The Brides of Chance Collection

by Kelly Eileen Hake,Cathy Marie Hake,Tracey V. Bateman

  But Papa chased other dreams. He’d gambled his way from town to town all the way across the country until they’d finally ended up in California. He’d always said they’d get some land of their own as soon as he won a big enough pot, but then he’d turn around and “invest” his winnings in another game. She’d come along to take care of him, but she’d failed miserably. Oh, Papa. I miss you so much.

  Miriam’s voice interrupted her reverie. “But there’s plenty to do around here, I’ll tell you that much! With the baby coming, I need more help than Alisa can provide. Cooking for and cleaning up after six men isn’t as easy as you’d think!”

  Delilah knew she could feel herself turning red. “Miriam, I—I can’t cook. We never had a stove…and when we were on the go, we just ate hardtack and jerky.” This would never work! If she could offer them nothing, she’d be sent packing. That’s just how the world worked.

  “That’s all right. You’ll learn soon enough. I’ll enjoy teaching you. Besides, I wasn’t finished yet.” Miriam began ticking off chores. “There’s still the washing and mending— enough to keep a small army busy—so your needle will be appreciated. Then there’re the girls and the weeds in the garden, which both grow far too quickly if you ask me! Of course, we can’t forget the livestock. Every day there are eggs to gather, chickens to feed, pigs to slop, and cows to milk—”

  “All right! All right! I get your point. I’m a quick learner and a hard worker. You’ll just have to teach me everything.” Well, not everything. She already did laundry and mending. As a matter of fact, she handled a needle well. Maybe she’d finally have the chance to make a real quilt.

  “Will they really let me stay, Miriam? They’ve been in there for a while.”

  “Oh, they’re just being Chance men. Like I said, they’ll make the right decision. And if they don’t, they’re in for it. They’ve always been staunchly democratic about making major decisions. They voted the same way about letting me and Alisa stay. But they’re going to have to factor in the Chance women now. We’ve already weighed in on the subject. Right, Alisa?” Miriam tacked on as the only other Chance woman rejoined them. Alisa had just made a quick trip to check on Dan’s girls, who were playing with their dollhouse in a cabin.

  Alisa laughed. “That’s right. If need be, we’ll have our say, too.” She sobered a bit and turned to Delilah. “How are you holding up?”

  Delilah offered a halfhearted smile. “I’ve been better.”

  “I’m so sorry you lost your father.”

  Delilah tried to tamp down the tears that sprang to her eyes. She still couldn’t believe they’d buried Papa earlier that week. But now he was gone, and she was all alone. There hadn’t been very many options since she only owned her clothes and sketch pads. Very little money and some worthless stock Papa had won the night before were stashed in the false bottom of her valise, but they wouldn’t get her very far, and only one profession opened to unclaimed women on the frontier.

  The pot he’d had the winning hand for last night went to fund the burial, such as it was. She and the sheriff stood side by side, the only ones at the grave site. The circuit preacher hadn’t been in town, but that was all right, since Papa didn’t hold with much religion. It seemed sort of fitting, because since Mama’s death, it had been only her and Papa wherever they went—and occasionally the law when one of his games got too heated.

  Some of the more spiteful townspeople had muttered that it was only fitting a gambler should meet such an end: shot in a saloon for cheating. Delilah knew Papa didn’t cheat. While her father couldn’t stop gambling away everything they owned, Delilah came to understand a long time ago that he couldn’t really help it. He made promises he never kept, but he’d always meant to. He was a man of integrity in his own way, and he never cheated. Maybe if he had, he’d’ve won more…. The nasty thought crept by before she could stop it. She hadn’t really been herself since she found out they’d let his murderer get away. Was there no justice?

  Not for Papa, but maybe for me. The men began coming out of the house to issue her verdict. Six behemoths, but she had Miriam’s word that they were all “good men.” She believed it about Gideon, since her cousin had married him, but she maintained reservations about the rest. They all stood fairly tall, each boasting dark hair and startling blue eyes. As they came closer, she tried to gauge what their answers would be.

  She’d already met Gideon but couldn’t read his expression. As for the others, one gawked at her past all reason, one gave his attention to an ecstatic dog at his side, and another looked politely curious. None of these gave any indication of a warm welcome. The brother with flowers in his pocket absolutely radiated hostility. The incongruity would have struck her as funny if she weren’t so anxious. As things stood, his glare made the possibility that she’d be turned away far too likely.

  That left only one man, but he was different. She’d endured men gawking, scowling, leering, or being disinterested before, but this man’s gaze stayed steady. It wasn’t openly assessing like the others, but his scrutiny somehow made her feel as though he could take her measure better than any of them. His glance didn’t feel judgmental but was disconcerting, nevertheless. She wasn’t sure what to make of him, which left her completely in the dark as to whether or not he’d have voted for her to stay. That meant she knew the opinion of only one brother, and that wasn’t encouraging.

  “Well?” Miriam’s tone sounded as both a question and a warning.

  All of them except the scowler grinned as Gideon pronounced, “She stays.”

  Paul watched as Delilah let out the breath she probably didn’t even know she’d been holding. The stunning creature’s smile managed to be both gracious and grateful as she thanked them for their kindness. Delilah was a lovely temptress, indeed, but her eyes truly captivated him.

  From a distance he’d thought them brown, but upon closer inspection, they were no mere brown. Amber. Golden, pure, sparkling amber is what came to mind. Not that a gal possessed any power over her eye color, but the beauty of it snagged him just the same. He got the impression eyes like that should be full of joy and mirth, reflecting the beauty around them, but hers seemed deeper with some hurt that didn’t let her smile reach them. He wondered what she’d look like when she put those heavy cares on the Lord.

  He’d watched her since the moment he’d stepped out of the door, seen her size up each of his brothers. Obviously she’d heard something of them from Miriam and was trying to label him and his brothers. Had it been his imagination, or had her glance lingered a bit on him?

  He realized Gideon still spoke. “You haven’t met most of us yet, so I’d better introduce my brothers. This one here is—”

  “Titus, right?” Her soft interruption stunned them.

  “Miriam, did you already point out who’s who?” Logan demanded.

  Miriam laughed. “None but Gideon!”

  Delilah spoke again. “Miriam and I have been writing to each other for years. From the letters I managed to receive, I’ve pieced together some things for myself. Even so, Titus gave himself away since he went straight to Alisa.”

  Logan nodded. “All right, which one am I?”

  “You must be Logan, who I’m told is the most sociable and outgoing.” Paul noted she showed the tact not to mention to the infatuated youth that he stood the shortest.

  “That’s pretty good, Miss Delilah. Now do him.” Logan jerked a thumb in Bryce’s direction.

  “Well, I’ve been told one of you has a special way with animals, so since the dogs followed him, I’d have to name him as Bryce.” She looked around for confirmation, and when they nodded, she turned to Dan. “You have to be Dan. The flowers in your pocket are a dead giveaway you’re a father.” Again, she demonstrated enough prudence not to point out the ever-present scowl. The moment those spectacular eyes trained on Paul, a bolt of heat shot through him.

  “So you must be Paul.”

  “She pegged every last one of us, Gideon. Even old Gu
s White down at the general store can’t keep the older four of you straight, and he’s seen us more’n once.”

  Dan’s voice put a damper on things. “All right, so we know she’s stayin’, but where is she stayin’? Gideon and Miriam got the old bunk room, and the two rooms connecting the old ranch house and my place each have a bachelor or two in ’em. Titus and Alisa are newlyweds with the latest cabin. Where’s she gonna fit?” Obviously, he had worked himself into a temper.

  Alisa tried to avert the coming storm with a gentle request. “The girls have their own room now, and so do you. Maybe for a while Delilah could share the old cabin with the girls and you could use their room?”

  The scowl softened only slightly, but that was something. “I figured you all were fixin’ to kick me outta my own house. I won’t leave my girls, you hear?”

  “I won’t take anyone’s home from them. A man deserves his own place, and so do couples.” Her voice caught as she went on. “And parents should never be separated from their children. If it’s all right, I’ll just bed down in the barn.”

  She’d hardly finished speaking her piece before the menfolk gave their collective opinion of that harebrained scheme. Miriam and Alisa didn’t manage to get a word in edgewise.

  Surprisingly, Bryce spoke up first. “That’s fine enough for me when one of the animals is ailin’, Miss Delilah, but it ain’t fittin’ for you.”

  “That’d be an insult to our hospitality,” Titus protested.

  Gideon gave a flat, “No.”

  “Don’t you listen to old Dan when he’s sour.” Logan shot Dan a heated look. “That’s just his way.”

  Even Dan seemed taken aback. “I didn’t mean that, miss. What kind of example would that be to my girls?”

  Apparently, Delilah nursed a stubborn streak. “I’ve done it before, and I don’t want to be a burden.”

  Miriam opened her mouth, but Paul beat her to the punch. “We appreciate how you don’t want to put anybody out, miss, but you need to be close at hand. It’s the only way you’ll be able to help Miriam while she’s in her condition. I’ll bunk with Dan, and you’ll take my room—it’s closest to Miriam’s.”

  She looked at him intently, and he had to remind himself to steadily meet her gaze instead of getting lost in it. After what seemed an eternity, she slowly nodded.

  “Well, if that’s settled, I’ll just take your things on in.” Dan reached out a hand.

  “Oh, it’s no problem.” She hefted the large bag at her feet. “I’ve got my valise right here.”

  “I’ll take you, Miss Delilah,” Logan offered gallantly.

  “This is all I brought, gentlemen. If you’ll just show me the way…”

  “Well, you beat me!” Alisa exclaimed.

  “Not me,” Miriam confessed. “I’m afraid I brought along half of the islands with me!”

  While the women took her to the house, Paul pondered what he already knew about their pretty guest.

  “From the letters I managed to receive…I’ll bed down in the barn….I’ve done it before….This is all I brought….” Her father was a gambler. The poor thing must have been dragged all over creation. What kind of man moved his daughter from place to place, not providing a decent roof over her head and making it so almost everything she owned could fit into one bag?

  Chapter 2

  Delilah woke up the next morning and stretched groggily. As her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, she tried to pick out a few details to remind her of where she was. It definitely didn’t look like a barn or stable, nor did it seem like a hotel. The room contained only one window covered by a flap of fabric. The sun wasn’t completely up yet, so everything stayed cast in varying degrees of shadow. She lay ensconced in a snug bed and could make out a chair against the wall. A small potbelly stove graced one corner, with a washstand taking up residence as the only other furniture in the room. She remembered placing her drawing supplies in the washstand’s convenient drawer and filling only a few of the many pegs on the walls with her clothes. Long ago, she’d learned unpacking was the only way to make a strange room more comfortable.

  The door opened quietly, bringing in a blast of frigid morning air. Miriam poked her head in the room to whisper, “Delilah?”

  Yes, she remembered clearly now. She’d buried Papa and gone to Miriam’s ranch, taking the home of one of the Chance brothers. She swung her legs over the side of the bed.

  “I’m awake.” Leaving the snug warmth of the bed, Delilah padded across the cool floor in her bare feet.

  “I need to make breakfast, so I thought you’d like to watch before you have your first real lesson later today,” Miriam invited.

  Delilah nodded. “I’ll be dressed in a minute.” Miriam carefully closed the door, and Delilah crept over to the table where her valise sat. She changed out of her nightgown into her yellow cambric day dress. The dress she’d worn while traveling here currently boasted more dust than cloth, and she only owned one other. The primrose satin evening gown her father had purchased in a spurt of indulgence after a good gaming streak wasn’t appropriate for ranch work. She’d brushed and braided her hair before bed last night, after Polly and Ginny Mae let her do the same for them. She quickly twisted the braid on top of her head and pinned it into place. She left the cabin as Alisa walked across the yard toward her.

  “Good morning, Alisa.”

  “Good morning, Delilah. Did you sleep well?”

  Delilah took enough time to assure the kindhearted woman that she had slept very well before hurrying into the main cabin.

  “What are you going to make?” Delilah wanted to know what she was getting herself into.

  “The men can hardly crack their eyes open without their morning coffee. Then I thought we’d start with something easy—scrambled eggs and diced ham.” Miriam handed her the coffeepot. “If you’d like, you can pump this full of water.”

  Delilah did as she was asked, then pulled out plates, glasses, knives, and forks to set the table.

  Miriam brought out a salted ham hock. “Why don’t you watch as I cut the first bit? Then you can try your hand at it.” This seemed easy enough—Delilah didn’t lack competence with a knife.

  “All right, you try it.” Miriam nodded her approval as Delilah started shaving and chopping. “You have a sharp eye and a steady hand. That’s good.” Together they finished the ham, and Delilah, starting to feel more comfortable, waited for further instructions. Miriam brought out a huge bowl.

  “I still have plenty of eggs left from yesterday, so we’re all set. You tap ’em on the edge of the bowl, like this.” She demonstrated in one swift movement. “Then part the halves and let the egg run into the bowl. See?”

  Miriam made it look absolutely effortless. Heartened, Delilah resolutely picked up an egg and brought it down on the rim of the bowl. With a crack that all but echoed in the morning stillness, the shell split completely and yellow goop slimed the tabletop.

  Miriam started laughing. “Gently!” She wiped up the table with a rag and handed Delilah another egg. “All right, give it another shot.”

  Delilah put down the egg. “I don’t want to waste them.”

  Miriam smiled. “That was just your first try. I did the very same thing. Try again.”

  This time, Delilah tapped it so gently, the shell didn’t boast so much as a crack. She looked helplessly at Miriam.

  “Just keep tapping it a little harder each time until you get the feel for it. Be careful, and you’ll get it right.” In no time at all, Delilah got the hang of it, and three dozen eggs floated in the bowl.

  “Now what?”

  “We stir it until the clear and the yellow run together. Here.” She gave Delilah a wooden spoon, and Delilah followed her instructions, then poured half of the mixture into a large, greased skillet waiting on the stove.

  “Mix it periodically and add in the ham.” Miriam demonstrated. It cooked until a mess of scrambled eggs and ham sat ready to be put on a platter.

  �
�Now try cooking the other half while I warm some bread.” Miriam pulled two loaves from the bread box and began slicing.

  Delilah took the pan and poured the rest of the eggs into it. She watched intently for it to bubble, then pounced to stir it as soon as it began. Some of the goop seemed stuck on the bottom.

  “Miriam? Why do mine stick to the pan when yours didn’t?”

  Her cousin hustled over to take a look. “I forgot to tell you that you need to regrease the pan. It’ll be difficult to scrub clean, but your eggs’ll be fine. Just keep moving them around until they look like mine.”

  Pretty soon, they looked finished, and Delilah emptied the contents of the pan onto the platter. Following more advice, she filled the dirty pan with water from the pump.

  Miriam had just finished placing butter and preserves on the table when Gideon wandered in. “Sure smells good in here, sweetheart.”

  “Thank you. Fresh coffee’s on the stove, and Delilah here helped me make ham ’n’ eggs for breakfast.”

  Gideon turned to Delilah. “Good morning, Delilah. If you’re half the cook my Miriam is, we’ll keep you busy for sure.”

  Delilah confessed. “Actually, this is the first time I’ve cooked anything. I hope it tastes all right.”

  Logan and Bryce stumbled into the room toward the basin, followed by Dan and Paul. Dan started cutting toast into little strips and putting them on a tiny plate. Paul grabbed the milk and filled two small glasses. He turned to her.

  “Miss Delilah, would you like milk, water, or coffee this morning?” His gaze was as penetrating as the day before, and her nerves tingled as heat spread through her.

  “I’d like the milk, please.” She loved fresh milk. “And please just call me Delilah. No ‘miss’ is needed.” That was for sure. With her twenty-first birthday fast approaching, she knew most girls her age had already started families. Somehow, she didn’t want this intriguing man to think of that every time they spoke.