The Adventurous Bride

by West, Everly

  “Exactly,” Clint said. “Enough to loan out one or two with the wagon, depending on the job, with a couple to spare for anyone who needs a horse for a day.”

  “It sound like a golden opportunity, then,” Tildie said, unable to bring herself to smile like she thought she should.

  “More than that,” Clint said, stopping her from reaching for another chair to load up. “You know what else it means.”

  The mischievous light in his eyes was almost too much for Tildie. It warmed her heart to see that he was looking forward to marrying her as much as she was to marrying him. But at the same time, she knew that would be the end of her chance to have adventures.

  She didn’t tell Clint how she was feeling, but that didn’t make the feelings go away. It wasn’t as though marrying him would land her in prison. Most of her friends looked forward to the day they would marry and start their own families more than anything. But that didn’t stop her from tossing and turning in bed the night before Clint was supposed to leave. It didn’t stop her from staring at the ceiling of the bedroom she shared with her younger sisters and wondering how bold she really was.

  By the morning, she had an answer to that question.

  “What are you doing?” Kelly asked as she stepped into the doorway to the bedroom, rubbing her hands on the apron she wore every morning as she made breakfast for the family—something Tildie never would have imagined the daughter of a wealthy rancher would enjoy doing so much.

  Tildie glanced up from the open carpetbag on her bed. Kelly had caught her in the middle of tucking her spare work trousers and extra shirts in the bag. “I’m packing,” she said, moving to the bureau to fetch her hairbrush and washcloth.

  Kelly blinked, startled. “Was it something I said? I didn’t mean to offend you or make you think this isn’t your home anymore.”

  Tildie laughed as she put the brush and cloth in her carpetbag, then went back to the bureau to fetch her extra socks. “No, it’s not that at all.” She paused, straightening, and said, “I’ve decided that I’m going to go with Clint to Montana.”

  “You’re what?” Brandon asked from the ranch house’s main room.

  Tildie let out a breath and rolled her eyes. She took the socks to her carpetbag, made sure she had everything packed that she would need, then closed it and carried it into the main room.

  Brandon sat at the table along with their younger sisters, Olive, Beth, and Lucy. Tildie knew the moment he turned his alarmed expression to her that her big brother wasn’t going to calmly go along with her plan to go on her one big adventure by Clint’s side.

  “I’ve decided that I’m going to accompany Clint to Montana,” she said, setting her carpetbag on the sofa and joining the rest of the family at the table. If she didn’t act as though she was doing something outlandish, then perhaps no one would think to stop her.

  Her hope was instantly squashed when Brandon said, “You can’t just up and go to Montana, with or without Clint.”

  “And why not?” Tildie asked, reaching for the plate of bacon in the center of the table.

  “Montana is a long way away,” Olive said, watching Tildie with a fair amount of reverence, as though she liked her sister’s daring.

  “Exactly,” Brandon said, meaning something entirely different. “You’ve never been that far from home on your own.”

  “That’s exactly the point,” Tildie argued. “And I wouldn’t be on my own, I’d be with Clint.”

  “That’s a whole other can of worms,” Brandon said, pointing at her with his fork, which had a fat piece of fried potato on the end. “If you go riding off with Clint and a bunch of other men, people will talk.”

  Tildie snorted and rolled her eyes. “Everyone in Laramie knows that Clint and I are going to get married someday. No one will bat an eyelash. And it’s not as if we’re going out on the trail by ourselves.”

  “I like Clint,” little Lucy commented. “He’s funny.”

  “I like him too,” Beth agreed.

  “So do I,” Brandon said slowly. “But not enough to let him run off with my kid sister.”

  “Brandon, Tildie is twenty,” Kelly came to Tildie’s defense. “She’s not a kid.”

  “Are you taking her side?” Brandon asked with a grin he couldn’t conceal. The way he looked at Kelly was enough to tell the world that he was hopelessly in love.

  Tildie decided to use that to her advantage. “See? Even Kelly thinks this is a good idea.”

  “I’m not sure I’d go that far,” Kelly said with a teasing look for Tildie. “But I think you’re old enough to make your own decisions.”

  “It’s settled, then,” Tildie said with a smile, tucking into her breakfast.

  “It’s far from settled,” Brandon grumbled, going back to eating as well.

  Brandon’s version of things being far from settled involved him leaving his work at the ranch behind to accompany Tildie into town as soon as breakfast was over. He used the excuse of driving her so that she didn’t have to walk as a way to throw questions about the wisdom of the whole enterprise at her as they drove.

  By the time they reached Clint’s livery, Tildie was ready to scream.

  “If you’re so concerned about my safety and my reputation, then why don’t you direct all these questions to Clint? Ask him about the precautions he’s taking as we all go out into the wilderness, what route he plans to take, how he expects to defend against wild animals and such.” She hopped down from the wagon and started over to where Clint was busy talking to Mason Mayfield and the others looked as though they were getting ready to roll out.

  “That’s not the point,” Brandon called after her. He climbed down from the wagon and followed her.

  Tildie’s heart caught in her chest at the sight of the wagon Clint had loaded and ready to go and the men that milled around it, making last-minute checks of supplies. It made sense that most of the men would ride in the wagon on the way up so that they could ride the horses on the way back. Clint was clearly in charge of the group, but his friend, Simon Guthrie, was there, and so were Jay Lehmann and another man Tildie only knew by sight. A slight feeling of fear filled her when Jay glanced her way and winked. Traveling out into the wilderness with Clint was one thing, going with Simon didn’t bother her at all, but having Jay along for the ride? And a man she didn’t know? That was another thing entirely.

  As soon as the thought struck her, she brushed it aside and marched forward to the back of the wagon. “Morning, fellas,” she said, tossing her carpetbag into the wagon along with everyone else’s supplies. “Nice day for an adventure, isn’t it?”

  “Tildie,” Clint said, happiness in his voice and laughter in his eyes, as he stepped away from Mason and over to her. “What are you doing here?” He raked her with a glance, taking in her simple shirt and serviceable, brown skirt and the boots poking out from under her hem.

  “I’m coming with you,” she said as nonchalantly as possible, leaning against the side of the wagon with a smile.

  Clint paused, blinked, then broke into a slow, wide smile. “You’re coming with me? All the way to Montana?”

  “Yep,” she said, crossing her arms and making it clear she wasn’t going to change her mind.

  Clint stared at her for a good long while, the light of something exciting glittering in his eyes. It was the sort of look that made Tildie feel shivery on the inside and wish that he’d go ahead and propose already so they could get on with things.

  “I tried to talk her out of it.” Brandon interrupted the delicious moment. He marched up to Clint’s side and stared disapprovingly at Tildie. “I told her all the reasons this is a bad idea.”

  Clint finally dragged his eyes away from Tildie. “It’s a bad idea?” he asked Brandon.

  Brandon started as though he couldn’t believe Clint hadn’t rushed to agree with him. “Of course it is. She’s a woman and you’re going to be out in the wilderness for who knows how long.”

  “So?” Clint shrugged. “Til
die’s a great cook and Simon isn’t.”

  “I’m not,” Simon commented with a laugh from the other side of the wagon.

  “And she’s an excellent rider,” Clint went on. “Better than these city slickers, I’d guess.” He gestured to Jay and the other man, his grin growing wider.

  Brandon frowned. “You can’t tell me you’re actually thinking of letting her do this, are you?”

  “Why not?” Clint glanced back to Tildie with the sort of smile that reminded her of all the reasons she liked him.

  Brandon sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “You know as well as I do that this could be a disaster. The two of you out there together….” He didn’t finish his thought.

  “I’ll make sure nothing untoward happens,” Jay said, marching forward and standing deliberately between Tildie and Clint. He grinned at Tildie in a way that almost made her change her mind about the whole thing.

  Clint must have seen it too. He lost his smile and stared at Jay with narrowed eyes. “Tildie and I are responsible Christians,” he said. “You won’t have to watch out for anything like what I can see you’re thinking.”

  “I’m a responsible Christian too,” Jay said in such a way that Tildie wondered if he was trying to impress her. “And I’m about to set up a business that will bring in more money than some little livery can.”

  Tildie arched one eyebrow at him, entirely unimpressed. “What business is that?” she asked.

  “You’ll see,” Jay said with a wink. He touched the brim of his hat, then walked on to the back of the wagon where the man Tildie didn’t know loaded the last of the supplies.

  “I don’t like him,” Brandon said in a low, growling voice. “I was all set to ask Simon here to keep an eye on the two of you and to stop any mischief, but I’ve changed my mind. Keep an eye on that one.” He gestured to Jay with his thumb.

  “Believe me, I will,” Clint said. “I don’t trust Jay as far as I can throw him.”

  “Then why are you bringing him along on this trip?” Brandon asked.

  Clint sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “He volunteered to come for free. Mason liked the idea of not having to pay as many men to make the trip.”

  “Why would a man offer to go on a journey like this for free?” Tildie asked.

  “He says it’ll give him the opportunity to make connections with the breeder in Montana,” Clint said.

  “For his business?” Tildie arched one eyebrow.

  “What is his business anyhow?” Brandon asked.

  “Heck if I know.” Clint shrugged. “He probably thinks he can set up another livery and drive me out of business.”

  “Could he?” Tildie asked.

  “No way.” Clint’s charming grin returned. “I’ve got a foothold in Laramie and I have no intention of letting that go. This is where my future lies.”

  Tildie smiled, feeling warm down to her toes. Not only was it wonderful to think that, because of her, Clint was committed to Laramie at a time when a lot of young men tried their luck in half a dozen towns before settling, she was certain that he would be successful because of that commitment. Men like Jay Lehmann thought only of their own interests, but Clint was already making a name for himself as a real Laramie man. The journey to Montana on Mason’s behalf would only strengthen that.

  “Gentlemen, you’d better head out soon,” Mason said, walking over to join their group. “If you want to make it to Billings in good time, you need to travel as far as possible every day.”

  “How long do you think it’ll take you to get there and back?” Brandon asked, back to frowning.

  “A couple weeks,” Clint said, glancing between him and Tildie. “You got enough supplies in that little bag of yours for a couple weeks on the trail?”

  “I’ve got what I need,” Tildie said. “I wouldn’t mind a trip into Billings to see what’s on offer there either.”

  “A shopping trip to pick up useful things for the future might be just the thing,” he said with a fond grin that set the butterflies in Tildie’s stomach fluttering.

  When she peeked back at her brother, he was scowling again. “Don’t you two go getting into trouble,” he said. “Everyone around here might know what the future holds for you two, but that doesn’t mean they’ll let you off the hook as far as rumors go.”

  “It’ll be fine, Brandon,” Tildie said with a heavy sigh.

  “And watch out for the others,” Brandon went on. “Especially that Jay.”

  “You better believe I’ll keep an eagle eye on that one,” Clint said with an unusually protective, gravelly voice.

  Tildie shook her head. “When will the two of you learn that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself?”

  “When I see you back home, safe and sound,” Brandon answered immediately.

  “So you’re not going to stop me from going?” Tildie asked with a sudden smile.

  Brandon frowned as if he might change his mind at the last minute, then sighed. “No, I’m not going to change my mind. Go ahead and have your little adventure to Montana.” He turned to Clint. “If anything happens to her….”

  “It won’t,” Clint said, holding up his hands.

  “Good.” Brandon nodded, then stepped forward to hug Tildie tightly. “Then be safe, little sister.”

  “I will, big brother,” she said, hugging him back. “And thanks for letting me have this one big adventure.”

  “Yeah, well,” Brandon said, backing up and looking sheepishly at the others. “I love you, okay?”

  “I love you too,” Tildie teased him.

  “What about me?” Clint asked.

  Tildie merely raised an eyebrow at him then walked around to the back of the wagon to see if she could help the men finish loading it. Clint laughed, and her heart felt even lighter. Everything seemed to be working out. She would get the adventure she’d always dreamed of, and when they returned home, she could marry the man she loved and start the life she’d always wanted.

  Chapter 3

  Clint truly considered himself the luckiest man alive. As someone who had been born into poverty in a teeming, Eastern city to work his way up the ladder, putting himself through school, then moving out West to seek his fortune, he had a lot to be grateful for. Especially since he never would have gotten to where he was without the help of a few key friends along the way, not to mention a generous loan from the First Bank of Laramie.

  But of all the things Clint was grateful for, his favorite sat by his side on the wagon seat as they drove north from Laramie through the Wyoming wilderness.

  “At least we don’t have to blaze a trail on our own,” Tildie said, sitting up straight and shielding her eyes with one hand as she looked straight ahead.

  “Yeah, it was nice of whoever it was to go and build this road,” Clint said with a grin. They’d been on the road for three days, and aside from a quick stop in Casper the night before, they’d been charging full steam ahead, making good time, blessed with good weather.

  Tildie sat back in her seat, lowering her hand. “I’m sure they built it just for us,” she said with a mischievous grin.

  Clint laughed. “All those man-hours that went into clearing this land and making the road smooth.”

  “I wouldn’t exactly call it smooth.” Tildie winced and rubbed her hip like it hurt.

  “It’s smoother than if we were traveling over virgin land,” he pointed out.

  Tildie blushed, her grin turning coy. “You got a thing against virgin land?”

  Heat rushed up Clint’s neck to his face. Was Tildie making an off-color joke? He sure hoped so. He might have lived determinedly on the straight-and-narrow, but he didn’t mind a little ribald joke now and then. Especially coming from the woman he expected to spend the rest of his life with.

  All the same, he cleared his throat and changed the subject by saying, “Can you imagine what it would have been like for those first trail-blazers decades ago?”

  Tildie hummed, a little bit of vic
tory in her tone. She must have known she’d tweaked him with her comment. “I hear they had a hard time of it,” she said. “All those miles with nothing in them. No place to stop and resupply along the way. The threat of wild Indians around every curve.” She pretended to shiver, then slid closer to him, wrapping her arms around one of his. “A woman would have needed a strong man to protect her from the wilderness.”

  Clint dragged his eyes away from the road ahead long enough to peek at her. She glanced at him with flirty doe-eyes, batting her eyelashes. He couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Tildie was anything but the sort of woman who needed a man to take care of her and do everything for her. She was strong and practical. She worked as hard as Brandon on their family’s sheep ranch. That was what he admired so much about her. That and her gorgeous brown eyes, her full lips that begged to be kissed, and her spirit of fun.

  “Don’t worry, ma’am,” he said in a mock-heroic voice. “I’ll save you from any savages we encounter.”

  Tildie squeezed his arm tighter. “What if we encounter brigands and bandits who steal our wagon and all our supplies?” She batted her eyelashes again.

  Clint had a hard time keeping a straight face and pretending to be a burly sheriff-type as he said, “Why, if we run into trouble, I’ll just take out my six-shooter and defend your honor.”

  “And if we run out of food?”

  “I’ll hunt and forage through the prairie for you. I’ll…I’ll catch you a bear and fry you up some bear steaks for supper.”

  Tildie laughed. “I don’t think you’re supposed to fry bear steaks,” she said, breaking character.

  Clint puffed his chest up even more. “Then you don’t know the right way to cook ’em. And believe you me, ma’am, you ain’t never had a fried bear steak as tasty as what I make.”

  Tildie laughed harder, inching closer. So close that she pressed against his side in a way that seemed designed to make him forsake his promise to behave with her on the trail.

  “What if I get cold at night?” she asked, her voice dropping to a tempting purr.

  Clint peeked at her, only to find her staring at him with a look that was so obviously inviting that she had to be poking fun at him. He cleared his throat, then answered, “Well, ma’am, I killed that bear for you, after all. I could always wrap you up in its guts while they’re still warm.”