The Rancher’s Christmas Wish (Brides 0f Inspiration Book 8)

by Maya Stirling

  The carriage crested a ridge and headed down the trail. Up ahead she saw the Buchanan ranch house. Chloe felt her spirits lift immediately. She smiled at Eugenie, who held Chloe's arm close to her side. Zane grinned broadly as he held tightly onto the reins, keeping the two horses back from racing down the trail to the ranch house. Seemed like even the horses were in a hurry to get home, Chloe told herself.

  "It's so nice to be back," Chloe exclaimed, gazing down at the two-level, white-fronted ranch house and numerous outbuildings. She could see ranch hands going about their business. Even on a day as cold as this there were horses being attended to by one solitary wrangler in the corral. The entire spread looked picture-perfect. It was an Eden placed right here in the middle of Montana, Chloe told herself. All she'd ever known, since coming here, had been love and generosity and giving. It was the perfect place to celebrate the birth of her Lord, Chloe reflected.

  The carriage rolled into the yard and drew to a halt. Eugenie stepped down from the carriage. Some ranch hands waved welcome to Chloe. The door to the ranch house opened and a group of very familiar women rushed out onto the porch. Carried in their arms, or running at their feet, were the sweetest-looking children in the world. Chloe smiled and leaped down from the carriage. The air filled with squeals of delight as all four Buchanan wives made their way to Chloe.

  Johanna, Honora, Rachel and Rosalind came racing to Chloe. Chloe hugged each and every one of them. Then, it was time to hug the tiny Buchanan children and shower them with kisses. The air was filled with love and joy.

  "It's so good to see you again, Chloe," Johanna said. Zane went to his wife and wrapped his arm around her waist. At their feet was their little one. Chloe bent down and kissed the little one on the nose.

  There was a good-natured roar from the porch and Chloe stood. Her uncle Caleb was heading straight for her. He'd put on some weight since she'd last seen him. His bull-like physique was strong for a man of his age. But, Chloe could see the kindness behind Caleb's broad smile. Chloe and Caleb hugged one another.

  Caleb swept an arm around Chloe's waist and inspected the gathering. "Well, this looks like the kind of Christmas I like. Every member of the family all together."

  Honora, who was Reese Buchanan's wife piped up. "Except for the menfolk, pa," she declared.

  Caleb waved a hand. "They're busy working. And that's as how it should be."

  "But, it's only two weeks to Christmas," Rosalind objected. "I told Gideon he should slow down, now that Christmas is around the corner." She shook her head and smiled at everyone. "But, he wouldn't listen to me. Said there was too much to do around the ranch."

  Caleb peered at Chloe. "You know my boys all like hard work, Chloe."

  Chloe placed a hand on Caleb's chest. "That's how you brought them up, uncle. They haven't forgotten what you taught them."

  "Maybe, just once in a while, they could take an afternoon off," Rachel suggested. She glanced at Rosalind. "Just like Rosalind said. Micah wouldn't hear a word of taking time off."

  Eugenie took Chloe by the arm. "Never mind all that," she said. "Let's get you settled in the house. We've got your room all made out for you. Just the way you like it."

  Chloe's heart filled with emotion. Suddenly, all the good feeling of the welcome overwhelmed her. She felt her eyes moistening.

  Eugenie frowned and wiped a solitary tear from Chloe's cheek. "Chloe, my dear. Whatever is the matter?"

  Chloe saw concern on all the faces gazing at her. "I'm just so happy to be here, aunt," she explained. "That's all." Chloe ran her gaze around all the concerned faces. "I love you all so very much."

  "And we love you, Chloe," Eugenie replied. She hugged Chloe and then peered concernedly into Chloe's eyes. "This is your home. You know that, don't you?"

  Chloe nodded. "I know, aunt." Composing herself quickly, Chloe linked arms with her aunt. "Let's get inside and start getting ready for Christmas."

  And, with that, they all started to make their way into the Buchanan ranch house. As she walked into the hallway of the house, Chloe breathed in deeply, savoring the scent of cooking from the kitchen.

  "Are you hungry?" Eugenie asked.

  Chloe nodded. "Famished."

  "Good. We've got a big lunch prepared. Plenty for you to eat, and then maybe you can get some rest," Eugenie suggested.

  Chloe nodded. "That sounds lovely, aunt Eugenie," she responded.

  They made their way into the parlor. A roaring fireplace was heating the room. Gazing around the room where she'd spent so many happy days and evenings, Chloe allowed herself to take in the sight of the familiar furnishings. The two sofas; the high-backed chairs set on either side of the fireplace; the table and chairs by the window. The low-ceilinged room with its wood-paneled walls filled Chloe's mind with memories of better days. Suddenly, she was glad she had come. Glad she could leave behind the disappointments of the previous months. The pain of the betrayal still burned inside her. But, she was determined not to ruin the joy she'd found at the Buchanan ranch. This was a time for happiness and the delight of family. Suddenly, she realized there was something missing.

  "Where are the decorations?" she asked. "And where is the tree?"

  Eugenie smiled at Chloe. "We were waiting for you to come before doing all that." Eugenie tilted her head. "After all, you are the expert when it comes to getting a house ready for Christmas."

  Chloe felt her face flush with embarrassment. "I just like making everything nice."

  Caleb grinned. "We haven't forgotten how you made Christmas special for the last three years."

  "You've got a special touch," Rosalind said while she tried to control her little one who was sitting on her lap.

  "So we thought we'd let you decide how to make the ranch look good for Christmas," Eugenie announced.

  "You want me to be in charge of decorating the house?" Chloe asked.

  "Not just the house," Eugenie said. "The whole ranch. All the other buildings are going to need your special touch. The ranch hands are looking forward to seeing what you can do with the bunkhouse."

  Chloe gasped. For a moment, she was completely lost for words. Luckily, Zane sensed her shock. "I think that's enough announcements for the moment," he said. He heaved Chloe's bag. "I'll take this upstairs."

  And as Chloe followed Zane upstairs, all she could think of was how she could possibly take charge of planning all the decorations for the Buchanan ranch.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  "You don't look too pleased, Armstrong," Ethan heard a familiar voice say as he made his way up the boardwalk of Main Street. "I can't imagine what could be causing that." There was an acid tone to the low voice.

  Ethan paused outside the mercantile and turned, a ready smile on his face. He already knew who it was who had taunted him with the casual remark. Sure enough, he saw Brett Calhoun staring straight at him. The middle-aged man in the dark suit and neat hat was leaning against one of the boardwalk's wooden supports. "What business is it of yours how I look, Calhoun?" Ethan demanded.

  Calhoun's dark, fox-like features tightened into an expression of pretend shock. Sincerity wasn't one of Calhoun's character traits. He flicked the cheroot he'd been smoking. It landed on the dirt surface of Main Street.

  Calhoun shrugged as he advanced toward Ethan. "I don't like to see folks upset," he said sarcastically. He peered up the length of the street. "Everyone keeps telling me how happy this town is." He tilted his head and regarded Ethan carefully. "Personally, I don't see it that way. My saloon is usually filled with plenty of unhappy men."

  "Maybe that's got something to do with the illegal gambling going on there," Ethan accused.

  Calhoun was unaffected by the accusation. "My establishment is clean and all above board. Nothing illegal going on there," he said.

  "You've been closed down plenty of times, Calhoun," Ethan stated. "At least that's what the sheriff has told me."

  Calhoun lifted a brow. "You on speaking terms with the sheriff, now? I'd have have thou
ght you and him would have plenty of other things to talk about," Calhoun replied. He leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Like how you've been interfering with the Buchanan spread."

  Emotion surged through Ethan. He clenched his fists into tight balls and leaned closer to Calhoun. "Where do you get off making those kind of accusations?" he blurted out. "You know none of that is true."

  "That's not what I've been hearing," Calhoun retorted. "Seems like cattle have been going missing from the Buchanan spread. And that the Buchanan family have already complained to the sheriff that they've got evidence the one doing the stealing is their new neighbors." Calhoun fixed Ethan with a grim look. "Your family, Mr Armstrong."

  A sudden urge to seize Calhoun by the perfectly tailored lapels of his jacket raced through Ethan. But he held back. His father had always told him that violence was the last resort of the weak man. Instead, Ethan dragged in a deep breath. "My family is good, Mr Calhoun. We're God-fearing folk who follow the commandments as well as the next person. Stealing ain't what we do."

  "How commendable," Calhoun announced and waved a dismissive hand. Ethan had heard that Calhoun was no friend of the faith, and that he'd never set foot in Inspiration's town church. A few townsfolk walked past Ethan and Calhoun, eyeing both men with obvious disapproval.

  Ethan told himself it would do him no good to be seen talking to a man like Calhoun in public. "I thank you for your concern Mr Calhoun," he said, touching the brim of his hat. "I'd be obliged if, in future, you keep your nose out of my family's affairs."

  "Simply trying to be neighborly," Calhoun sneered. "Just like those good folks the Buchanans." Ethan heard the way Calhoun uttered the family's name. Disgust was the only word which came to mind.

  As Ethan turned away from Calhoun, the other man called out to him. "Just remember. If you need any help dealing with those Buchanans, I can offer my assistance."

  Ethan froze and turned slowly to face Calhoun. "You're the last man in the world I'd come to for help with anything, Calhoun. Don't forget that."

  Unmoved, Calhoun simply smiled and turned away from Ethan. As Calhoun walked away from him, Ethan he was sure he could hear quiet laughter.

  A short while later, Ethan rode northwards out of town and headed along the trail which led through the Buchanan spread. He knew it wasn't the brightest idea, but right now, he didn't care if anyone spotted him trespassing on the spread. There were two main trails heading north to his own family's ranch. One, the longest, enabled riders to avoid stepping on Buchanan land. The other more direct trail forced riders to cut across Buchanan holding. Normally, the Buchanan family didn't mind who passed through their land. They accepted the fact they couldn't control every movement. So long as whoever cut across their land didn't interfere with the ranching activities, the Buchanans normally let things go.

  There were only two exceptions. Two individuals who, if they were caught on Buchanan land, would be guaranteed a tongue-lashing. Or worse. One was Ethan. The other was the man to whom he'd just been speaking.

  Brett Calhoun. Given the bad blood between Calhoun and the Buchanans, Ethan could understand why the brothers would take such a hard line with Inspiration's most loathed man. Brett Calhoun was a divisive figure in town. He owned saloons, and had numerous other undeclared interests around town. But, most of all, Calhoun had made plenty of enemies in the years he'd lived in Inspiration.

  Ethan and his own family had moved to Inspiration earlier this year, during the summer. Ethan's father had bought up a small ranch holding. It bordered on the Buchanan ranch. At first, life in Inspiration had been good, filled with promise. But it hadn't taken long for Ethan to discover just how influential and how hated Brett Calhoun was. The man had done bad things. Yet, in spite of it being common knowledge that he was up to his elbows in corruption, it seemed Brett Calhoun had never been successfully prosecuted for any of his illegal dealings. Calhoun was the proverbial smart fox. He was the more than that, Ethan figured. Calhoun was the snake in the otherwise perfect Eden that was the small town of Inspiration.

  Sitting back in the saddle and gazing out across the rangeland, Ethan offered up a prayer.

  Lord, how You like to test us. How You like to set our footsteps on difficult roads. Sometimes You bring the worst of men into our lives to instruct us in how to be good. How to be strong and patient. I know all You give to us is for our good. It's just that, sometimes, it's hard to see what we have to do. And now, with all this trouble with the Buchanan family, I don't rightly know what I should do. Grant me wisdom, Lord.

  Ethan crested a ridge and gazed down into a broad, shallow valley. The trail cut west for a short distance before heading north again. The whole time he rode the trail, he tried to keep an eye out for any Buchanan ranch hands. Or even one of the brothers. It wouldn't be the first time Ethan would have been caught on Buchanan land. After the confrontation with Zane Buchanan back at the station, the last thing Ethan wanted was another showdown with one of the brothers.

  Ethan's mind drifted to Chloe Forsyth. His encounter with the visitor to the Buchanan family had been memorable. She'd made a powerful impression on Ethan. Of that he was in no doubt. She was feisty, and no mistake, he told himself. He allowed himself a wry smile as he recalled the ways she had faced him down. He couldn't blame her for doing that. It couldn't have been easy being faced with a complete stranger asking awkward questions the minute she'd stepped off the train. But, she'd stood her ground. And, in the process, she'd affected Ethan mightily. If instant attraction was something that was real, then Miss Chloe Forsyth had made that a reality for Ethan.

  There was no doubt she was beautiful. Maybe she was even the prettiest woman he'd seen in Inspiration, he told himself. Of course, since he'd moved to the town, Ethan had enjoyed his fair share of flirtations with some of the young women of Inspiration. But, with all the trouble at the ranch, and the accusations from the Buchanans, Ethan hadn't had the time nor the inclination to do any serious courting. None of that had stopped his mother, his sister and his father from pressuring Ethan to find a wife. His father had told Ethan plenty of times that he should settle down. Start a family. The Armstrong family had settled in Inspiration and they weren't planning on leaving. No matter how bad things got between themselves and their ranch neighbors.

  But, Ethan wasn't going to marry. Not anytime soon. Ranching was his life now. The thought of being a father seemed a whole lot more difficult than running a ranch. Earlier this year, Ethan's family had moved north from Colorado in search of a better life. The ranch, though small by comparison to the huge Buchanan spread, was to be the Armstrong family base for years to come.

  Ethan's attention was caught by the sound of horse's hooves. He turned and saw a solitary rider bearing down quickly upon him. A heavy weight sank in the pit of Ethan's stomach. He knew how this was going to go. Ethan slowed his mount and prepared for the worst.

  The rider drew to a halt next to Ethan. He recognized Reese Buchanan. If Ethan could have chosen the one brother he wouldn't want to confront now, it would have been Reese. This particular Buchanan was well-known for having a short temper. "Armstrong," Reese blurted out, holding his reins tight in both hands and glaring at Ethan. "I thought we had an agreement that you wouldn't set foot on our spread."

  Ethan released his reins and opened his arms out wide in an attempt at seeming reasonable. "Reese. I know what it looks like. But, I just wanted to get home as quick as I could."

  Reese lifted a dark brow. "So you thought you'd take a shortcut across our land?"

  "What are you going do about it?" Ethan asked evenly.

  Ignoring Ethan's defiant question, Reese spoke. "I heard you were making a nuisance of yourself down at the station." Reese drew his horse closer to Ethan's. "With my cousin, Chloe," he added with obvious disapproval.

  "Zane knows all about that," Ethan explained flatly.