by Natalie Dean
“Let me go! How dare you grab a lady!” She wanted to smack him, but he had one arm in a tight grip, and the other was holding Roan, and there was no way she was going to let the little girl go.
The man snarled and yanked her closer, his eyes wild with rage. “You’re no lady! You’re a thief! I don’t even know why I’m surprised! All you foreigners are here to take advantage of the hard work we do!”
Bridget was shocked at the anger and hatred that dripped from his words like poison. She tried to pull away from him, but his grip on her arm was too tight. “I didn’t steal anything!”
He reached out with his other meaty hand and grabbed the bag she was holding, yanking it out of her hands, shaking it in her face. “You ran off with this!”
“My daughter was going to get hurt! I was going to pay for it!”
“Sounds like a scheme to me!” he spat. “All you mail order brides are always scheming!”
People had started to gather around now and were whispering, watching the scene unfold. Bridget felt helpless at that moment. Roan was starting to cry, and her own wrist was beginning to ache. She wanted this man to let her go, but she wasn’t sure what she should do. Jack was nowhere to be found, so Bridget was on her own.
Finally, she kicked her leg back and swung it forward, hitting the man right in the shin with the tip of her boot. He howled and stumbled back, but didn’t let go. He was panting hard, his eyes wide when he looked up at her. He dropped the bag of fruit and raised his free hand, and Bridget closed her eyes, hiding Roan against her and waiting for the hand to come down on her cheek, but it never did.
The hand released her, and the man howled all at once, and Bridget stumbled back a few steps but managed to stay upright. When she finally opened her eyes again, she saw Jack with the man’s arm, twisting it until the man was on his knees. Jack was calm, his eyes as cold as ice as he stared down at the hulking man.
“Now, Willam, you know you don’t lay your hands on women. What makes you think you can get away with touching my wife?”
The man hissed when Jack twisted his arm even further. “She was stealing, Jack!”
Jack glanced over his shoulder, his face calm, and his eyes intense. “Where you trying to steal, darling?”
“No! Roan ran off, and I was going after her!”
Jack turned back to Willam. “Sounds like she gave you a perfectly good explanation.”
“She’s lying!”
Willam suddenly cried out as his arm was bent a little too far back and his shoulder popped out. Jack didn’t flinch. “It sounds to me like you have a problem with the fact that she’s not from around here. It seems like you were just waiting for her to do something and I don’t appreciate that. She’s a good woman. How much do we owe you for the fruit?”
“Nothing!” he yelped. “You don’t owe me nothing!”
“That’s not how this works. Tell me what we owe.”
“A dollar! A dollar fifty!”
Jack released William and dipped his hand into his pocket, tossing some coins onto the ground. “If you ever lay a hand on my family again, I’ll cut it off, do you understand?”
“Yes.” Willam panted, cradling his arm.
Jack nodded and walked over to Roan and Bridget, putting his arm around them and leading them back to the small cart they’d come on. Jack had already loaded up some supplies and Bridget climbed in the back with Roan, holding her close and stroking her hair. There were still tears in the little girl’s eyes. She was upset about her hat and all the commotion, and Bridget couldn’t blame her.
After all, she was upset too.
Chapter Nine
They rode home in silence and when they finally got there, Roan scrambled up into her loft, and Jack offered his hand to Bridget. “Come with me.”
Bridget followed him out of the house, and together they walked through the garden before sitting at the edge of a little brook that ran through their property. Bridget didn’t have much to say, which was a strange thing, but she couldn’t help it. Luckily, Jack was there to break the silence.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. A little shaken up.”
“Good.”
Another short silence and Bridget drew in a long sigh. “Do people in town not like me because I’m British?”
“There are a lot of people in this town that don’t like anyone if they’re different. They target them and try and chase them out.”
“Is that why everyone has been so cold to me?”
“I’d say so.”
Bridget grunted and put her chin in her hand. “That’s not fair. I’m a good person.”
Jack smiled and put an arm around her as a warm breeze blew through the trees. Branches rattled, and a few leaves fell into Bridget’s hair. Jack smiled and reached up, pulling the leaves from her hair and letting the wind take them.
“You’re a great person, Bridget. That’s why we get along.”
Her lips were drawn into a tight frown. “Jack, I’ve got to be honest, I don’t know if I’ll ever be happy here.”
“What? I didn’t know you were feeling that way.”
“I…I don’t fit in here. I came here to start a new life. I owed so much money back home, and I thought the only way to escape it and be happy was to come here, but I just…I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen. When I’m here, at home, I’m content, but when I go out into town, I feel the stares and hear the whispers behind my back.”
Jack fell silent and listened, his eyes focused on the ground as if he were looking for answers in the earth. Finally, he sighed and looked up, reaching out slowly and taking her hand. Their fingers tangled and she looked up at him, her heart swelling at the warmth in his hands. She’d just watched him single-handedly take down a man almost double his size, yet he was tender with her.
“I never thought I’d be happy again either. When my wife passed away, I felt that a part of my soul had been yanked out and taken from me. I was bitter. I was angry at everyone and everything, even though it wasn’t anyone’s fault. I felt this need to lash out and make everyone suffer the way I was suffering. It took me a long time to learn to control those emotions and when the anger finally started to fade, it was replaced with fear. I was afraid that I would be taken next and my daughter would be left alone. That fear led me to send for you, and when you got here, I felt angry again because it was validation that my life would never be what it was.” He paused and sighed, looking over at her. “Now, though, there’s still sadness, but there’s no anger. I’m starting to feel like a person again, and I’m starting to even feel the first inklings of happiness. You make me laugh, and it’s something I haven’t done in a long time.”
“Jack…”
“I’m sorry if you aren’t happy here. I want you to be happy. I really do. I hope you know that, and I will do whatever I can to make sure you are.”
Bridget leaned into his shoulder and looked out onto the horizon. “Maybe I’ll eventually be happy here. Maybe I just need to give it more time.”
“Are you willing to?”
“I don’t have much of a choice. I certainly can’t make it back home. I don’t have the money.”
Jack didn’t say anything in response to that. He just looked away, and Bridget glanced up, turning her head to rest her forehead against his shoulder. “I’m glad I don’t have the money. It’ll give me more time to get used to this. I’ve had a bad habit of running away from my problems my entire life. This is good. I’m finally going to have to confront what I’m feeling, and it’s scary, but at least it’s with someone like you.”
The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. She felt like she was bearing her soul to this man and she’d be lying if she said it was anything short of terrifying. She’d never been the type of person to wear her emotions on her sleeve, but with Jack, it was just so easy. Everything was easy with Jack.
“That means a lot, Bridget.”
“Really?”
&
nbsp; “Yes.”
The silence that followed was comfortable. They leaned into each other, listening to the birds chirp overhead and watching as clouds danced across the sky like pieces of cotton floating on the wind. Jack sighed and smiled, glancing at Bridget.
“It’s been a rough day. We shouldn’t stay in the house tonight. Let’s get out and enjoy each other’s company.”
Her brows pulled together in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Jack grinned and stood up, putting his hands on his hips. “Don’t you worry about that. Just put on a pretty dress after dinner.”
Chapter Ten
Bridget had no idea what was going on, but she didn’t ask any questions. There was a secretiveness to whatever they were doing, and it excited her. Their daily lives were mundane, and while she enjoyed her evenings with Jack, she wasn’t going to say no to something a little more exciting.
She braided her hair back and dressed in a lovely yellow dress she’d bought in London. It was a fashionable dress made of expensive fabric, and she was sure it was one of the reason’s the women in town didn’t like her, but tonight she didn’t care.
Jack had slicked his hair back, though his leather hat still sat on his head. His clothes were clean and pressed, which she rarely saw since he spent his days on the farm. Tonight, however, he looked like a prince, even if he was only wearing a linen shirt and black trousers.
They took Roan to an older neighbor who agreed to watch her for the evening. Then they walked to a large community barn near the center of town. It was a large space used to store excess food and animals when the weather got bad, but tonight it had been cleared out and decorated beautifully.
“What is this?” Bridget whispered as they approached the well-lit barn.
Music flooded out from the open doors, and the sounds of dancing feet could be heard before the barn was even in view. “This is a party.”
“A party?”
“I don’t know if you noticed, but things are hard here. People don’t have a lot of time to have fun, and most of them don’t have the money either, so once a month they empty the barn out and everyone dances and has a good time.”
“It’s like a pub!”
“A what?”
“A tavern. Back home I worked in a place where people would dance and sing until the wee morning hours!”
Jack laughed and tugged her towards the open doors. “Then you’ll be good at this.”
They walked through the doors and Bridget could feel every set of eyes on her and Jack. People were looking at them, and she was sure they were wondering how Bridget and Jack could show their faces after the commotion today. Bridget found it easy not to care, though, especially when Jack wrapped his strong arms around her ample waist and started swinging her around and around to the music.
It was like nothing she’d ever heard before. Banjos were being played with a desperate fervor, and people were clapping and stomping their feet to create a rhythm. Jack held her close and spun so fast that the room began to sway. She laughed and moved with him, reminded of the time she’d danced with an Irishman from Belfast. The music was different, but it was just as fast and had the same dizzying speed. Her head was spinning, and laughter flowed from her without hesitation. His body was warm and his smile bright. In that moment, she wanted the whole world to look.
The barn was a warm and welcome refuge from the chilly night air. The days were warm, but the nights were always freezing. She was glad to be in his arms, pressed against his muscular chest. Her heart fluttered, and warmth filled her belly when she looked at him and saw him smiling down at her.
They didn’t stop dancing until their feet ached and finally, they climbed a ladder and settled in a loft. There we other couples around them, snuggled up and holding each other. Bales of hay offered some privacy, but the giggling that could be heard gave the couples away. Jack and Bridget settled into the hay, a lantern glowing beside them. It illuminated Jack’s face, accentuating the stern look that seemed ever present. His nose was sharp, and wrinkles around the corners of his eyes showed years of smiles, though the ones between his brows showed the stress the land had put on him over the years. She adored every single one of those lines, and she had the strong urge to kiss each one.
Bridget sighed and wrapped both her arms around one of his, realizing how safe their strength made her feel.
“You’ve been awfully attentive today.”
Jack was silent and finally looked down at her, sighing softly. “When I saw Willam touch you, I felt this rage that I haven’t felt in a long time. I didn’t want him to touch you. I didn’t want anyone to touch you.”
“I could have handled it myself.” It was a lie, but her pride wouldn’t let her admit the truth. “But I’m glad I have you around,” she said, leaning into him.
He smiled knowingly but didn’t argue with her. “I am too. You’re a wonderful mother. Roan loves you very much.”
She looked up at him through thick lashes, the light dancing off her freckles. “Am I a good wife?”
“You’re an amazing wife.” He paused for a moment and reached into the pocket of his trousers, pulling out a small silk sachet. “Actually, I have something for you. I was going to give it to you later, but now seems as good a time as any.”
Bridget took the little pink bag and opened it slowly, her eyes widening when she saw what was inside. A beautiful gold band with a tiny blue sapphire caught the light, and she looked up at him, her eyes wide.
“What is this?”
“It’s a ring,” he said.
“I know it’s a ring! I have eyes! Why are you giving it to me?” Her voice was just a little too high now.
“Because you’re my wife. When you marry someone, you’re supposed to give them a ring.” He cleared his throat. “And because I want you to know that I want this to work,” he sighed.
She looked at him, her brows furrowed. “What?”
“Until now, this has been just a business arrangement. You signed a contract to fulfill some obligations, and I agreed to take care of you. That’s not what I want anymore.”
“I don’t understand…”
“I want this to be more than just a marriage on paper.” He reached out and took her hand, slipping the ring onto her delicate finger.
Bridget put a hand to her chest, struggling to get any kind of words out. Everything was stuck in the back of her throat. She stared at the beautiful ring, opened her mouth and closed it again. Finally, she covered her mouth with her hand before throwing her arms around Jack and holding him close for a long moment. The tears in her eyes burned, but she managed to hold them back.
“Why are you doing this?” she finally whispered.
“Why not?” he said, cupping her cheek gently. “I want this to work, Bridget. I want it to be real. We got off to a real rough start, and I want to fix it.”
Bridget put her hand over his, nodding slowly. She wanted it too. She wasn’t ready to admit her feelings for him, but she wanted this too. She wanted a relationship with him. He looked down at her, leaning in closer, taking a deep breath.
“Are you willing to try to make this marriage work?”
Bridget didn’t answer with words. Instead, she closed the space between them, her arms wrapped around his neck as they toppled back into the pile of hay. His lips were softer than she ever thought possible and when they met lights exploded behind her eyes. Her heart swelled with excitement, and a grin lingered on her lips even as they kissed. When they parted, her eyes were half closed, and she leaned down to steal another brief, tender kiss.
“I’m a lot to handle. Are you up to it?”
Jack chuckled, his hands resting on her waist as their lips met again. “You are definitely a handful, but you’re worth it.”
That single phrase told Bridget everything she needed to know. Jack wasn’t a wealthy man in New York, but he was the man for her.
Chapter Eleven
After that night in the barn, life started get
ting better. Bridget was far more willing to accept the role she’d fallen into, and she was excelling at it. She enjoyed being a mother far more than she thought she would.
“Get your shoes on, Roan! You’re holding us up!” Bridget called up to the loft.
“I’m reading!”
She knew that Roan wasn’t reading. She was only six years old, after all! She recognized a few words here and there, but she was still learning, and Bridget was happy to encourage her education. When she’d first arrived in Billings, she’d noticed that many of the women struggled to read anything beyond basic signs. It horrified her, and the last thing she wanted was for Roan to be one of those women, standing around, lost as she tried to read signs for a town she wasn’t familiar with.
So, she waited patiently until she heard the sound of the book slamming closed and Roan scuttling across the loft.
“Done!”
She started down the ladder but missed one of the steps and yelped as she fell back. Bridget gasped and threw her arms out, catching the little girl, though her weight caught Bridget off guard and they both tumbled to the ground.
“Roan! Are you okay?” Bridget asked, clutching the girl to her chest.
“I’m fine!” she sang, throwing her arms around Bridget. “You caught me, Mommy!”
Bridget never expected her heart to flutter the way it did when Roan called her ‘mommy.' She’d felt guilty about it at first, knowing that she wasn’t Roan’s mother, but if it made Roan happy, Bridget wasn’t going to argue.
“You need to be more careful, child!” she scolded, standing up and setting Roan on her feet. “Now go get your shoes on, or we’ll miss the candy cart!”
Roan gasped and ran to the door, nearly falling over as she struggled to get her boots on. She wasn’t the most graceful child in the world, but grace would come with time unless she took after Bridget. Once Roan had her shoes on, Bridget took the girl’s hand in her own, and they started into town. It was her first time going into town alone since the incident with Willam. She was a bit nervous, but she wasn’t about to let it show. She was far too prideful for that.
