“Morning,” he said, his voice low and raspy.
“Good morning.” She took a sip of the water, feeling the cooling liquid rush down her throat.
“She’s still sleeping?”
Millie nodded, “Yes. I have a feeling she’ll sleep for a while.”
He stood, closing the gap between them. When he was close enough, he reached out and rested a hand on her arm. “How are you doing?”
The concern in her eyes made her stomach twist into knots. “I’m all right, but there’s something I must tell you.”
Her heart began to beat rapidly with the knowledge that the truth would soon be out. But she couldn’t go back now. She’s already let this go on long enough without being honest with him.
“You can tell me anything.” His kindness melted her and made her afraid all at the same time.
What would he say once he knew? Would he be angry? She wouldn’t blame him if he were.
“I—” her voice broke.
“Millie, what’s wrong? You’re as pale as a sheet. You aren’t getting sick are you?”
“No, no it’s not that.”
“Then what—”
“I was the one who wrote the letters to you.”
He blinked, a look of confusion coming over him. “Letters…I—I don’t understand.”
“I’m sorry,” she began, “I should have told you when we first met.”
“Told me what?”
“When you first started writing to Miss Hoff—that was me.” She held his gaze despite the urge to look anywhere but into his eyes. “You were corresponding with me that whole time. But then…well, we found out that Morgan was pregnant, she was assaulted,” she was quick to add, “and she needed a husband more than I did.
“By that time I admitted my name was Morgan to you but, because my sister never learned how to write, I continued our letters on her behalf. When she died…I just…I didn’t know what to say.”
He blinked. “You lied to me? You were going to trick me into marrying your sister? I can’t believe this. I—” he stopped, shaking his head in the silence.
“I’m sorry. I…I’ve been meaning to tell you but I didn’t know when. Then, seeing Josie sick, I knew that I cared for you both too much to keep the truth from you.”
“I can’t believe this. You’ve been lying this whole time. No wonder you knew so much about me. I feel like a fool.”
“Please, don’t, it was my fault completely.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth now? Are you just trying to fool me so I’ll marry you? Is that what this is all about?”
She was surprised at the ferocity in his voice. “No!” Tears flooded her vision and she knew the whole truth had to come out then. “I wanted to tell you because…because I care for you. No matter what you think of me, you’ll always be Mr. D to me.”
Her use of his nickname made him flinch and he backed away from her. “I need time to think.” Then, without another word, he left the room, stepping out into the gray light of the morning leaving her alone and wondering if she’d done the right thing.
Chapter 6
Lloyd stood at the back of the parish house staring into the growing light of the morning. Cool air surrounded him but he didn’t move—wouldn’t acknowledge its effect on him. How could he have been so stupid?
Of course Millie had written those letters to him. It was clear now. The way she spoke, the things she laughed about, the times she’d slipped into teasing him. All of it added up to complete the picture of who she’d become to him. She’d always been Miss Hoff even if he hadn’t seen it at first.
“The sunset doesn’t hold the answers you’re seeking, son.” Peter’s voice broke through the silence around him.
“I suppose it doesn’t. Did you know?”
“Know what, Lloyd?”
“That she was the one who had written me the letters. How she and her sister conspired to trick me? That she’s been lying to me?”
“No, I didn’t know any of that. I’m not a mind reader, you know.” Peter laughed as he stepped up next to Lloyd, evaluating the morning with him. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems that everything has worked out in your favor. Aside from the death of that poor girl of course, God rest her soul.”
“But…” he searched for the words to express what he was feeling. “But she lied to me.”
“True, but can’t you see why?”
“That doesn’t make it all right?”
“Of course not, but she did tell you the truth. I think that has to count for something. Especially when you care for her.”
He shot Peter a sharp glance.
“It’s obvious, son,” the pastor said, his smile as bright as the sunlight now flooding over the mountains before them.
“I do care.” He admitted the truth out loud but allowed his heart to feel it as well. It was more than care—it was love. But with that feeling came fear. Fear to love again, fear to know what would happen in the future. How could he commit is life to her knowing that the sting of death was more painful than anything he’d experienced? Was he really willing to open himself up for that pain again?
“You’re doing it again,” Peter said.
“What?”
“Trying to reason through every area of this and not leaving anything up to the Lord. What does your heart say, Lloyd?”
His heart? He hadn’t considered that in a long time—unless it was regarding his daughter. She was the only person who fully held his heart, and look at what had happened? She had been close to death. It reminded him that life was fragile. But it also reminded him that to live without love was pointless. If he didn’t have Josie in his life…he didn’t even want to think what it would mean. He’d rather have loved her well than to never have had her.
“It says to be reckless.”
“Then be reckless in love, dear boy.” Peter turned to him, resting a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Take every opportunity, forgive often, and enjoy your life. God will see you through—despite all of the things that may or may not happen.”
Peter turned to go but Lloyd stayed with is gaze fixed on the sunset. He wanted to believe that what the pastor said was true. In fact, he wanted to do more than believe it; he wanted to live it.
When he considered what Millie had done he could see clearly how, in the grand scheme of things, him holding it against her would do neither of them any good.
With resolution, he turned to go inside but stopped short when he saw her standing a few feet behind him, shawl pulled tightly against her shoulders and a look of nervous fear on her face.
Without thinking and without considering the future or even the present ramifications of what would happen between them, he went toward her and pulled her into his arms. The moment before their lips touched he felt her hand resting softly over his heart and peace flooded him.
***
Millie couldn't have been more shocked had Lloyd yelled at her. To be here in his arms kissing him was at once completely right and confusing all at the same time.
When he pulled back just far enough to look down at her, he kept his grip—light and gentle—on her arms.
“Does this mean you forgive me?”
He cracked a smile. “There’s the humor I’ve been missing Miss Hoff.”
“Have you really Mr. D?”
He bent down and kissed her again. This time the passion nearly overwhelmed her and she leaned into his warm embrace, breaking away to tuck her head against his shoulder. They stayed like that for several minutes before he spoke again.
“I forgive you.”
They were the sweetest words—the ones she’d longed to hear but couldn’t have hoped to achieve had she not said anything. Her heart felt light after the weight of confession was lifted.
“I’m so sorry. I should have told and—”
“It’s all right. It’s in the past. We can move on and be Mr. D and Miss Hoff now. Or,” he held her gaze and a smile quirked the corners of
his lips.
“Or what?” she asked, curious.
“Or we could Mr. D and Mrs. D.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“I’d done it once before, if you remember, and I suppose it still stands—though I do remember asking you by another name.”
“Would you ask me again? The real me this time, please.”
He smiled, reaching up to push her hair back from her face. His hand stayed behind, resting there. “I finally understand why I felt so drawn to you before. I know you, Millie. You. Not your sister. And, though I’m sorry she’s gone, I am glad you are here. I want to face this life—it’s ups and downs—with you by my side. I want you to become a mother to my daughter. And I want to walk through the unknown of life with you. I can’t know the future, as much as I may try to plan for it, but I do know that I’d rather risk loving you than to not have you in my life.”
She knew she was crying, the tears falling gently down her cheeks, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t afraid for Lloyd to see her tears because, through their letters and now in real life, he’d seen the broken parts of her and accepted her just the same.
“How could I say no to such a beautiful proposal?”
“I’d hoped you wouldn’t be able to,” he admitted with a laugh.
She smiled, entwining her fingers with his. “Then my answer is yes.”
“I knew you’d see reason Miss Hoff.”
She grinned. “Of course Mr. D.”
They sealed their love with a sweet kiss. It symbolized the beginning of their lives together—not as two strangers getting to know one another, but as two hearts that had started to fall in love only to be interrupted.
Now that the interruption had been discovered and passed by, they were free to love in the way they had started at the beginning of their letter writing. Just to hearts, knitted together by the plans of the Lord.
THE END.
Wandering Cowboy
Mail Order Bride
CHRISTIAN MICHAEL
Chapter 1
Little River, Montana
Dora Sullivan stepped from the rickety stagecoach coated in dust onto the muddy ground. She felt grimy and exhausted but she’d made it. Smoothing a hand over the front of her skirt, she looked around. Men milled about or walked to-and-fro carrying various items but no one seemed to be looking for her, just at her.
Worry knotted her stomach. She wasn’t sure what Hank Mills looked like, he’d only said tall with brown hair, but she was sure he would have recognized her—if only for the fact that she was the only woman who had exited the stagecoach.
Taking a few steps forward, a hand landed heavily on her shoulder causing her to jump. “Sorry, Miss,” the coach driver said with a smile beneath his large moustache, “Just wasn’t sure where you wanted yer trunk?”
Blinking rapidly, she looked from the trunk to the man then back to the trunk. “Is there a hotel nearby?”
He nodded once. “Yup.”
“Please take it there then.”
“Sure thing.”
He turned and left and she searched the crowd again before resigning herself to the fact that Hank wasn’t there. Or if he was, he wasn’t coming to claim her. A thought slammed into her chest. Was that it? Had he taken one look at her and wasn’t interested?
But, looking into the gawking stares of the men surrounding her she didn’t think that was the reason. She was by no means the most beautiful woman, but she had a feeling men in the West took what they could get. Not that that thought was comforting.
Stepping up to the ticket window she leaned closer, “Excuse me.”
“Yeah,” a booming voice said from behind the bars.
“Can you direct me to the local hotel.”
“Down the street. Take a right. It’s on the right.” The man went back to his newspaper without another glance her way.
Trying to shake off the rudeness of the man, she held her head high and pounded down the boardwalk. Just as the disinterested window clerk had said, the hotel appeared on the right and she entered, relishing the calm tranquility of the interior. It wasn’t as nice as places she had seen in Massachusetts but she hadn’t been accustomed to finery anyway.
“Hello,” she said at the desk. “I’d like to reserve a room.”
The clerk helped her, taking almost the last of her reserved money, then directed her to the post office where she hoped someone would know about Hank Mills—her fiancé.
“Yeah, I knew Hank,” the post office worker said.
Dora froze. Knew? “I’m sorry, what do you mean…knew?”
“He passed away a few weeks back. Some kinda accident as I heard it.”
Her heart pounded in her chest and the constriction of her throat kept her from answering.
“Why do you ask?”
“I—” her voice cracked, “I was to marry him.”
The clerk’s mouth dropped open to form an “O” shape. “Really?”
“Yes,” she said, feeling the shock morph to terror like a live thing in her chest. This couldn’t be happening.
“I’m sorry ma’am. Real sorry, but he’s gone. I wasn’t sure who to forward his mail to. Heard about a brother he had and I just tracked him down the other day. Did you want to contact him maybe?”
Dora tried to think through what the man was saying. Contact Hank’s brother? Why…but then she considered the fact that, if she didn’t contact him, who would? She had at least gotten to know Hank a little through their letter writing and, though she never thought she would truly love him, she had felt certain they would be happy. Eventually.
“Yes,” she said, surprising herself. “I’ll write him a letter.”
Nodding, as if to convince herself, she turned around and made her way back to the quite safety of the hotel. She couldn’t afford to stay for much longer as a guest nor could she afford to buy a train ticket back. Maybe, just maybe, she could gain work at the hotel until she figured out what to do with her life.
All of her plans had fallen through and she was alone. Utterly alone.
***
Raymond Ellis adjusted his seat in the saddle. He was used to riding long periods of time and today was no different. He had a lot of territory to cover if he was going to make it half way to his next job by dusk.
The town sat ahead, the dusty streets busy with foot traffic and horses. He rode down the main street on his way to see the smithy. His horse needed a new shoe and he needed supplies. It would hopefully be a quick stop, but a necessary one.
After leaving the horse to be tended to, he walked toward the general store, the list of provisions he needed fresh in his mind. There wouldn’t be another town for a few days so he needed to stock up. He jumped up onto the boardwalk and toward the door of the general store just as a woman barreled out—and straight into him.
“Ouch!” she said, stepping back and nearly falling over.
“Steady there,” Raymond said, reaching out rough and calloused hands to steady her.
She stepped back, a wild, frightened look in her eye. “Don’t touch me.”
He yanked his hands away, holding them up to show he meant no harm. “I’m sorry, miss,” he offered a small smile, “Just making sure you didn’t fall over.”
Her black hair was pulled back into a sloppy bun but it was her vibrant green eyes that held him captive. They were stunning and beautiful, reminding him of dew on a prairie field in the light of dawn.
He looked over the rest of her face, his eyes flicking to her lips briefly but always back to her eyes.
She took another step back. “Th-thank you,” she said, then spun on her heel and was gone.
He stood watching her for a moment, breathless. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. And he needed to see her again.
Rushing to the corner, he peered around but was greeted with an empty street. She was gone, like the last rays of sunlight in the evening, and he was devastated to realize he may never see h
er again.
He shook his head, feeling foolish. He was a cowpoke. A man without a home who rode the range—had been riding the range since he was a boy—not some lovesick boy who wanted to meet a girl and settle down.
Yet the thought of settling down wasn’t as unattractive to him as it once had been. He’d spent years traveling, never settling into a place, but that didn’t mean the rest of his life had to be like this. Or maybe it did. What kind of husband could he be?
Expelling a breath, he spun around and went back to the general store. He was thinking like a crazy man right now. One pretty girl and you’d think he’d been out in the sun too long.
“Howdy,” the storekeeper said, smiling behind his counter. “Can I get you anything?”
Raymond sidled up to the counter, weighing his options. He was acting a fool, he knew that, but what could it hurt just to see her one more time? A pretty face to remember as he rode off into the sunset that evening.
“Got a question for you,” he said.
“I’ll see what I can do to answer you.”
“I just nearly knocked over a pretty little lady on her way out of here. I feel terrible and wanted to apologize. Might you know where she went? Rushed off in quite the hurry.”
The shopkeeper narrowed his gaze. “What do you want with Dora?”
“No, no,” he said, holding up his hands, “Nothing untoward. I just wanted to apologize—properly.”
The man kept his narrowed gaze on Raymond for a long time before standing up, putting his hands on his hips. “Her names Dora and she’s a kind woman. Works in the hotel restaurant right now, but she’s only been in town a week or so. I don’t want to hear that you were over there pestering her.”
“’Course not,” Raymond said, honesty in his gaze. He considered the man’s words, wondering what could have brought a woman out to these parts, but he didn’t want to press his luck with the storekeeper.
Instead, he purchased his supplies to pick up later than made his way toward the hotel. Maybe he’d get a meal before he left.
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