Mail Order Brides of Wichita Falls Boxed Set (Historical Western Romance)

by Cyndi Raye

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  Ruby snatched a look at the sleeping boy. Short, choppy blonde hair stuck out every which way, as if he hadn’t had a proper haircut in ages. If she didn’t know better, he looked like any other innocent kid. But there was a devil inside of him, that was for sure. She had to smile thinking about when she collected him in the dining car a few days ago. As they had walked away from the couple, he had tried to slip away but she grabbed him by the tip of his ear and marched him back to her seat in the passenger car. Since then, he had stayed put. Her threat to expose him for the lying thief he was had silenced him. She was sure he had the goods on him, it was why he complied.

  He wasn’t going anywhere until the train stopped at their destination, so she’d let him sleep. For now. In the meantime, Ruby slipped the rawhide tie from the small pile of worn letters. She stared at the writing. It was solid, strong and to be honest, the words popping out scared the daylights out of her. Why did the lady at the train station want her to read these?

  Dear Catherine Jackson, thank you for returning my request for a mail order bride. My name is Marshall Montgomery. I own six hundred forty acres of raw land outside of Wichita Falls. Those who know me tell me I’m tall and handsome but I am an ordinary, hard working man who owns a herd of cattle, a few horses, and a small farm on the prairie. I’m looking for someone who works hard and can help me take care of my ten year old nephew, Billy. His parents died in a tragic carriage accident near their home in New York City. I’m sending for him to come live with me but I don’t know how to take care of a child. I’m looking for someone who will help me care for my farm and keep the fires burning on the home front. If this sounds like something you are looking for, please write back. I need someone as soon as possible. I’m looking forward to hearing back from you real soon. Marshall Montgomery.

  Ruby set the letter in her lap. Billy was this man’s nephew? Why was the woman at the station holding letters from Billy’s uncle? All of a sudden, Ruby realized the woman was supposed to go to Texas to mother this child. Why didn’t she go? Did it have to do with the man who had been sitting next to her?

  The boy had no parents to care for him. A touch of pity rose from deep inside until she pushed it right back down. The fact was Billy outright stole from her. How long had he been picking strangers pockets and why wasn’t someone watching out for him? She opened the next letter, determined to get to the bottom of this confusing story.

  “Dear Ms. Jackson,, Thanks for your letter. I’m sorry to read all about you having a fiancé who broke your heart and now all you wish to do is get far away from the big city life. You say you are a hard worker and that’s what I need, someone to cook and clean and garden and be a mother to my nephew. If you’ll be my mail order bride, I’ll respect your wishes for marriage in name only until you can get over the heartbreak you have experienced. I am a busy man, so busy I’m planning to widen my horizons to buy more land. I won’t have much time to dally with a wife. So if you would like to be my bride for a working relationship only, I’ve purchased a ticket for your trip to Wichita Falls, included in this letter. I’m afraid time is short, my nephew is on his way here. If you can’t use the ticket, please return it to me and I will understand. Marshall Montgomery.

  The realization hit Ruby so hard she gasped. She was given the ticket for the train ride as a swap for a mail order bride. The woman, Catherine, stayed in New York City. The man beside her on the bench was no doubt her fiancé, who came to the station to stop her from marrying someone else. A story out of the pages of a romantic penny novel. She let the paper fall to her lap and closed her eyes.

  She had sold her soul without realizing what she did. The woman at the station saw her desperation and used it to her advantage. Not that she didn’t blame the lady for staying with her true love but that left Ruby in a terrible situation.

  “Why are you pretending to be Catherine Jackson?”

  The tiny voice startled Ruby. She opened her eyes and turned to Billy. He held the letter she dropped. A tiny smile landed on his face as if he knew she was guarding a secret. “Who says I’m pretending to be anyone?” Ruby shot back.

  “You have these letters from my uncle. That means you are his mail order bride. What’s a mail order bride?” The curiosity of a ten year old almost made Ruby smile. Almost. She was still furious at the kid for his thievery, even if she did kind of understand why he had behaved so badly.

  “It’s hard to explain to a child.”

  “You said your name is Ruby Adams. You told those people that’s your name.”

  “Give me my reticule and I’ll tell you.”

  The boy shuffled his feet, twisting his fingers in his lap. “I don’t have it any more.”

  Ruby’s heart skipped a beat.

  “What do you mean you don’t have it? That is my life. I need the land certificates! You can keep the money, just give me the papers.”

  The boy stared. His face paled. “I threw the reticule out the window when I saw you on the train.”

  “What!” Ruby stuttered. Her eyes widened in shock. She wanted to wrap her hands around the boy’s throat and shake him. Everything was lost. A sudden hysteria almost freed itself from somewhere deep inside. She’d have to become a mail order bride now just to survive. There was no going back, no other options, no begging her uncle to take her in. She wouldn’t do what her mother did and beg for a home. No. She’d find a way out of this mess.

  “I did take some old papers out before I threw it out the window. ‘Cause they looked important.”

  She stared at the boy. Relief flooded through every single orifice of Ruby’s body. She swiped at her brow with a shaky hand before holding out an open palm. “Give me the papers.”

  His small head shook back and forth. It was plain to see he was scared, yet he held his own. The little conniving thief was going to hold them from her. What did he want?

  “Billy, I’m warning you. I know you have the papers on you. I’ll call the conductor over here to turn you upside down and shake you until those papers fall out of your person. Then you’ll go to jail for stealing. Or, have some fingers cut off.”

  Billy stiffened. “They don’t cut off fingers, do they?” He shrank back in his seat. Trying to be a street-smart tough kid was taking its toll. Billy was a troubled boy caught up in a bad situation. Ruby didn’t want him to be scared but she wanted her property back.

  “I hear they do awful things out here in the wild west. Men get hung from a tree for stealing a horse. Imagine what they would do to a boy who stole from a lady!”

  The boy’s eyes widened in stark fear. “Who’s they? Are their people here on the train who’ll hang me?”

  Ruby decided to be honest with him. “Not really. I’m going to bargain with you, Billy. If you give me my papers back, I’ll forget you ever stole my reticule and won’t press charges. It will be our secret. Agreed?” She turned to him and held out a hand, trying to gain his trust. After all, knowing his story, she was pretty certain he had no one to look out for him. It was probably why he was running loose in the city. Going to the uncle’s farm was the best thing to straighten him out. She wouldn’t have him punished for a mistake. Everyone made them. Ruby wanted to forgive and forget and move on. With her land certificates. She would turn one in for the cash and pay the uncle for the ticket after explaining why she couldn’t marry him. It was all starting to work itself out for the good of all involved.

  The boy’s hand stilled. He didn’t remove it from his lap. His little blonde head lifted up to look her dead in the eye. “There’s no one on the train to hang me?”

  Ruby let a sly smile escape. “Of course not, Billy. I was trying to scare you. I’ll have my papers back, please. It’s time for us to move on.”

  “Well then, I think I will bargain, too.”

  She glared at him. The innocent look left his face as quick as silver. “What do you mean you will bargain with me? I’m not the one who stole anything?”

  “In a way you did.
”

  “What! Billy, give me those papers, right now!”

  “Is there a problem here, Miss?” the attendant asked, standing over the two of them.

  She waved him away. “Not at all. Billy here told me some surprising news.”

  “Good day, Ma’am.” The attendant tipped his hat and moved on to another passenger.

  Billy puffed out his chest before he sat back in his seat and smiled. “The way I see it, if I give you the papers, you can turn me in and have me hanged. There’s no way around things now. I’ll have to keep them hidden until I’m safe with my uncle.”

  “You little brat!”

  Chapter 4

  The attendant cupped his hands over his mouth. “Two minutes until Wichita Falls. If you look to the North, you can see the town in all its glory.”

  The chatter of passengers excited voices rang in Ruby’s ears. She turned on the boy. “You give me my papers right now, you little conniving thief!” Billy was using her generosity and turning on her.

  He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his little head back and forth. “No.”

  “Billy, don’t make me tell your uncle what you did.”

  “Don’t make me tell him you aren’t Catherine Jackson.”

  “Why, you, little,” she stopped. Ruby wouldn’t get anywhere this way. She knew by the stoic look on his face he would play this part until he deemed safe.

  “Little what?” he dared.

  Even though she was seething inside, Ruby raised her hand and patted him on the head, maybe a little harder than necessary. “You win. I’ll be patient and play the part of Catherine Jackson until you decide I’m trustworthy enough to give those papers back. I’ll keep your secret safe so your uncle won’t know what a little, low-down, conniving trouble-maker you are.” She held out her hand. “Deal?”

  He giggled at her description of him. “Deal.” The boy was clearly loving every moment of this. Oh, she’d show him a thing or two after they settled in at his uncle’s house. She’d wait until no one was about and shake him upside down and retrieve those papers and be on her way to finding her own land and place in society. Some little smart-mouthed kid wasn’t going to stop her from making her dreams come true.

  She had to admit he was clever. The boy wasn’t taking any chances and even though it affected her, Ruby was an adult. She’d find her way out of this mess but for a kid it had to be harder. She had to admire his gumption in the dire situation he was placed in. Even so, pretending to be Marshall Montgomery’s intended wife would give her some time to look over Wichita Falls and see where she wanted to stake a land claim. After all, it wasn’t as if the man were looking for a real bride. He wanted someone to take care of the kid. It wouldn’t be a big deal to run off when she got her land certificates back.

  The train came to a halt, its steam engine making so much noise Ruby held her ears closed. When others began to abandon their seats to depart, Ruby nodded for Billy to go first. She wasn’t about to let him out of her sight. Not now, not ever, or, at least until she got her belongings back. She eyed him from the top of his head to the tips of his boots to see where he would hide them, but there was no way she could get him to empty his pockets.

  Ruby pulled her bonnet to shade her eyes so she could get an overall picture of Wichita Falls. The small town was charming, a bit dusty but she recognized the odd buildings cluttering both sides of main street. A mercantile, saloon, livery and even a church stood tall and proud against the blue and white sky of the prairie. The wind blew straw and tumbleweeds across the dusty street where they rolled over and over across the dying grass. It wasn’t a bustling city like New York, far from it but Ruby needed a new place to live. Perhaps this was where she would find home.

  Standing on the platform of the train depot, she hugged her piece of luggage a bit closer. Her other hand was in Billy’s clammy one as he clung to her as if she were his savior. After what he did, she’d like to squeeze those fingers until he handed over her property.

  A tall man stood at the end of the depot, a cowboy hat in his hand. Thick dark hair was a tad longer than most but it did something for his looks. He seemed more like an outlaw instead of a rancher. With a gunbelt slung low on his hip, Ruby couldn’t help but take a quick glance at his physique. He was a handsome man. She knew without a doubt he was Marshall Montgomery.

  She squeezed Billy’s hand without thinking. “Ouch,” he whispered, squirming like a fish out of water. “Ruby! Stop squeezing me!”

  The man’s quick response shocked Ruby. He was no slouch in the smarts department. “Ruby? I suppose you aren’t the person I’m looking for, then. But, the little fellow there, I know he’s my sister’s child. He looks just like her. Welcome home, Billy.”

  Billy took a step forward. He acted as if he wanted to run towards the man and fling himself in his uncle’s arms. Except he didn’t. He began to bite his lower lip. He was a scared little boy who lost his mama and papa and now had to go to a strange place to grow up.

  It was plain to Ruby the man noticed too. “It’s fine, Billy. You won’t come to no harm with me. I have a nice ranch a ways from here. Do you like to ride horses?”

  Billy nodded. “I ain’t never saw any up close except for the ones pulling carts down the street.”

  The man clearly knew how to handle the boy. He knelt on one knee, bringing himself more to the boy’s level. “Well, come on then. I have a ranch full of horses and cows who will be needing your help.” There was something about watching a man like Marshall Montgomery with a small boy that made her think it may not be so bad married to someone like him. She shook herself. Thoughts like that wouldn’t do her any good.

  Billy slowly let go of her hand. She felt the air between them and realized he would soon be gone. Since Marshall Montgomery didn’t think she was his intended bride, she would be homeless and helpless in a strange town. Without any money!

  She couldn’t let Billy get away!

  As the boy began to walk towards Marshall, she noticed how the man looked out over the area, his eyes roving around as if looking for someone else. A shudder went through her as she realized he was looking for his mail order bride. “I am Catherine Jackson,” she spoke up quickly as the lie slipped from her mouth.

  Billy grinned.

  Marshall fixed dark eyes on her. “I heard the boy call you Ruby. I’m looking for one Catherine Jackson from New York City.”

  She stared right back, her intentions only to get her land certificates back. “I am Catherine, also known as Ruby, which is my preferred name, here to meet one Marshall Montgomery to become his mail order bride. In name only,” she added, glad she had taken the time to read the letters. It gave her more insight on how to behave. This Catherine was a heartbroken woman who was here to heal from a lost love. Would she be able to pull this off until the boy came through for her?

  When she told him in name only, he appeared relieved. His brow rose and he nodded. “You said nothing about a Ruby.” His narrowed eyes spoke of a man who wanted the truth.

  She shuddered. He wouldn’t be happy when she broke their engagement, even though it couldn’t be helped. She wasn’t about to marry anyone. Not ever. Not until she made her lot in life and had enough land and money to be an independent woman. Like her Aunt Adeline. Ruby never wanted to be beholden to anyone.

  Mayhap she should tell this man the truth and make the boy pay for his sins. Then she could take her land certificates, get some advice from her aunt and be done with this mess. Except, if she disclosed the truth, the boy may well be sent back to New York. To what? To a life of crime he was sure to be faced with without anyone to supervise him. No, she wasn’t that cruel. The boy needed a chance, a new life to grow and become the man God intended him to be. Her own mother gave her a good life regardless of her cruel uncle. She had even sacrificed her own happiness to do so. When she looked at the way Billy held on to the rancher’s hand, her heart did a flip.

  “My full name is Catherine Ruby Jackson. It was
also my mother’s name so my father called me Ruby so as not to get us confused. I use it only with my dear friends and family.”

  Marshall watched as she tried to explain, his face amused. Did he know she was lying? When he grinned, she let out the breath she was holding. “Well, then, I suppose we should go see Daniel Conners.”

  Ruby let him take her only piece of luggage and place it in a wagon sitting along the side of the train depot. She followed him down the wooden board walk, holding up her skirts so as not to get the edges full of mud. Marshall took her elbow and guided her in to the Parish office, Billy not far behind.

  “Daniel,” Marshall announced. “We’re mostly ready to get this moving along.”

  A cold fear hit Ruby in the middle of her gut. She looked at Billy first, then Marshall. “Move what along?”

  He shrugged. “Why, our marriage. I explained in the last letter when you get here, Daniel will have everything ready to go. No sense in waiting since it’s a marriage of convenience only. The sooner the boy has a new mother, the quicker we can get settled in and he can get started living his new life on the farm. I have a cattle drive next week and can’t leave this boy alone.”

  Ruby didn’t think to read to the end of the letter. “But, I thought, well, I wanted to wait a bit,” Ruby spit out, jumbling words that made no sense. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She couldn’t marry a man like Marshall Montgomery!

  Billy giggled. “Will I be able to call her mommie?” he asked Marshall, a grin spreading from ear to ear.

  Marshall lowered himself back down to Billy’s level. “If she agrees, I think eventually you may want to. That doesn’t mean you will forget yours. She’ll always be in here.” Marshall placed a large hand over the boy’s heart.

  Ruby couldn’t speak. How could she marry a man she didn’t love or even know? For one, if she did marry him, she’d be tied to him forever. Her land certificates wouldn’t do her any good then, they’d be his by rights. She would be stuck on a farm, working hard for someone else, living with a man who wanted no love in his life, just a woman who worked herself to the bone. Which she didn’t mind hard work but this was not why she came out west. She turned to Billy, who stood beside Marshall snickering.