That was a crushing thought that brought with it a torrent of emotions.
Evan needed to be safe. Chloe couldn't rely on the kindness of the mercantile owners any longer.
Whether or not the stranger intended to cause her any harm, and jeopardize the life of her son, Chloe Wilder knew just what she had to do.
And there was only one man she had to speak to.
CHAPTER SEVEN
"Do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband?" the Reverend intoned.
Evan chose that exact moment to cry out. Chloe hoped it wasn't an omen. Trent looked like he was going to reach over to try and settle Evan, but he restrained himself at the last moment.
Chloe stood at the altar of the church in Billings, holding her baby son in her arms. In front of her stood a pale faced Trent McIntyre. The minister carrying out the wedding ceremony addressed them both, sacred book in hand, and a patient, stoic expression on his face.
The Reverend continued with the vows and Chloe held tight to Evan who seemed to sense the importance of the event.
There was no-one except the four of them in the church. They had just arrived by train from Helena that afternoon after a frantic few days getting ready. Once she had decided for Trent there was no going back.
So they had come in a hurry and now they were being married in a rush. It all felt so inevitable, so matter of fact.
Trent gazed at Chloe as the Reverend continued with the vows. Everything seemed unreal to Chloe. She could scarcely believe that she was here, marrying Trent McIntyre with a baby in her arms.
Evan squealed and Chloe bent her head low, calming him with soft, sweet words. Chloe looked up at Trent. His dark gaze caught her and fixed her attention on him. Right now he looked like a man determined to go through with something that he wasn't entirely convinced was such a good idea. She knew he was probably forcing himself to go through with this. But the kindly way he kept on looking at Evan reassured her that at least his motives were pure. His heart seemed to be in the right place.
After they had both assented to the vows the Reverend pronounced them man and wife.
Man and wife!
Chloe looked at Trent in almost total disbelief. His mouth stretched into a thin smile and his eyes seemed bright. The Reverend stated that Trent could kiss the bride and Trent gave him a sudden questioning look.
Chloe didn't feel much like a bride. Not in the traditional sense, anyway. The Reverend had been consulted before the ceremony and had had no objection to carrying out the ceremony, especially after he was given the details of Chloe's previous husband's passing. Trent had some quiet words alone with the Reverend, after which everything seemed to satisfy the kindly minister.
Trent took a step toward Chloe and glanced nervously down at Evan. Chloe gave Trent a look that told him it was okay to kiss her. She turned her head and offered him a cheek. Trent planted a brief kiss and then stepped hastily back. Chloe was sure the Reverend rolled his eyes ever so slightly at Trent's hurried performance.
Evan giggled. Chloe leaned down and rearranged his little outfit. Luckily they'd managed to buy a neat baby set which Chloe had known would be appropriate for a church wedding. These days there were so many unorthodox weddings taking place, what with all the mail order brides flooding into Montana, she guessed bringing a baby into church wouldn't seem so unusual.
Trent stepped closer and offered his arm to Chloe. She smiled and hooked her arm through his, holding onto Evan with the other.
How they must look!
Walking down the aisle, just married, with a baby on one arm and a husband on the other.
The memory of her wedding to Lucas flashed into her mind and she felt a jolt of emotion. She missed a step and paused. How she missed him! What was she doing? She should have been with him right now, not walking down the aisle with a new husband she hardly knew. It wasn't Trent's fault that she ached for Lucas right at this moment. But she did.
She drew Evan tighter against herself wanting to feel the only thing left of Lucas.
Trent leaned in closer and gave her a warm smile. He looked mighty handsome with his thick dark hair, eyes that shone with what looked like compassion, and a smile that made her feel that they were doing the right thing after all.
Chloe found it impossible not to respond in kind. Trent quirked a brow at her answering smile. He glanced down at Evan. "He's been so good today," he said in a slow, deep voice.
Chloe flushed with pleasure. "He must feel the happiness."
Trent looked surprised at that. "I guess that's true," he said quietly.
The Reverend led them to the front doors and opened them, letting in the bright sunshine. Outside, two of Trent's employees stood next to a pair of buckboards parked on the dusty street. The two men were both dressed as neat as could be expected of ranchers. They'd obviously made a special effort, both attired in neat trousers, tight jackets and pressed shirts. One of the buckboards was piled with Chloe and Evan's belongings. The other stood waiting for the newlyweds.
"Aaron and James. Meet Chloe and Evan. My new wife and...our son," Trent declared.
Chloe's mouth opened involuntarily. Had he called Evan their son. How could he do that? And so soon?
She turned to say something but Trent cut her off. "If you would be so kind as to step up onto the buckboard, I'll drive us home to the ranch," he said with a flourish.
Home? Her new home.
Everything was moving so fast. She clutched Evan close to her. He gurgled and stuck out a hand.
"I'll need a parasol to protect Evan from the sun," she said.
Trent moved quickly to the buckboard and drew out a green parasol from the pile of belongings. He opened it and held it over Chloe and Evan.
Chloe followed Trent to the buckboard. He held out a supporting hand as she stepped up onto the seat. Trent paused as Chloe settled herself, making sure that she was sitting steady in the center of the seat.
"See you back at the ranch boys," Trent said running around to the other side of the buckboard. He leapt up onto the seat and took the reins.
"How long is it to the ranch?" Chloe asked.
"About an hour," Trent answered.
"An hour! Isn't that too long?" she demanded.
Trent frowned. "Not at all. Some ranches are way further than that. Our ranch is pretty close to town by comparison," he replied.
There he went again, she thought.
Our ranch.
Trent wasn't taking long to get used to the idea of them being a family. Chloe knew it was going to take her a whole lot longer.
Trent flicked the reins and the buckboard jumped forward with a noisy clattering of wheels and bridles. A brief moment of panic seized Chloe as she was almost dislodged from her seat. Trent quickly thrust an arm out, holding her in place. "Sorry about that. I guess I'm not used to passengers," he explained. "Are you okay?"
Chloe steadied herself and checked Evan. He was completely oblivious to anything being wrong. She nodded. "I'm fine. Just take things a little slower," she said.
Trent nodded and moved them slowly on.
As she gazed up the main drag of the Billings street, Chloe McIntyre asked herself if she was only referring to the buckboard, or was she asking Trent to slow down with everything else in her life.
CHAPTER EIGHT
"And this is Evan's room," Trent said gently, pushing open the door to one of the ranch's upstairs bedrooms. "What do you think," he asked.
Chloe stepped into the room clutching Evan. She surveyed the barely furnished space and nodded. It was a small room with only a single bed, sideboard and tall wardrobe but she could already see how she could arrange it for Evan.
Chloe turned to Trent. His eyes were wide and eager for her answer. "I think it's got promise," she said.
Trent nodded. "Once we get a crib I think it'll do just fine. No-one's really used this room. I know it's a bit bare, but we'll soon spruce it up," he said.
Chloe pursed her lips thoughtfully and
took a few steps across the hard wooden floor. "It needs a carpet. This noise is going to wake him up every time someone walks into the room," she observed.
"Sure. I can bring up a rug from the parlor. It'll fit perfectly," he said.
Chloe's nose twitched. There was a slight musty smell. It was plain the room had been unoccupied for a long time.
Trent saw her reaction. "I'll get Mrs. Ross to give the place a clean. She's desperate to make sure you're both comfortable," he said.
Chloe thought of the welcome that Trent's housekeeper Mrs. Ross had given her on arrival at the ranch and found it hard to disagree with Trent. The portly, smiling, fresh faced woman had all but crushed Chloe and Evan with a gigantic, welcoming hug. And when Mrs. Ross had seen little Evan's smiling face she had barely been able to contain her tears of joy.
The warmth of the housekeeper's welcome had gone some way to easing Chloe's worry on their arrival at the ranch. Chloe had been stunned at the scale of the ranch. It was so much bigger than she'd imagined. Trent had announced their entrance onto the spread long before they arrived at the house. Chloe had seen the herd of cattle and the men on horseback and been amazed at the scale of Trent's holdings. It had seemed to take an age before Trent finally pulled the buckboard to a halt in front of the white panelled, two storied ranch dwelling.
Chloe had felt a curious excitement at seeing the ranch house. She'd expected something rundown, rough around the edges, as would befit an unmarried rancher. But the place was clean and looked well maintained. Her fears about being transported to a dirty, unkempt ranch had been instantly allayed.
Evan had smiled and giggled as Chloe had stepped down off the buckboard. Mrs. Ross had come striding out the front door, wiping her large hands on her pink apron. The welcome had felt genuinely sincere. Trent had to remind Mrs. Ross that Chloe and Evan had had a busy day. To which Mrs. Ross had replied that Trent made it sound like getting married and coming home with a new wife and child was something he did every day. Trent had just rolled his eyes, good-naturedly at that. It seemed to Chloe that when it came to domestic matters on the ranch there was already one woman, Mrs. Ross, who had things well in control.
When the other buckboard had arrived the men unloaded the belongings and took them into the house. Trent offered to give Chloe a quick tour of the house, but she told him she'd like to see the rooms where she and Evan were going to sleep.
Trent had smiled patiently, but Chloe had also seen his eyes narrow slightly. Maybe she'd been too blunt in her declaration that there would be separate sleeping arrangements.
They'd made their way upstairs and now she was standing in the room where Evan would spend his early years.
Too fast, she thought.
This is all moving too fast. She'd barely had time to come to terms with Lucas' passing. Now she was standing in her son's bedroom in a strange ranch house in a part of Montana that she knew hardly anything about. She suddenly felt a keen sense of being an outsider. The strangeness of the place made her feel a sudden stab of anxiety. It was as if she'd been thrown into a deep pool and she could barely keep her head above the surface.
But she had to.
For Evan's sake. That was why she was doing all this. Wasn't it?
But how was she going to adjust to all of this? She looked at Trent as he strode over to the window and pulled aside the curtain, letting in the late afternoon light. Could she really trust this man? Was he really sincere in his intentions? It seemed incredible to Chloe that Trent had agreed to a marriage with her. Here he was, in his own home, showing her the room where he thought her own son could settle and grow. Would Evan become a rancher, like Trent?
Chloe's mind was spinning with questions and worries. She forced herself back to the moment.
"Could I see my room?" she asked. Trent fixed his eyes on hers. His mouth opened slightly and she thought he was going to say something.
But then he checked himself and nodded. "Sure. It's next door," he said.
Chloe followed Trent into the hall, unusually conscious of the darkness of the passageway. Trent led the way to a door on the opposite side of the corridor. Before he pushed open the door he gestured farther down the corridor. "My room is down there," he said. His voice was thick with unease and hesitation. "If you ever need me, you only have to knock," he explained.
Chloe nodded and glanced into Trent's eyes. Was he probing her for a response? Under normal circumstances that would have been their marriage bedroom. But these weren't normal circumstances.
"I'll remember that,Trent," she answered.
Trent took hold of the handle to the door. "This was Mrs. Ross' room," Trent explained. "But she's moved to another part of the house. She wanted you to be as close to Evan as possible."
He pushed the door open and gestured for Chloe to enter. Chloe stepped inside. There was a double bed, wardrobe, dressing table with a small oval mirror and single chair.
She turned to Trent. "Really? Mrs. Ross gave her up her own room for me? She shouldn't have done that," Chloe complained.
"That's what she's like. She's a real treasure," Trent said.
Chloe frowned. She didn't want to be the one to throw Mrs. Ross out of her own room. But she had to admit the close proximity to Evan would ensure that she'd hear even the slightest noise he'd make, day or night.
"I'll have to thank her for doing this," Chloe announced.
Trent smiled. "I'd be careful if I was you. She's easily embarrassed," he said.
"I'll show my appreciation somehow. You can bet on that," Chloe insisted.
Evan started to fidget and Chloe checked him. "I think Evan needs changing," she said.
Trent's face changed color. "Do you have everything you need," he asked.
Chloe smiled and looked at Trent with narrowed eyes. "I think I know how to change him. His stuff is in the bags in his room."
"Do you need me to help?" Trent asked shifting nervously.
Chloe quirked a brow at him. "Really? You want to help me change Evan?"
Trent's lips pursed and he suddenly seemed to find the view out of the window interesting, thought Chloe.
Before Trent had a chance to answer, Chloe heard a knock on the door and Mrs. Ross leaned her head into the room. "Do you have everything you need?" the housekeeper asked.
Trent spun around. "I think Chloe might need some help with Evan right now. Isn't that right Chloe?" Trent asked her.
Chloe nodded. "I guess so." She looked at Trent and saw the relief written large on his face. "Could you help me to change Evan, Mrs. Ross?" she asked the housekeeper.
Mrs. Ross' face lit up. "Why of course. It would be my pleasure to help," she stated, a broad grin on her face.
"You shouldn't have given up your room for me," Chloe said to Mrs. Ross. The housekeeper waved a hand. "Nonsense. You need to be close to Evan."
"But where are you going to sleep?" Chloe asked.
"Don't you worry about me. I've a nice room on the ground floor. Close to the kitchen, where I seem to spend most of my day," she said with a glance at Trent. The rancher's eyes shifted away from his housekeeper's penetrating gaze.
"Well maybe I can help you out in the kitchen," Chloe said.
Mrs. Ross strode up to Chloe. "You've got more than enough on your plate with this little one. Never you mind about me and my kitchen. You've got some settling in to do. And so has this little angel," she said teasing Evan with a gentle finger.
Chloe followed Mrs. Ross back to Evan's room. Mrs. Ross dug around into one of the large bags and eventually pulled out all the necessary items for changing Evan.
Chloe turned to Trent who was standing, transfixed watching the two women getting ready to take care of the baby.
Chloe smiled at Trent. "Maybe you've got somewhere to go, Trent?"
Trent started. "Yeah. I...uh...just remembered there are some things I have to get," he stuttered.
Chloe tried to contain the laughter that bubbled up inside her.
"Just you get
going Trent," Mrs. Ross said, waving him away. "We're going to be busy here for a while. No doubt you've got ranch business to be doing," she said with brusque good humor.
Trent nodded repeatedly and started to walk backwards toward the open door. "You let me know if you need me," he mumbled.
"We will," Mrs. Ross said.
Chloe smiled and watched Trent McIntyre make his escape from the day to day realities of caring for a baby.
CHAPTER NINE
What had he done?
Trent flicked the reins of the buckboard and headed away from the ranch house. He was glad to be getting away. Let the women take care of the boy. He had work to do, although, right now, he couldn't figure out what needed doing. He could go and supervise the branding of some new cattle; he could make sure some of the damaged fencing was being prepared as he'd instructed.
In the end the only thought that came to mind was that he had to put some distance between himself and the ranch house.
He drove the buckboard along the narrow trail. It felt good to be outdoors. He loved this landscape. He'd spent so many hours, days and months riding across the flatlands and valleys that they felt as if they were a part of him, ingrained in him. It was here that he felt truly at home, not in the confines of the ranch.
But he was glad that Chloe seemed to like the place. He'd felt something vague and surprising stir inside him when he'd seen the pleasure on her face. Her smile was mighty pretty. No wonder Lucas had fallen so hard for her.
He thought she'd seemed relieved that the ranch hadn't been some run down ruin full of common cowboys. Trent took too much pride in his work to allow anything like that.
Trent tightened his grip on the reins as the buckboard ran down a steep gully, the trail briefly getting rougher, the horses needing a firmer hand.
Chloe Wilder was now Mrs. Chloe McIntyre. That thought made Trent's eyes widen. He exhaled and shook his head in disbelief. It had all happened so quickly. When he'd come back from the visit to the graveyard to pay his respects to Lucas, something seemed to have changed in Chloe. Gone had been the hesitation and uncertainty of earlier. It had been replaced by what looked to Trent like a fierce determination in Chloe. In the room above the mercantile she had looked him straight in the eye and informed Trent that she would marry him.
Trent's Montana Bride (Sweet, clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides series) Page 4
