The Brides of Golden Valley Box Set 1

by Jaclyn Hardy

  Nathaniel’s homestead wasn’t too far off, a small speck in the distance. Rain started coming down as they came into the yard, so Lucky went straight into the barn with the wagon still attached. Nathaniel had to duck so he wouldn’t hit the top of the door frame.

  Rain pelted the roof as Nathaniel unloaded the wet hay into the cows’ stalls. Thankfully the hay under the top bales was still dry so he could store it. Once that was done, Nathaniel unstrapped Lucky.

  “There you go. Let me brush you down.” Nathaniel took his time grooming his horse. This creature was his best friend and one of the only belongings he’d brought with him from California. His parents and brothers had insisted he was crazy for relocating to Idaho, but he would show them how wrong they were if they ever came to visit. The green fields, the beautiful mountains, and the towns that were booming around him told Nathaniel that he was exactly where he needed to be. Now if he could just get his cattle operation set up so that he had an income. He’d been working for two years now to have the money he needed to buy more cattle, and things were finally starting to take shape.

  A flash of lightning lit up the barn, followed immediately by a crack of thunder. Lucky reared back in fear.

  “Hey, you’re safe in here. Calm down.” Nathaniel kept a hand on Lucky’s back while he reached up to put his other hand on the horse’s neck. “There you go. It’s okay. Let’s get you some oats.”

  It took some effort to get Lucky to follow him, and Nathaniel resigned himself to the fact that he would have to stay in the barn with his horse until the rain stopped. That, or he would have to let the horse inside his house. Again. The last time had been a disaster.

  Nathaniel grabbed his cot on the way to Lucky’s stall. He might as well get comfortable now. Another clap of thunder. Lucky stepped closer to Nathaniel, but didn’t rear up this time. The bucket of oats was enough to appease him while Nathaniel stepped out of the stall to grab a few of the bridles and other leather work that needed to be done. He’d been putting them off, so now was the perfect time to do them. As long as Lucky would stay calm.

  ***

  The storm finally blew itself out an hour later. Nathaniel had finished the leather work and unloaded all of the hay by the time the thunder ended. There was still a drizzle when he left the barn that felt good on his skin. He needed to go into town before nightfall, which meant he needed to clean the dust off from working and then sitting in a barn where dirt was continuously kicked up.

  Maybe he could stay home this time. There would be other receptions by the end of the summer. But his job required him to talk to others or they would never know that he was starting a dairy and livestock business. Nathaniel stopped at the bucket of water in the back to wash himself the best he could. That would have to do for now. He could bathe when he got home and had time to carry buckets of water inside to heat.

  He went into his house and checked each of the windows for leaks. Everything had held from what he could see. The kitchen had a few dishes he’d need to wash later that night, and his couch was covered in clothes he’d thrown there waiting to do laundry. He grabbed those and took them into his room. Maybe if they were on his bed, he wouldn’t forget to wash them in the morning.

  There were only two suits in his wardrobe to choose from, so Nathaniel went with the cleanest one. There were many things involved in running a house that he hadn’t thought of until coming out here on his own, and laundry had to be his least favorite part. Well, that and the dishes. He’d take spending time with his animals any day.

  Thankfully, by the time Nathaniel was ready to leave, the clouds had cleared. He debated taking the wagon in, but he’d get there faster without it. Besides, it was easier to find a place to keep his horse than taking the wagon as well. Lucky gave Nathaniel a mournful glance as the saddle was attached.

  “It’s all right, boy. You’ll be safe. Besides, they have better food for you in town.” Nathaniel let him outside, then climbed up. “Let’s go.”

  Lucky was usually pretty good about keeping out of the puddles as they galloped along the paths, but it seemed like he had something to say as he hit every one. Nathaniel could feel the cold water soaking into his boots as they finally entered the town. There were fewer puddles here, but Lucky still managed to step in each of them.

  Nathaniel tied Lucky to the post outside the reception hall and walked inside. It was already filled with men and women laughing and talking about whatever had been happening since the last event. Nathaniel stayed to the side of the hall, watching the crowd until he felt comfortable enough to mingle.

  Edmond, a young socialite came to stand next to Nathaniel, a drink in his hand as usual. “I see the storm was not good to you.”

  “The storm was fine. My horse was not. He would have preferred staying inside the barn.” Nathaniel gestured to a couple several feet away. “Joshua and Charlotte seem to be doing well. They have a new son, don’t they?”

  Edmond made a face. “We haven’t spoken in a while, so I wouldn’t know.”

  Nathaniel raised his eyebrows. “I thought Charlotte and Eleanor were good friends?”

  “They see each other every so often, but it has been a while since they spent time together.” Edmond took another drink from a tray. “I can’t say that I’m disappointed they moved on from each other.”

  “Why is that?” Nathaniel knew that he was treading on dangerous ground. Edmond was not one to anger, especially when Nathaniel wanted to try to get customers for his business. But he also knew better than to become good friends with the man who tended to ostracize those he didn’t feel were worthy to be in his presence.

  Edmond sniffed. “Charlotte pretends to be from high society in New York, and yet she was desperate enough to find a husband that she became a mail order bride. One must think little of themselves to stoop so low.”

  Nathaniel frowned. “I’ve heard of the practice, but I didn’t realize that it was so popular.”

  “Oh, they’re not popular. Charlotte is the first I’ve known in this area and I do hope she will be the last.” Edmond sneered in the direction of Joshua and Charlotte.

  “I don’t know. I can see why it would be needed. I came from a part of California where the men vastly outnumber the women. And if you look around this reception, it’s the case here as well. I’ve been coming to these for two years now, and it hasn’t changed much.” Nathaniel shrugged. “If mail order brides are the way to find a wife, then I say good for them.”

  Edmond stood straight and set his glass on a nearby table. “If these men had wanted to be married when they settled here, they should have brought their bride with them. Eleanor was more than happy to travel with me.”

  Nathaniel held in a sigh. “Eleanor had also traveled from England before you two met. Now, if you will excuse me, I must speak to Clarence about selling my meat at his store.”

  He escaped before Edmond could say anything else. Maybe talking with the man could be good for social status, but it wasn’t worth having to deal with his snobbery. Clarence, the general store owner, stood to the side talking to a few other men. Nathaniel waited for them to finish speaking before he stepped closer.

  Clarence turned and smiled. “Nathaniel. I was hoping you hadn’t washed away in the storm earlier today.”

  “I’d just made it back to my barn when it started.” Nathaniel laughed. “May I speak with you for a moment?”

  “Of course.” Clarence nodded to the other men as they walked away, then looked back at Nathaniel. “I’ve heard your livestock are doing well. Ready to start selling them for meat?”

  Nathaniel nodded. “That’s what I wanted to speak to you about. I’m hoping to find clients to buy them before I send them off to the butcher.”

  “I do have someone who already sells me their pork, but I would be interested in selling your beef for you once you’re set. They can order it through the general store for a small profit for us. As far as clients, you can put up an advertisement in the store window. If I hea
r of anything I’ll be sure to let you know.”

  “Thank you. I’ll have something for you when I come into town again.” Nathaniel rubbed his chin. This was better than he’d expected, but he couldn’t let Clarence know that. Otherwise, the fee could end up much higher. “I suppose that will work. How does ten percent sound?”

  Clarence chuckled. “I think not. Twenty-five percent.”

  That was a little high. “Fifteen?”

  “Twenty. That’s my final offer.” Clarence held out a hand, and by the gleam in his eye, Nathaniel knew he wouldn’t budge.

  “I can make that work.” Nathaniel took the man’s hand and shook it. “I will bring by a contract along with the poster.”

  Clarence snapped his fingers and one of the general store clerks appeared at his side. “No need. I have it all drawn up right here.”

  Nathaniel shot him a skeptical look and scanned the contract. It was just as they had agreed upon, including the percentage. He raised an eyebrow. “You knew I would agree to this?”

  “You are a wise man, and I knew that you wouldn’t pass this up.” Clarence set an ink bottle and feather pen on the table next to him. “When do you expect to be ready with your first inventory?”

  Nathaniel signed with a flourish and set the pen down. “I will be sending them off in the fall. They should be ready a week after that. Any jerky or salted meat will be a couple of weeks later.”

  “Very well.” Clarence held out a hand to shake again. “It’s a pleasure to do business with you. Now if you don’t mind, I must go ask Miss Evelyn to dance.”

  Nathaniel gestured for him to leave and stared at the contract the clerk had rolled up. That was much easier than he’d expected. Now if he could just find the right place to process his meat, he would be all set.

  The conversation with Edmond wouldn’t leave his mind. Not because of how pretentious Edmond sounded. It was the idea of having a mail order bride. The lack of women in this area was definitely noticeable, and he’d worried a few times that he wouldn’t be able to find a wife. But if it was possible to find someone who would move here . . .

  Joshua and Charlotte were on the other end of the reception center. Nathaniel slipped through the crowd and found them sitting at a table. He filled a plate with treats, then walked up to them.

  “May I join you?” Nathaniel glanced between them.

  Charlotte beamed. “Of course. It’s Nathaniel, right?”

  He nodded as he sat, surprised. “How do you know my name?”

  “Small town.” Charlotte laughed. “No, really, I had to ask Joshua when I saw you talking to Edmond. Delightful man, isn’t he?”

  “Uh . . . I suppose.” Nathaniel took a bite of his bread. “I actually had a question for you.”

  Joshua wiped his hands on a napkin. “What is it?”

  Nathaniel hesitated, wondering if they would be upset if he asked. After all, Edmond hadn’t taken kindly to the way Charlotte had ended up here. “I wondered about how the mail order bride process works.”

  Charlotte grinned. “Are you thinking of finding a wife?”

  “Well, yes. And when Edmond mentioned that’s how you two met—”

  “A fact that he enjoyed no doubt,” Charlotte interrupted, her face reddening.

  Joshua put a hand over hers. “It is how we met. And I would do it all over again.”

  Nathaniel smiled. “I can see how much you two care for each other. And that’s what I wondered. If you’ve never met each other, how are you sure that you will be compatible?”

  “We didn’t know. But we were lucky to have found each other.” Charlotte leaned in. “If you want to find someone, though, I suggest you try it. Otherwise you could be waiting for a while to find someone.”

  “I suppose you’re right. And if I wanted to do something like this?” Nathaniel still wasn’t sure he was desperate enough to try, but it was good to get all of his questions out now.

  Joshua nodded toward the postmaster. “They have a catalog at the post office that you can look through. When you decide who you want, you can send them a letter or have someone do it for you. Charlotte and I wrote to each other for a while before she finally came.”

  Charlotte’s eyebrows shot up. “We did? I mean, yes, we did.”

  “And if we want things to happen a little sooner?” Nathaniel shook his head at their incredulous looks. “It’s not because I want to rush into anything. It’s just that it’s nearing the end of summer, and the travel might get dangerous if we wait too much longer.”

  “I’m sure you can speed up the process.” Charlotte shot another strange look at Joshua. It was almost like she knew nothing about how the process had gone.

  Nathaniel nodded. “Wonderful. Thank you for your help. I’d better start heading back before it gets too dark.”

  “If you’re leaving, then I think we will. Maggie is wonderful with William, but I’m sure she will be happy if we arrive sooner.” Charlotte yawned. “He doesn’t sleep much, so he can be quite a handful.”

  Joshua stood and helped wrap a shawl around her shoulders. It was obvious the two of them cared deeply for each other. Nathaniel left the reception with them and waved as he climbed on Lucky. They lived out farther away from the town than he did, so it made sense that they would want to leave early.

  Lucky was much better behaved on the way back to their homestead. He only stepped in puddles when he couldn’t find a way around them. The barn was dark when they arrived, and Nathaniel had to feel around until he found the lantern. It took a moment to light before he could help settle Lucky back into his stall. Milking the cows took a bit since it was a little later than he normally came out to do it. The can was nearly full by the time he got done. Nathaniel would be able to make some money off the cheese, butter, and cream that he could get from this batch, but he looked forward to being able to do this on a larger scale. It would serve not only him, but all of his clients in the area. Once they knew his business existed, of course.

  ***

  Nathaniel brushed his fingers through his hair one more time to make sure no hairs were out of place. Not that it mattered. He was talking to the postmaster about a mail order bride, not actually meeting her that day. But still, he wanted to be at his best just to add a little good luck to the whole thing.

  Feeding and milking all of the cattle had taken longer that morning because of the rain, but he was still able to make good time. He’d make cheese and butter out of the milk as soon as he got home.

  Arthur opened the door to let the public know the post office was open and smiled at Nathaniel. “You’re here early this morning.”

  “Yes, I finished the milking, so I figured I’d get a good start on the day.” Nathaniel walked into the post office and leaned against the counter.

  “I haven’t seen any letters for you come in. Is there something else I can do?” Arthur straightened a pile of letters on his desk and set them aside.

  Nathaniel nodded. “I was told I could find a bride through a catalog here. Do you have that available?”

  Arthur pulled out a small magazine. “We don’t get much use out of it, but here you go.”

  “Thank you.” Nathaniel turned a few pages of different women who had applied. He could feel Arthur’s gaze on him, which didn’t make this process any easier. There was a chair in the corner of the room where he could have a little more privacy.

  How was he even supposed to choose? They were all beautiful in their own way. Brown hair, blonde, straight hair, curly hair, and the biographies they’d filled out were just as varied. By the time he was through to the end of the catalog, Nathaniel was pretty sure this was a waste of time. He’d just have to travel into the bigger cities more often to find someone.

  The last entry seemed to be quite a bit newer than the others. Even though there was no picture with this one, she was intriguing. She loved to read and write, something several of the others also didn’t have going for them. Instead of just being another person on the page,
she stood out, a fascinating mystery that he was dying to learn more about.

  Nathaniel stood and walked over to Arthur. “This Madeline woman. I think she’s the one.”

  “Ah, her advertisement just arrived a few days ago. You’re sure she’s the bride you want? She seems like a woman who would fight back. Shame there’s no picture.”

  “The picture doesn’t matter to me. It was her application that drew me to her.” Nathaniel chuckled.

  Arthur grinned. “She does seem like the perfect person for you. I will get the process started. You should hear from her in the next several days as to whether or not she accepts your proposal.”

  “Thank you.” Nathaniel filled out his portion and handed it to the postmaster, then left the building feeling much lighter than when he’d arrived. There was still a possibility she’d say no. To be honest, he was surprised that she would have agreed to do something like this. She seemed like one who would want to do her own thing.

  Another reason she was so intriguing.

  Madeline shoved the last of her belongings into her suitcase and slammed it shut. She needed to get out of here before she was laughed out of the city. Word had gotten out that she'd filled out the application a few weeks before, and it just made the mocking and stares worse.

  Not that she cared. Not really.

  The boarding house was mostly empty with it nearing the end of the workday, so Madeline was able to slip out before anyone caught sight of her. A clean break was exactly what she wanted. She made sure her scarf covered her face and made a beeline for the stagecoach line. She would have liked the train, but there were no more leaving for the night.

  A man sat stooped in his office when Madeline walked into to the station. He raised his head and his eyebrows raised in surprise. “May I help you?”