be a wife and mother to my two children. I seek companionship, someone strong and who will be kind and gentle with them.

It was a start. Edward looked at it and ran the words through once again in his mind. He needed the woman he brought over to be the best mother he could provide for his little ones. He wasn’t about to sacrifice their happiness for his. If it made him miserable, he would live with it. But if she was good for his children, he would accept it.

****

Chapter Three

It wasn’t the first time Gabby wondered why her brothers were not living in huge houses far away from her. They had houses. Why weren’t they there?

They came bursting into the kitchen just like they always had, talking loudly about some political thing or other, Lincoln was doing this, Lincoln was doing that. Good for them. She didn’t think about that kind of thing. She thought someday she might go back to their homeland and see how things were there.

She stayed seated at the table, responded with “Morning” when they greeted her and looked down at the newspaper Aeden tossed down onto the table. They both went to the stove and poured a cup of coffee from the pot for themselves. As they headed back to the door, she lifted the newspaper and waved it at him.

He shook his head. “Already looked through it, Gabs. You keep it and give yourself something to do today.”

She turned back to the table so he wouldn’t see the resentment and disdain on her face. “Thank you.” She murmured. Give her something to do? Gabs? She wasn’t sure how much longer she could take it.

She snorted. The newspaper was filled with political information that she didn’t care for. She flipped through it and scanned each page. Her eyes stopped when she saw a small paragraph in the section that held the advertisements. A soft chill ran over her arms as the idea formed in her mind.

Freedom.

She sucked in her breath and grabbed the paper, focusing on the ad. It was a way to get out. Her brothers would be forced to care for her grandparents and she could have her life, for the first time in her life. She stood up, letting the chair scoot violently back behind her.

They would soon know how much work it took to make this house run, to keep it clean and to keep her grandparents alive and healthy. She was sure they would do it, that her grandparents would be healthy and cared for. There was no way her brothers didn’t have that kind of compassion.

She moved through the house and up to her room, knowing the path so well, she didn’t even look up from the paper. In her room, the large desk her grandfather had made for her when she was just a child sat waiting. She pulled the chair out, set the paper down and sat. It would only take one piece of paper, some ink and an envelope and her life would change dramatically.

I am wanting to answer the ad for the bride to come to Buxley. I am 23 years old, have long red curly hair, green eyes and I am slender but strong. I have been caring for my elderly grandparents since my brothers and I lost our parents in an accident some years ago. I am looking for a change of scenery, a change of pace. I am willing to care for your children, as I said I have been doing that kind of thing for some time now. Please let me know if you have any questions I should answer before you choose and if you will respond with further information as to how to proceed.

Gabby looked down at the letter and pondered whether it sounded to abrupt or rude or in a way that she would not accept herself if she was him. That confusing thought did no good when it came to her intentions. She tilted her head and reread it a third time. By the time she was done, she was satisfied with it and hurried to find an envelope. She would take it to the post straight away. She couldn’t help wondering how long it would take to hear back from him.

As she rode into town on her horse, Amazon, she began to feel excited. She wasn’t used to her heart beating so quickly. It was as if she saw a light in front of her and she was hurrying toward it as fast as she could. What would her life be like? Would she love the man she was going to marry?

Her breath came and went rapidly, as if she was the one running and galloping instead of Amazon. She gripped the reins tightly.

Gabby’s mind swirled around the possibilities. She had so many hopes and dreams, she didn’t even know were lurking in the back of her mind. And apparently deep down in her heart.

She felt the strange sensation that she wanted to cry. She rarely cried about anything. The last time she cried was at the funeral of her parents. She hadn’t felt happy since then. But now…it was strange to her. She wanted to be away from here, finally living her life. But she was going to miss her grandparents. And in some strange way, she was going to miss her brothers.

But not much.

She passed the store her family owned and glanced inside. Donnie was standing in the front of the store, talking to another man. He looked like he was having an intense conversation. The other man was a stranger to her, which was odd. She thought she knew everyone in town.

It was of no consequence. She wasn’t going to stop and tell her brothers her plans. She wasn’t even going to tell her grandparents until she heard back from this Edward. She moved on from the store. The post office was just down from it, only four buildings. She rode up to the front and got down from Amazon, satisfied that she was doing the right thing. She had prayed for something to happen to change her life. It was as if God himself had put the paper in front of her so that she would see it and respond.

Was that what the Lord wanted for her?

She looked up just before she went into the building. “I hope so, Lord, because I’m doing it.”

As the train rolled along the tracks and Gabby looked out the window, she thought about what her brothers and grandparents had said when she told them what she’d done. She liked the letter she got back from Edward. He sounded nice. He sounded kind. And he sounded a little desperate. But not so much so that she questioned what kind of man he was. She was certain he would prove to be a good man for her. She had prayed very hard. It felt right to her.

Her Nana had been the only one who really showed any emotion when she announced her plan during dinnertime. Her brothers had spent the good part of the night, even after her grandparents were sound asleep in bed, trying to convince her that she was making a big mistake. She didn’t hesitate to point out that the only reason they were acting that way was because they didn’t want to take on the burden of caring for their grandparents. They had vehemently denied it but they had no other excuse to keep her around and she pointed that out, too. They were not friendly to her, they treated her like a servant and she was done with it. She told them point blank it was time for them to take responsibility and stop trying to ride off the money of the store. She had even taken her middle name to use in Arizona so that she wouldn’t have to worry about being called Gabby or Gabs.

“I won’t need your money, I won’t need the money from the store, I won’t need either of you. I am going to start my life and there’s not one thing you can do about it.” She had told them. “You heard what Nana said before I took her back upstairs…she said that it was about time I made a change and that she thought it was a good idea. They are both expecting the two of you to step up and take charge of this house. They will need to be taken care of and if you have to take some of that precious money and get a nurse to stay here, that’s what you should do. But I’m not doing it anymore and you can guarantee I will be on that train three days from now.”

She hadn’t felt bad in the least when she turned her back to them both and walked out.

“I shouldn’t have to feel bad for getting my life started.” She murmured, not taking her eyes from the passing scenery. “I deserve to be happy and have a good life, too.”

When she reached the train station in Flagstaff, she expected to be met by Edward and took only a few steps onto the platform, looking both ways. She didn’t see anyone.

In fact, the train station was empty. She was surprised by that and stood still for a moment in wonder. No one else had gotten off the train and it seemed no one was destined to get on either. She took a few more steps, noticing that only one side of the platform had a set of steps leading down to the dirt and sparse plants.

When she still didn’t see anyone coming and could think of no reason to go inside the building other than to cool off a bit, she continued to walk in the direction of the steps. She was nearly there when she heard a man’s voice speaking in a tone that made her sure he was talking to a child. She stopped, curious to hear what he said, sure that it was Edward who was speaking. Who else could it be? He must have his son and baby with him.

She listened, a smile growing on her small red lips.

“Come on, son, we have to hurry, we’re already late! We don’t want to make the new lady wait too long out in this heat, do we?”

“No, papa.” She heard the voice of a young boy.

“You are going to be a good boy for her, aren’t you?”

“Yes, papa!” The boy was excited but his voice sounded apprehensive. He was eager to please his father, that was obvious.

She began to walk again, not wanting the man and children to round the corner when she was just standing there, listening.

They met just at the corner. She stopped short and gazed at him. He did the same, looking up at her at the top of the steps.

“Claire O’Reilly?” He said. She nodded, liking that he called her Claire instead of Gabby.

“You are Edward Abbott?”

He nodded at her, taking her in. She set her bags down. Her hair was indeed long and curly and she had only gathered some of it on top of her head, letting the rest fall free around her shoulders. She had no bonnet on, did not care to hide her hair under one of them. Her green eyes flashed at him and her freckled cheeks darkened. He was pleased with the way she looked and his heart fluttered for the first time.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Gabby held out one hand and he took it. After shaking it up and down slightly, he kept his grip on her and helped her take the steps down. She leaned over and looked at the little boy. “Hello, Jonathan. How are you feeling?”

“Good.” The boy was looking at her with a strange look. It was a mixture of wonder, resentment and excitement. He looked a lot like his father. He had the same blazing blue eyes and dark hair. He had long eyelashes for a boy, making his face very attractive. She looked up at Edward again. He was not as fair as his son and she assumed Jon got some of his looks from his mother, even though she felt he looked more like his father.

She looked at the baby Edward was holding in his arms. She was small and pretty. She looked at Gabby and blinked before breaking into a tiny grin. Gabby’s heart melted. She held out her arms to see if the child would come to her. She didn’t move away from her papa, just laid against his chest.

“You want to go to Claire, pretty flower?” Edward said and Claire looked at him with wide eyes. It wasn’t “little flower” but it was too much of a coincidence for her to miss it.

****

Chapter Four

In a week, Claire had successfully immersed herself into the lifestyle. Edward had taken her to the courthouse right away and she didn’t mind at all when they married in front of the judge.

It was so very different from home, from New York, from the disdain and ridicule of her brothers, she felt like a new person. She was happy when she woke up in the morning, listening to the cries of a child she had not birthed but had come to love very quickly.

She woke up early but not as early as her husband. She noticed that although she was up in the very early morning hours, he was gone by the crack of dawn. She wasn’t sure what he needed to do that early in the morning at the vicarage. Did the plants need to be watered that early and the lawn need to be cut that early in the morning?

She had wondered it many times when she woke up during the night to attend to the baby, who was still not sleeping all the way through. She was a pleasant baby. The hardest challenge Claire faced was getting through to Jonathan. He had proven to be a stubborn little boy, insisting that he could care for the baby without her help but never being rude or disrespectful about it.

She held the baby in her arms, cradling her and cooing at her. She was standing in the kitchen, looking out the window, waiting for Edward to come home for lunch. She had made him some ham sandwiches and roasted potatoes, which he expressed great delight with the last time she had made it.

Up until the loss of Beth, they had been teaching Jon to read and write at home. When she passed, he started going to the little schoolhouse in town. He didn’t like it and came home early often, just leaving the school and walking.

She watched to see if he would come home today. Edward would bring him from the vicarage, which was where Jon always walked, if he did. It had been a week and Claire had seen him come home twice in that time.

She saw the dust trail Edward was leaving behind on his way to the house. He was indeed bringing Jon, the little boy riding in front of him on his horse. She smiled and looked down at Emilia.

“Look, it’s daddy and Jonny. We are so lucky, aren’t we? We are two lucky, blessed ladies to have them, aren’t we?”

They got closer, and she could see the brilliant smile Edward was giving her. It filled her heart. She smiled back and waited for them.

“Hello there!” She called out, waving. She lifted Emilia’s hand and made the little one wave. “There they are. See?”

The baby girl looked out at them as they approached. She squirmed a little and looked excited and happy, bouncing in Claire’s arm.

“Look at those two beautiful girls, Jon!” Edward said as he got down from the horse and approached the house. Jonathan ran in front of him and held out his arms to take Emilia from Claire without saying anything.

“Hello, Jonny. Do you want to hold your sister?”

He just nodded, his arms still outstretched. Claire gently lowered the baby and he secured her in his arms before going inside. He was very protective. She just smiled and sighed as she watched him go in.

“Hello, pretty lady.” Edward said as he came up on the porch. “How has your day been?”

“I feel a lot better than I did before,” he said. “You have lunch for me?”

“Of course.” She smiled up at him. He smiled back with a look that made her feel fluttery in her stomach. She was so blessed to have been placed here. “I do hope that Jonathan warms up to me, though. I really do.”

“I know you do.” Edward nodded. “You just need to be patient and give him time.”

“Do you think he will warm up to me?”

Edward ran one large hand through her red hair, his eyes obviously admiring her beauty. “I don’t see how anyone could resist it, Claire.”

She giggled when he put his arm around her shoulders and walked into the house with her. Jonathan had put Emilia in a little basket he used to carry her around and placed her next to his chair at the kitchen table. He already had a sandwich on a plate with two bites taken from it.

“Papa, can I have some potatoes?”

“You can,” Edward said. “Claire will give them to you. You should ask her.”

Jonathan looked at Claire. “I don’t have to have any,” he said, turning back to his plate.

Edward approached him and knelt next to his chair. “Jonny boy. I told you not to be rude, didn’t I?” His voice was soft. Jonathan looked at him with regretful eyes. “I know this is hard for you, son. But you have to trust that things are going to work out okay. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, would I? I won’t let anything happen to you? Claire isn’t going to hurt you, Jonny.”

“I know.” The little boy’s voice was quiet. He lowered his head, ashamed.

Claire moved to kneel at his other side, looking up at him. “It’s all right, Jon. I will give you some potatoes, okay? Everything is going to be all right.”

Jonathan didn’t lift his head. “Okay.” He murmured.

“What do you say, Jonny?” Edward prompted.

“Thank you.”

“Good boy.” He ruffled the boy’s hair and stood up straight.

The next morning, Claire woke up when Edward did. She felt him move from the bed and waited a bit until she heard the door close as he went out. She got up and went to the baby’s room to check on her. The child was fast asleep.

In his room, Jonathan was also asleep. She cracked the doors to their room so that Jonathan would hear if Emilia woke up. She knew he was sensitive to the baby’s cries and had gotten up several times to check on her when Claire was already in there. She didn’t plan to be gone long. She just wanted to know why Edward always left so early and what he was doing. Her curiosity had taken over.

She dressed quickly and went out the door. She rode quietly to the vicarage, behind her husband far enough so that he wouldn’t see her.

When she reached the church, she dismounted and tied her horse up to a tree in the surrounding park. She moved slowly over the grass toward the cemetery behind the church and looked out over the grounds. She didn’t see him. She frowned and peered a little more closely, running her eyes around the tombstones to see if he was kneeling somewhere. He wasn’t. She circled the building but didn’t see him anywhere.

He must be inside. She thought. She went to the doors and pushed one open quietly, sticking her head inside to look around. It was still very dark in the building. She saw a lamp lit at the altar and slipped inside, closing the door behind her.

She walked slowly on silent feet toward the altar, looking at the pews, many of them with bibles set randomly around. She went into one of them and sat down, picking up the Bible.

“Lord.” She heard Edward’s voice and her eyes slid to the lamp at the altar. Edward had knelt in front of it. Her heart almost stopped when she saw him. He was bent over, his hands clasped in front of his forehead. “You have blessed me. I thank you. I have been in despair and you heard me. You have provided me with a beautiful son, daughter and wife once again. I am so very grateful to you, Lord, and every morning I will tell you of my thanks and ask you to continue blessing me. I can’t do anything without your guidance. Thank you for providing it and for sending a wonderful woman to care for my children. As you know, I thought I would never love again. But I see now that what you have planned for me is good. You are always good. Thank you, God. I thank you with all that I have. I pray to you in the name of my Lord and Savior. Amen.”

The words he was saying made Claire want to cry. She had prayed before but never with such intensity. He was praying from the heart.

He lifted up from his position, blew out the lamp and went past the altar to a back room.

In the dark now, Claire felt her way back to the front door and left. Her heart was pounding. She was terrified that he would see that she had followed him and be angry with her. She wouldn’t do it again. Her curiosity was satisfied.

She got back to her horse, mounted as quickly as she could and rode back to the house.

When she got there, she dismounted just as swiftly and ran up the steps and through the front door. She couldn’t hear any noise and went straight to the baby’s room. Emilia was awake. She was just lying there looking out at Claire with wide blue eyes. She smiled instantly and Claire picked her up.

“Good morning, sweet one,” she whispered. “Hello there.”

The baby made a cooing noise and giggled. Claire giggled with her. She moved to the window so they could watch the sun rise together. “Look at the beautiful sky, Emilia. Look how it shines bright when the sun peeks over the mountains. See all the pretty colors? Look how blessed we are.”

She became quiet looking out at the sunrise. It was the most beautiful sunrise she had ever seen in her life. “Thank you, Lord.” She whispered, tears rising to her eyes. “Look what you’ve done for me. Look at the life you’ve given me. You are so good. Help me to be good for this little girl and for Jonathan. Help me to understand them and raise them right and be the mother they need.” She lowered her head and let a few tears roll down her cheeks. One dropped on Emilia’s little head and Claire softly wiped it off. “Sorry, sweetie,” she whispered. She looked back up through the window.

“Please help me with Jonathan, Lord.” She said in a low voice. She knelt with the baby cradled in her arms and lowered her head again. “Please help him understand I’m not going to hurt him, that I don’t want him to forget his dear mama. Please let him know that I only want to protect him and help Edward raise him the right way. I know you will. And please…” She swallowed. “Please tell Beth that I will be good to her children. Tell her that they are safe. Let her know that everything here on earth will be okay.”

She stopped praying, continuing in her mind.

After a few moments, she felt a small hand touch her on her back. She looked up in surprise, into Jonathan’s eyes. He didn’t say anything. He just looked at her. She looked back. His face looked different. He was staring at her in silence.

“Jonathan?” She asked softly.

Without answering, the little boy wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed her tightly. She wrapped her free arm around him and hugged him back.

“It’s going to be all right, Jonny,” she whispered. “Everything is going to be all right.”

*****

THE END

A Bride’s Hope – A Clean Western Romance

Chapter One

Minnie looked down at the telegraph with great fear in her heart. It was from the army. She hadn’t heard from Tom for almost two months but had been hoping and praying everything would turn out okay for him. That he would return home to her soon and she would hear him playing with their little boy, Billy, in the yard. It was what was supposed to happen.

But it wasn’t what happened. The telegraph was gripped in her hands, the paper curling up around them. She sat in one of the porch chairs and stared down at it some more. He was gone. He really was gone. They had confirmed it, found his…body. She shivered.

“Damn this war!” Her father was storming up and down the porch. “How could this happen? How can he not come home to his wife and baby?”

“Papa, quiet down!” Her mother was soothing her father, trying to get him to calm down some. “You’re upsetting Minnie even more. You must calm down.”

“I can’t be calm!” Her father thundered, making her cringe. She knew he was nearly as upset as she was but she didn’t think she could take it today. She got up and went in the house, making her way to her room on deadened feet. She could hear her father still storming outside, his emotions overwhelming him. He had cared for her husband, too. Even his wife’s tears didn’t calm him. She expected him to burst out in his own tears at any moment. When he quieted down, she assumed that’s what had happened.

Minnie dropped herself on her bed face first. She was glad Billy was asleep in the cradle near her bed. She didn’t have the resolve to do anything for him right now. She pressed her face into the bed and let her tears come. She sobbed for many minutes, her marriage and love for her husband running through her mind over and over and over.

She felt like she would never recover from this. Her dear husband, Tom, had been one of the men killed at the Battle of Averasboro, NC. He was shot by the enemy and left in the field like the rest of the men that had died there. It would be impossible to bring his body home. She didn’t know why. It’s what they told her. She didn’t think Averasboro was that far from her little town but she didn’t question their authority. They weren’t going to listen to her anyway.

He’d died a hero and President Lincoln had even sent her a note expressing his dismay at his loss and that he had been a strong and courageous soldier.

It didn’t ease her pain. The president couldn’t bring him back. No one could bring him back. Not even God. He didn’t do that kind of stuff anymore.

Her emotions peaked, she sobbed for nearly an hour. She didn’t know when she would ever stop. Her tears would eventually dry up and she would have no more to shed. She had never felt such intense sorrow in all her 22 years. Where would she go? Who would she rely on? Her parents?

The thought made her cry harder. She was a married woman who had lived for three years with a man who showed her what love was all about. Now he was gone, ripped from her life abruptly. Her tears were intense and her bed shook as her body did.

“Lord!” She cried out. “How could this happen?”

Minnie heard a shuffling behind her and realized she had probably woken Billy up. She used the sheet on the bed to dry her tears and pushed herself up. She was going to be strong for her little boy. Even if it meant she could not show her sorrow in front of him. He was a year and a half old and wouldn’t understand why she was in such despair. It might harm him to see her so upset. She composed herself and went to his cradle, where he was sitting up, rubbing his eyes.

“Mama!” he called out to her. “Mama!”

“I’m here, sweet one,” she said, reaching into the cradle and picking him up. He was getting so heavy. “You’re already wake? Did you get enough sleep?”

“Mama cry.” He was staring into her eyes and she sat on the bed, resting him on her lap. His eyes were huge and blue, gazing at her intently. She brushed his blond hair back from his eyes and kissed his forehead.

“I’ll be okay, little man. I will be. You don’t have to worry.”

“No cry, mama!” Billy wrapped his arms around her neck and hugged her tight. “No cry!”

“I won’t, my son.” She buried her face in his small neck and shoulder. “I won’t cry anymore.”

But she knew she would.

Minnie hadn’t gotten any sleep at all for almost four days. Since the telegraph arrived, all she could do was wallow in her misery. Her mother was still being encouraging and supportive but her father was still upset and sullen. His mood was dark and angry. “He was a good boy!” He kept exclaiming whenever the subject was broached. “He was always a good boy! Good shot, too! Took him hunting! He was the best at it, best young boy I’d taught.”

There were many other things that had impressed him about Tom. He never failed to mention them. Minnie often wondered if he would ever stop talking about her late husband. It hurt every time she mentioned him. She wanted to avoid the subject and not think about it. She would never come out of mourning if he didn’t. The fact that she was now a widow with a fatherless boy was bad enough but to have it constantly ranted on about by her father was more unbearable than she could imagine.

She dragged herself out of bed, pulling on her robe as she did every morning. Billy had a strange schedule but she was glad of it. He slept more often than other babies she’d heard of. Her mother had appeared a little envious of it. Billy slept through the night and often into the next morning, allowing her to do other things before he woke up.

She glanced in his room and then went down the stairs to the kitchen when she saw he was still sound asleep as always. Her father and brothers had left for the day’s work and her mother was still in her bed. She sat listlessly at the kitchen table, unsure whether she wanted to make a cup of coffee or hot tea. Either way, she needed something warm in her body. It was chilly this morning. She didn’t expect it to warm up.

She sat there for a little while, gazing out the window as the sun rose. She didn’t want to go back up and get dressed for the day. She didn’t want to go through the process of brushing and caring for her long brown hair, fitting it into braids like she had done nearly every day of her life. She didn’t want to do anything.

She wanted to be with her husband.

But she had a tiny baby to care for. She wasn’t going to leave him here on his own without his mama or papa. She wanted to keep him safe from harm and not let him understand what was going on until he was much older.

She let her tears come again and wondered how she was going to continue on without Tom. She had no kind of income. She didn’t want to stay here with her parents and brothers forever. She’d had a life before, a very full life before Tom had gone to the war. She missed him every day. She missed him even when he was alive.

Her mother came through the door, surprising her.

“Oh mother. You scared me.”

“I’m sorry, dear.” Minnie’s mother came directly to her and put her hands on Minnie’s shoulders. “I wish I could make you feel better. I know you must be terribly hurt and upset. But it will pass. Time will heal your heart, darling.”

“I am afraid it will take too long. I’m afraid I will feel this way forever.”

Her shoulders shook slightly and her mother leaned over to hug her.

“I love you, Minnie. It will be okay in time.”

“I love you, too, mama.” She didn’t really believe her. But she was glad to have her comforting arms around her. She lifted one hand and wrapped it around one of her mother’s arms, letting her hold her. She pulled her tears in and did her best to stop crying. It was going to take a long time. A very long time.

Two months later, Minnie was sitting in the same place, feeling as lost as she ever had. She didn’t feel strong. She didn’t feel recovered. Time had not healed her heart. Her little boy was almost two now. He was smiling all the time, still saying “dada”, even though dada wasn’t around. It broke her heart every time she thought about it. Every time she heard it.

She sat waiting for Liz, her best friend in town. Liz was encouraging and helpful but nothing seemed to take away her pain. She stared out the window next to the table, watching the road for Liz to be dropped off. She felt a little impatient and pushed the feeling down. She didn’t want to feel that way. She was struggling with being overwhelmed by her strong emotions. Her crying hadn’t stopped. Billy was starting to notice and it made her feel even worse.

Now, she was not only crying for the loss of her husband, she was joining the nation in mourning the loss of President Lincoln. She couldn’t figure out why good men had to die like that. It didn’t make sense to her at all.

She saw a cloud of dust and realized she’d been staring out the window not even seeing that Liz was stepping down from a wagon and would be at the door in moments.

She stood up and went to let her friend in.

“Good morning, Mins!” Liz threw her arms around her as soon as she opened the door, making her take a step back. She couldn’t help smiling and hugging her friend back.

“Good morning, Lizzie. How are you doing today?”

Liz released her from the hug and held her at arm’s length, her hands gripping Minnie’s arms gently. “I am fine, as usual, honeypot. The question is, ‘are you feeling any better’?”

They linked arms and took a few steps to turn into the kitchen, where they usually sat to talk.

“Have you been eating?” Liz asked. “I know you were having trouble there for a long time. How are you now?”

Minnie shrugged, resuming the seat she’d been in before. Liz sat across from her and leaned over to hold one of her hands. “I am eating as normal, I suppose. I don’t have much of an appetite.”

Liz shook her head, lifting her fabric hand bag and placing it on the table in front of her. She put her other hand over the Minnie’s so that she was clasping it tightly. “I can’t continue to see you in this state, my dear. You have been such a good friend to me for all these years and you’ve gotten me through some pretty tough times. I have been blessed to have you as a friend to me.”

Minnie felt a warm sensation slide through her chest. She smiled at Liz. “Thank you, Lizzie. That really does mean so much to me.”

Liz nodded. “I would never do anything to hurt you, you know that don’t you?”

Minnie nodded. “I do know that, Lizzie. I surely do.”

Liz smiled warmly and squeezed her hand.

****

Chapter Two

Joseph lifted the sack, attaching it neatly to the side of the saddle before pulling himself up on the tall Mustang. He patted her side and whispered in her ear, enjoying the brush of the horse’s ear on his lips when she twitched it. There were few things left for him to feel good about, so he relished in it. He lifted back up in the saddle and pressed Sally’s sides with his heels to get her moving.

They slowly made their way over several hills, crossing a field and following the stream on his property as he inspected it. There had been some wandering thieves in town recently and he needed to make sure they hadn’t been camping out anywhere on his land. He liked to keep his property secure but there was little way to do that without the biggest fence in the world and a lot of patrolling time. The land he and his father had purchased here – the land that was now his since his father died – was several hundred acres. There was no way for him to cover all the land and keep it safe.

He reckoned there wasn’t much need anyway, since people needed to get from one place to another, and if they needed to cross his property to get safely to their destination, that was all right with him. He just didn’t want anyone causing any trouble for the innocent travelers who weren’t seeking to harm anyone.

Joe peered out over the long field in front of him. It stretched out at a slant and was dotted with spots where there was no grass, where rocks and sand had taken over and then abruptly stopped as if that was where the ground held more water and could support life. He kept his eye out for any wild animals that might cross his path. Coyotes were sometimes a nuisance but he knew how to deal with them. He kept his rifle strapped across his back and was the best shot in his family. He’d been shooting and hunting since he was a boy and even competed for several years in local competitions and the traveling fairs. He had won many times as a youth. But as he got older, he was less interested in competition and more interested in hunting for food and raising horses on his ranch.

His mind wandered back to the most recent time he had been in a competition and the memory pierced him like a knife. It was the last time he would ever compete. He had been at the competition when his wife, Annie, whom he adored with all his heart, was thrown from her horse and killed. Right here on the ranch.

She left him and their three year old daughter, Ruthie, behind. It was heartbreaking, a tragic event that with time, had not healed. It was going on seven months. He had tried going into town about a month previous and looking around for a woman that could fill the enormous shoes his wife had left behind. No woman would qualify. No woman was good enough. He felt strongly there would never be anyone in his heart and mind that would match the love he’d had for his late Annie.

Ruthie wasn’t the same either. She had been a vibrant, happy child, always smiling and tossing the pretty blond curls that fell down past her tiny shoulders.

When he thought about Ruthie, Joe was filled with a warm and overwhelming love. He adored his sweet daughter as much as he had his wife and wanted to see her smile again. But he was incapable of consoling her when he wasn’t able to console himself. And how would a three year old be able to wrestle with the incredible devastation of losing a mother without some help from an adult?

So with the deepest regret, Joe had let his brother, Alexander and sister-in-law, Catherine, take Ruthie to their farm until he could get his head back on straight.

This decision had left him mourning both his wife and the daughter he loved so much. It seemed they were both gone from him, even though Ruthie was still there.

His mind whirled with emotion and he stopped his horse, sliding from the saddle to land softly on the ground below. He tied the reins to a tree branch, not that he thought Sally would try to run off. She had been with him for five years and never went anywhere without him. He could walk around the land for miles and she would stay by his side or behind him, waiting for him to get on her back.

He plopped on the grass below him and looked down over the field as it sloped downward. He could throw himself over one of the ravines.

The thought made him shake his head. “Not a chance,” he murmured, picking up a rock and tossing it down the hill to see how far it would go. “Ruthie.” He was definitely reconsidering his decision to let Ruthie go to Alex and Catherine’s. But in order to get her back, he had to get his mind straight again. He didn’t think he wanted to listen to what Catherine would say if he asked for Ruthie back without having some kind of recovery and future in mind. And right now, all he could think of was day to day survival. Even after all these months.

He sighed. “I gotta do something about this,” he said in a low voice. Sally let her head down next to him and nudged him with her nose. He patted her head and smiled at her. “I’m just talking to myself, girl. You don’t want me alone and sad forever, either, do you? Big girl. What would I do without you?”

He rubbed her nose and under her chin. “I know, girl. I gotta do something. I gotta pull myself together here.”

Sally snorted playfully and he felt like she understood and was agreeing.

“Yeah, yeah.”

He breathed in deeply and let it out slowly. “Okay, girl. I will. I’m gonna make things better now. I’m gonna get my head on and think right. I gotta think about Ruthie. I gotta think about my horses. I gotta think about…” He got to his feet and wrapped one arm over his saddle. “I gotta think about me.”

He turned her in the direction they had originally come from, toward his ranch house. He would go visit his older brother and ask for advice. Alex was working at the grain mill in town. Joe wanted to talk with him while he was at work, so that Catherine wouldn’t be around. She was highly critical of him, had always been that way. He didn’t need any more criticism. Her berating is what had caused him to let Ruthie go over there in the first place. Catherine had made him sound completely incompetent in caring for a three year old girl. But Ruthie had been there almost a month and it was time to get her back.

No matter how he felt, his daughter was more important and it had been long enough.

As he approached the mill, he could see his older brother standing outside the building, holding a large cup, which he frequently took a drink from as he listened to another man speak. They were involved in what looked like a serious discussion to Joe, until Alex threw his head back and laughed heartily, slapping his friend on the arm with his free hand. They both laughed more.

Joe smiled as he got closer. Alex looked up and lifted one hand.

“Joe! What are you doing in town, brother? It’s good to see you.” He glanced at the man he’d been talking to. “That’s my brother, you know him, don’t you?”

The man nodded. “Yeah, we’ve met many times, Alex. You know that.”

They both laughed again.

Joe came to a stop in front of them and slid down from the saddle, throwing the reins over a nearby hitching post. “Matt.” He nodded at the other man.

“Joe!”

They shook hands.

Joe looked up at his brother, who was much larger than he was. Alex was built strong, big and tough, with muscles bulging from all over his body. Joe was happy with what he had and didn’t desire to be as muscular as his brother. In all honesty, he wasn’t sure how Alex had gone from a slender young man to a bulky muscular man in the ages between 21 and 31.

“Alex, wondering if you wouldn’t mind taking a minute for me?”

Alex’s smile wavered and the look in his eyes told Joe he knew the talk would be a serious one.

“Of course, brother, of course.”

“I’ll let you guys discuss.” Matt backed up. “I’ll see you inside, Alex.”

“If you want to stay, Matt, I could use as many wise ideas as possible.”

Matt looked surprised. “Well…okay, if you really want me to stay. Let’s sit over on those benches though. Too hot to keep standing here.”

They moved to the benches, which were placed so that they all faced each other in a circle.

Alex held out the big cup to Joe. “You want a gulp of water, Joe? You look hot.”

“Yeah, thanks, I appreciate that.”

He took the cup and did, indeed, take a large gulp of the cool water. He was impressed that it was as cool as it was. “Thanks.” He said. His brother nodded.

“So I’m thinking it’s about time to pull myself together.” Alex said. “I’m not sitting well with this life I’m leading. I gotta do something to make a change. I don’t want to be miserable another day of my life and I want my little girl back. I need suggestions. What you guys think I should do?”

Matt lowered his eyes and looked at the ground intently. Alex continued looking at his brother and there was a bit of uncomfortable silence as Joe wondered what they were going to say, how they would respond.

Matt looked up at Alex, waiting to see what Joe’s actual brother would say before giving his own response. Alex finally spoke up, blinking at his brother.

“I think you need to be with your baby girl, Joey. But how do you feel? I mean, you really lose a lot there and you were having a hard time. You been hitting the bottle much lately?”

Joe shook his head. “No, I quit the drink right after you…after Ruthie went to stay with your family. I didn’t like slopping around like a pig in a mud pen. I wanna put it back together. But I really can’t reckon how I’m gonna do that.”

“You’re always gonna miss Annie.” Alex said. “But you gotta move on sometime. You been eyein’ any of the women in town? You thought about askin’ somebody to dinner or a ride through that gorgeous land of yours? What are you considering?”

“That’s the thing, Alex, I’m not considering. Don’t reckon there’s much to consider around here.”

“You ever thought,” Matt finally spoke up. “About gettin’ yourself a bride from the East through the post?”

“How am I gonna find a woman in the East? I don’t know anybody out there.”

Matt shook his head. “I heard about a bunch of brothers out in Nevada that placed ads in the newspaper last year and all four of ‘em got brides that way. You just send an ad to a random newspaper somewhere on the East Coast, you know like New York and Virginia and South Carolina. You could do that. You got the money to place an ad and you got the money to send telegraphs when somebody sends you back a response.”

“I don’t know, Matt.” Alex said, narrowing his eyes. “You think that’s really a good thing to do? No tellin’ what kind of woman Joey here would end up with.”

“I don’t see why you shouldn’t give it a try.” Matt shrugged. “Don’t you want a mother for Ruthie and a wife?”

Joe shook his head. “I gotta doubt that some woman from the East is gonna want to travel all the way over here for a horse rancher.”

“You got it wrong, friend.” Matt said, shaking his head. “I hear they’re jumping at the chance. Plus, those four brothers, they even fell in love with their brides. They were good decent women.”

“If you word it right, you could probably find a woman suitable, Joey.” Alex began to nod and his voice sounded positive and approving. He leaned forward and looked directly at Joe. “And when you’re settled in with her, you can get Ruthie back.”

Joe pressed his lips together. It sounded as though Alex had made up his mind that it was a good idea.

And he didn’t mind the thought of sharing his bed with a woman again.

****

Chapter Three

Liz pulled a letter from her bag and laid it on the table in front of them. “Now, listen to me before you say anything, okay, Minnie?”

Minnie looked at the letter and then back up at her friend, narrowing her eyes. “What did you do, Liz?” Her tone was only a little scared. She was more curious than anything. What was Liz being so sly about?

“I have been thinking about you and worrying about you and praying for you for a long time now, Minnie. You know I love you as my dear sister, don’t you?”

Minnie nodded without answering, her stomach becoming tight as she listened to her friend.

“I wouldn’t do anything I thought wasn’t in your best interests, would I?”

“No, I don’t think you would, Lizzie. You’re my very best friend.”

Liz nodded slowly, her eyes dropping to the letter under her fingertips. She made to slide it to Minnie and then stopped. She looked up at her friend.

“Minnie, about a month ago, I saw an ad for a woman to come to the West to be a bride for a man out there.”

Minnie’s heart stopped for just a moment. She knew where this was going.

“I don’t think I can…”

“Yes, I know.” Liz cut her off, nodding. She patted Minnie’s hand. “That’s why…that’s why I answered it for you.”

Minnie’s breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened and she couldn’t figure out if she was angry, mortified, humiliated or happy and excited. “Liz!” She said her friend’s name breathlessly.

Liz looked concerned for a moment, subconsciously pulling the letter slightly closer to herself. “I…I really think you need new scenery, Mins. You need to get out of this town where all of your memories live and surround yourself with a whole new life.”

“What about Billy?”

“Well, I didn’t know how this man would respond if I told him you had a baby, so I didn’t mention it right away. I thought it would be better to get a letter back from him that was more personal and would let me know if I was good in sending a response to his ad. And I got a letter and I think you should read it. I think it might make you see things a little differently. Plus, you can respond if you want and if you don’t, I will send him a letter saying I have changed my mind…as you, of course.”

“Oh Liz.” Minnie found herself drawn to the letter in Liz’s fingers. She licked her lips and pressed them together, biting them softly at the same time.

Hesitantly, she put her hand toward the letter and slowly pulled it over the tabletop. She pulled in a breath and held it up to look at it. “You think I should read it.” She made it sound more like a statement than a question but Liz nodded.

“I really do. You need a change. You do, honey. You do. Read it. Please.”

Minnie finally pulled out the letter and unfolded it. She read a few lines and Liz smiled when she looked at her.

“Well?”

“Let me finish it.” Minnie mumbled. Liz was right. The man in Nevada said he was a horse rancher and that he had a lot of security to offer her. She didn’t know what Liz had told Joe Graham but she must have made her sound very sweet and lovely because the tone of Joe’s letter was extremely gracious and kind.

“What did you tell him about me?”

“I told him that you had dark hair, brown eyes, a slender figure and a bright mind. I told him you were intelligent and honest and trustworthy. Because you are those things.”

“You must have made me sound very high on myself.” Minnie frowned a little, thinking about her quick temper and her tendency to get annoyed with there were flying bugs in her house.

Liz just smiled. “Please keep reading. I didn’t make you sound high on yourself at all. Just keep reading.”

The rest of the letter described the nature that surrounded the ranch in Nevada. It was a page filled with the loveliest descriptions she could imagine in her mind. Liz was pleased with the reaction her friend was having. It looked like she might be considering it.

“He doesn’t mention whether Billy can come along or not.”

Liz shook her head. “I told you I didn’t mention him. You will need to approach that in your letter to tell him whether you want to come or not.”

“But if I mention it now, do you think he will be upset because he thought he was getting a woman with no children?”

Liz shook her head again. “No. Stop being negative Nelly. Just consider it tonight and pray on it and let me know in the morning what you decide. If you don’t want to, I want to write him a response. If you do, then you need to write a response to him. You will think about it tonight, won’t you?”

Minnie reached up and pulled on the lobe of her right ear, a habit she’d always had when she was thinking about something exciting. To Liz, it was another good sign and she held in a smile. Her friend’s life was about to change and she didn’t even realize how much.

If she decided to go.

All the way to the post office, Joe’s heart hammered in his chest. Almost three weeks after he placed the ad in the newspaper in South Carolina, he’d received a response. The woman sounded intriguing, not hesitating to mention her good traits. Her second letter was equally charming, though it sounded like it had almost been written by another woman. He shrugged it off and decided it was the best thing to happen to him in a long time. He was glad he’d given it a chance.

The letter he was going to post today would have instructions on how to board the train and get over to Reno so he could pick her up. The city was just beginning to enlarge and he had no doubt it would officially be a part of the United States very soon.

The only thing he’d been quiet about was Ruthie. From the start, he’d worried that any mention of a baby would keep a woman from responding. So he hadn’t mentioned his precious daughter. Whenever he thought about the fact that he’d neglected to mention her after Minnie responded, he felt a quick jolt of nervousness and shame. She sounded so perfect. Once he had sent his first letter without mentioning Ruthie, he was terrified to mention her now. What if Minnie backed out?

It was imperative that he get his daughter back from his brother and sister-in-law but he was determined to have Minnie come over from South Carolina. He needed the healing of his family.

As it was, the train ticket was for three days from now. He would soon have to confront the reality of letting Minnie know.

First, he would get to know her as a woman and a bride. Then he would let her know about Ruthie. Or perhaps he should confess and hope that Minnie would want children…especially his. He was confusing himself, which he hated.

“Can’t decide,” he mumbled to himself. “Can’t decide, can’t decide.”

Sally snorted below him and he laughed. “You always have something to say about it, don’t you, girl?” He leaned forward and slapped her on the side, something she loved and he knew it. “You’re a good girl, aren’t you? Not gonna let anything happen to me, are ya?”

Sally snorted, throwing her head up in the air as if nodding to his words.

He tried not to think too much about his deception and how his new bride would handle it. Her letter made it sound like she would be very open to children, which was a good thing.

Joe hadn’t taken Ruthie back to his ranch yet. He hadn’t been feeding her the way he was supposed to to begin with, he wanted the influence of a mother figure to help his daughter become a wonderful young woman, to eat right, take care of herself and so forth. He didn’t know how to do all the things proper young women were supposed to do. He was determined for her to be raised right and that meant the influence of a good woman.

He prayed that’s what Minnie was and that she wouldn’t feel pushed upon by having Ruthie come home.

Joe pulled up to the post office just five minutes later, sliding down from the saddle and throwing the rope over the hitch, more to keep Sally from following him inside than keep her from straying. He ignored the two steps that led up to the post office, taking them all in a single step.

His long legs carried him to the front doors of the building in only two more steps. He pushed the door open and went inside, marveling at how much cooler it was in the building. He wasn’t sure why it felt cooler, considering there were lanterns aflame all around the room.

He went directly to the clerk and set some paper money on the counter. “I need to buy a ticket to be sent to the East.”

The clerk looked up at him through narrow blue eyes as sharp as his long narrow nose. “You can’t buy a train ticket here, son.” Joe pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. He was fairly certain the clerk was at least ten years younger than his 35 years.

“Okay, where is the clerk that sells train tickets.”

The clerk leaned out the window toward him and pointed to the left. Joe looked over and saw a window like this one on the other side of the room. “That’s the one. You gotta go over there to buy a ticket.”

“And then I come back here to send it to the East?”

“Yes.” The clerk nodded curtly.

“Okay, Edward.” Joe leaned slightly to read the silver and gold name tag the clerk was wearing. Edward flushed as if not sued to hearing the sound of his own name.

“Okay. Thank you, sir.”

“I’ll see you really soon,” Joe teased and moved off to buy his train ticket at the other window.

The window shade was up but the chair was empty. Joe stood there, looking into the room behind the counter, waiting for someone to come and attend to him.

Moments later, the same clerk from the post office sat in the chair in front of him and stared at him.

“How can I help you, sir?”

Joe blinked at him, stunned into near silence. Then he had to suppress valiantly the urge to bust out laughing.

“Aren’t you…aren’t you…” he swallowed his laughter. “I need a ticket to come here from South Carolina and I need to send it there for a woman to come here with it.”

The clerk nodded. “I can give you the price and let you purchase the ticket, but you will have to send it by taking it over to the postal office and letting them deal with that.”

“Won’t you…” After a moment, he stopped. It was going to be the same clerk.

He wasn’t going to laugh. He just wasn’t.

****

Chapter Four

Minnie’s heart was in her throat. She gripped Billy’s hand so hard, he was starting to fuss. “Mama, you’re hurting me!” He kept whining and she would loosen her grip.

“I’m sorry, baby.” She kept soothing him. She pulled him up on her lap and held him so he could see out of the window. “Look. Do you see all that passing scenery? You see that tree…oh, there’s it’s gone, isn’t it?” She smiled, wrapping her arms around his tiny body as he leaned toward the window.

“Look, mama, look!” The baby slid from her grasp to climb onto the bench next to her and stand there, his small hands gripping the short windowsill and pressing his nose against the glass. “Look, mama!”

“I see it, Billy boy, I see it.” She tried to make her voice as soft as possible to counteract his loudness. She reached out and steadied him on the chair. “Don’t fall now. You don’t want to get hurt, do you?”

“No, no. No no.” Billy shook his head in response but didn’t turn his head away from the window. He just pulled back a little and rested in the comfort of his mother’s secure hold. “It’s a tree!” He surged forward, almost jumping out of her grasp and she snatched him back.

“Now Billy, I just told you to be careful! You’re going to fall and bump your head!” She pulled him back so he had to sit on her lap. Restless, he squirmed and tried to get back to the window, off his mother’s lap. “Billy, you must calm down!” Minnie felt her nerves beginning to frazzle. Billy was just being his normal self and he was a very active little boy. What if Joe was unable to accept a mischievous little boy like him?

“He’ll have to,” she whispered. “It’s both of us, not just me.” But she felt guilty anyway because she hadn’t mentioned Billy to Joe and wasn’t in the least bit secure he would accept the child. She wished suddenly that her little boy wasn’t so active.

Just as quickly, she berated herself for thinking that way. There was nothing wrong with an active two year old and, in fact, she dared to say that it was good for Billy in particular to be the way he was. He was a spark of life. He was curious and determined and stubborn. Most of the men she knew were like that and they were much older than two. Billy was usually a good little boy. And he was that day, too. He was being himself.

“Come and sit still, Billy,” she whispered frantically. “You will annoy our other passengers.”

“Don’t you worry, dear.” An older woman in the front of the carriage turned to glance back at her. “Don’t you worry about that boy, sweet girl. I will help you care for this little one.”

Minnie nervously looked around the car of the train at the young men that surrounded her.

“And don’t you worry about these boys, Minnie. They don’t make a move without asking me first. They are wonderful singers. When I want something done, I ask my grandsons and my nephew. They won’t judge you or do anything to make you feel bad. So if your little boy needs to play, you let him go ahead and play. And these boys will listen to me, won’t you, boys?”

“Yes, gramma.” They all answered in synch. Then one of the boys leaned forward directly in the path of Jon’s wandering eyes and smiled wide. His teeth were incredibly white and Minnie wondered how he managed to do that. She wished her teeth could be nearly as clean and white.

Must be natural. She thought.

“I am upset because my husband was killed in the war and I am being forced to move across the country to start a new life. I’m afraid of the new life I’m going to.”

“Where was he killed, my dear?” The old woman’s face fell in sorrow. It made the wrinkles in her face intensify and show her age more than before.

“He was killed in Averasboro nine weeks ago and eight months ago.” Her face crumpled when she mentioned her loving husband. She shook it off and pulled her back up straight, pulling in a quick breath. “I am going to Nevada to be with a man who is looking for a wife.”

“It’s wonderful that you will have someone to care for you and your baby.” The old woman nodded. “There have been many terrible losses in this war so far. I’m not sure it will ever end.”

“It feels like the end of the world,” Minnie said softly in dismay.

“Aaah but it isn’t, my dear.” The old woman nodded and gave her a sympathetic look. “It isn’t. You will find happiness again, don’t you worry about that. God has a plan for you.”

Minnie’s face was still downtrodden but she nodded and gave the old woman the best smile she could. “I know. I’ve been told that before.”

“That’s because it’s true. You shouldn’t forget it.”

“I won’t soon forget it, I promise.”

The woman laughed softly and nodded, her eyes on the little boy, standing once more on the bench and smiling as he looked out the window at the fast moving landscape.

“You won’t forget it at all.”

Catherine was not at all pleased with Joe’s decision to bring a wife for himself from the East Coast. She ranted about the dangers of bringing a strange woman into the life of such a small little girl. No matter how much he tried to explain that the letters told him he would be dealing with a woman of generous spirit and a kind heart, Catherine didn’t believe it.

He wasn’t sure if his sister-in-law was speaking from her concern for Ruthie or her desire to keep the little girl as her own. He just couldn’t tell. He’d not dealt much with the woman, except on a friendly basis where they might get together to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, which they did every year.

Joe was on his way to the station to pick up his new bride. He felt a bit sick to his stomach because Catherine had insisted he bring Ruthie with him. Though he’d planned to take Minnie to his brother’s house to introduce her and pick up his 3-year-old, Catherine had insisted he take her with him to the station.

“She deserves to know sooner rather than later. The fact that you’ve gone and done this without consulting the right people is bad enough…” She shot a darting glance at her husband, who looked back nonchalantly as if he had nothing to do with it. The sweet look made Catherine stop short and think more kindly. “You really shouldn’t have done it this way.” The woman continued to lecture him for at least twenty minutes to half the hour.

In the end, it was getting later and closer to the time Minnie would be arriving. Finally, Catherine outright demanded he take Ruthie, telling him that she and her husband were going out and wouldn’t have time to care for her.

Before he left, his little girl in his arms, sitting up and looking at the adults as if she thought they were all insane, Joe gave Catherine a direct glare. “You’re telling me you would rather have my baby girl see an argument first thing from her new guardian and mother, between her and me?”

Catherine just shook her head and closed the door behind them. “Sleep tight, Joey. We’ll see you tomorrow maybe.”

The door clicked and Joe turned to walk to his wagon. The temperature was dropping, but Joe had brought along an extra blanket for his daughter’s legs and to wrap around herself to keep warm. With her in one hand and the blanket in the other, Joe managed to get up in his saddle and fit his feet in the stirrups very well.

“Let’s go see your new…mama.” It was going to take a bit to get used to that, he decided.

The train pulled up into the station, and Minnie’s heart leaped into her throat. “Oh Lord, protect us from any evil and wrongdoing.” Minnie murmured quickly as she stepped down from the train onto the wooden platform outside. There were only a few people there, many less than she had seen when leaving South Carolina. She gathered her bag and her child in her arms and stepped carefully.

Once she was off the train, her luggage bags brought to her by the valet, she was beginning to feel a headache that nearly leveled her. It was one of the bad ones that she just wanted to sleep with. She saw a man approaching her, a beautiful little blond girl. She wondered if he knew why she was here. He looked like he was coming straight toward her. He looked down at the baby as soon as he was within just a few feet of her. He stared at Billy.

She stared at the tiny blond girl in his arms. Ruthie looked older than her Billy. She propped Billy up in her hands and whispered in his ear. “Look at that, Billy. You see those boys in the proper hats? They work here. They are here so you are protected and safe.”

She distracted him with looking elsewhere, though her eyes were still on the handsome man carrying the baby.

“I’m sorry for staring.” Joe said softly. “Are you in need of assistance? Is there someone there to get you?” He cleared his throat. “Are you Minnie?”

She hesitated only for a second. “I…I am. And are you Joseph?”

He nodded, still switching his eyes to Billy. Then he looked up at his three year old and smiled.

“I think Minnie and I have some explaining to do.” He laughed softly. “Do you think we can do that? You want to go play inside with your ball?”

“I can go play ball…” The little girl pulled the ball from her daddy’s hands and jumped up and down until he set her on the floor. She ran to the door and a taller man pulled it open, stepping back for her.

“Here you go, tiny miss,” the man said, smiling.

“Thank you!” Ruthie darted into the building.

Minnie and Joe looked at each other.

“You can say anything you want to,” Minnie murmured. “I won’t tell if you don’t want to marry be because of Billy…”

“In case you didn’t notice,” Joe shook his head. “I’m not going to back out of marrying you because you…weren’t honest about your situation. I…did the same thing with Ruthie, didn’t I?”

Joe hung his head in shame.

“I wasn’t exactly spelling out Billy’s name in our letters.”

“I only received one. Did you send others?”

Thinking back, she could only think of one. She shook her head. “I must be wrong.”

“Do you want me to re-introduce myself? Shall we both start getting to know each other better without having these little precious hearts be our bait for a mate?”

“You are a charming poet.” Minnie giggled. “But if we’d been using them as bait, we would have advertised about them, we never would have hid them from each other.”

“Are we on a level playing field, then?”

“I think we both know what’s right and what should and must be done.”

Joe took one of her hands, placing the other hand on the little boy’s tousled hair. “Hello, Billy, do you want to meet my little girl and come to my house?”

The boy nodded so violently, Joe couldn’t tell whether he really did or not. He laughed and noticed that Minnie’s mood had lightened. She was a beautiful woman and he could tell that physical attraction was mutual on both sides. From her letter and the fact that she’d also had a baby of her own, he decided he’d made the right decision after all.

He leaned over and dared brush his lips against the top of the little boy’s head.

He whispered to Minnie. “Are we going to be all right?”

She sighed softly with a smile. “I think so, Joe. I want to be.”

“Then we will be. Let’s go take care of our little ones together. I...I can see we are going to have a good future.”

Minnie could only look up at him. From the first moment she’d seen him, she’d hoped he was Joe, coming to get her, even if he did have a baby in his arms. That certainly didn’t bother her. He gave off the impression he would love her completely.

And she had no doubt she would give him the same in return. She expected great things.

And great things were coming her way.

She smiled as she let Joe lead her inside, where they would find the baby, Ruthie, and head home.

*****

THE END

An Italian in the West – A Clean Western Historical Romance

Cosa farò ora?

Angelica’s mind was whirling. Her thoughts were dark and heavy as she repeated the Italian phrase over and over in her mind. Cosa farò ora? Cosa farò ora? What do I do now?

Her father’s death had caused a complete upheaval in her life. He was all she had in this world, especially in this foreign land that she wasn’t used to and didn’t understand all of the time. She was only now learning to speak the language.

How could this tragic event have occurred so soon after their arrival in America? And now what would she do? She buried her face in her hands, soaking her gloves with her tears. They arrived originally in New York but had only stayed there for a short time. Her father had not like the climate there, so they migrated south to the rolling hills of Virginia. It had only been a few months since then. She had just started learning English these last few weeks and had been training almost daily with Lilly, her only friend in this small town. Lilly was a fiery, red-headed girl from Ireland with a quick wit and a sharp brain. She’d had no trouble learning to speak like Americans do and seemed to fit right in. Lilly had taken a quick liking to Angelica, and they were always together as a result.

Angelica wasn’t having an easy time of it, though. Her Italian accent was strong, and she moved from speaking English to Italian in the same sentence, disrupting her speech pattern and only allowing half of her sentence to be understood.

To make matters worse, Lilly had never stopped informing Angelica of her outstanding beauty. She never failed to mention when a young man was eyeing Angelica, not realizing that her friend didn’t want the attention. Lilly was jealous that Angelica got the kind of attention she did, but she refrained from being rude about it. She was playful when she mentioned the looks her Italian friend always got.

“I wish I was as beautiful as you are, Angel.” Lilly was fond of saying. “I would already be happily married with children.”

“You are a bambina, too young for such,” Angelica replied.

“You’re never too young for the attention of men. And I wouldn’t say that twenty is too young. In fact, far from it.” Lilly would sigh and pat her wavy red hair, fluttering her eyelashes at the same time. Her green eyes always flashed with energy and she had a ready smile on her face. Angelica thought she was the beautiful one and would tell her so. Lilly just laughed at that.

“Truly, you are bellissimo, Lilly, amica mia.” She would say.

“English,” Lilly would respond. “You need to speak in English!” Then she would laugh and retrain Angelica how to say “my friend” instead of amica mia. Lilly didn’t really mind that Angelica mixed her words up. She was relieved to be able to use some of the knowledge her grandmother’s husband had bestowed on her, bless his soul. She crossed herself in remembrance of him every time she thought of him, a habit she’d picked up from her Irish-Catholic mother.

When Angelica felt small hands wrap around her shoulders, she knew it was Lilly. She instinctively pushed herself against her friend, her tears nonstop. “Cosa farò ora? Mio padre è morto. Sono sola. Sono sola…”

“Ssshhh.” Lilly consoled her hugging her tightly. “You aren’t alone. I’m here. I will help you. We will figure out what to do. I’m so sorry, Angelica. I’m so sorry. Shh.”

Angelica moaned loudly, lowering herself further, her head nearly on the back of the pew in front of her. Lilly put her hand on her friend’s head and pulled her over so that she was holding her against her chest. She began to rock forward and back, gripping her friend as warmly as she could.

Angelica was comforted when Lilly began to sing softly to her a sweet tune she had never heard before but sounded like the brush of angel’s wings on her hurting soul.

“Now come is my departing time,

And here I may no longer stay,

There is no kind comrade of mine

But will desire I were away.

But if that time will me permit,

Which from your Company doth call,

And me inforceth for to flit,

Good Night, and God be with you all.”(Neighbours farewell to his friends)

Later that night, Angelica was sleeping fitfully in Lilly’s bed, and she watched her friend tossing and turning with worried eyes. Angelica was right to be concerned. She really did not have anyone other than her father, and they had not owned any property. Mr. DiAntonio had just been getting his business started, dealing with the businessmen in town, discussing whatever their business was. He had no trouble integrating himself into society. He had learned English before he migrated to the country. He hadn’t expected to bring Angelica along, which was why she was so lost with the language. He had essentially been forced to bring her after the death of both his wife and his other three daughters in a fire that destroyed their home and much of their property.

The loss of her mother and sisters had taken Angelica to new depths of pain. Lilly met her, and Mr. DiAntonio is New York and traveled south with them because she enjoyed their company and teaching Angelica about American life.

Now, with the death of her dear father in yet another tragic accident, Angelica was left in a foreign land, alone and terribly frightened.

It was a good thing Lilly had traveled with them. She glanced through the window at the bright moon outside and prayed her thanks. You must have sent me down here with them, Lord. She thought. Because I don’t know where she would be now. She already felt alone. Now she really is.

But she knew that Angelica wasn’t really alone. She was there for her. And she had God on her side. Lilly would just have to ensure that Angelica’s life was not wasted.

Lord, give me strength. She prayed silently. I don’t know what You want to do with this child of yours, but I’ll try to do it Your way.

Lilly stayed with her that night and made sure both she and Angelica made it to the hotel, where they both worked in housekeeping. She still hadn’t come up with a solution to the problem. She had to think about her own future, too, and it didn’t include being a companion for the rest of her life. Not to a woman, anyway. She was anxious to find a man and get married. She wanted a family and children.

But she wasn’t about to abandon Angelica.

They worked in a hotel that was more like a boarding house and it was owned by a tiny little old woman named Bess. She ran the place with a tiny iron fist, and no one made trouble for her. She demanded the best character from her tenants and her staff. She was also very compassionate when it came to young women alone in the world.

When Bess heard that Angelica had lost her father, she went to find her.

“Lilly, Angelica, what are you doing here?” She said as soon as she entered the room they were cleaning. She had come to expect them to work together because Lilly was often an interpreter for Angelica as she learned English.

“Ms. Bessie, we are here to work,” Lilly answered.

Bess shook her head vehemently, approaching Angelica and looking up at her with a frown. “You just lost your father, and you are here working. No. You must go home and take some time to yourself to mourn!”

“Ms. Bess, I can’t…”

“We need to work, Ms. Bessie, we need the money,” Lilly said for Angelica.

Bess didn’t look at Lilly, just continued to gaze up at Angelica, who was at least 6 inches taller at 5’5. Her face melted in compassion, and she tilted her head. When she spoke, the tone of her voice had softened considerably.

“Angelica, go home. Take Lilly with you. I will give you a week of pay, and you just stay home and do what you need to do.”

“Oh, miss!” Angelica understood the words and could barely process them in her grief. Lilly was at her side immediately, thanking Bess over and over.

Bess said nothing more, just nodded, shooing them out the door. Angelica was crying softly, with Lilly guiding her by the shoulders.

Instead of going home, Lilly and Angelica walked to a small park on the corner of the street they worked on. They sat on a bench and held hands.

“We will figure out something to do with ourselves, Angelica. There must be something we can do with our lives. We can’t be housekeepers forever. We need husbands and families.”

Angelica just nodded, still quietly crying, her tears streaming down her face uncontrolled.

“Mio padre. Mio padre.” She kept shaking her head.

Lilly didn’t scold her for her grief. She let her friend cry and moan for her father. She stared out at the park around her, watching two mothers with very small babies settle a blanket on the ground for a picnic under a tree. She could hear them giggling and talking about their husbands and other children.

It made Lilly’s heart grow jealous. She looked at Angelica, whose beauty showed bright even in her grief. Her features were like the perfect doll’s, her dark brown hair braided down her back with ringlets surrounding her face, her eyes a deep blueish brown. She was so beautiful.

She herself was not bad to look at. But where were the men in their lives to give them to fulfillment these ladies had? They seemed so happy, on top of the world. There was probably nothing wrong in their lives at all. They had everything they wanted.

Lilly frowned. She didn’t want to be jealous of what other people had. It was a sin. It was one of the Ten Commandments not to covet what other people had.

But she did anyway. She couldn’t help it. She wanted to be married and have a family.

We could travel. She thought suddenly and wondered if it would be a possibility. There were no immediate chances of either of them getting married in the near future, not that she could see. There were no men in their lives at this time.

However, if they were to travel, there would be less chance to establish some kind of relationship with a man and settle down.

Her confusion made her even angrier. She didn’t realize she was gripping Angelica’s hand so tightly until her friend began to pull them away.

“Lilly, you’re hurting me,” Angelica mumbled.

Lilly released her hands, apologizing. “I’m so sorry, dear. I was just thinking.”

“Si, I could tell.”

Lilly’s ears were drawn to the conversation the women were having, and she pretended she was straightening her skirt while she listened.

“She went all the way to Nevada. And Joe says there’s another one in the newspaper today.”

“What would make a woman want to do that?”

“Joe says there are a lot more women here than there are there. So the chances of finding a husband here are a lot less.”

“I’m glad I’ve got Mark. I wouldn’t want to travel all the way across the country just to find a husband.”

“I think we got lucky. The way Joe says it, there’s so many people migrating from the other countries and just placing themselves here and in North Carolina and New York, there’s just too many of them.”

“I don’t mind that. My parents came from Britain. I think it’s beautiful here. I’m glad people are coming here for a new life.”

“I know. I don’t really mind either. But Joe says that’s why people need to go across the country so that there will be a good mix everywhere. Right now, it’s as if everyone is living here in the East and only men are in the West.”

“Only men? That’s not possible.”

“I don’t mean it quite like that. Not literally. There’s just many more of them than women there.”

“So men advertise for them to come to the West and marry them?” The woman shook her head. “I don’t think I could do it.”

“There are plenty who will.”

There certainly is. Lilly thought.

Chapter Two

Adam sat in the pew listening to Reverend Stoop. The sermon was about salvation and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Adam had heard a very similar sermon recently, here in this same church, from the same pastor.

But he didn’t mind and neither apparently did any of the other members of the small church. They knew that the Reverend often recycled his sermon topics and would forget that he had just used one very recently. He had been here preaching for the last thirty years.

Adam had known the Reverend since he first stepped foot in the church 17 years ago. He was like a second father to Adam, whose own father was living back in the East in the upper parts of New York with his mother and younger sister.

From the start, Adam had not liked the cold weather of New York. He had decided at a young age that he would travel to the West to see what he could make of himself on his own. At the tender age of 17, he’d done just that. It had taken him almost a year to get to his destination but once there, he began working at a farm and eventually took over the farm when his boss died, leaving it to him.

He enjoyed working the farm though the hours were long and things constantly needed to be done. There were tasks from the break of day to sunset and beyond. He hired a farmhand to help him with it, giving him room and board but the work seemed to be overloading him more every day. He was becoming lonely and wanted a change.

In fact, he was itching to make a change. He’d heard from a friend at the saloon that some of the men in farms nearby had been advertising for brides in newspapers in the East. He’d been praying on that and rolling it around in his mind for some time now.

When the service was over, he approached Reverend Stoop with the intention of getting the man’s advice. The Reverend had been married to the same woman for about thirty years, so he had to know something about it. Adam was nervous about the prospect of bringing a woman into his life when he had been a bachelor for so long. What if they weren’t compatible? What if she was not a Christian and they were unequally yoked?

These questions weighed heavily on him.

“If I could talk to you for a moment, pastor.”

The pastor looked at him and smiled. “Adam! Good to see you today.” He stepped down from the small platform to shake Adam’s hand.

“That was a good sermon today, John.”

“Thank you very much. I used the same topic about a month ago, according to the wife, but it was on my heart, so I used it again.”

“We can always use more words about the sacrifice of our Lord.” Adam nodded. “But I have something else I wanted to talk to you about if you have a moment.”

“I do. Let’s go for a walk.” He gestured with one hand, and Adam led the way down the aisle and through the front doors. He put his hat on once they were outdoors and they strolled over the grass around the side of the building. There was a cemetery very close by, and they walked along the side of it.

“I have been feeling very lonely lately. I am thinking about bringing a woman from the East to marry.”

The Reverend nodded. “I have heard of others doing that. Have placed a few ads myself. Not for me. For others in the congregation.”

Adam looked at him, surprised. “You have? I had not heard of that.”

John shook his head. “You wouldn’t have. It’s not something that is advertised here. And the men typically feel as you do, they are nervous and unsure of the future. Most of them request that the arrangement be kept private. Only those closest to them know what’s happening.”

“It seems to be my only option at this point. No women are traveling here just because they feel like it.”

“No, it seems there are only a few females here, other than very small children.”

“Do you know the success rate of other men sending for women from the East? Have they had successful marriages?”

“As far as I have seen, yes, they have. But I have not kept close track of their lives.”

“Do you think it would be a good idea for me?”

John stopped and turned to him. “Adam, that is a decision you have to make for yourself, but I will say this. I have watched you grow from a young man into a strong Christian adult. You have come far in your life, relying on yourself and the strength God has given you. If you have prayed about this and you have come to me about it, which I commend you for, I think you know what direction is right for you. It sounds like you have already made up your mind.”

“I believe I have. I will do it.”

John nodded and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “I pray for you, my brother. God will provide and protect.”

Adam nodded.

An hour later, he was sitting on the comfortable couch he’d purchased just the year before. He held his Bible in one hand, staring down at the table in front of him, where a blank piece of paper sat waiting for him to write.

What would he say? He began to list the traits and characteristics he desired in a woman in his mind. Beauty, intelligence, compassion, a strong love for God.

How would he put those things in an advertisement? Should he even mention beauty, as it was not good to judge by someone’s looks? He would feel bad if he ended up with someone he was not attracted to, however.

He picked up the charcoal pencil he always used to write and pressed it to the paper. So far he had successfully made a black dot on the paper.

He chuckled and began to write. The ad didn’t need to be long. But if it was too short, would it get the attention he wanted?

“What are you doing, Adam?”

He jumped when he heard the voice of his farmhand, Cody. He looked up at the young man as he came through the room and sat in a chair nearby, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees and clasp his hands in front of him.

“Nothing. What are you doing?”

“Just finished putting that fence back together where that ol’ bull broke it. It should be good for a while now. We gotta do something about him, Adam. He’s gettin’ worse every day.”

“I know.” Adam nodded, looking back down at the paper in front of him. He’d managed two sentences. He wondered if he needed more. Satisfied, he folded the paper and tucked it in his shirt pocket.

“What’s that? You signin’ the farm over to me? I can’t handle all this work by myself.” Cody’s voice was teasing. He grinned wide.

“No, I’m gettin’ a woman sent from the East to marry.”

Cody’s eyebrows shot up. “What’s that, boss? What are you gonna do?”

“You heard right. I need the companionship of a woman. You’re a good farmhand, but you ain’t got the right parts.”

Cody laughed. “I’m glad to hear you say that, but I’m pretty surprised by this. You didn’t mention you’d been thinkin’ about somethin’ like that.”

Adam shook his head. When he stood, so did Cody. They both walked to the kitchen, where Adam poured himself a cup of coffee. He offered it to Cody, who shook his head.

“Stuff gives me the jitters,” he said. “Can’t concentrate.”

Adam stood with one hand wrapped around the coffee cup and the other in his jeans pocket. “I’ve been lonely a long time, Cody, since before you got here.”

“That is a long time, boss. I’ve been here going on three years now. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you in the companionship of a woman.”

“I always thought the bachelor life was what I wanted. But now I’m reconsidering.”

“You need a woman, boss.” Cody agreed, nodding. “You deserve to have a family if that’s what you want. You thinkin’ maybe I should find a loft or another place to live?”

Adam shook his head, running one hand through his dark hair as he took a drink of coffee. “No, you can stay on here. There’s plenty of room.”

“Ain’t you gonna want some privacy?” Cody asked, tipping his hat back on his head.

“If you want to stay somewhere else, I won’t stop you,” Adam replied.

Cody shook his head. “I’d rather not leave, boss. I was jus’ sayin’ if you want privacy, I can.”

“No need for you to leave. We’ll build you a cottage of your own on the property if we have trouble with the privacy topic. But Lord willing, I’ll get a good woman who will make a fine wife and…”

Cody smiled. “You want some kids runnin’ around, do ya?” He laughed. “I like kids. I got four little nieces and nephews, as you know.”

Adam nodded, smiling with him. “Yes, they are very rambunctious, aren’t they? Perhaps I will not have that many children.”

“Is that even up to you?”

They both laughed.

“I’m about to go send this ad to Virginia. Do you want to ride along? I wanted to talk to you about the eggs.”

“The eggs?” Cody looked at him confused.

“Yes, come along with me and I’ll explain.”

When they got to the post building, Adam was disappointed to see that it was not open. He thought it was always open. Cody slid from his horse and approached the door to read a piece of paper someone had stuck there. He came back to the horses, looking up at Adam.

“Sister died,” he said simply.

“Well, is there only one person who works at this place?” He frowned. He wanted to send the ad immediately.

“Sorry, boss. Looks like you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to put in your ad. You look like you’re getting’ pretty anxious about it. You really want to do this, don’t you?”

“I feel that this is what God’s put on my heart, yes.”

“I reckon you talked to Reverend John about it.”

“I sure did. Just today.”

Cody nodded. “That’s why you’re so anxious. You got confirmation from someone you trust.”

Adam gave his farmhand a narrow look. “You’re pretty smart when you wanna be, Cody.”

Cody laughed. “Jus’ cause my words are lazy doesn’t mean my brain is.”

Adam laughed with him. It was a good point.

“I guess we gotta go back and take care of the eggs then.” Adam sighed with resignation. He turned his horse around and headed home.

Chapter Three

Lilly was more nervous than she had ever been in her life. She was hurrying back from the post office with a letter for Angelica that she knew her friend was not going to expect. And Lilly was terribly afraid she would reject it completely and be angry at Lilly for what she’d done behind her back.

The letter was from Adam Burrows in Elko, Nevada. Lilly had found his ad in the newspaper and responded, signing Angelica’s name instead of her own. It was the only way she knew of to ensure that Angelica would be taken care of first. She would travel with her, with her own money that she had been saving, and hope for the best.

But Lilly hadn’t mentioned a few things about Angelica when she’d responded. She’d used perfect English – or as near it as she could come – and hadn’t mentioned the death of Angelica’s father. Nor had she said how stunningly beautiful Angelica was.

Her heart beat hardest at the thought of the final blow in her deception. She had signed the letter as “Angela Davenport” rather than Angelica DiAntonio. The last name in itself would give the whole thing up.

Lilly’s sense of guilt washed over her as she berated herself for the entire scam. How would Angelica react? Would she even go through with it? It had been three weeks since the death of her father. She was back to working but was only doing that – living, existing. She had no vibrancy left, other than her outer beauty. It never reflected her inner sorrow, except when she was crying.

She had stopped crying about a week ago and was now just moving around, doing her work, eating, sleeping and the like.

Lilly wanted it to stop. She’d answered the ad the day after Mr. DiAntonio’s death. The letter of response had just arrived. She opened it immediately and was thrilled to read he was interested and had even sent a ticket for “Angela” to take, dated five days hence.

She stopped at the door of their boarding house and looked up at the windows that belonged to Angelica’s rooms. Her friend was not in the window and could not be seen from where Lilly was standing.

Lilly’s heart pounded. Regret washed over and then a sense of determination filled her. Her mixed up feelings continued to battle each other as she pushed open the door and went through. By the time she reached the second floor and was standing in front of Angelica’s door, she was out of breath. Her anxiety was making her feel faint. She knocked on the door and then opened it, putting her head through.

“Angel? Where are you?”

“In here. Come on in, Lilly.”

Lilly closed the door behind her and hurried into her friend’s bedroom, where it appeared Angelica was going through her clothes to see what she wanted and what she didn’t. She’d been given all of her sisters clothes that had not burned in the fire but where kept in a separate building. These were all clothes meant for the wintertime, and they were of very fine quality.

“These are beautiful!” Lilly said. “What do you plan to do with them?”

“I am giving them to some of the women in town who have very little.”

“But you should sell them. You don’t have to give them away. You need money.”

“I do not want to sell them, amica mia. I want the women to have them. I do not want the money they have.”

Lilly understood. These were women who made their money with the men in town, and they never seemed to have enough money. Angelica didn’t want to take what little they had, nor did she want the money they made that way.

“I want to talk to you, Angelica.” Lilly dropped herself on the bed and reached out for Angelica’s hand. Angelica took it, pulled herself from her sitting position on the floor and joined Lilly sitting on the bed.

“What is it?”

“I think…I know we need to make a change in our lives. Do you agree with that?”

“Si.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“I have done something, and I want to tell you what I’ve done, but I don’t want you to be angry with me for it.”

Angelica immediately felt a sense of anxiety flow through her. She swallowed and looked at her friend closely. “What have you done?”

“I answered an ad from a man in the West requesting a bride.”

Angelica’s eyes opened wide, and she found herself short of breath. “What? You are leaving me? What will I do? Where…”

“No, no.” Lilly cut her off, patting her hand. “I answered it…for you…as you. Do you understand?”

Angelica looked terribly confused. “No.”

Lilly pulled in a deep breath and wrestled with her anxiety. “I…answered it from you, like I was you. I signed it with your name, but I gave you a more American last name so…you’d have more chance of being chosen if others responded to it.”

“What….what did you say? I am confusa.”

“Confused. I am sorry, Angelica. I know you will understand if I just have the right words to help you. We need to make a change. I wanted to make sure that you would be able to travel with me if the ad was answered. I didn’t want to leave you behind. So I answered the ad to make sure you would be chosen, and I will pay for my own way to wherever you go. I will go with you, and when you get there, I’ll be nearby, and I will make my own way.”

Angelica understood what Lilly had done and felt amazed, excited and worried all at the same time. “You…will make your own way?”

“I’ll be nearby. I can get a job housekeeping like I always do. And I have some money saved, more than I’ll need for the ticket, so I should be able to get by for a little while.”

“I am worried for you.”

“Don’t be. We’ll make it, you and me.”

“May I read the letter?”

“Oh!” Lilly felt silly for forgetting the letter. She pulled it from her skirt pocket and gave it to Angelica. “Do you think you’ll understand it?”

Angelica smiled wide. “I have been working hard on my English. I am better able to read than speak.”

“You are doing really well, Angel. You really are.”

Lilly already felt a sense of relief. Perhaps it was truly what God wanted. She prayed that she had made the right choice for both of them.

They were packed and ready when the carriage arrived to take them to the station. They were grateful to Miss Bess, who had provided her private driver and carriage for the girls to get to the station. They were nervously holding hands the entire way to the station. Both were tense and quiet, thinking about the fact that they were traveling to an unknown place to meet strangers who may or may not accept them the way they were.

Lilly was praying hard, sometimes with Angelica, that the man they would meet would understand their situation and not judge them harshly. Lilly had sent a telegraph that Angela would be arriving but made no mention of herself.

That fact weighed heavily on them both as they boarded the train and settled themselves in one of the cabins. What if they were both sent back? Or simply sent away? What if the man was not accommodating and wouldn’t accept them at the train station?

Fear and anxiety gave them both headaches. They sat silently as the train made its way across the country. They went to get food once and did so without a word. Other passengers watched them curiously. Lilly wondered if they made such a strange pair that people would feel the need to stare at them in such a way.

When they were back in their seats, Angelica whispered, “Lilly, let me see the letter again, please.”

Lilly handed it to her without a word. She’d kept it tucked in her pocket and often would touch it to make sure it was there. She wanted to have it to prove Angelica was the one he had sent for. She had already decided to let Angelica go to him alone and that she would go immediately into the building to retrieve a newspaper. She would need to find a boarding house right away.

She watched Angelica read through the letter again, her eyes focusing on the name at the beginning, “Angela.” It was only a different version of her own name and she felt she would be able to get used to it. She had worked hard on her English, harder than she ever had before, just in the last four days. She wanted to make a good impression.

Please, God, help me be what he wants. She prayed, folding the letter and clutching it tightly in her hand. “I will give him the letter, Lilly,” she said.

Lilly pulled in a deep breath and pressed her lips together. She felt shaky and faint. Every mile took her closer to being more alone than ever before. She did not regret letting Angelica take the place of the bride for the man. But she hadn’t really thought about how alone it would leave her. Alone 4000 miles from anywhere she’d ever known.

A sense of dread covered her.

They were 20 minutes from the train station and gathering their things together. They no longer needed the coats they had started out wearing and had stripped off the gloves and bonnets, as well. It was cool but not nearly enough for the extra clothing. The sun was dropping behind the horizon when they stepped off the train.

They were not given time to separate.

They were the only ones departing the train at that station, and a man was standing there waiting for Angela. He was the only one there and watched them both get off the train, talking in low tones.

They stopped and stared at him.

He blinked and then approached, removing the cowboy hat from his head.

“Angela?”

He looked from one to the other.

“Uh…” Lilly looked at Angelica. “This is Angela,” she said instinctively.

Angelica nodded. “Hello, yes, I am Angela.”

Lilly just realized how thick her Italian accent was. They both stared at Adam, and he stared back at them, his eyes moving from one to the other. The first thing he noticed was that they were both beautiful women. The second was that there were two of them and the one saying she was Angela was definitely not an American.

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand what’s going on,” Adam stated in a low voice.

Lilly looked at Angelica with worried eyes. She didn’t want to speak up when it was Angelica who was supposed to be the one here for him. She tried to send telepathic messages to her friend by thinking very hard, talk to him, talk to him!

“I…” Angelica started. She reached down and picked up her two bags, which surprised both Lilly and Adam. Adam took a step back, and Angelica took a step forward. “I am ready. I do say sorry for confusing you. I travel with Lilly very often. She is my friend and companion. I do hope you do not mind.”

Adam wasn’t sure. He didn’t exactly mind one way or the other. But he’d been expecting one woman, not two. He couldn’t possibly marry two women. He looked at Lilly. Which one of these women was he supposed to be with? It was obvious Lilly had written the response letter for Angela.

“I sent for one woman to marry. What is your intention here?”

Lilly followed Angelica’s lead and picked up her bags. “As Angeli… Angela says, I have been her traveling companion for some time. I would like to stay nearby, perhaps in a boarding house and continue my friendship with her. Also, I have been helping her learn English. As you can see, she is still working on it.”

Adam shook his head. “I have rooms at my farm. You may use one of them. But I am unhappy that I was not told of this from the beginning.”

Lilly felt regret wash through her. “I am sorry, sir. It was not my intention to anger you. I was just trying to do something for my friend.”

“By deceiving others. This is not what God has in mind.”

“I am sorry.” Lilly’s face dropped at his mention of God. She didn’t want to anger God, either. “I did pray about this and it just…I just thought I should…”

“Come with me,” Adam said abruptly, cutting her off. “We will go back to the farm and discuss this.”

Chapter Four

The uncomfortable silence on the ride to Adam’s farm made Angelica feel a little sick to her stomach. She had been working hard to learn the language and act like an American. She was naturally shy and didn’t try to draw attention to herself. Her first impression of the man they had met was a good one. She liked his dark eyes and dark wavy hair. He was built strong and solid and had nice hands.

She could see that he was unhappy and perhaps a little angry at the deception. She didn’t hold Lilly at fault, though. Her friend had been looking out for her since they met in New York, where they had met at a boarding house they were both working for. Lilly had never been dishonest with her and had never tried to hurt her.

She felt as though God was making something good from the deception. He must have a plan, or they wouldn’t be there, riding in the wagon going toward a new home and a new life.

Angelica took Lilly’s hand and squeezed it. Lilly looked worried and afraid. It seemed strange that she was feeling so confident when Lilly was usually the one in that position. Lilly looked at her. A feeling of peace filled her when she looked in her friend’s eyes.

Perhaps things would be all right once they reached the farm.

Adam was staring straight forward, stewing in his mind. He hadn’t asked for an additional burden. What was God doing? He instinctively shook his head at his own thoughts. Two foreign women had deceived him and now he felt obligated and responsible for them. He didn’t see how this could turn out well. He didn’t like the feeling of uncertainty he had.

By the time they reached the farm, it was dark. The lanterns on the outside of the house were lit, and the flames brightened the steps so they could see as they went up. Adam tied the reins to a hitch and followed the women up to the door.

It opened, and Cody stood there, staring at the three of them.

The women stopped and stared back at him.

His curious eyes settled on Adam. “Adam?” he asked and didn’t finish the question.

Adam nodded. “Ladies, this is Cody. Cody, this is Angela and Lilly.” He gestured to each of them when he said their names. They nodded at Cody.

“Hello,” Cody said, his voice and face still filled with confusion.

“Let’s go inside, shall we?” Adam said in a gruff tone. Cody stepped aside hurriedly and let them in. “Follow me.” Adam led them into the sitting room, directing them to set their bags down in the hallway to take to their rooms later. “Please sit. We will need to talk.”

The ladies both sat next to each other on the couch, and the men took seats nearby. Adam sat forward, his face stern. “I feel I have been deceived. I don’t want to scold you ladies, as you are not children. But this is not a good way to start a relationship. I had set values I wanted in the woman I brought here, and I am unsure that those values can be found in you seeing as how this was done.”

“Please don’t hold it against us, sir…” Lilly began.

He cut her off, lifting his hand and shaking his head. “Please call me Adam. I am not your master, and you are not my servant. Go ahead, you were saying?”

Lilly swallowed her anxiety. “As I said at the station, I have been traveling with Angel and her father for some time. Her father passed away about a month ago, and she was left with no one to care for her. I did not want to see her left behind if I should go. And I knew that I could pay my own way if I bought my own ticket and she was able to come.”

“But you lied in your letter.”

“I didn’t lie,” Lilly said in a pleading tone. “She is who I said she is. She’s beautiful and smart and all the things you asked for.”

“What about believing in the Lord?” Adam asked. “That is very important to me.”

“I know my deception may not make it seem like it, and I do hope that you forgive me for it. But we are both firm believers in God, and that is not a lie.”

Adam looked at Angelica. “You are also a believer?” He thought she was brave to stand up to him when she first arrived. He couldn’t tell if she was truly all the things he was looking for or if her beauty was only skin deep. It was true that she had a stunningly beautiful countenance. If he were simply looking for a trophy to ride on his arm and make him look good, Angelica would be it. But he was looking for more than that. His experience with them so far had not shown him that those qualities were there.

“I am.” Angelica nodded emphatically.

Adam pressed his lips together and looked at Cody. “I value your opinion, Cody. You have heard what has happened. What are your thoughts?”

“I’m sure not gonna make a decision for you, boss,” Cody answered, turning his eyes to the women. “But I don’t see why you can’t give them a chance to show you they are good women.”

“I didn’t ask for two,” Adam grumbled.

Cody’s response was laughter. “You’d be the first man not to want two beautiful women in your house.”

Adam kept himself from smiling though he was amused by Cody’s statement. He glanced back at the women and noticed that Lilly was watching Cody, an interesting look in her green eyes. Cody caught the look and smiled at Lilly, who blushed furiously and dropped her eyes.

It was as if a light turned on in the darkness of Adam’s mind. He hadn’t even thought about it. Cody was also a God-fearing man.

Perhaps He sent the two women, one for him and one for Cody.

A double answered prayer? The thought amused Adam.

They would have to see.

Over the next week, Lilly and Angelica proved they were, at least, able to keep a house clean. There was often dusting to be done, and the women spent much time going through the garden, cooking and cleaning for both men. Adam spoke to John about the arrangement, asking if the Lord was frowning on their cohabitation, even though he had set up the women in separate bedrooms on the other side of the house while he decided if he would go through with the marriage.

“I don’t think you should back out now,” John said firmly. “It sounds like you do have good women there and you are correct, you are not obligated to the second one, but you are showing acts of kindness and compassion by taking her in. You need to remember that God judges the heart. He knows your intentions.”

“He works in strange ways.”

“He does. I think it’s a good plan to see if Cody is interested in this other young lady. It sounds like they get along well.”

“She does spend a good deal of time with him.”

“Tell me something. Have you had the opportunity to speak to Angela alone?”

“I have.”

“What is your impression of her?”

“She is intelligent and friendly. Very soft-spoken.”

“Can you see yourself loving her?”

Adam thought about it. Her beauty was a big factor, because it was difficult not to be attracted to her for that and that alone. But he wanted to do right in the eyes of the Lord. “Yes. She is a good woman, I do believe.”

“Then why are you questioning it? You have prayed about it for so long. Don’t reject the blessings God gave you. It’s true that it wasn’t the best first impression to make, but I do feel they did it with the best intentions. Lilly was trying to protect Angela and Angela did not want to leave Lilly behind. She would probably never have answered the ad on her own.”

Adam agreed.

“Go home and make your intentions known to her, Adam. She is probably still as fearful as you are confused.”

As he rode up to the farm, he saw Lilly and Cody standing by the barn talking. Angelica was nowhere to be seen. They seemed to be having a serious conversation. He didn’t stop at the house but continued on to where they were. They saw him approaching, waved and continued talking. He could hear their conversation as he got closer.

“It’s the worrying. That’s what’s done it to her.” Lilly said, shaking her head. “I don’t know what will make her feel better, but it’s nothing I can do.”

“What are you talking about?” Adam didn’t get down from his horse. He sat in the saddle looking down at them with a worried look.

“Angel is not feeling well. She’s running a temperature and is lying in her bed refusing to get up.”

“You think she is worried about being sent away?” Adam asked bluntly.

Lilly hesitated before answering, looking up at Cody for reassurance. He nodded at her.

“Yes,” she finally answered. “She has tried to be very confident, but she grows more nervous as the days pass and it’s causing her to lose weight and not eat. Have you not noticed?” Lilly’s question was spoken softly and sadly.

Adam realized that Lilly was right. He hadn’t seen Angela eating much of late though he was used to noticing such things. There had never been a woman around to worry about.

Suddenly his heart went out to the woman. He pictured her in his mind and without speaking another word, he turned his horse back around and galloped to the house. He tossed the reins over the hitch and took the steps up on to the porch two at a time.

He went directly to Angelica’s room and pushed open the door. She was, indeed, lying in the bed, her face red, her forehead sweaty.

He walked to her bed and sat on the edge, looking down at her. As ill as she looked, her beauty still shone through.

“You aren’t feeling well.” He didn’t ask it as a question. She nodded at him, her brown eyes reflecting deep sadness. “Do you know why?”

She didn’t answer. She just shook her head and looked away from him.

“Would it make you feel better if I told you that I have decided to keep you on here as my wife?”

Angelica looked at him. He pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“You do not love me,” she said.

He touched her cheek with his fingers, brushing them softly over her lips and through a ringlet of brown hair that had gone astray. “I would like to love you. I would like to have the opportunity to love you. But can you love me? Can you love an old bachelor with no sense of compassion or romance?”

“You have compassion, Adam,” Angelica murmured. She pushed herself up on her elbows and gazed at him. “You would not have taken in two strange women if you didn’t have compassion. I know I can love you. I…” She had closely watched him in the last week. He was kind and gentle to every living thing. She wanted to know him much better. If he married her, she certainly would.

He looked at her for another brief moment before taking her in his arms and holding her to him. Relief flooded through her.

“I think…” he hesitated to confirm it in his mind and heart and pray quickly. “I think I already love you, Angela. I just didn’t know it. God sent you and your friend here. He did.”

Angelica pulled back from him and gave him a loving look, the first of many. “I am sure He did, Adam. I’m sure he did.”

Adam pulled her back into a tight hug and whispered in her ear, “Will you marry me?”

She smiled and whispered back, “Yes. Yes, I will.”

****

THE END

A Sheriff’s Heart – A Clean Western Historical Romance

Chapter One

The napkin in Hettie’s hands was nearly ripped to shreds before she noticed she was pulling it apart. She stopped, felt her cheeks flush and looked around to see if anyone had noticed. She licked her lips and looked back out the window at the passing scenery. She was leaving everything behind, her father, brother and uncle, her best friend and her dream of being the schoolteacher for the town she grew up in.

She was nervous but knew what needed to be done. The man she was going to meet and marry had given her father enough money to get the store out of the red and into the black. She needed to be strong and accept that things had to change.

At 24, she had never expected to leave her home and travel across the country to marry a stranger. But it was apparently her lot in life. God must have decided this for her or she wouldn’t have felt as compelled to go when her father mentioned it. He’d shown her the ad and asked if she would be willing to make that kind of change. The war had put an economic strain on their small town, and the store was beginning to fail. Although her family were all supporters of President Lincoln, it didn’t put money in their accounts.

James Banks had placed the ad. He was Sheriff of the town of Elko, in Nevada, and was looking for a bride. He was willing to help them financially if she would agree to travel there and marry him. She had accepted.

It was four weeks ago that the prospect of this adventure was placed before Hettie. Her mother had died when she was only twelve; she barely remembered her. She had grown up in the loving, firm care of her father and uncle, her mother’s brother. Her older brother of two years had also vowed to protect her throughout her life and had held true to that statement, keeping her safe from harm whenever it approached. And it had.

Hettie was fully aware of the methods of men. She had sometimes been accused of being too rough, though she was a small, fit young lady, with long blond hair that waved around her petite face. Her eyes sparkled an aquamarine blue and were framed by long dark blond eyelashes. She had small red lips and high cheekbones. She certainly didn’t look rough on the outside.

She wondered what James was like. A Sheriff. She guessed he might have a lot of rough characters he had to deal with regularly. She hoped he wasn’t a big, tough man. She didn’t want to be fighting for the rest of her life. That sounded miserable.

She was working herself into a frenzy. She pulled in a deep breath and relaxed her muscles. She would have a headache by the time she got there if she wasn’t careful. That was the last thing she needed.

“Are you all right, dear?” the elderly woman sitting next to her leaned forward and looked up into her eyes. Hettie gave the woman a smile and nodded.

“I am, thank you.”

“You look very nervous. Is this your first time on the train?”

“I did a little traveling with my father when I was younger,” Hettie confessed. “But this time, I am traveling alone. I’m not a little girl anymore. But I feel like one inside.”

The woman nodded emphatically. “I can understand that, sweetie. You are off on your own adventure then?”

“Yes, I’m going to the West to start a new life.”

“Oh, my. Leaving all you knew behind, are you?”

“Yes.”

The woman nodded, put a hand forward and rested it on Hettie’s “I’m Ester Canaberry. What’s your name?”

“Hettie Longfield.”

“Well, it’s good to meet you, Hettie. Do you know where you will be living when you get to the West?”

“Elko. I’ll be wed to the Sheriff there.”

“How interesting.” Ester nodded, taking her hand back and resting it in the other small wrinkled one on her lap. The knitting needles she had been using clinked when she set her hands down. “Do you know how to knit?” She asked, glancing down.

“I do.” Hettie nodded.

“Would you like to do some with me while we travel?”

Hettie had to smile again. She nodded without a word and lifted her hands to receive the work Ester had been working on. She inspected it. “Is it a bonnet?”

“It is. It’s for my great grand baby girl, Mona. I am also traveling to Nevada, but not Elko. That’s where my daughter lives now. She went there in the same fashion as you.”

Hettie’s eyes opened wide. “Isn’t that a coincidence?”

Ester tilted her head. “Yes, it does seem so.”

Ester’s stop was before Hettie’s, so she spent the last hour riding by herself. She had finished the bonnet for Ester, who praised the work vehemently, making Hettie blush furiously. She was relieved to hear that her stop was next and gathered her bag in her lap, retrieving her coat from where she had set it next to her. She certainly didn’t need it. The air was very warm and dry.

She patiently waited until she was given permission to depart. She looked out through the window at the platform outside. It was deserted. She pulled in a deep breath, stood up and walked out of the cabin.

She was the only one leaving the train, but there were several people getting on. She watched them when she stepped off as they said goodbye to their friends or family. It made her miss her brother and father.

A couple was coming toward her with attentive looks. She straightened her spine and made sure a pleasant look was on her face. They didn’t look very happy, but they also didn’t look unfriendly. She was confused by their presence and prepared herself for whatever might be coming her way.

“Hello!” The woman was the first one to greet her. She was tall, slender and dressed in a single layer dress, tall boots that reached halfway up her calves and was carrying a parasol with bright colors on it. Hettie had to assume it was to keep the sun from bursting down too much on the woman’s head because there was not a single chance of rain. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

“Hello,” Hettie responded, smiling at the woman and reaching out to take her hand.

“You are Hettie?”

“I am.”

The woman nodded and looked back at the man she was with. He was tall, muscled and looked like he wanted to turn around and run right then and there. Hettie was somewhat amused, wondering if he was the man she was to marry. He certainly didn’t have the countenance of a Sheriff. She suddenly envisioned herself taking over as Sheriff of the town in his place. She lifted her hand to hide a giggle.

“This is John, my husband. I am Elizabeth Bannerman, but you can call me Liz. We are here to pick you up. Are you prepared? Do you have your bags?”

“This is what I have here.” She gestured to the two luggage bags sitting next to her.

Liz looked up at John and nodded. He gave her a distinct look, leaned down and picked up the bags. Without saying a word, he turned and went back toward the edge of the platform, where six steps would take them down to the parking area. Hettie saw a pretty yellow carriage waiting there, with two horses leading it that looked tall and majestic.

“Very nice carriage,” Hettie said, admiringly.

“Why, thank you, Hettie.”

Once they were in the carriage, Hettie tried not to mention the tension between the husband and wife. It was so thick; Hettie thought she would be able to cut it with a knife. She looked from one to the other. He was looking out the window, his jaw set. She was smiling at Hettie with a nervous look.

“May I ask why James did not come to get me?” Hettie asked in a small voice. She was a strong woman, but the pressure in the room was palpable.

John made a strange, grunting sound in his throat and Liz cast him a look before dropping her eyes.

“You need to tell her before we get there, Liz. You can’t leave her in the dark.”

“I’m sorry?” Suddenly Hettie was afraid she had made a bad decision answering the ad. She peered at both of them, settling her eyes on Liz’s friendly eyes to calm herself.

Liz sighed deeply and leaned forward. She put her hands on Hettie’s knees and looked at her pleadingly.

“John is upset because I…you…well, you see, John and I decided to play matchmaker.”

“This is you, Liz.” John shook his head. “I was skeptical.”

“You didn’t have any problems with it before, John.”

“I changed my mind.”

“It’s too late for that, and you know it.”

“Please tell me what’s going on.” Hettie pleaded, taking Liz’s hands and squeezing them gently.

Liz pressed her lips together in an attempt to give Hettie a reassuring look. “I placed the ad and sent for you, dear. James is my brother, and I feel he has been alone long enough.”

“How long has he been alone?” Hettie asked, the tightness in her chest loosening just a little with the secure sound of Liz’s voice.

“A little over three years. And you have never been married?”

“No. In his…your letter, you didn’t mention how old James is.”

“He’s 29.”

Hettie was relieved he wasn’t too much older than she was. “Has he any children?”

“No.”

“Did you tell her anything at all about James in your letter, Liz?” John sounded annoyed but looked less stressed than he had a few minutes before.

Liz looked at him. “Of course I did, John! I just…didn’t mention those things.”

“So you just described him and said he’s the Sheriff?”

Liz ignored him and looked at Hettie again. “He’s got a good heart, Hettie, you don’t need to be afraid of him. He won’t hurt you, and he’s not in the saloons or bars much, so you don’t have to worry about that. He doesn’t spend any time with the women in town either. He has a lot of…” She stopped, and her face flushed a little as her emotions got a hold of her. “He has a lot of memories that it’s difficult for him to get rid of. I think a fresh start with a new woman will do him some good.”

Hettie rolled that statement around in her mind. She agreed that a fresh start was always a good idea, especially when things got tough. But she’d been deceived and wasn’t sure how she felt about it. If James wasn’t the man who had paid her family and it had been Liz instead, that meant her preconceived perception of him was flawed. In fact, she had never communicated with him at all. She had no clue what he would be like.

Plus, Liz was fond of saying the word “I.” She had made all the decisions here. What kind of person was her brother?

Hettie moved her eyes to John, who was looking out the window again. He glanced at her just when she looked at him, and she dropped her eyes. He didn’t look nearly as upset now. He kept his eyes on her for a few more moments, considering her. Then he looked back out the window with a thoughtful gaze. She couldn’t help wondering what he was thinking.

Liz leaned forward again, getting her attention. “Don’t you worry, Hettie. I like the way you look. You are sweet and kind; I can tell. James will love you. You’ll see!”

Hettie just smiled at her.

Chapter Two

By the time the carriage pulled up in front of a two-story house, Hettie had worked herself up again. She was worried that with this turn of events, James might be displeased with her and she would end up in a miserable and unhappy marriage. She was so hoping for love. The thought of it sounded distant to her at that point.

“Okay, here we are.” Liz sounded a little apprehensive herself. John stepped down from the carriage and rounded it to open the door for the women. He helped Liz out first, then Hettie. He went to the back of the carriage to unstrap the two bags while the women went up the few steps to the porch and crossed to the front door.

Liz opened the first door and knocked on the second.

They waited in silence, Liz giving Hettie a nod and a smile, squeezing her arm in the process.

They heard the sound of footsteps on the other side and the door was thrown open by a tall man dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt.

“Liz! What are you doing here?” He didn’t sound unfriendly, but he didn’t smile at his sister. His eyes settled on Hettie, and he blinked, giving her the once-over. “And who might this be? New member of the community? Hello, I’m James, the local Sheriff. I have to say you don’t look like the type to make trouble for my little town.”

Hettie smiled shyly and giggled quietly. She didn’t feel very tough around James. He was intimidating and amazingly handsome. In fact, it made her heart do a little flip, and her stomach did the same. She took his extended hand, and he bowed to her. “I’m Hettie,” she responded. “It’s good to meet you, James.”

“There’s actually something interesting about her arrival that you should know, James,” Liz said. She smiled her biggest smile and tried to look as positive as possible.

James stared at her during the brief pause, his smile freezing on his face. “What is it, Elizabeth?”

His use of her formal name made Hettie lose her smile and catch her breath.

“I…well, I brought Hettie here from the East. To…to be a companion for you. A bride. A new wife.”

How many ways was she going to say it? Hettie suddenly felt like a piece of meat being bargained upon. The look on James’ face had changed. He didn’t look so friendly now.

“Elizabeth.” His voice had dropped several octaves. “Elizabeth, what have you done?”

Hettie felt Liz’s hand on her arm squeeze tighter than before. Oh no, she thought. James took a step toward them and Liz instinctively backed up, pulling Hettie with her.

“You need someone to bring you out of your mourning, James. You’ve been in pain for too long.”

“So you reckoned you’d put yourself in the middle of my life and make decisions for me? You decided for my life, what I need and who I need in it? Do you realize that you are my younger sister? I am not a little child to be coddled and manipulated!” James’ voice was rising. Hettie lowered her head and glanced behind them to see John had put her bags back on the carriage and was leaning against it, his head down and his hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans. He had a sorrowful look on his face and didn’t make a move to come up on the porch to defend them.

She moved her eyes back to the front and waited to see what Liz would say or do now.

“James! You can’t possibly take this attitude right now, right here in front of this woman. She’s traveled a long way and is probably tired and hungry.”

James leaned forward and looked directly at his sister. “And who was it that made her that way? You brought her here. You take care of her!” He stepped back into his house and slammed the door shut.

“Oh!” Liz gasped and put one hand up against her throat. When she looked at Hettie, she had tears in her eyes. Hettie was taller than Liz and looked down at her with gentle eyes, putting one hand on Liz’s. “Oh, Hettie! I am stunned. I am so sorry. I couldn’t have known he would react like this.”

“Liz,” Hettie whispered. “What do I do now? Must I go home? Will you want your money back?”

“No.” It wasn’t Liz who answered. Liz was becoming a bundle of tears, and they both turned when it was John who answered. He was coming toward them now, holding one hand out, not to his wife, but to Hettie. “You will come stay with us, at least for tonight and we will sort this out. We aren’t about to abandon you here when this is all our fault.”

“Oh, John.” Liz went toward her husband, and he gathered her in his arms. He nodded at Hettie and took Hettie’s hand. He led her back to the carriage, never taking his arm from his wife’s shoulders.

Liz cried the entire way to their house, which was about ten minutes away down a dirt road lined with trees and houses set far back from the road. Hettie felt bad for her. She was wrestling with her own emotions but did not feel like crying. She was aghast at the behavior of the Sheriff. Perhaps Liz did interfere with her brother’s life a little too much, and perhaps he was getting weary of it. But to treat a complete stranger in such a way. What could his excuse possibly be?

James stomped furiously back to his sitting room and threw himself in the big cushioned chair he liked to sit in. He could not believe the nerve of his sister. He put together a string of curse words in his mind and then shook them off.

“I’m sorry, Lord!” He groaned, sitting forward and placing his hands clasped in front of his forehead. “I just don’t see how she could do something like this! It’s not her place! I don’t need another wife! I don’t need more pain and fear! Lord, why would she do this to me?”

His mind filled with his first wife, the memory of her face, her smile, her laughter. She had been gone over three years, and he couldn’t shake the misery. He didn’t believe it had changed his behavior in the other aspects of his life. He still kept law and order in this town, kept out the riff-raff and the scoundrels, the thieves and any hostile Indians that might stray onto their property. There were very few problems with the local Indians. This town had been fortunate enough to escape the anger and frustration some towns were plagued with.

Saloon fights and issues with unruly men with the women in town were the main problems he dealt with. It wasn’t stressful in Elko on a typical day. James counted that as a blessing. The more problems he dealt with, the more his anger came out. As a Sheriff, he couldn’t exactly avoid the problems. So his anger had only grown over the years.

He had killed the man who killed his wife. But it hadn’t stopped the pain. She had been killed for only one reason. She was the Sheriff’s wife. After a long time behind prison bars in Ireland, a migrant had crossed the ocean simply to begin killing people in America, specifically law enforcement and their families. One of his victims was Annie, John’s dear wife. She had only been 24 years old. He was 25 when the tragedy happened. Almost four years later, he could still see her beautiful face, hear her sweet voice and regretted his inability to keep her safe from harm.

He wasn’t going to go through that again. He didn’t care what his sister thought. He didn’t need someone else to care for or to care for him. He was just fine on his own.

He lowered his head to his hands again and fought back tears of sorrow. Liz had opened up that wound all over again. He couldn’t even see the woman he’d met in his mind, couldn’t remember her face. He was blown away by what Liz had done.

“How could she?” He moaned, allowing a few tears to come out before frowning and wiping them angrily away. For the first time in several years, he wanted to go visit the saloon until the early hours of the morning.

But he’d made a vow to himself and to the town, though they didn’t know it, that he would not turn into a raging drunk, stumbling around town pretending to keep the peace while creating the chaos. He was stronger than that.

And he didn’t need a woman on his arm to prove it.

Hettie found herself fairly on her own when they got to Liz and John’s house, at least for a few moments. The Bannerman home was nicely put together, a solid ranch house with two bedrooms, a kitchen, sitting room, dining room and den. She was impressed as soon as she went in. It was obvious that Liz did everything she could to keep the place dust free. It couldn’t have been easy. The air was so dry and dusty. Hettie had the idea dusting was a constant chore.

John helped Liz up into the house and into the sitting room, where Liz dropped herself on a couch, grabbed a large pillow cushion and squeeze it in front of her. Now she was not crying as much as raging against her brother and his behavior. She pounded on the pillow, calling him selfish, a fool, unbelievable.

Liz stood in the foyer waiting for John to tell her where to go. She watched him kneel next to his wife, looking up at her. “You must not come down on yourself too much, dear wife. You were only trying to help him get out of the bad mood he’s been in for years.”

“Years, John. Years!” She repeated back to him as if he had said “weeks” or “months.” He just nodded at her.

“I know. I know.” He lifted one hand and put it against her cheek. “But you know how James is. You know he always reacts quickly to things and then when he takes a step back and looks at things, he calms down. You know he is that way.”

Liz pulled in a breath and swallowed hard. She was looking down at John with tender eyes. “But how could he behave that way in front of Hettie? How can he not know how much that would hurt her?”

“The only reason James acts that way is because he doesn’t want anyone else to get hurt. Liz, we discussed this. It’s not like you and I didn’t take this possibility into account. We will go with the second plan of action. All right?”

Hettie took a step forward, holding her bag in front of her. “Excuse me?” She said. The couple looked up at her. John got to his feet and came toward her with his hands extended which she took.

“Come in here and sit down. How terribly rude after what you’ve just been put through.” He said. He led her to a near chair, and she sat in it.

“You have another plan?” Hettie asked, settling into the comfortable chair after the long train ride and abrupt carriage rides. John nodded and moved back to sit next to Liz on the couch. He leaned forward, lacing his fingers through his wife’s.

“Yes. Liz and I are going to have a child. We will need someone to care for it. If you are willing to stay on, we will let you live here, and you can help out Liz.”

Hettie pressed her lips together. It was not what she had planned, but it was definitely a good alternative to the only other option, which would be leaving and going back to Virginia. Or going into town and working with those women.

She shuddered. That was not an option. And if she stayed…perhaps she could win over the heart of the handsome Sheriff.

Chapter Three

Hettie unfolded the handkerchief and looked at it admiringly. “This is beautiful work, Liz! Did you do this?” The cloth was embroidered with a brightly colored peacock and had the initials EAB woven into the bird’s feathers.

Liz wiped her hands on her apron and came over to look at the handkerchief. She smiled softly and took it from Hettie. “No, my gramma did. She made it for me when I was a child. I think it’s funny that my initials didn’t change.” She looked up at Hettie, her memories alive on her face. “My grandmother was very much involved in our lives until we lost her some years ago.”

“I’m sorry.”

Liz shook her head and placed the cloth back on the shelf hanging over the window. “She lived a long and fruitful life. She was a wonderful and happy woman, always doing things to help others. She was the reason we all have faith in the Lord to guide our steps.” She shook her head, going back to the counter to continue shaving the skins from them with a sharp knife. “It’s one of the reasons I have such a hard time accepting James’ behavior. Not just last night but for the past three years. He has been so sad. He just won’t come out of mourning. He’s angry and bitter all the time. It’s like he’s not praying, not trying, not trusting the Lord at all.”

“Did he before he lost his wife?” Hettie asked, moving to the large bowl of water she was using to clean the vegetables she and Liz had pulled from the garden early that morning. They were preparing a birthday celebration for John. Many of the people in town would be there, including James. It made her nervous. She wondered if he was even going to show up after what had happened those nights before.

“Yes. He has not since then.”

“May I ask you a question?” Hettie looked up from the carrots she had lined up on the cutting table. Liz looked back at her, holding her knife in one hand and a potato in the other.

“Of course, Hettie.”

“If you knew that he was still angry and bitter about the loss, why would you bring someone else here to meet him? Such a long way? I don’t want to sound rude; I have enjoyed the last two days getting to know you both. But if you knew about his feelings, why did you surprise him in such a way?”

Liz looked back down at the potatoes before answering. She set down the knife and potato she held and went to sit next to Hettie at the table. She looked into Hettie’s eyes and licked her small lips. “It seems that I’ve manipulated this situation in a way I should not have. I am sorry for that. I was only trying to do what I thought would be good for my brother. I really didn’t expect him to react that way. I thought he was, at least, give you time to get to know him and him to know you.” She sighed. “I reckon, I also hoped it would be enough of a shock to bring him out of this mood he’s been in, show him that there are other beautiful women in the world for him to love.”

“Beauty is only seen on the surface,” Hettie said, sadly. “He has not seen what is underneath. He may be afraid to see who I am. He may be afraid of his feelings. Did she die in a brutal way?”

Liz nodded, her eyes dropping to the vegetables as if they were the most fascinating things she had ever seen. “He watched it happen. And then he shot the man who killed her.”

It was Hettie’s turn to sigh. “I see.”

A shock was probably not what James had needed. Perhaps gently easing someone new into his life would have been better than bringing her and dropping her on his front doorstep like an abandoned animal.

She shook off her feelings of resentment. She understood that Liz was just a meddling sister who cared too much for her brother, stewing in his misery and pain. She understood that James was still mourning and having a terrible time pulling out of it.

What she didn’t understand was how she was supposed to react to it. Her life had been turned upside down to travel across the country, and now her future was very much in question. She had prepared herself to be married. Was she supposed to start looking for someone else?

“I have been praying for someone to get through to James for so long now. I can’t bear to see him like that anymore.”

“What would you like for me to do, Liz?” Hettie asked. “Do you want me to try to do something to get through to him? Because I really don’t know how I’m going to do that.”

Liz shook her head and put one hand on Hettie’s arm. “I don’t think there’s anything you can do, Hettie. I just want you to be yourself. He will be around. I believe John was right when he said that James would calm down. He will give you a chance…if you still want one.”

Hettie thought about James. He was tall, handsome, strong, everything she admired in a man. Everything she could see, anyway. But she didn’t know his mind or his personality. All she had seen was anger and rage.

“When I was young,” Hettie said. “I watched my mother die.”

Liz sat back, her dark eyes wide open. She pushed one hand through some of the dark hair that had escaped the bun. “Oh my! I did not know that, Hettie!”

Hettie nodded. “I have not mentioned it before. It was…very bad. I was upset about it for a long time. So was my father. I was twelve years old; my brother was almost fifteen. My mother’s brother moved in with us after her death and helped my father care for us children. Mother was a wonderful and bright light in our lives. And my father mourned her for many years, too.”

Liz pressed her lips together, tears filling her eyes. “Did he ever find love again?”

Hettie shook her head. “He wasn’t looking.”

“Oh, my.” Liz looked devastated. The implication that James may never have intended to find another woman was becoming more of a reality for her.

Hettie understood what Liz was thinking by the distraught look on her face. She took the opportunity to put her own hand on Liz’s arm, squeezing gently. “But I have something else to say that might make you feel better.” Liz blinked and looked at her through thick tears. “With my father, I could see that he didn’t feel destined to be with another woman. I still hope that someday he will find another love. But he didn’t want to, and he didn’t stay in a deep depressive state for a long time. He chose not to find another woman himself, but he remained who he was. You say that James has changed.”

Liz nodded.

“I believe that our Lord does guide our steps, just like you do. And since we are only humans, we often react in typical human ways, wouldn’t you say?”

“Yes.” Liz’s voice was soft.

“I don’t think God brought me here to just be a caretaker for you and your little baby.” Hettie smiled at her new friend. “I have faith that He knows what He’s doing. If it was meant that I should be with James, I will be.”

“How do you plan to act toward him now? You’ve only seen his bad side and oh, Hettie, he can be such a charming man, so fun and laughing and happy.”

Hettie nodded, picturing the handsome Sheriff in her mind. “I’m sure he can be. He’s just in that place right now. Perhaps we will give him a little time to come around? I will speak to him whenever he is here.”

“You will turn his head, Hettie. I just know you can change his mind. I’ve grown to like you quite a lot in the last two days and so has John. We believe you will be a respectful and good houseguest while you are here and if it is God’s will, a good wife for my brother.”

Hettie pulled in a deep breath. “I would certainly like to see what happens.”

“I will pray that things work out as they should.” Liz used her apron to wipe her tears away and clear her eyes. She pulled in a deep breath and released it slowly. “I still feel so bad for overstepping the boundaries.”

“It’s too late for all that now,” Hettie said. “We must look to the future and trust that God knows what He wants, and He will make it happen.”

“You are very strong in your faith. I didn’t know that about you, either.”

Hettie chuckled softly. “It’s another one of those things I didn’t mention in my letter.”

Liz smiled, her eyes lighting up from relief instead of tears.

For two days, James had avoided going to his sister’s or seeing her at all. He barely recalled the woman Liz had brought to town for him and was trying to avoid thinking about the fact that the woman would inevitably be at John’s birthday party that night. He felt like the lowest man on earth, remembering his actions in front of the strange woman. He hadn’t been able to help it. The shock was too much for him.

He’d always felt that if he let himself look at another woman, he would be betraying his late wife. He missed Annie still, thinking of her not on a daily basis anymore, thank God, but often. Little things around the house and around town still reminded him of her.

If he was not betraying Annie, he was putting yet another innocent woman in harm’s way. How could he justify doing that for his own selfish purposes? How could he go on with the thought that he may someday see another woman killed in front of his eyes and have his heart ripped out of his chest all over again?

The thought truly made him sick to his stomach.

He looked in the mirror hanging next to his front door and ran his hands through his dark hair. His brown eyes still looked sad. They always looked sad to him. He brushed his hands over his trim beard and sighed. He was going to do it anyway. He tried recalling the woman’s face in his mind but couldn’t. All he could see was Annie.

Perhaps Liz was right. Could it be time to put his heart on the line again? Was it worth it?

She’d been telling him for almost a year that he needed to brighten his life, find something new to be interested in, if not a woman, something else. But his job took precedence over everything. What woman was going to accept that?

Was that why Liz brought someone from afar to be his companion? He gnawed at his upper lip, staring at himself. He wasn’t a bad man. He tried very hard to be a good man.

“Lord, what do I do?” He asked aloud. “I don’t want to get another woman killed, especially one that I love.” He was quiet for a moment, hoping God would speak to him through the mirror. He pulled in a deep breath. It wasn’t going to happen. “I’ll see her tonight.”

His chest became tight with anxiety for a moment before it released and he felt peace fill him.

Maybe everything would turn out all right if he just kept his cool and talked to her to see what kind of woman she was.

And prayed.

Chapter Four

There were more people at the party than Hettie expected. She sat in a garden chair, watching them all. They talked and laughed, milling around the garden, admiring Liz’s fine work in such an arid atmosphere. The grass under their feet was green. Bushes and trees had been planted. Liz and John had placed stone tablets along the garden area and around the yard, so visitors didn’t need to step onto the grass or disrupt the vegetation.

“Aren’t you hungry, Hettie?” John asked, stepping over to where she was sitting. “You spent a lot of time preparing this food for everyone. You must have some, too.”

Hettie nodded. “I will. Don’t worry.” She smiled, reached over to the small white table next to her and picked up a thinly sliced carrot stick. She took a quick bite and chewed, still smiling at him. He nodded and laughed.

“Good for you.”

“John! Who is this lovely young lady?” An older man had approached and was leaning toward Hettie to take her hand. Hettie lifted it, and the man kissed it gently. “You are a refreshing breeze here in this dusty town, young lady.”

Hettie blushed. “Thank you, sir.”

“You must call me Charles!” The man announced. “And what might your name be?”

“This is Hettie, Charlie,” John answered, giving Hettie a look over the older man’s shoulder that made Hettie drop her eyes to keep from giggling.

“Hettie! It’s good to meet you!”

“Charlie runs the Little Boar Inn,” John explained, stepping a little closer so that the older man needed to edge away from Hettie. “Hettie is here to meet with James.”

Charlie raised his thick eyebrows and stood up straight, looking up at John. “Oh, I see!” He paused. “I take it this was an idea that came from Liz?”

John nodded.

Charlie looked back down at Hettie. “Well, young lady, let me tell you a few things about our Sheriff.” His voice had changed but not in an unfriendly way. “He is a good man. He’s taken good care of this little town, even after Annie was…killed, poor girl. It was a terrible tragedy and it hurt James greatly. But if he lets you in, you have a good chance of being with a good husband.” Charlie leaned back down and said in a low voice, “I do believe you are beautiful enough to catch his eye, I must say. If he doesn’t give you the chance, you will not have trouble finding a husband, should you want one.”

“All right there, Charlie.” John laughed. “Let’s go talk to Mary and Liz. You can quiz them about the social next month to see what plans they have made so far.”

The two men made off into the small crowd. Hettie watched them. Charlie seemed an amusing old man. As he and John walked off, he began talking excitedly about the social next month. Apparently, social gatherings were something this little town enjoyed frequently. With so few people populating the area, most knew each other. She had been greeted by each person at the party with open arms though she was a stranger and an outsider. She had the sneaking suspicion Liz had warned them all ahead of time that she would be there and had bolstered their opinion of her with her own opinion before they even met her.

She wondered if they had been told why she was here. John didn’t seem to have any trouble mentioning it. She had to assume they all knew what her purpose was. They were still kind and hospitable to her. She took that as a sign that they all cared about their sheriff as much as Charlie had implied.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she saw James come around the corner of the house. He was dressed in blue jeans, a well-fitting flannel shirt and had brushed his hair, from the looks of it. She pulled in a breath and held it for a moment. He was certainly a good-looking man. He stopped for a moment when he saw her. Before he could continue walking, Liz caught sight of him.

“James!” She called out. Everyone turned to look at him as he approached.

They all began to greet him. Hettie was amused to see the crowd gravitate toward James, wishing him well, almost hiding him from her sight. She caught his eyes straying to her while he responded to the people, smiling at them, removing his hat, shaking hands.

Hettie didn’t get up.

After a short time, the crowd dispersed somewhat, going back to what they had been doing. Liz and James stood to the side, talking in low voices for a few moments. Hettie tried not to watch them but was curious about their conversation. Neither seemed upset. Liz appeared to be apologizing, and James responded by nodding and pulling his sister into a hug. When they pulled away from each other, they smiled, and Liz moved off to find John, leaving James to gaze at Hettie.

She saw him looking and smiled at him, finally getting up.

“Hello,” Hettie said, approaching him. “I would have come over sooner, but you would think it was your birthday the way everyone gathered around you.”

At first, he didn’t say anything to her. Then he looked down at his hands, where he was clutching his hat firmly. “I must apologize for my behavior the other day, Hettie.”

“You must not worry about that.” Hettie shook her head. “I realize you were very surprised to see me. I hope that you aren’t upset with Liz about it. I am a grown woman and can take care of myself.”

“I am not upset with her.” James shook his head. “I am more upset with myself. I don’t generally treat strange, beautiful women that way.”

Hettie smiled at the compliment and looked down. “Thank you, James.”

“Shall we sit and talk?” He asked, holding out his hand to the chair she had been sitting in. She returned to it, and he pulled a similar chair nearby to sit close to her.

“How are you enjoying it here so far?” James asked, picking up a few of the same carrot sticks she had been eating from and taking a few bites.

“Actually, I find the atmosphere very refreshing. I know it is much warmer than my home in Virginia, but I like it. I would rather be warm than cold, wouldn’t you?”

He laughed. “I better. I live here.”

She laughed with him. “Yes, I suppose so. And now I do, so I better learn to like it if I don’t.”

“But you do?”

She nodded. “I do.”

He looked around at the crowd and then back at her. “Would you like to go for a walk?”

Hettie looked up at the darkening sky. “Do you think we will be caught in the dark?”

James glanced around them. “There’s a lantern. We’ll take it just in case.”

“I would like to go for a walk then. But you carry the lantern.”

His wide smile made him, even more, appealing to Hettie. She tried not to let any kind of reaction come across her face. She couldn’t help smiling back, though.

They stood up, and she followed him to fetch the lantern and then down the garden path. “We’ll just walk around the house and land here, Hettie,” James said. “We won’t stray far from the path, I promise.”

“Good,” she responded. “I do like to stay on the proper path.” The one ordained by God, she thought but didn’t say.

He gave her a look that made her wonder if he’d known just what she was talking about.

“I want you to know that I’m not some big brute who likes to go around yelling at strangers…women or men.” His voice was low and gentle. Hettie found that she enjoyed listening to the sound of it when he talked. “I have been through a lot in my life, and it’s hard for me to…get by sometimes. I do hope you can understand what I mean by this.”

I do. Hettie didn’t speak the words aloud. She just looked at him with encouraging eyes. She nodded to let him know he should continue.

“When…when my wife was killed, it took a lot out of me. It took away the life in me for a long time. I only focused on the job. I keep the peace. It’s what I have to do to make sure the people here are safe. Safer than I…I had to work a lot harder to keep everyone safe. To make sure.” He stopped.

Hettie looked at him. “James, is it all right if we sit on the steps of the house to talk? I’m a little weary from being on my feet most of the day.”

“Oh, of course!” James nodded and they turned in the direction of the front of the house. He didn’t continue talking, and when they sat, it was Hettie who talked instead.

“James, Liz told me what happened with your wife and I’m so sorry to hear it. I’m sorry that you were so broken from it. I know how depressed you have been, and I understand it. I lost my mother in a tragic way, as well. She was killed when I was twelve. It took my father a long time to stop mourning. There’s just something you need to remember. When someone dies, you don’t want to let go. But eventually, you have to. You have to let God have it. It’s the only way to save your soul. I don’t know why your wife had to die or why my mother had to die. But God knows. And we have to trust Him.” She stopped and tilted her head, putting one of her small hands into one of his.

He looked closely at her. “Liz told me that you lost your mother,” he confessed. “She said that it should make me think about how we have something like that in common. She thinks we would be good for each other.”

Hettie felt a twitch in her chest, and she swallowed, smiling. “Do you think we would be good for each other?”

“I didn’t think so.” James wrapped his fingers around hers so that she couldn’t pull away. “I have thought about it and prayed about it for two days. I haven’t been able to see past the loss…the mourning. The anger I still feel…it eats away at me.”

She nodded. “Those kinds of emotions only hurt the one who feels them. There’s simply nothing we can do about the circumstances. We must rise above.”

They were quiet for a moment, sitting on the steps with their hands together.

“For years, I have been taking two steps forward and another back,” James said. “I feel like I’m not making any progress.”

“If you are taking a step forward then you are making progress. As long as it isn’t two steps back.”

James smiled.

“If you want to, James, I will stay here with Liz and John, and we can have a few more talks.”

“You want to see if you really want to stay with me?” James asked.

She giggled. “No, I was thinking the opposite way around. I was brought here for you. This must be your decision. I had already made mine.”

“Do you think you could love a man like me?”

“From what I’ve heard, you are a wonderful man whose heart has been kept in a prison of his own making for some time now.” She reached up and placed one hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them to look into hers. “Don’t you think it’s time to let it out now so that it can heal?”

“You will stay and help it heal?”

“I surely will, James.”

James leaned forward so that he was inches away from her. “I don’t think it will take very long.”

Just before Hettie leaned in for the first of many soft kisses, she replied, “I will wait as long as it takes.”

THE END

The Mountain Bride – A Clean Western Historical Romance

Chapter One

Ella rinsed out the cooking pot and hung it on the nail to dry. She was almost done with the morning chores and was looking forward to the hour or so she would have to sit down at the kitchen table and read for a while. She was almost finished with her new book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. She had no idea what she would be reading after that.

The newspaper was folded up on the table from where her brothers had left it this morning. They were out on the farm repairing a broken fence or something like that. She wasn’t certain. She’d been caring for them and their father since the death of her mother 16 years ago. Their blessing had been her youngest brother, Alfred. Their loss was their mother. At ten years of age, Ella had been given the task of raising her brothers. Their father was not a hands-on parent. He was rarely there, and when he was, he was unpleasant, loud and demanding. He had long ago decided that the first half of Ella’s name should have been “Cinder,” giving her a long list of chores to do every day.

She ran a cloth over the counter to clean it and looked around to see if she had missed anything. It looked clean to her. She hoped it looked clean to her father.

She sat down and unfolded the newspaper to run her eyes over the words without really reading them. There was almost always some kind of news about possible impending war, how President Lincoln was handling it and local good and bad news.

She was ready to set the paper down and go to her room for her book. She gazed out the window first, folding her arms over her chest and hugging herself. It was her dream to travel to the West and start a new life, but she couldn’t see how that would be possible in her current circumstances. Her father had never let her try to get any employment in town. She had the skills, she’d been cleaning, sewing her brother’s clothes and been their nursemaid for 16 years, starting from the newborn stage with Alfred, but he wanted her there at the house, keeping everything clean and in order.

For the last few years, Ella felt secluded, isolated from the world. The worlds in her books gave her a clear idea of where she wanted to be. She’d read a lot about the growing towns and cities in the west. That was all the way across the country. It was far away from here.

It was far away from her brothers.

The thought made her a little sad. It was useless to even think about it anyway. She wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. You don’t go anywhere unless you have the money to do it. And she had no valuable property to her name.

She heard the sound of her brothers stumbling through the outside door and loudly taking their boots off in the mudroom. They were joking around about something and tumbled into the kitchen, wrestling with each other. She stood up and moved to the cabinet to get out a few glasses for water. They were sure to be thirsty after working hard all morning. They were certainly dusty enough for it.

“You’re such a bum!” Oscar and Dave appeared to be directing their teasing toward Alfred, the youngest. Oscar gave Alfred a shove and the three of them laughed, pulling their hats from their heads.