David nodded then stood and offered his hand to her. “Well peace is one thing there is plenty of out here. I think we have a deal.”
The woman sat and looked at his hand for a moment that seemed to stretch forever. David cursed himself. Shaking hands was for business deals, not for marriage proposals, but blast it; this wasn’t any kind of a love match. It was a business deal, of a sort. He was about to put his hand down when Jillian placed her small hand in his and stood beside him. She lifted her gaze to meet his. David found himself staring at those twin pools of trepidation and wishing he knew how to ease her distress.
Chapter Five
The sun was heading toward the horizon as Jillian followed her new husband down the narrow path. Part of her was still in shock to find herself married to a man she had known only a few hours. Millie had offered them a room in her hotel free of charge for the first night, but Jillian had demurred. The woman seemed to think there was something romantic in their quick wedding.
Jillian had been honest when she told David that she didn’t need romance. In the bit of conversation they had shared, he seemed to be honest and undemanding. His concern for his ranch indicated that he was hard working and if he wasn’t particularly well off, he wasn’t likely to let them starve. Millie had been full of praise for the man when she helped Jillian freshen up before the ceremony.
“Are you sure you want to go all the way to the ranch tonight?” David turned in his saddle as the pathway leveled out. He waited until her horse drew level with his. “We won’t get there until rather late.”
“I’m sure.” Jillian eased herself in the saddle. It had been a long time since she had ridden this much. But it was worth it to finally get somewhere she felt safe. “I am done with traveling. I want to be somewhere I can call home.” She adjusted her hat as an excuse to avoid the question in his eyes. He was probably trying to figure out how a place she had never seen could be home.
There was so much they didn’t know about each other.
The preacher’s words haunted her, do you promise to love, honor, and cherish ‘til death do you part. How did they dare make such a promise to a total stranger? But it was too late now, her path was set and she would do her best to make it work. For the baby’s sake, she had to. Her child would have the love and welcome Jillian had always longed for. She would cook and clean for the man who rode beside her, but her love would be reserved for the child she carried.
Hours later, Jillian was regretting the decision to leave the hotel. David had stopped beside a stream to water the horses and eat a cold dinner, but that seemed long ago. Every muscle in her body ached and parts of her felt rubbed raw. It was all she could do to stay in the saddle and trust her horse to carry her. The sun had set long ago and the blackness of the surrounding night seemed determined to swallow her whole.
A wave of dizziness consumed her and she felt herself sliding. She tried to tighten her grip on the reins, but her body refused to obey. The blanket of stars above her spun as a strong arm caught her around the waist and lifted her clear of the saddle. David had pulled her onto his lap and held her in place with one arm. The intimacy of the position made her cheeks heat.
“I’m fine, just lightheaded for a moment.” Jillian murmured against the hard chest under her cheek. “I can ride.” She struggled to sit up but he held her still.
“It has been a long and trying day. I should have insisted you stay and rest before coming out, or hired a wagon.” The deep voice rumbled under her ear. “I haven’t started out caring for you very well. We could stop, if you like. The ranch is only a little farther.”
Jillian shook her head. She tried to speak, but couldn’t seem to marshal her thoughts. She was so very tired. David’s heart beat a steady rhythm under her ear. Warmth seemed to radiate from him. She hadn’t even recognized the cold until his presence banished the chill. He felt so strong, so solid. Her husband.
Jillian relaxed against his chest and let sleep take her. For the first time in her memory, she felt safe.
* * *
David guided the horse toward the house as he tried not to disturb the woman in his arms. At first, he had berated himself for letting her attempt the long ride when she was so obviously tired, but at some point in the last couple of hours, he had come to enjoy holding her. She was a comfortable weight against his chest.
Stopping obediently beside the porch, the gelding didn’t flinch when David swung his leg over the horse’s neck, gripped his burden as tightly as he dared, and dropped awkwardly to the ground. Jillian shifted in his arms and sighed. The poor girl must be at the edge of exhaustion to sleep so soundly.
Kicking the door open, David carried her across the threshold and frowned. Now that he had her here, what was he going to do with her? The only light came from a stray moonbeam shining through a dingy window but it was enough to remind him what was there.
Random tools and dirty clothes cluttered the room and the table was buried under the leather straps of a harness he was attempting to repair. There was a small room off the kitchen where his former housekeeper had slept, but that was even worse than this room. The only spots clear of debris were his bed and a single chair beside the fireplace.
David made his way to the bed, biting back a curse as he stumbled over a discarded boot in the middle of the floor. He laid Jillian gently on the tangled blankets and stared down at the pale oval of her face. He should have washed them before he left for town, or at least made the bed. Of course, he had no idea he would be coming back with a bride, but there was no excuse. His mother would be horrified if she could see him now.
Well, there was no help for it now. Shrugging aside his discomfort, he moved to the fireplace and rekindled the fire. It had been a long day and fatigue pulled at his muscles. How nice it would be to stretch out on his bed and fade into sleep. A huge yawn made his jaw creak. Jillian was sound asleep. She hadn’t moved even when he laid her down. Maybe she wouldn’t notice if he stretched out beside her.
Completely innocent, of course. They were married, but it was an arrangement of convenience. There had been no mention of normal marital activities. David shifted uncomfortably. He hadn’t even thought about sleeping arrangements. Jillian would probably want her own room and certainly her own bed, but somehow the tiny room off the kitchen didn’t seem to fit the bill. He would come up with something.
The warm glow of the fireplace gilded Jillian’s hair and touched the circles under her eyes. She was fully dressed and twisted in what looked to be an uncomfortable position. The bulge of her pregnancy was more pronounced with her skirts caught under her. She would be sore in the morning if he left her like that.
Shoving himself from the comfort of the chair, David went to her and drank in her fragile beauty. How had he been so lucky, so blessed, to have such a woman answer his ad? He had told her that he wasn’t interested in love, but perhaps he had been wrong.
Bending over, David removed Jillian’s hat. His fingers, so good at repairing leather and roping cattle, felt clumsy and awkward as he fumbled for the pin holding the hat to her silky hair. Her boots were easier, although the tiny buttons resisted his efforts at first. That done, David took a deep breath and tried to move her into a more comfortable position. His face heated as his callused hands snagged on the stockings that covered her legs.
He had never touched a woman so intimately. There was just one more thing to do. David swallowed hard and leaned over one more time. The high neck of her dress was snug against her throat. With trembling hands, he unfastened the top three buttons. Her skin was so soft David was sure he would bruise it with his ham-fisted touch. A soft sigh escaped Jillian’s lips as she settled deeper into sleep.
Covering her with a spare blanket, David retreated to his chair. As tired as he was, he doubted he could sleep. It wasn’t the discomfort of the chair that kept him from slumber. No, it was his thoughts that kept him awake.
He had a wife, and that changed everything.
Chapter Six
>
Jillian woke with a start. Where was she? A coarse woolen blanket covered her from the neck down and the stale smell of unwashed sheets assaulted her nose. Bright morning sunlight streamed in through a window and seemed to reproach her for not being awake to greet it earlier.
Slowly memory returned. She had gotten married yesterday and the man was her husband. Oh Lord, what had she done? Easing from under the blanket, she stood. The bed was nestled in the corner of a very messy room. It seemed that every flat surface was covered by something. It would be a challenge, but for the first time in weeks, if not months, she felt rested and more like her old self.
But first things first. Slipping her feet into her boots, she didn’t bother buttoning them before hurrying to the door. She had yet to get used to the ever more frequent need to visit the privy. From the stories she had heard from other women, it would get worse. She stepped down from the porch to find the necessary pathway when she stopped and stared in wonder.
A deep blue sky arched above her head like an inverted bowl. Right before her, rugged mountains thrust up into that blue expanse as if carrying the weight of the sky. Everywhere else, rolling hills covered by a sea of grass undulated under a strong breeze.
She had grown up surrounded by the mountains of New England, but this was so much bigger. Her mind couldn’t seem to take it in. her body gave an urgent reminder about her purpose out here, but Jillian was reluctant to tear her gaze away. It felt like home, but even better.
When she was back in the house, Jillian pulled a fresh dress from her bag. As she undid the buttons of her dress, she thought about the man who had undone the first three. She was torn between embarrassment, and gratitude that he had made an effort to make her comfortable. She wished she had met him before Clarence had stolen her innocence. If nothing else, she had a second chance.
* * *
Twilight settled over the land as David pulled the saddle from the gelding and released it into the corral. He hadn’t slept much and his mind was fuzzy with weariness. Another cow had been bogged down in the mud beside the waterhole and he had spent the afternoon trying to pull her out.
Dried mud flaked off his clothes with every step toward the house. He had waded in up to his knees to rescue the calf that had tried to follow his mother only to become mired up to its belly. By the time David had reunited the two, thick mud covered him head to toe. He wanted nothing more than to shed the filth and fall into bed for a week.
He was three steps into the house before it hit him. The room was clean. David blinked the haze of exhaustion from his eyes. The clutter and mess were gone as was the smell of dust and dirty socks. Jillian stood beside the table with her hands clasped at her waist. Only the white of her knuckles betrayed her nervousness.
“Welcome home, Husband.” She approached shyly to greet him. “Supper is ready if you would like to wash up.”
To her credit, she barely flinched at the mud he was shedding on the freshly swept floor. “I should have thought to clean up before coming in.” David backed toward the door trying to minimize the damage. “I’ll be back.”
The horse trough stood on the far side of the corral and sheltered behind the barn. David stripped to his waist and dunked head and shoulders into the cold water. If she had gone to all that trouble to clean his house and make dinner, the least he could do was wash up. The memory of her quiet smile lingered as he hurried to rejoin her.
Chapter Seven
Six months later …
Jillian rubbed impatiently at her lower back but the nagging ache refused to go away. She already lumbered around the house like one of David’s cows, she didn’t need any more disruptions to her day. Between trips to the privy, swollen ankles, and a stomach that resembled an over ripe watermelon, she already had trouble getting through her day.
David was a sweetheart about it though. Jillian smiled as she set the table. He had begun helping with some of the housework soon after she moved in. His awkward attempts at sweeping and washing dishes generally made more work for her in the end, but considering the state of his house when she first arrived, it was an effort he had never made before.
Pausing beside a window, Jillian searched the horizon for his familiar form. It was too early for him to come home, but she couldn’t seem to stop watching and hoping. She did well enough during the day by herself, but there always seemed to be something missing until he walked through the doorway.
Jillian rubbed her soothingly over her belly, her skin was stretched so tight it seemed that some of the baby’s kicks would poke right through. It wouldn’t be long now. A small cradle stood beside the fireplace waiting. David had surprised her with it a few days ago.
Sometimes Jillian thought her husband was even more eager for the baby than she was. And it wasn’t even his child. It didn’t stop the wonder from showing on his face when felt the baby moving. For herself, Jillian felt something very different when her husband’s hand rested on her belly. Something she had never expected to feel.
Love.
* * *
David rode into the yard. The sun was high overhead and he hadn’t expected to be home for hours yet, but something pulled at him. He glanced down at the clump of wildflowers clutched in his hand and nearly dropped them into the dust of the yard. Instead, he swung down from the saddle and took a deep breath.
He had come to a decision in the wee hours of the morning. Jillian had come to him looking for a safe refuge for her and her baby. David had merely been looking for someone to keep house for him. She had done all that and more.
The baby would be born soon and David couldn’t wait. He had long ago ceased to think of it as another man’s child. It seemed like his own child already, even though he had never touched the mother in that way.
Not that he hadn’t wanted to.
David pushed that thought away and stepped into the house. Jillian stood beside the table as she had that first night but this time her hands rested on the swollen mound of her stomach with no sign of nervousness. Instead, a warm smile of welcome spread across her face.
“You’re home early.” Jillian crossed the room with a rolling gait. “I’m glad you are though. I have something to tell you.”
“Me first.” David thrust the wilted flowers into her hands. “Jillian, I know we agreed that that neither of us was looking for love or romance, but I’ve changed my mind. Over the months I have come to know you and well …” pulling off his hat, David ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, I just want you to know that I love you and would like to ….” His face heated until if felt as if it would burst into flame. He was messing this up.
Jillian placed a slender hand on his arm and David looked up to meet her eyes. “Oh David, I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear you say that. I have loved you for months, almost since that first day. That was what I wanted to tell you. I want this to be a real marriage, a real home, with a husband and wife who love each other and a whole passel of children.”
“Children?” David looked down at her belly and touched the hard bump with reverence. The child within moved against his hand. A burst of warmth flooded his heart. “You want more children?”
Jillian laughed, the sound shivering over him like a caress. “Well, after this one comes, anyway.” She laid her hands over David’s. “Will you be the father of my children, David? All of my children?”
Raising his eyes to meet her earnest ones, David could only nod. Then he did as he had longed to do for weeks, he pulled her into his arms and held her close. He closed his eyes and savored the feel of her heart beating against his. A spasm rippled across the hard mound pressed between them and Jillian gasped.
“I think you will get your chance, a little sooner than we thought.” Jillian pulled away and laughed although her face had gone pale. “My dearest husband, I think you may need to ride for the doctor.”
THE END.
Kidnapped Bride
Mail Order Bride
CHRISTIAN MICHAEL
Chapter 1
New York
Alta Bishop felt every nerve in her body zinging with excitement. She could hardly believe that she was leaving New York, let alone the fact that she would marry Simon Lynch, a pastor in the West.
Simon…
Just the thought of him made her feel weak in the knees and excited beyond belief. They had found one another through the matrimonial journal and began writing letters months ago. Despite her station, her mother had made sure she was educated, and now Alta couldn’t be happier that her mother had made her slave away writing her letters over and over again. If she hadn’t, she never could have met Simon. Never would have fallen in love with Simon.
“Right this way miss,” a train attendant said.
Still reeling from the fact that she would be traveling to the West today, she acknowledged the man with a nod as she’d seen the women of wealth do and followed him on to the train.
Once seated, she smoothed her hands over her dress and looked out the window. This was it, her ticket to a new world. A smile overtook her as she watched men and women go about their daily routine. She wouldn’t miss the hustle and bustle of the city at all. From Simon’s detailed descriptions of life in the West, everything would be different and yet wonderful.
The train’s whistle startled her but they began to move and her excitement renewed. When the familiar buildings surrounding the track finally disappeared, she settled back and pulled out Simon’s latest letter.
Running her hands over the outside, she gently pulled it out, smoothed it open, and read. Coming to her favorite part she whispered it out loud:
I cannot tell you the extent of my excitement as I await your arrival!
She had responded in kind, but wasn’t sure if he would even get the response before she arrived. The post wasn’t fast, but she couldn’t contain her excitement. A reply had been necessary.
[2016] Widow Finds Love Page 23
