“Let’s go.” He slid his arm around her waist and they walked toward the ranch house, a hundred yards away.
Chapter 10
Five riders approached the cabin as Matt neared it. His spirits rose—and that was sayin’ something because they were already sky-high. One of those riders was his brother.
“Mark’s home. That must be Emma at his side.”
“Yep, we made it. We kept all three girls alive.”
Matt chuckled, then he laughed, and Betsy laughed along with him until the two were nearly limp.
They were calming down when they reached the house. Mark had gone inside, but he came running out looking around. His eyes landed on Matt.
“Matt!” His big brother rushed to him, and they grabbed each other. Matt was shocked at how nice it was to see someone from his own family. He had one terrible moment when a burn of tears washed over his eyes. He fought them off and hung on to Mark, pounding his back and laughing.
Mark finally backed up and dashed his wrist across his eyes, but Matt saw what just might have been tears. He’d have tormented Mark about it if that wouldn’t have made him a hypocrite.
“It is good to see someone from home, little brother.” Then Mark turned to Betsy. “And I was inside long enough to hear my brother was asking you to marry him.”
The smile that broke out on Mark’s face helped Matt to make some decisions on the spot. The main one being he’d find a way to stay in this area, because he’d been considering taking Betsy on his wandering with him while they hunted for a place to settle. Maybe taking her home to Texas. But having Betsy’s family nearby, and Matt having his brother and cousin, was too tempting to resist.
Betsy’s smile was as wide as Mark’s. “Yep, we’re getting married.”
“We didn’t talk about when.” Matt took Betsy’s hand. “But I’d like to see to it right away.”
He met Betsy’s eyes, and she nodded. “As soon as we can hunt up a parson.”
Matt took her hand and threaded his fingers between hers. “That suits me just fine.”
“I now pronounce you man and wife.” Parson Red Dawson smiled as he closed his prayer book. “You may kiss the bride.”
Matt turned to Betsy, humbled and thrilled to have gotten such a treasure for a wife. The kiss was quick and sweet, a completely appropriate kiss for two people standing before a throng of family and friends.
They faced the gathering, then Matt took Betsy’s hand and hooked it through his elbow and they marched down the aisle formed by their wedding guests.
He was outside and surrounded by well-wishers when he saw a familiar face. “Mandy McClellen?”
“Matt!” Mandy took both his hands, smiling so big it was blinding. “Have you been home lately? Have you seen Laura since she married Ike?”
The two chattered together a long while. Matt loved seeing another face from home. Since Matt had been home recently, Mandy was full of questions about her sister Beth, not to mention her other sister Laura who’d married Matt and Mark’s brother Ike. Mandy quizzed him until he’d told everything he knew.
Then a tall blond man dragged Mandy’s hands away from Matt.
“Oh, Matt. My husband, Tom Linscott. Tom, this is Mark Reeves’s brother. He’s got another brother, Ike, married to my little sister Laura. You remember when I got word Laura was married?”
Matt saw clear as day that Tom Linscott hadn’t liked another man holding his wife’s hands. But he must have trusted his wife—he’d have been a fool not to. Mandy was the most upright fussbudget Matt had ever known. Mark especially had lived to torment her when they were kids—and Matt had helped all he could.
Belle joined them, her hazel eyes serious, stern, worried. Well, Matt would ease her worries by being the best husband a woman ever had. But it would take time to prove all that to Belle.
“We’ve all brought potluck,” Belle said. “We can have a feast.”
Silas was behind his wife. “I’ve got a stretch of land for you, Matt. It’s a nice high valley that will be close to Charlie and Mark and close up the distance between us and our Lindsay. I’ve a mind to own every inch of the trail to Helena before I’m done. And with all our boys,” Silas slid his arm behind Belle’s waist and smiled down at her, “I think we can do it, don’t you, honey?”
Since Matt was determined to make his wife happy and living next to Mark suited him, he nodded as Silas Harden arranged his life.
Charlie came up as soon as there was a break in the hand shaking and back slapping. “I’ve got a line shack near my place. I sent my men out there to make sure it’s clean and stocked with food and to set it up so you can have privacy.
A wave of dizziness came over Matt to think of the wedding night ahead.
Mark was right behind Charlie. “Trust me, Matt, you don’t want to stay overnight at your in-laws’ house on your wedding night.”
Matt had himself a wife, and he wanted to be with her, as a man was with a wife.
“I’ll tell Betsy. I didn’t figure I was ever gonna be alone with her.” Frowning, he added, “It sounds like Silas is going to tell me where to live and build me a house and give me some cattle. He doesn’t have to do that. I have some money saved up, and I’m not afraid of hard work.”
“He did that for me,” Mark said. “It was like standing in front of an avalanche. I tried to tell him I could take care of my own wife, but he wouldn’t hear of not helping me get set up. The whole Harden clan is crazy to protect their daughters. Belle’s first husband left her to do everything on her own. I guess this is their way of not letting that happen to their girls. And it made Emma happy, as well as making our first years together much more comfortable.”
Matt looked at Charlie. “You and Sarah, too?”
Charlie nodded, “Yep, ’tweren’t no stopping him. And when I protested I was a little bit afraid Belle was going to shoot me, so I just gave them what they wanted.”
“Anyway, the land he’s speaking of is a beautiful place. And not too far from here.”
They’d gotten married at Mark’s place.
Mark slapped Matt’s shoulder. “I’m glad to have some more family close by. Charlie and I have been treated real well by the Hardens, but to watch them all be a close family makes me lonely for more of my own brothers. I’d love to see Ma and Pa, too. I might do it now that you’re close. Emma and I could ride to Texas, catch a train part of the way, and leave the girls here with you and Betsy.”
“That’s not going to happen, Mark.” Betsy’s horrified voice turned them to face her. “You take them with you if you want to go to Texas.”
“I can’t. Ma and Pa are snowed in during the winter, and there’s too much work during the summer.”
“They’re not snowed in anymore. Ma made Pa dynamite the opening so it’s wider. They come and go all winter long now.”
Mark gasped. “How’d she get him to do that?”
“There’ve been a lot of changes since that baby girl was born.”
“I’d heard there were, but I never dreamed they’d blasted the canyon entrance.”
“Yep, the little brothers never miss school, either.”
“They must hate that.”
“Not really. Ma brought order to the whole house, and the boys behave well at school, too. It’s shocking at first, but you get used to it. But even if you couldn’t go in the winter, we wouldn’t watch your young’uns.” Matt went to his wife and slid his arm around her waist. “Your daughters are more than we can handle, Mark. You take ’em with you, or you don’t go.”
Emma said quietly, “I noticed the bars on the windows.” She glanced at Mark and smiled. “Why didn’t we think of that?”
“Besides,” Matt went on, “Ma will want to see her grandchildren.” Matt looked down at Betsy, who was smiling at him, probably grateful that he was saving her from Mark’s daughters.
Nope, he sure as shootin’ didn’t want to spend his wedding night with his in-laws.
“Let’s go sadd
le up, wife. Charlie has cleaned up a line shack for us. We can commence to having our honeymoon as soon as we get there.” Just saying it out loud made Matt’s head spin. He urged Betsy toward the horses.
“Pa wants to help build us a house, but he’ll wait until tomorrow.” Betsy smiled and leaned against him then she lifted her right hand to show him the satchel she carried. “Tonight we’re on our own, and I’m ready to go.”
Epilogue
The peace of a new beginning washed over him as they said their good-byes and walked toward their horses together.
The line shack wasn’t far, but far enough. When they came to the front door, Matt dropped the satchel and swept Betsy up into his arms.
“I’ve heard of a tradition, Mrs. Reeves. It’s supposed to bring good luck to a marriage if the groom carries the bride over the threshold of their first home.”
Betsy gave him a teasing smile and reached down to open the door of the tiny one room cabin. “Good luck brought by such means smacks of superstition, Mr. Reeves. And I don’t hold with such things.”
“Neither do I, Betsy darlin’. But your ma gave me such an evil look when I told her we were leaving the party, I think I can use all the luck I can get. And the protecting hand of God, too.”
Betsy laughed. “Carry me in then, and you can carry me into our home, too, when Pa gets it built.”
“That will be my pleasure. Any excuse to hold you close.” Matt walked inside, and Betsy gasped.
“Did Charlie do this?” The room was filled with wildflowers, and the scent of them made the little cabin homey and welcoming. A pot of stew simmered on the stove, adding to the pleasant aroma.
“He said he sent some of his hired men over to bring bedding and food. I’m betting your sister thought of the flowers. That ain’t Charlie’s style.”
Betsy laughed.
Matt stood Betsy on her feet and closed the door, shutting out the world.
“I have myself a wife who is tough and smart and sweet and kind. The prettiest woman I’ve ever imagined. I can’t wait to get on with being a husband who is worthy of you.”
“You know, Matt, even though I spent most of the last week inside, I really am used to helping outside. I know horses and cattle. I understand mountain grazing and treacherous trails. I’m going to be a partner to you in this ranch.”
“So I’ve got me a bride who rides herd, huh?”
“You do indeed.”
Matt kissed her soundly and got on with being a husband in the most wonderful way of all.
Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy, and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of the Wild at Heart series, Trouble in Texas series, Kincaid Bride series, Lassoed in Texas trilogy, Montana Marriages trilogy, Sophie’s Daughters trilogy, and many other books. Mary is married to a Nebraska cattleman and has four grown daughters and a little bevy of spectacular grandchildren. Find Mary online at www.maryconnealy.com.
The Fourth of July Bride
by Amanda Cabot
Chapter 1
Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory
June 1, 1886
I’m sorry, Miss Towson. I know you’d hoped for a different outcome. So did I.”
Though Dr. Winston was discussing her mother, he directed his comments to Naomi as he said, “Your mother’s condition is deteriorating more quickly than I had hoped. I imagine you’ve noticed that.”
Naomi nodded. No one could deny that Ma had been bumping into more things recently. The new spectacles that had cost far too much didn’t seem to be making any difference, and the brown eyes that had once been the same shade as Naomi’s seemed cloudier each day.
“How long do we have?” she asked. Ma was being uncharacteristically reticent and had said nothing since the doctor had completed his examination.
Doc’s frown seemed at odds with his boyish face. Though many in the city believed him too young to be capable, Naomi had as much confidence in him as she did in Gideon Carlisle’s ability to raise the best cattle in the territory. She shook herself mentally. Now was not the time to be thinking about Gideon.
“I hope I’m wrong,” the doctor said, “but if the disease continues to progress at its current rate, your mother will be totally blind before Christmas.”
Christmas! Naomi gripped the edge of the battered desk, struggling not to cry out. Every other time she’d brought her mother here, she’d found reassurance in the slightly shabby office. Not today. If Doc Winston was right, she and Ma had less than seven months before their lives reached another crossroads.
Naomi had believed they had far longer than that. It was true that Ma’s eyesight had failed so much that she’d been unable to sew since last November, leaving Naomi as the family’s sole support, but neither of them had expected total darkness to be so close.
As Ma nodded in apparent resignation, Naomi wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Her mother might have accepted her future, but she had not.
“Isn’t there something we can do? Stronger spectacles? Different eye drops?” Though Naomi hated sounding desperate, she couldn’t bear the thought that the woman who looked far younger than her forty-five years might lose what little vision remained. Naomi would do anything she could to save her mother’s sight, and if that involved another pair of spectacles, somehow she’d find the money to pay for them.
The doctor shook his head. “Neither spectacles nor eyedrops will slow or stop the disease. There’s only one possibility, and it’s risky.”
For the first time since they’d entered the office, Ma straightened her spine and looked directly at the physician. “Tell us more,” she said, her voice as determined as ever.
Doc leaned across his desk, his expression radiating excitement. “I’ve read about surgery to remove the growths. If it’s successful, patients experience a restoration of sight.” His smile faded. “I must warn you, though, that there are many dangers. If infection sets in, death may occur.”
The way he refused to meet her gaze when he pronounced the last sentence told Naomi he was worried. “What are the chances of that?”
“About half.”
Terrible odds. Feeling her mother shudder, Naomi looked at the doctor. “Would you give us a few minutes alone?”
“Certainly.”
When he left the room, Naomi turned so she was facing her mother. “What do you think?” Ma might not see clearly, but Naomi did, and she wanted to read her mother’s expression.
“I don’t want to be a burden to you.” Ma’s words were firm. “You’ve been the best of daughters. Not once have I heard you complain, even when you’ve had to shoulder more responsibility. By now you should have a husband and children of your own. Instead you’re spending your life caring for me.”
Naomi shook her head vehemently. It was true that she dreamed of marriage and cradling a baby in her arms, but until recently, there had been no man with whom she could picture sharing the rest of her life. And now, even though one man fired her imagination, she knew he was not the one God intended for her.
“There was no one I wanted to marry. I didn’t love any of the men who came to call, not the way I love you.” She gripped Ma’s hand, needing the physical contact with the woman she loved so dearly. “The surgery frightens me, but it’s your decision. I want to do whatever will make you happiest.”
Her mother was silent for a moment, her eyes focusing on something in the distance. Then she spoke with no hesitation. “I don’t want to be blind. I’m not afraid to face death, but I am a coward where blindness is concerned.”
“Then we’ll have the surgery.” Naomi rose and opened the door, welcoming the doctor back to his office. “We’ve made our decision,” she told him.
“It’s a wise choice,” he said when Naomi explained her mother’s wishes. “I’d like to do it immediately, but that’s not possible. I want to have a more experienced physician assist me.” He pulled out a telegram. “Dr. Hibbar
d is the best in the country. I took the liberty of consulting him. He’s willing to come out here, but he’s not available until the middle of September.”
“I can wait.” Though they were only three short words, Naomi heard the enthusiasm in her mother’s voice. After months of steadily declining vision, Ma finally had a reason to hope.
“There’s one other thing,” Doc said, “and that’s Dr. Hibbard’s fee.”
Naomi tried not to flinch. Somehow she’d find the money. Perhaps Esther would let her work more hours. But when Doc named the amount, Naomi felt as if she were drowning and someone had just pulled the life preserver away from her. The other doctor’s fee was more than she could earn in a year.
“So much?” Ma’s voice rose with disbelief.
“He’s the best,” Doc explained, “and he’s agreed to travel all the way from Boston to help you.”
“I see.” But the truth was, Naomi didn’t see how she’d be able to pay for the operation her mother so desperately needed.
As if he understood her dilemma, Doc steepled his fingers and nodded. “You don’t need to make the decision today. I told my colleague I’d have an answer for him next week.”
“Thank you for everything you’ve done, Doc. I won’t mislead you. It’ll take a miracle to find that much money.” Naomi rose and helped her mother to her feet. “Let’s go home, Ma. It’s time to pray for a miracle.”
He missed her. Gideon Carlisle tried not to frown. That would only make things more difficult for the artist, and that was not Gideon’s intention. Jeremy Snyder had rearranged his schedule and was working extra hours to accommodate Gideon. The least Gideon could do was keep a pleasant expression on his face while his portrait was being painted. But he couldn’t deny that he missed Naomi.
Though her beauty had caught his eye the first time he’d come here, he’d soon discovered there was much more to Naomi Towson than glossy brown hair, eyes the color of chocolate, and perfect features. Her wit and sense of humor were the reason he looked forward to his portrait sessions. Of course, he wouldn’t tell Jeremy that.
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