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

by Maya Stirling

  "You and I need to talk," Chloe declared.

  "Do we?" Gretchen asked.

  "We do. But we can't talk here." Chloe turned and glanced around the room. "There's just too much going on," she said.

  "If you say so," Gretchen said, going along with her friend's request even if she was really feeling a tight knot of worry settle in her stomach. What did Chloe want to talk about?

  Once the care of the babies was arranged Chloe led Gretchen to the back of the parlor and out through the doors that opened out onto the small, well maintained garden at the rear of the ranch house.

  The sun was high but they were sheltered from it by the scattering of small trees which spread out from the back of the ranch house. There was a path which led them eventually to a long wooden bench which was placed underneath the shade of the largest tree. Chloe admired the flowers, a mixture of wildflowers and cultivated plants which Mrs. Roper took great pride in tending to. Gretchen recalled happier days in the garden, being wooed by Hunter, trying, mostly unsuccessfully, to resist his innocent amorous advances.

  Gretchen and Chloe sat side by side for a short while savoring the fresh air and the silence.

  "I've never seen so many babies in one room," Gretchen said with a smile.

  "But isn't it wonderful?" Chloe gasped excitedly. She dug an elbow into Gretchen's side. "I had no idea you were home. And especially I had no idea you had brought home such lovely little treasures."

  Chloe looked genuinely excited and Gretchen just had to smile in response. "Hunter must be so proud," Chloe said.

  "He is," Gretchen admitted. "Although I have to say, every time one of the twins needs changing, there seems to be an awful lot of work that suddenly needs doing around the ranch," she said.

  "Never mind that. He'll soon get used to it. Trent was the same with our little one," Chloe said with a mischievous grin.

  There was a long, slightly awkward, pause and Gretchen knew what was coming next.

  Chloe turned and peered at Gretchen, her eyes narrowing, while retaining at least a hint of good-natured spirit in them. "Where on earth have been, Gretchen? Everyone was so worried for you."

  Gretchen sighed. "I know. And I'm sorry if everyone was concerned for me. I didn't mean for people to feel bad while I was away."

  "So what happened?" Chloe asked, and then seemed to catch herself, restraining her curiosity. She cocked her head to one side. "Look at me," she said. "Here you are back with your husband. Safe and sound. And with an instant family," she said with a smile. "And all I can do is grill you about where you've been. I am not a town gossip. I can reassure you of that."

  Chloe twisted and turned staring earnestly at Gretchen. "But gosh darn it, Gretchen. Everyone was going out of their mind thinking the most terrible things had happened to you. And you're mother's vague reassurances just made things worse."

  Gretchen sighed deeply. What was she to do? The same barrier that had forced her to keep the whole story from Hunter was here, on this very seat, next to a woman towards whom Gretchen only had good feelings and the noblest thoughts. It felt like a stone wall that Gretchen had erected in front of everyone who had ever meant anything to her.

  Gretchen felt a rush of indignation. She wanted to bust the wall right down and crush the stones into dust. She wanted to be free of the promise, but she knew that wasn't as simple as it sounded. If she were to tell, if she were to reveal the truth that held her tongue still, Gretchen knew she wouldn't be able to look herself in the mirror for the rest of her days.

  "I know, Chloe," Gretchen said reaching over and laying a hand on her friend's arm. "And I feel terrible about that. The last thing I wanted to do was make everyone so unhappy," Gretchen said feeling moistness appear in her eyes.

  Chloe saw the shimmering in Gretchen's eyes. "Don't cry, dear. Please. You'll set me off too," she said laying a hand over Gretchen's. Chloe squeezed Gretchen's arm with a gentle, comforting pressure.

  Gretchen started to wipe her eyes. "Don't you go crying too, Chloe," Gretchen demanded. "This day has had more than enough already," she said.

  Chloe frowned. "What do you mean?"

  Gretchen turned away. "Oh, it's nothing."

  Chloe leaned closer. "Is it Hunter?"

  Gretchen peered at Chloe. "He wants answers. Just like everyone else," she said. Gretchen ground her teeth and tried to contain the frustration that, once again, welled up inside her.

  "It's only natural, Gretchen. He missed you so much. You've no idea how much he missed you. We all saw it," Chloe said.

  "Really?" Gretchen asked, brightening suddenly. "How do you know?"

  "Trent told me about some of the talks he and Hunter had. Your husband was so desperate to find out where you were he almost hired a detective to track you down," Chloe said.

  "A detective?" Gretchen exclaimed.

  Chloe nodded. "Trent and Devlin convinced him not to. Took some persuading, I can tell you," Chloe said with a frown.

  Gretchen shook her head in disbelief. She'd had no idea that Hunter had been prepared to do such a thing.

  "Hunter also talked about going to the law. He figured you might have been kidnapped. Or that you were being held against your will," Chloe said.

  "Kidnapped?" Gretchen ejaculated incredulously. "How could he think that?"

  Chloe's brows furrowed. "He was desperate for an answer. He told Trent he thought he'd done something to drive you away. He figured you might have changed your mind about being his wife," Chloe said.

  "Oh, my dear sweet Lord," Gretchen gasped. "What have I done?"

  The day was just getting worse by the minute. First there had been the argument with Hunter. Now there were these truly awful revelations from her friend about just what kind of effect her leaving had had on her precious husband.

  Gretchen felt the seat shift beneath her. She leaned back, lifted her face and gazed at the shimmering leaves of the tree above her. The whispering of the cool breeze through the branches made a sound which was strangely calming.

  "You haven't done anything, Gretchen. Nothing at all. You're home and that's all that matters," Chloe said.

  Gretchen looked at Chloe. "Is it, Chloe?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Is it all that matters? That I'm here now. And that I brought back the twins?"

  "Of course it is all that matters, Gretchen."

  "But what harm has my being away done to how Hunter thinks of me?"

  Chloe's eyes narrowed and Gretchen saw a deeply thoughtful expression settle on her friend's face. Eventually Chloe spoke. "I am sure that Hunter still loves you every bit as much as he did before you left," Chloe said.

  Gretchen bit her lip, trying to contain the emotion which had risen up inside her. The mere mention of love had been enough to trigger a quickening of her heart.

  "Do you believe so, Chloe. Really?"

  Chloe nodded. "Of course I do. He told Trent as much. Hunter said that if you never came back to him, he didn't know how he could go on living," Chloe said quietly.

  The words cut into Gretchen's soul, searing their way into her, carving themselves on her heart. Gretchen felt the breath slide out of her with an involuntary gasp.

  Hunter had said he couldn't go on living if he didn't have Gretchen by his side? Gretchen could hardly believe her ears. Had Hunter really felt her absence so keenly, so acutely? Had it really been a matter of life and death whether Gretchen return to him?

  "Oh, Chloe! What am I to do? He wants the truth and I can't give it to him. Nor to anyone," Gretchen cried out.

  Chloe paused and then squeezed Gretchen's arm once more. "Can't you tell him something, Gretchen. Give him something that he can accept. Something that will satisfy him for the moment?"

  Gretchen shook her head. She looked at Chloe with a suddenly determined expression. "What do you think it means to give someone a promise, Chloe?"

  Chloe stiffened, apparently taken aback by the question. "A promise? What kind of promise?" she asked.

&nbs
p; "The kind where you give someone your word that under no circumstances will you reveal something so important, that if it were to be revealed, the whole world would think you are the worst kind of person," Gretchen said.

  There. She'd said it.

  That was absolutely as far as she could possibly go, Gretchen said to herself. There was nothing else she could say, apart from speaking of the promise in the most abstract terms. She hoped Chloe wouldn't press her for more details.

  Chloe seemed to consider her response for a very long time. "I would say that if I had given someone such a promise then I would do everything I could to honor it."

  "Even if it meant that the promise was a barrier to your happiness with Trent?" Gretchen asked breathlessly.

  Chloe seemed uncertain about that last point, but eventually she nodded. "Even if it meant that Trent would have to accept my judgment about what was right. Yes. I would. I would trust Trent to understand that it was important to me," Chloe said with a firm nod of her head.

  "And Trent would be fine with that?" Gretchen asked.

  "I think he would understand. It might take a while. But I think he would," Chloe said emphatically.

  Gretchen straightened and laid her hands in her lap. It seemed so clear now. Chloe was right. Hunter would have to trust Gretchen. He would have to show faith in her. She understood how hard that would be, but in the end the most important things were that Gretchen was back in his life, unharmed, and that she had brought the twins back with her.

  Gretchen's return had put an end to Hunter's suffering. But it appeared that it had also replaced one uncertainty with another, just as profound. Gretchen knew that Hunter was a determined man. He was a man who would do what it would take to get answers. And that worried her.

  Gretchen glanced at Chloe and saw a kindly expression on her friend's face that spoke of understanding and sympathy.

  "You'll be fine, Gretchen," Chloe said. "You'll both be fine. Think of the twins."

  "I can hardly think of anything else," Gretchen admitted.

  "Well, that's entirely natural, my dear," Chloe said. "They are so beautiful. You have both been blessed," she said.

  "I know we have. And that's what makes the other thing so frustrating," Gretchen said.

  The sound of the opening of the door to the parlor caught Gretchen's attention. She looked toward the house and saw the figure of Mrs. Roper leaning her head out of the room. Mrs. Roper looked up the length of the garden and called out. "Just thought you'd like to know that Hunter is back," she announced.

  Gretchen felt her breath stop in her lungs for a brief moment. She glanced at Chloe who merely smiled. "Here's your chance," Chloe said.

  Gretchen bit her lip, raised her eyebrows and nodded. "I suppose you're right. No time like the present," Gretchen said.

  Both women stood. Gretchen straightened her dress and looked questioningly at Chloe. "How do I look?"

  Chloe reached across and pushed some stray hair away from the side of Gretchen's face. "You look as lovely as ever, my dear."

  As both women started to make their way back to the house, Gretchen couldn't help wondering whether Hunter would be able to offer her the kind of patient understanding that Chloe had described.

  Or whether he would refuse to allow Gretchen the privilege of being able to keep her promise.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Hunter paced nervously along the side of the corral. He couldn't face being in the house for the moment. Not with there being so many surprise guests crammed into the parlor.

  When he'd ridden his horse into the yard he'd been mildly horrified to see so many carriages outside the ranch house. He'd recognized the carriages and knew immediately what it meant.

  Word had gotten around that Gretchen was back, although the news about the twins might not have circulated quite so widely. Gretchen had told Hunter that she'd met Trent on the way to the ranch. So Hunter figured Trent must have told Chloe and she had arranged this mass visit. Babies and all.

  The noise inside the parlor had been deafening, even more so when Hunter had walked into the room. Noisy and enthusiastic greetings had been exchanged as well as genuine congratulations on becoming a father. He'd accepted the good wishes but he'd been surprised to see no sign of Gretchen.

  But, then Trent had explained that Gretchen and Chloe were in the garden, and that they were probably having a "womanly talk" as Trent described it. After a while Hunter had politely excused himself and asked Mrs. Roper to tell Gretchen that he was home.

  Hunter heard the screams of laughter coming from inside the house and felt like groaning out loud, but he resisted the impulse to do so. He'd come home with the express purpose of talking to Gretchen and he'd arrived to find the house full of women and children.

  What a contrast to only a few days before when the house had seemed like the emptiest and most forlorn place in Montana.

  His trip to town had been abandoned on the way. Hunter's mind had been too full of unanswered questions for him to be able to concentrate on a visit to town. On the way into town one of the hands had gotten a hold of Hunter and told him about a fence breach they were having difficulty fixing. Hunter had seized the opportunity to throw himself into work, desperate to forget the disagreement with Gretchen.

  And it had worked. There was nothing like hard work to help a man forget about his troubles. And the fixing of the fence had proved to be handy and effective in driving the words Gretchen had spoken to Hunter clear out of his mind.

  But, the minute he had started on home, that had been the moment when the same old doubts and fears had started to raise their ugly heads.

  Why couldn't Gretchen tell him where she had been while pregnant with the twins? Hunter was sure that Gretchen was keeping something from him, but he couldn't figure out what it could be. She seemed to be under some kind of obligation. Something that clearly made it impossible for her to tell him what he so desperately wanted to know.

  It was burning Hunter up. Not quite as much as how mad he had felt when she had gone away, but it sure was close. What would drive Gretchen to stay away like that? And not only stay away, but not tell her husband where she was. It had driven Hunter nearly crazy, and he'd had to restrain the urges to hunt his wife down by whatever means possible. It had only been the firm but consistent reassurance from Gretchen's mother, Beatrice, that had held Hunter in check.

  And truly, at times, he'd felt like he was about to explode unless he got answers.

  But he'd waited and he'd waited.

  Now she was back, and he found that he still wasn't satisfied.

  How could that be? He had two beautiful children and a beautiful wife who was now back where she belonged. By his side.

  But Hunter still hadn't shown her how he felt about her; still hadn't crushed her in his arms and claimed her with a kiss that would show her the depth of his feeling for her. She was so incredibly beautiful. He'd almost forgotten how sweet it was to be by her side; how proud he felt at calling her his wife; how soft her skin was to the touch; how sweet she smelled.

  Who was he kidding? He'd never forgotten those things. They had driven him near crazy while she had been gone. And now was no different. Every time he looked at her he felt like a new man; felt the same passion he'd always felt for this gorgeous Montana woman.

  He paced nervously alongside the corral. He'd come outside because what he had to do couldn't be done in the house. Not with visitors present. And he knew that he had to do the one thing which had always come naturally to him whenever it came to Gretchen.

  His thinking was cut short by the sound of the front door opening. He turned and there she was. Hunter instantly felt his heart beat faster, his breathing get tighter in his chest.

  Gretchen looked somehow different than she'd looked earlier. She held her chin high and her shoulders back. Gretchen saw him and stepped out onto the porch, starting to make her way across the yard.

  Hunter leaned back against the wooden railings of the corral and simply s
avored the sight of his beautiful wife making her way toward him. Her movements were so elegant, her poise so assured. The expression of delight on her face at seeing him seemed surprisingly genuine.

  Hunter ran his eyes down the length of her figure enjoying the sight of how she held her hands clasped in front of her, the firmness of her figure and the slow, swirling of her blue dress around her legs. He loved the way her dainty booted feet kicked up little puffs of yard dust.

  Gretchen Sinclair was a sight to behold and he wondered how on earth he could have even thought of having harsh words with her. Right now the last thing he wanted was to say anything unpleasant to this astonishing wife of his. Because that was what she was. An amazing, beautiful woman who had come back to him.

  At last.

  The whole time he'd been down with the ranch hands one thought had kept coming to him, irresistible and insistent. It had been that Hunter had been a fool, doubting Gretchen for even a moment. What right did he have to doubt her? Her reasons for doing what she had done must have been powerful and strong.

  After their earlier conversation Hunter had felt a real curious mixture of emotions. He felt sorry that they had parted on less an good terms. He regretted that he'd obviously upset her. But the one thing that lingered a long time after they had gone their separate ways that morning was the way he felt about Gretchen. She had affected him in the most extraordinary way. A truly surprising way. Being so close to her had reminded him of just how much he loved her; how much he wanted her; how much he needed her.

  So now, leaning back against the wooden railings of the corral, watching Gretchen come closer to him, Hunter set his mind firm. He was going to tell Gretchen how he felt, convince her that she was the most important person in Hunter's life. He was going to make sure that Gretchen was under no illusions about just how far Hunter was prepared to go to show her that he loved her.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN