Mail Order Bride 22 Book Boxed set: 22 Brides Ride West :CLEAN Western Historical Romance Series Bundle

by Faye Sonja

  Yet she felt the excitement Jack felt to be finally taking the cattle he’d raised to be sold. This was what they’d worked for. Now the hardest part had arrived. With any luck there’d be others and they could cooperate a little at night. There was safety in numbers. The more open eyes at nights, the better.

  Amelia wasn’t sure how she’d go on the trail for three weeks and then camp out for another week. If she got through this, she could get through anything. A quick prayer and Jack let open the gate and the cattle filed out. They rode out hard after them to keep them in the group and to get the pace up.

  The first field of rich grass by the river was a day’s ride away, so the sooner they got there the better. Amelia heard some hollering from behind them. She turned and saw Jacob riding hard, bringing up the rear, and his cattle dogs clipped at the heels of the cattle to keep them in line.

  He tipped his hat at Amelia who waved and rode around to speak with Jack. Jack smiled and patted his brother on the shoulder. When Jack got around to Amelia, he looked happy.

  “Jacob is with us until tomorrow morning. He’s leaving the dogs. They’ll be as good as two men and eat less.”

  “Wonderful.”

  “Let’s go. Ride hard. Watch for strays.”

  “I will.”

  Jack let out a hoot and holler and rode in behind to keep the pace going with the herd. He looked good in the saddle. Really happy. Maybe this was where he needed to be. Amelia might be wrong about his calling. Perhaps it was just a simple matter of making up his mind and sticking with it.

  She wasn’t sure anymore but right now she didn’t have time to consider it any further. She needed to keep up and watch the cattle even though she had the cart and another horse flanking her. One wrong move and they might all bolt. This needed to be seen through. It was okay if she lagged a bit, but she needed to always have them in sight.

  The cart rode well, and the horses were young and fit. She just needed to keep her wits about her for any obstacles and they’d get there. After that things could go slower. This was not any of the things she’d thought being married in the west would be like. It certainly could never have been imagined.

  But Amelia was pleased. Whereas before she’d been excited about learning how to sew on a button, now she could ride horses, chop wood, light fires, cook meals, and do any number of things she’d never even realized existed before. Her life was infinitely better. She’d miss this lifestyle in the city again, but if it meant getting her art out, then she’d be fine.

  Then there was Adeline with her pregnancy. She’d need some extra help in the later months. Her ma and Averill would be here by then as well. The city was quite a distance. Amelia kept the cart moving forward and watched the cattle all moving as one and the dogs keeping them in line. Yes, there’s be lots she’d miss about living at the ranch.

  An hour later and everyone was feeling the pinch of not resting. She hoped they were almost there. Her whole body ached. Jack rode back to her. “Not long now. How’re you doing?”

  “I’m okay. Be glad to stop, though.”

  “We’ve made great time. We can set up camp when we get there. There’s a natural circle of shrubs we can keep the cattle in with the dogs and one person on guard for the night.”

  “How long now?”

  “Half an hour. Can you manage?”

  “Yes. I’m just fine. Thanks for asking, Jack.”

  “Jacob pulled through.”

  “He did. Pity he can’t stay.”

  “I think sheriff duties call.” Jack laughed. “He won’t be likin’ that. Havin’ to answer to anyone.”

  “He seems to be doing fine. No reason to doubt that won’t continue.”

  “True enough. See you at the end.”

  Amelia smiled and gave him a wave as he rode back to the group. She watched a couple of the cattle try to break from the group but the dogs were onto them in a flash. She didn’t think she’d ever seen anything so amazing as those cattle dogs in action.

  She thought about Mama at home and if she’d gone back by train to try and steal the papers. What if she’d failed and gotten caught by Lex Baxter? That would’ve ruined all of Adeline’s plan. She wasn’t sure how he’d react in the end, when he realized they’d skipped New York.

  Would he look for them or just take his loss and forget about it? The man had plenty of money.

  * * *

  10

  Love Conquers

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  “I’m marrying you, tomorrow,

  not your parents.”

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  Two weeks moving the cattle and she and Jack were dirty, dusty, tired and laughing a lot. The dogs kept them good company, and the cattle seemed to be in the swing of moving each day and settling each night. Just a week’s travel to go and then a week in the grassy field near the sale yards.

  Then that’d be it. This adventure would be over.

  “You’re deep in thought.” Jack sat beside her at the campfire.

  “I am. Thinking we’re almost there.”

  “I don’t want to spook you, but if the rustlers are coming it’ll likely be in this last week. The closer we get to the sales.”

  “Why?”

  “We’ve already done the hard work. The cattle are delivered and fat. All they have to do is grab them and go right to a buyer.”

  “I don’t know how they sleep at night. Stealing things from others. It’s awful.”

  “I’m hoping we’ll be ignored.”

  “I’ll be praying.”

  “Soon you can have a nice bath in a fancy hotel room.”

  “Please don’t talk about that yet. I can’t stand to think about how good it will be.”

  “I agree.”

  The horses whinnied, and the cattle sounded unsettled. Jack jumped up and grabbed his gun. Amelia clutched hers. Another skill she’d gained. Shooting anyone was not a thing she ever wanted and she hoped she never had to make that choice. It was just on to dusk. The dogs barked. Amelia’s heart went to her throat.

  The dogs never barked. Never. She stood up and took her gun around behind the cart. She might get the element of surprise this way. Someone must be about. Dear God, don’t let it be cattle rustlers. Give us strength.

  She peeked out from behind the cart and thought she could see Jack moving about in the shadows. Her scream was too late as a hand clamped hard around her mouth. They’d found her.

  She didn’t want to die here.

  “Shhhhhh. It’s Jacob. James it out there too.”

  Amelia was so relieved she almost sobbed into his hand.

  “We’ve been tracking the rustlers. Heard they were headed for Jack’s herd. I need you to lay in the back of this wagon and do not move a muscle until one of us comes to get you.”

  He slowly took his hand away from my mouth. “No matter what you hear. Stay put. Adeline’s orders.”

  “Okay.” She whispered and then climbed into the back of the wagon.

  “Take care of my dogs. Don’t let them out.” Jacob ordered the dogs into the back with hand signals, and then to lay down beside Amelia. Then he put a blanket over them. “Don’t move. One of us will be back.”

  A million things ran through Amelia’s head as she lay there clutching two dogs for comfort. They never even tried to move. She wondered who was protecting who. She tried to keep her breathing shallow and her ears strained for any sound.

  Dear God, protect them all. They’re my family.

  Just how dangerous this was hit home, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever want a repeat performance. Although she knew her gun was close by her side, she still prayed she never had to use it. When the shots rang out into the night air, Amelia used every ounce of control she had not to scream. The dogs edged in closer and she let the tears roll as she shook uncontrollably.

  The screams of men came, and more shots. Whose screams? Jacob’s? James?
Jack? No. Please. None of them. Then she heard voices coming closer. Not ones she knew.

  “Thought you’d fooled me, didn’t ya?” A rough voice sounded and then she heard him spit and shuddered. “I owe you, sheriff, for killing my brother Blake. Only fair I should kill yours.”

  No! Jack. Please. Amelia raised her head to try and see something. Don’t move, Jacob said, don’t move. Then she reasoned, but if they are going to get killed I can’t lay here and do nothing.

  She gripped her gun and rolled to her side, pushing the blanket down off her face so her eyes could adjust to the dark.

  “You two. Get on your knees. Hands behind your head.”

  Two? Who’s missing? James or Jack? The dogs moved beside her on their bellies. What if I get the dogs shot?

  She heard a couple of muffled noises like kicks and then groans. Amelia finally managed to get on her belly with her head near the opening at the end.

  “Where’s that purty woman? I’d like to party with her.” The horrible laughter that followed crawled up her spine. Her eyes had adjusted a little and she could see them outlined in the shadows. Down on the ground, a gun was pointed at their heads.

  There was only one man holding them hostage. She looked hard into the shadows to see if there were any more. Nothing was apparent. How could she be sure?

  “We already killed the rest of your outlaws. What can you do on your own?” Jacob taunted Blake’s brother and Amelia knew he must’ve been feeding information to her. She had to do something. But she couldn’t kill anyone. She couldn’t.

  Maybe she could give Jacob a chance to overpower him, though. Whoever was on the ground beside Jacob favoured an arm, so they’d likely been shot in the shoulder. What of the third? Was whoever it was alive?

  “It only takes one good bullet and by the looks of things, I’m the only one holding a gun.”

  This was it. She had to do it. Amelia held her gun in the air and fired off a shot. When Blake’s brother jumped in shock the two black dogs went out like a flash and brought him to the ground. Jacob was up and had his gun out in a flash, and then he called off the dogs and set about tying the rustler up.

  Amelia ran over to the man next to where Jacob was, and knelt beside him. “James. Are you okay?”

  “It’s grazed my shoulder.”

  “Jack? Where’s Jack?” Oh please, let him be alive.

  “Let’s go find him. Grab the lantern, Amelia.”

  She ran to get it off the side of the cart and she needed to light it. Jacob struck a match and put it to the wick.

  “Up the hill to the left.”

  Off they went with her leading the way. Nothing.

  “Over here,” Jacob called out.

  Amelia made her way to him with her mind full of prayers and promises of how she’d just love Jack no matter if he wanted to be at the ranch or writing. All of that was petty. What mattered was life, and love, and family. Their family.

  “Jack. Can you hear me?”

  A groan sounded, and Amelia knew he was alive. “Jack. Please, are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Amelia. I love you.”

  “Your wife just saved us.”

  Amelia went on her knees beside Jack in the dirt. “Have you been shot?”

  “No. I tripped and hit my head on a rock, I think.”

  Amelia sighed with relief. She hugged Jack to her and thanked God for keeping them all alive. “James has a wounded shoulder, we better get a fire going and clean him up a little.”

  “Yes. First light and I’m riding Blake’s brother out of here, hopefully James too, and you keep going for the sales. No one out there to bother you now.”

  “Jacob, thank you. If it wasn’t for you and the dogs…” A sob caught in her throat.

  “All in a day’s work.”

  * * *

  The sales had gone well and the fifty cattle brought the highest price per head. Now Amelia wrung her hands in front of her as she waited for someone to come and see her art. One man had already looked and nodded his head. He said he’d go get someone else.

  “How long has it been?”

  “About two minutes.” Jack answered her.

  “Can’t they hurry? If they don’t like it, they can just say so.”

  “Are you seeing these artworks? I’ve never seen any so good.”

  “You’ve never seen much art.”

  “I think they love them. If they offer you a price, you say no. Let’s see how high they’ll go.”

  “Don’t be silly.”

  The two men came back in the door then. “Mrs. Blair, this is Mr. Gravenstein. He’s our art appraiser and expert.”

  “Nice to meet you. This is my husband, Jack.”

  The two men looked over her work and whispered a lot.

  Then they came back to Amelia. “Mrs. Blair, I’d like to put these up in our gallery. I think they’ll be very popular. Do you have prices in mind?”

  “Not really, Mr. Greenstein. I just hoped to get enough to fill my larder for few months and buy some more art supplies.”

  “I’d suggest we have a special showing. They are very unique. I’d also suggest you put them up for the highest bid.”

  “That would make sense. I guess…why?” Amelia couldn’t see why they wanted to do that.

  “I think you’ll be very popular.”

  * * *

  “Ten thousand pounds?” Amelia could not believe her ears.

  “I told you they were good.” Jack hugged her hard. “You’re rich.”

  “We’re rich.”

  “Well done, Amelia.”

  “We can pay your father back,”

  “You don’t have to…”

  “I want to. For us.”

  “Are we going to live in the city?” Jack asked.

  “It’s crowded. Smelly. I can’t hear any animals.” Amelia should want to stay here. She’d convinced herself it was for the best now. “I’m not sure I can paint the same here.”

  “What’ll we do?”

  “How about a compromise?”

  “Okay.”

  “If we stay on the ranch, we only ever have fifty cattle, and you take time to write your books.”

  “I really should. I think we can have the best of both worlds.”

  “But you must write every day and let me do some extra chores.”

  “I will.”

  Amelia hugged Jack so tight. “I love you so much, Jack Blair. I never want to be without you now. God brought us together and now it’s his will that we stay together.”

  “I think you’re right. I love you very much. I would’ve lived in the city for you, you know.”

  “And I would’ve come back to the ranch with you.”

  They both laughed.

  “As long as we’re together and have faith, that’s where home is.” Amelia had never felt so content in her life. This was her destiny.

  “Let’s go and visit with Ma.” Jack squeezed her hand.

  “Do you really want to?”

  “Yes. I hope Pa is there too.”

  “Why?”

  “First of all I want to tell them of your success with your art, and secondly I’m going to say I’m a part-time rancher and I’m also writing a book.” Jack grinned over at her.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Never been surer. You’re right. I’m an adult and they can’t force me to do anything I don’t want to. Also that we’ll be having Christmas at the ranch this year and they’ll need to be there.’

  “I’ll buy your mama some suitable shoddy shoes to wear.”

  “Thank the Lord you came into my life, Amelia. Marrying you and standing up for you has been the very best choice of my life.”

  Amelia felt the blush rise up her cheeks. Even after all this time his sincere words made her color up. “Oh, Jack.”

  Life was perfect and Adeline’s plan was almost executed. Just another two weeks and Mama and Averill would arrive. Amelia had her happily-ever-after romance; it was just packaged a litt
le differently than she’d imagined. That didn’t make it any less perfect.

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  AVERILL- THE CAREFUL BRIDE for HER IMPULSIVE SHERIFF

  ARCHER SISTERS OF GOLDRUSH

  BOOK 3

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  b o o k 3

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  Averill- CAREFUL and YEARNING a marriage with Jacob Blair. But there's a problem. She hates liars and drinkers! And Jacob can't read or write. It seems that the lovely letters to Averill are NOT written by him.

  Will Averill's discovery about Jacob's lies over the letters be the end of budding young love?

  What will happen if Jacob is both a liar and a drinker?

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  Leaving Home

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  “I won’t be marrying for that love alone.

  I’ll be marrying because we make

  sense on an intellectual level.”

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  Averill Archer marched into the sitting room after Mr. Fairweather, the family lawyer, left. “It’s quite impossible, Mama. Papa, God rest his soul, has signed our lives away.” She frowned and sat beside her mother on the sofa.

  “I fear it must be impossible if Reginald…” Her mother reddened in the face. “…Mr. Fairweather…cannot see an answer.”

  “I’ve studied with him now for almost six months and there simply is none except for Goldrush and marriage.” Averill was not in favor of the situation that had her needing to be married at the age of eighteen. “Father’s gambling debt and pledge for one of his daughters in marriage to Lex Baxter is unbreakable. But he’s not here to face his decision now, is he?”