Mail Order Bride: Ultimate Mail Order Bride Collection: 6-Book Bundle ~ Clean Historical Romance (Shades of Romance Series)

by Jill Maguire

  He slammed his book closed, stacked it atop the other three that were spread out across the hay bale, and hid them in the loft behind the rusty old wagon wheel. There was no way Jed would ever find them there.

  Worried about his Ma, Noah hurried back to the house and rushed to her bedside. She was already sitting up and welcomed him into her room with a cheerful smile.

  “Morning Ma,” Noah whispered. “How are you feeling?”

  “I feel as fit as a fiddle today.” She was lying and Noah knew it, but he smiled just the same and opened her window enough to let in a light breeze. “I think I’d like to take the wagon into town and visit Maude at the Mercantile.”

  Noah tilted his head to the side and looked lovingly at his mother. “I don’t think that would be a good idea Ma. Last time Doc was here, he said you needed to stay in bed.”

  “Ah, yes. He did say that didn’t he? But that was quite some time ago. Why hasn’t the good doctor been out to see me lately, Noah?”

  “Doc is a very busy man, Ma. But I’m going to go see him today and get you some more medicine. I’ll ask him to come by.”

  “That would be lovely. He is such a fine man.”

  Noah could only hope that the “fine” doctor his mother spoke of would be willing to give him the medicine his mother needed for half the cost. He had spent the last two weeks sifting gold from the river, but all together it was only half the money he needed.

  “I won’t be long, Ma. Is there anything else you need before I go?”

  Marion curled her finger at her youngest son, beckoning him to come closer. “Let me take a look at you before you go. From where I’m sitting, you look rather tired, boy.”

  Noah crouched beside his mother and leaned in so she could study his face. She swept the hair off his forehead and gently brushed her thumb over his cheek. “My sweet boy,” she muttered. “You spent the night in the barn again didn’t you?” Even in ill health, his mother still had a keen sense of his wrongdoings.

  “Yes, Ma,” he admitted. “I guess I lost track of time while I was in there.”

  “Don’t be ashamed, Noah. Don’t ever be ashamed.” His Ma patted the palm of her hand against his cheek to gently scold him. “There’s no need for sneaking off.”

  Noah agreed with her. He knew reading was nothing to be ashamed of, or some kind of dreadful secret, but he also knew what Jed would say if he found out, so he just agreed. “Yes, Ma.”

  “Now go fetch me some medicine from the good doctor. I can feel the burning in my chest again.”

  “Right away, Ma. You rest until I get back.”

  ****

  Noah tossed his saddle high on the horse’s back and mounted with one swift swing of his leg. He sat there for a few moments, casting a worrisome glance at the tiny cabin where his mother lay dying in bed. How could things have gone so wrong? His family had packed up and left the coast in search of gold, to be rich, not to wind up dead, dying or starving. But now, in the middle of nowhere, that’s all they had done.

  The horse eagerly pranced in circles awaiting the clack of Noah’s tongue to urge him forward. But Noah was still contemplating his life. If things had turned out the way they were supposed to, he would have been married to a beautiful woman by now, they’d be settled and starting their life together. He would be mining plenty of gold and be happily able to provide for his family. That was his plan.

  But things didn’t quite turn out the way any of them had expected and now here he was, playing nursemaid to his ailing mother while his brother cavorted with the saloon girls in town and his father was buried six feet underground. Things couldn’t get much worse. Or so he thought.

  Noah finally tapped his boots against the horse’s ribs and ordered him to go. The horse responded with a quick gallop down the gravel road toward town.

  ****

  Tangle Creek was lively on a hot summer morning. The music blared from the saloon as gunshots echoed in the background and people shuffled from place to place, kicking up mounds of dry dirt as they walked.

  Noah hopped the steps to Doc’s office and noticed the sign on the door said ‘Closed’. He found it rather odd that Doc wouldn’t be available to his patients on a Saturday morning. Out of curiosity, he pressed his forehead to the window next to the door and peeked inside. Just as he did, Molly Timmins, the young nurse who worked alongside the doctor, opened the screen door and asked if she could help him with something.

  “Uhh……” he stuttered, flabbergasted by her sudden appearance. Noah had always thought Molly was pretty, but today, standing in the doorway, she looked more beautiful than he remembered. Her long blond hair sparkled in the sunshine and her eyes were a beautiful hazel color. “Hi Molly, is Doc in?”

  Molly shot him a flirtatious smile and told him Doc was out of town and wouldn’t be back for a few more weeks.

  “Weeks?” Noah asked, with surprise and disappointment in his voice.

  “Cholera outbreak in San Diego,” Molly said softly. “He’s gone to see if he can help.”

  “That’s terrible,” Noah muttered. “I mean…..terrible that there’s been an outbreak, not terrible that Doc is trying to help. But it is kind of unfortunate that he’s not here. I could really use his help.”

  “What is it you need Noah? Maybe I can help. Would you like to come in?”

  Noah nodded and followed Molly into Doc’s office. As he walked behind her, the sweet scent of her perfume filled his nose. She smelled almost as beautiful as she looked and Noah felt his knees weaken.

  “Can I get you a glass of water?” Molly’s yellow flowered dress swished across the floor as she made her way to the water pump.

  “I’m okay Molly, thank you though. I really shouldn’t be wasting your time.” Noah removed his hat and looked to the floor. His hair was streaked with sweat and his clothes were dirty. He was not expecting to be in the company of such a beautiful woman.

  “A visit from Noah Cartwright is never a waste of my time,” she told him, her voice as sweet as sugar. “Now tell me what’s going on. Is it your Ma, her pneumonia?”

  Noah nodded. “She’s not well and I need more medicine to keep her comfortable.”

  “Oh, that’s awful. I’m so sorry Noah. Unfortunately, I can’t give you any medicine without Doc’s permission but I can send word to him that your mother isn’t well. Maybe he can get back before it’s too late.”

  “I would be much obliged Molly.”

  Noah placed his hat back on his head and turned to the door, disappointed that he would have to return home without the medication his mother needed.

  “Noah?” Molly called after him. “I know this is a difficult time for you and your family. If you ever need someone to talk to, or if you want to go for a walk sometime, I’d like to be a friendly shoulder.”

  Noah tipped his hat to Molly and thanked her for her consideration. “I just might take you up on that Miss Timmins. You look lovely today by the way.”

  Molly blushed at the compliment and pulled the screen door closed. She gave Noah a tiny wave as he dug his heels into his horse and darted off down the street.

  Chapter Five

  The dry heat of California was nothing like Elizabeth expected. She was used to hot weather but back home on the coast they enjoyed a humid climate with plenty of warm ocean breezes. Tangle Creek was going to take some getting used to.

  The whistle blew and the puff of steam signalled the train’s departure from the station as Elizabeth gathered her bags and walked out on the platform. She swallowed the dryness from her throat and took in the sights and sounds of the town in front of her.

  The saloon was obviously the most popular place in Tangle Creek. Elizabeth watched as groups of men staggered drunkenly in and out as piano music played. Near the door, she saw a slender woman in a barely-there dancing seductively, obviously encouraging the men folk to come inside. Elizabeth made a mental note to steer clear of the saloon.

  A few doors down was a small white building with a
sign that read ‘Hattie’s’ swinging on the edge of the porch. “That sounds more like my kind of place,” Elizabeth said to herself.

  She looped her bags over her arm and made her way across the street. A gunshot echoed behind her and made her jump. “What in the world?” She spun around to see two men firing shots into the air and woo-hooing their way down the street. What had she gotten herself into?

  As her skirt scuffed across the dirt and her arms burned under the weight of her bags, Elizabeth felt the heat of tears set in behind her eyes. If only her father were here, he would tell her everything was going to be okay. She cleared her throat and lifted her chin. Her father was gone and she had no choice but to carry on – alone.

  Hattie’s didn’t prove much different than the saloon. The restaurant was crawling with men, yelling, laughing and chomping on their food like wild animals. The minute Elizabeth stepped inside the men lowered their forks and ogled her like lions stalking their prey.

  Elizabeth huffed and walked back out into the street. She needed to find Doctor Henry Blackwood, and fast. If he wasn’t the handsome, wealthy man she was expecting, then there would be absolutely no reason to stay in this good-for-nothing town.

  Across the way Elizabeth could see an elderly woman sweeping the front porch of the mercantile. She was a plump lady in a checkered apron and it looked as if she were talking to herself as she swept. Certainly she could offer some information on the doctor’s whereabouts – or at the very least, some relief from the rowdy, man infested establishments that Elizabeth had had the displeasure of encountering so far. She crossed her fingers and shuffled across the street.

  “Hello, Ma’am,” Elizabeth said.

  The woman stopped sweeping and looked her up and down. “Must be an easterner,” she mumbled and returned to her broom.

  “Indeed I am, Ma’am. I’m Elizabeth Ridgeway and I’m here to see Doctor Henry Blackwood. Could you kindly point me in the direction of his office or residence?”

  “Won’t find him at either. He’s in San Diego, helping the sick folk there,” she grumbled.

  “San Diego? Well, when will he be back?”

  The woman paused, her broom motionless in front of her. She didn’t look at Elizabeth, just spoke toward the floor. “I guess when the cholera outbreak is over, or when everyone’s dead. Whichever comes first.”

  Elizabeth was taken aback by the woman’s comment. “But we were supposed to be……,” she started and then thought better of the idea. “Nevermind.”

  “Molly might know more about the doctor’s return,” the old woman offered. “She might be at his office.”

  “I would like to speak with her then, if you could point me in the right direction?”

  The woman released the broom with one hand and pointed further down the street.

  “Thank you,” Elizabeth said, but the woman had already walked back inside and closed the door without a reply.

  ****

  The screen door of the doctor’s office bounced open when Elizabeth knocked on it. The hinges creaked and the wrought iron handle was all but falling off, giving Elizabeth a rather bad first impression of Doctor Blackwood.

  “Hello?” Elizabeth called, hoping the old woman was right and someone named Molly would be here willing to give her some information about the doctor’s return. There was no answer. “Hello,” she hollered again.

  Assuming no one was there, Elizabeth lifted the hem of her skirt and turned to leave just as a young woman walked out from the back of the room, smiling sweetly and apologizing for the delay.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “You must be Molly?”

  “Yes I am. And you are?”

  “My name is Elizabeth Ridgeway and I was supposed to meet Doctor Blackwood but I hear he has gone to San Diego?”

  “Yes, there’s been an awful outbreak of cholera there,” Molly explained. “Did you have an appointment with Doctor Blackwood? You don’t look like you’re from around here.”

  Elizabeth thought for a moment. What was it about her that made it so obvious -- aside from being a woman, which was noticeably the minority around here? Did she really look that different?

  Fearing she had insulted Elizabeth, Molly continued. “It’s just…..we don’t see many female patients in here, especially none as beautiful as you Miss Ridgeway. If you don’t mind me saying, I just love your dress and that pendant. Do you mind if I take a closer look?”

  “Not at all.” Elizabeth held the necklace from her chest allowing the young woman to take a peek. “It’s actually a piece of sea glass,” she explained.

  “It’s the most beautiful shade of turquoise. It must be very special to you.”

  “It is,” Elizabeth whispered, looking admiringly at the pendant. “Someone very important gave it to me.”

  “Doctor Blackwood perhaps?” Molly gave Elizabeth a questioning smirk.

  “No, no. Just a childhood friend.”

  “Good. ‘Cause just between us girls, Doc Blackwood is this town’s most sought-after bachelor. The women around here just might die if they found out he was spoken for.”

  “Is that right?” Elizabeth said, wanting desperately to tell the starry-eyed nurse that a marriage contract already existed between herself and the good doctor.

  “He’s really the only decent catch in town. Most women would give up their first born to be with a man like that. The other men around here are ugly, ignorant or both -- a no-good bunch of gold miners with nothing more to offer a woman than an empty bottle and even emptier dreams.” Molly stopped and smiled, blushing slightly. “Well, except for one devilishly handsome young fellow who lives just outside of town. He’s the one I have my eye on.” Molly twirled the tip of her hair between her fingers and bit her bottom lip. “He’s a bit of an outsider around here, but he’s cuter than a speckled puppy.”

  Elizabeth was already annoyed at the ramblings of Molly Timmins. “Is there a hotel in town,” she asked, ending the uninteresting conversation about the town’s most eligible bachelors.

  “Yes Ma’am. Right over there.” Molly pointed across the street and down a few blocks to a pine-sided building with a wide covered porch. “That’s the Tangle Creek Inn. It’s the only hotel in town. Hope you find it to your liking.”

  “Thank you. I hope so too.” Elizabeth was exhausted from carrying all of her bags from one place to the next, but she yanked them from the floor once again and slipped out the door.

  “I’ll be sure to tell Doc Blackwood you stopped by.”

  Elizabeth heard Molly yell from the porch but didn’t turn around to acknowledge. She didn’t plan on staying in this two-bit town -- even if her intended was the town’s finest catch. All she wanted was to find her father and go home.

  Chapter Six

  Noah slowed his horse to a trot as he approached the cabin. All the way home he had been rehearsing what he would say to Ma -- how he would tell her he had nothing to offer when her chest burned from the coughing and she asked for help to relieve her pain. It was unbearable to see her in such agony and even more so to know he had failed in getting her the medicine she needed.

  As he rounded the corner, Noah cringed at the sight of Jed’s horse hitched to post outside the house. His older brother was already inside and once Jed realized Noah was returning without any medicine, Jed would probably lay him flat and beat him until he was black and blue.

  Noah slid from his horse and quietly walked toward the front door. He only made it two steps before Jed appeared on the porch, arms crossed, eyes squinted. “Where’s the morphine?”

  “Doc wasn’t there. He’s gone to San Diego and no one knows when he’ll be back.”

  “Is that right?” Jed sauntered down the rickety porch steps to confront his brother. “And how exactly do you know that?”

  “I went to his office, that’s how.”

  “Did you go in his office?”

  Noah wasn’t sure what Jed was implying with all of his que
stions, but knew he was better off answering than not. “Yeah, I went in his office. Molly Timmins told me he wasn’t there.”

  Jed slithered closer to Noah until they were eye to eye. “You mean to tell me that you went right inside Doc’s office, with no one around but a dumb schoolgirl and you couldn’t get any medicine for Ma?”

  Jed shoved Noah, sending him stumbling backward. Noah grabbed the hitch post to keep his balance and struggled to remain upright. Jed stormed toward him, fist raised, face bathed in red. Noah tried to scamper away but Jed grabbed the back of his shirt and reeled him in. Before Noah could escape, Jed’s sweaty arm was wrapped around his neck and his mouth was firmly pressed to his ear.

  “You are a useless coward, you know that? If she dies, it’s your fault. Just like Pa.” The hiss of Jed’s voice echoed in Noah’s ear and the stale smell of his breath turned his stomach.

  “What was I suppose to do?” Noah coughed as Jed tightened his muscular arm around his neck.

  “You don’t ask. You just take it, like I did. Ma needed help and I got it for her.” Jed released Noah and pushed him forward. “Not that it matters. She’ll still dote on you. Heck, she’ll probably thank you for finding her a new doctor. Ma’s little favorite.”

  Jed glared at his younger brother and Noah could almost see the jealousy and rage pulsing through his veins. His brother resented him, blamed him and hated him. Noah stood and coughed, still feeling the pressure of Jed’s arm around his neck, squeezing him like a python.

  “What do you mean you found Ma a new doctor?”

  “Well, it wasn’t in the plan exactly,” Jed smirked, brushing the dirt from the front of his shirt. “I just wanted money, but seeing how Doc is out of town and no one can get Ma her medicine anyway, I guess I done pretty good.”

  “What are you talking about Jed? You’re not making any sense.”

  Jed lunged at Noah again, grabbing him by the shirt collar and pinning him against the porch railing. “Don’t act like you’re smarter than me Noah. Just because you got your nose shoved in those stupid books all the time, that don’t mean you’re better than me.”