Hunter's Montana Bride (Montana Ranchers and Brides #8)

by Maya Stirling

  There was the sound of a crash of wood on wood and a resisting, animal cry. Gretchen's head whirled around away from Hunter and she looked over toward the stables. She saw that one of the ranch hands had slammed the door to the stable and was struggling with a particularly ornery looking horse that seemed to have no desire to go where the ranch hand wanted to go. Hunter stiffened and drew back suddenly, peering over concernedly toward the man. The ranch hand saw that he was the object of his boss's interest and waved a reassuring hand in Hunter's direction. Satisfied that there was nothing amiss, Hunter settled, but Gretchen realized the intimacy of the moment between them had been broken.

  For a long, quiet time they both stared silently off into the distance. Gretchen sensed a mild irritation in Hunter at the interruption. It was almost as though his first proper chance to draw close to her had slipped, frustratingly away.

  After a long pause, during which a host of warring thoughts vied for attention inside her, Hunter finally asked her the question she so desperately wished he would not ask her.

  "Can you tell me anything about when you were away?" he said in a steady, even voice.

  Gretchen drew in a sharp breath. Her lips parted and she almost said the first thing that came to mind. She almost uttered the firm refusal which seemed at first to be the most natural response to his question. But then she paused. Her eyes met his, and she saw that there was a burning intensity there, an urgent need to know.

  After a moment Gretchen spoke and she was taken aback by how weak her own voice sounded. Surely this was a moment for her to show certainty and conviction. It was hardly the moment for her to show weakness or vulnerability.

  "I can't talk about that, Hunter. It's very complicated," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

  She saw him stiffen in response. His lips tightened into a thin, harsh line.

  After a moment he answered her. "Does that mean you can't talk about it, or you won't talk about it?"

  "A bit of both really," she explained softly.

  Hunter's brows furrowed. "But you just left without explanation, Gretchen. What am I supposed to make of that?" he demanded, a hint of impatience in his voice.

  Gretchen lowered her head and tried to find the right words; the only words that could make him understand. But they just wouldn't come to her.

  The promise was holding her in chains.

  "I know it can't be easy, Hunter. But isn't it enough that I'm back and that I brought the twins with me?"

  Hunter sighed. "Of course, it's wonderful that you and the twins are here. With me. That's not what this is about, Gretchen," he said.

  Hunter withdrew his arm from behind her back. When he stood up, he suddenly seemed to loom menacingly above her. He looked down at her, and she felt small held by his piercing gaze.

  "I need to know what happened while you were away. I went to your parents so many times, demanding an explanation. All I got was vague hints that you would be coming back soon; that you were fine; that there was nothing to be concerned about." Hunter's fists clenched into tight balls. "Your mother was always so reasonable. But what was I supposed to do, Gretchen? I was worried for you. Crazy with worry," he blurted out, whirling round and turning his back on her.

  Gretchen stayed seated. She could see Hunter's shoulders rise and fall as his breathing quickened. She could tell his body was coursing with emotion and barely contained frustration.

  After a moment of careful consideration Gretchen spoke. "You must trust me, Hunter," she said quietly. She tried to summon up all the possible composure she could into her voice.

  He spun around and she saw that there was wide-eyed incredulity in his gaze. "Trust you, Gretchen? Trust you?"

  Gretchen nodded wordlessly. She knew there was no sense in enraging him any more by pleading with him further. So she simply restated her request. "You have to. For the sake of the children."

  Hunter took a step forward and looked down at Gretchen. She peered up at his face. The color of his skin had changed, flushed with emotion and she could see the muscle in his jaw twitching nervously. "How can I trust you if you won't tell me what happened. All I know is that, whatever it was, it meant you couldn't come home to me, where you belonged. And that you didn't deliver our babies here, on our ranch. Our home. Our family's home."

  Gretchen stood and reached out a hand to Hunter. "I so wanted that to happen, Hunter. You have no idea. But life can be cruel. People can be cruel," she said and then hesitated realizing she was going too far.

  "What do you mean?" he demanded. "What people? Who are you talking about?"

  Gretchen turned away from Hunter. He reached across and took her arm. His grasp wasn't hard or even firm. It seemed he merely wanted to prevent Gretchen from walking away. Perhaps he thinks he's close to an answer, she thought. But he isn't. I know I can't tell him what he needs to know. Not yet.

  "This was a mistake," she said.

  She felt Hunter pull her around to face him. "What's a mistake. The twins? Us?"

  "No. I didn't mean that," she said quickly. "I didn't mean that at all."

  Gretchen sighed and reached up a hand and stroked the side of Hunter's face with the back of her hand. "You must be patient, my love," she said.

  On hearing her words, her use of that special word, she saw his eyes light up slightly. His features softened enough that she felt encouraged. "I promise you that I will explain everything to you. In time. I promise. I'm hiding nothing that would make you feel ashamed of me. Just give me time."

  For what seemed like a very long time he looked deep into her eyes. Eventually she saw his gaze lower, his shoulders lose their tightness. His brows furrowed and he seemed to be considering what she'd said. After a few moments, during which the sound of the chirping birds seemed to become unnaturally loud, Gretchen heard Hunter speak. "Fine, Gretchen. You know I'm not an unreasonable man. I can wait," he said.

  Gretchen felt her heart immediately lighten. She reached out toward Hunter but he took a step back. A serious expression came over his face. "But I won't wait forever. I need you to know that I do understand that you have your reasons for not telling me the whole story," he said. "But I can't wait too long. I'm not going to have this barrier between us for the rest of our life together."

  Hunter came to Gretchen and took her by the shoulders. For a brief moment she was certain he was going to lean down and kiss her. In fact she hoped he would. There was a torrent of emotions sweeping through her body and a kiss was just what she needed to calm that raging sea.

  But he didn't kiss her.

  Instead, Hunter held Gretchen gently and peered into her eyes. "Do you understand me, Gretchen? There can be no secrets," he said slowly.

  Gretchen felt her heart sink as quickly as it had risen seconds before. She nodded. "I understand, Hunter," she said quietly.

  Then he let her go and turned suddenly. He paused and looked at Gretchen. "I think I might go into town, after all," he said.

  And then he started to make his way across the yard. Gretchen watched him walk away from her. Just as she was about to start to follow him, the front door of the ranch house opened and Mrs. Roper popped her head out. Gretchen went to her. "Is there something wrong, Mrs. Roper?"

  The housekeeper glanced toward the receding figure of Hunter and then smiled reassuringly. "Lewis is starting to get unsettled," she explained.

  Gretchen turned and watched Hunter heading for the stable. She sighed and followed Mrs. Roper back into the house to attend to the only thing that, right at this moment, seemed to offer any hope of certainty in her life.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Later that morning there was the most pleasant surprise when three carriages trundled noisily into the front yard. Each of the carriages had a familiar and very friendly face on board, as well as some extremely welcome little surprises.

  Gretchen was looking out the kitchen window when she saw the carriages pull to a halt amidst a cloud of yard dust. "Mrs. Roper. Looks like we've got visitors. Did
you know they were coming?"

  Mrs. Roper shook her head and wiped her hands on her apron, peering out the window. Gretchen saw the housekeeper's eyes narrow as she tried to recognize who had just arrived. "Why, I do believe these ladies are all rancher wives," she said. "Much like yourself now, Gretchen," she said with a smile.

  Mrs. Roper craned her head. "I can see Chloe McIntyre, Abby Grantly and Elise Cooper. And they've brought the little ones. My oh my! This is going to be lovely. Just as well I baked some biscuits this morning," she said with a relieved sigh.

  Gretchen felt a surge of panic. She glanced down at her plain cotton, blue dress. "I'm not ready for a social meeting," she stated with barely disguised panic in her voice.

  "Never you mind, Miss. Gretchen. You look just fine. These ladies are used to seeing folks dressed down for ranch living," she said.

  Gretchen suddenly wondered if she was indeed "dressed down", and whether or not that would make entirely the wrong impression. It had been almost a year since she'd spoken to any of the three women who'd just arrived. Gretchen wondered what they would think of her. Would they think it strange that Hunter wasn't around, especially since it was first full day since Gretchen had arrived back home?

  "Don't you think I need to change? Put something pretty on?" Gretchen asked the housekeeper.

  Mrs. Roper scowled in a friendly manner, shaking her head. "Nonsense. You get out there and welcome those fine ladies. You do know they're all members of the Ladies Society of Billings," Mrs. Roper said.

  "What's that?" Gretchen asked.

  "I forgot that you might not know about it. You being away and all," she said.

  Gretchen frowned at the reminder of her own absence.

  "The Ladies Society is a group of the finest women you'll find in these here parts. All of them have only one thing in mind. They do their best to help people out, especially anyone unfortunate or deserving. They arrange socials and even arrange the occasional wedding or two," Mrs. Roper explained.

  Gretchen glanced worryingly out the window. "They must be awfully busy," she said.

  "And they're all rancher wives. Which you, my dear, are about to find out, is the busiest life of all," Mrs. Roper declared. "Now go out there and welcome those fine ladies," she ordered.

  Admitting defeat, for the moment, Gretchen straightened the pleats of her dress and glanced at herself in the mirror. Seeing her hair was so obviously unkempt she glanced at Mrs. Roper in a silent plea. Not receiving any encouragement from the housekeeper, Gretchen fixed a few stray hairs back into place and started out toward the front yard. She suddenly wished Hunter were here by her side. It would have made things so much easier.

  As she stepped out the front door she steeled herself, remembering the many times her mother had taught her how to behave well in company.

  There was one man in the company of all the women, and Gretchen immediately recognized Trent McIntyre. He looked a little put out by the noise of the women and children. He was glancing nervously from carriage to carriage. Eventually he saw Gretchen, waved a welcoming hand and jumped down off the carriage seat. Gretchen waved back and watched Trent help his wife Chloe down off the carriage seat. She had a little one in her arms.

  Gretchen walked over toward the carriages. She saw Abby and her daughter jump down off the carriage. Abby was carrying a young baby of her own. Finally she saw Elise step down from her carriage, a young infant supported on her arm.

  Gretchen felt her jaw drop open. It was like an invasion of women and children. The noise was deafening.

  "Welcome you all," Gretchen tried to say.

  Chloe came rushing over to Gretchen. "Oh my dear. It is so nice to see you again. When Trent told me he'd seen you on the trail to the ranch, I didn't quite believe him. How are you, dear? You've been gone so long," she said.

  Gretchen smiled and took pleasure from the obvious delight that Chloe felt at seeing Gretchen safe and well. "I'm fine Chloe. It's so nice of... you all...to come today," Gretchen said scanning all the visitors with a still disbelieving sweep of her eyes.

  Gretchen heard Abby tell her daughter, who looked around eight years of age and was dressed in a pretty pink outfit, to wait for a second. Abby came rushing over to Gretchen. "My dear. We've all been so worried about you."

  Abby was from Boston and Gretchen immediately noted her distinct accent. Perhaps the experience of coming from back East and adapting to life made Abby more sensitive than usual to what a newlywed rancher's bride might be going through.

  Elise Cooper was the last to come up to Gretchen. "We've missed you so much. You must have oodles of things to tell us. Isn't that right, Chloe," Elise said glancing at Trent's wife who was suddenly occupied with the important business of preventing her child from bursting into tears.

  "It's lovely to see you Elise," Gretchen said.

  Abby, Chloe and Elise were all dressed in similarly colored light blue gowns. It struck Gretchen that it was almost like some kind of special outfit they wore when they went out on their business as representatives of the Ladies Society. The conversation amongst them had become almost a babble. Gretchen glanced over at Trent who just shook his head in good-humored patience.

  Children were gathered, carriages tied up and then they all made their way into the ranch house. Mrs. Roper came out of the kitchen to bid them welcome and to ensure them that tea, coffee and biscuits would be served in the parlor. But it was when Mrs. Roper asked them all in the nicest possible way to keep the noise down, along with the reason why, that all the women's faces became locked into various expressions of disbelief.

  Chloe turned to Gretchen. The beautiful woman's eyes were bright with burning curiosity. "Is it true, Gretchen?"

  "Is what true?" she replied with a broad smile and feeling suddenly mischievous.

  "Is what Mrs. Roper has just said true? Are there babies in the house?"

  Gretchen looked at the assembled visitors. "Of course there are. Look around you," she said.

  Chloe stepped up close to Gretchen. "Now look here, Gretchen Sinclair. You know perfectly well what I mean."

  Gretchen drew her lips tight, but she could hardly contain her glee at Chloe's reaction to the suggestion that there might be some surprise babies in the house.

  In the end it was Mrs. Roper who couldn't contain herself any longer. "Would you like to meet them?"

  Chloe whirled and stared at Mrs. Roper. "Meet who?"

  "The twins, of course," Gretchen said.

  It seemed as if everyone screamed the same word all at the same time. "Twins!" The sound of the voices crying out in unison almost made Gretchen cover her ears.

  Gretchen saw Abby look at Elise in disbelief. Gretchen was sure she saw Trent's face lose almost all it's color in one brief instant.

  "Where are they?" Chloe demanded.

  "They're here," Mrs Roper said gesturing toward the two baskets which rested on the kitchen table.

  There were even more screams of delighted shock and everyone hurried into the kitchen, vying with each other to peer into the baskets.

  "Oh, my Lord. They are just the most beautiful little creatures I've ever seen," Chloe exclaimed. "Come, Trent," she said waving him toward her side. "Look at these little ones. Aren't they just adorable?"

  Trent nudged his way past Gretchen and gave her a small congratulatory smile as he did so. He peered into the baskets and his face lit up. "My. Look at that," Gretchen heard him murmur. "Hunter must be as proud as punch," he said, turning once again to Gretchen.

  She nodded. "He sure is," she admitted with a quick nod of her head.

  "Where is he anyway?" Trent asked.

  "He'll be back soon. He went into town to get some things for the twins," Gretchen said.

  "Twins," Elise squealed enthusiastically. "I do love the sound of that word. Wait until Devlin hears about this."

  There was a little burble of noise from inside one of the baskets. The babies being held on the arms started to reciprocate and soon the kitchen was s
tarting to sound like a kindergarten. Mrs. Roper addressed them with a firm tone and a glance into the basket. "If you'd all be so kind as to make your way to the parlor, I'll get you all some refreshments. This excitement must be making you all thirsty."

  With a whine of disappointment they all started to make their way into the parlor. Gretchen took the twins with her. She was suddenly worried that the arrival of so many noisy visitors would unsettle the little ones. But, she needn't have worried. Neither of the twins barely made a sound as the four women and one very uneasy looking man took their seats on the two sofas.

  The conversation was almost entirely focused on babies, of course. Gretchen shared in the delight of a parlor full of young ones. She'd quite forgotten how pleasant it was to be in the company of women of her own age.

  Mrs. Roper brought in the tea and cakes and they all tucked in. Abby had to restrain her daughter's urge to help herself to more than her fair share of the cakes. The girl frowned in protest at first, but her mother eventually won the day.

  All through the tea and excited conversation no-one even mentioned the fact that Gretchen had been gone for so long. She felt immense relief at the discretion shown by these women. Even before she had gotten married to Hunter, she had felt close to them, sharing this ranching life. Before the wedding it had struck Gretchen that Abby, Elise and Chloe all had incredible stories of overcoming the greatest of difficulties when it had come to marrying their respective husbands. They were stories of overcoming almost impossible odds to find happiness with husbands and children and ranch life here in the wilds of Montana. Gretchen hoped that her own story would have a happy ending. After her earlier conversation with Hunter she had her own doubts.

  After finishing off her tea Chloe handed her baby to Trent and settled her husband on the sofa next to Abby and her own infant. Trent's face went pale, but Gretchen could see that Chloe had her husband well under control when it came to matters of family. Gretchen smiled at Chloe as the elegant and refined looking woman made her way toward her.