The Unlikely Wife

by Debra Ullrick

  Head hung low, she shifted and swayed with her mare’s movement. Her head gave a yank, then she raised it and tried to hold it upright. Struggling to stay awake so she wouldn’t fall off the horse and break her neck, she turned her mind to her surroundings and back to Michael’s kiss. When he had grabbed her and kissed her like that, she’d been so shocked all she could do was stand there.

  Her fingers found their way to her lips. She wished Michael would kiss her like that again, but that wasn’t likely to happen. From the way he tore out of the house, he must have regretted kissing her. Had it been that awful for him? It sure hadn’t been for her. When his lips had touched hers, it was as if the heat of the noon sun had found its way into her body, warming it through with liquid love.

  The breeze lifted the strands of hair from around her face and swung them across her cheeks. It took what little energy she had left to brush them away. She wished she could brush the broken pieces of her heart away as easily and let the breeze carry them far away so it wouldn’t hurt so bad.

  Selina rode into the ranch yard and up to the barn door. She closed her eyes for a moment, then swung her leg over the horse’s back.

  Before she so much as saw him there, Michael’s spicy musk scent surrounded her and his hands went about her waist. She tilted her head backward, and her back brushed against Michael’s chest as he lowered her. Her feet touched the ground, but because she was worn out, her legs wilted and she swayed.

  Michael’s arm wrapped around her, holding her strong and steady. “Thank you, Michael,” she whispered through a yawn. She took a half step away from him. Her eyelids felt like someone had tied rocks to them and was pulling them downward.

  “I’ll take care of Macy. You need to get her home.” Jesse’s voice reached her ears.

  Selina wobbled her attention onto Jesse and offered him a smile.

  The next thing she knew, strong arms were scooping her up.

  Michael’s body shifted underneath her with each step he took. “I’m carrying you home and no arguing with me, you hear?”

  She heard, and she wanted to protest but was too tired.

  So just this once she’d let him have his way.

  And just this once she laid her head into his chest.

  And just this once she pretended they were man and wife in every way.

  Tomorrow, things would be back to normal.

  Tomorrow she would remember that he didn’t love her and that he was only doing his duty by her, but tonight she didn’t care to remember.

  Michael’s peppermint breath drifted around her as his breathing increased with each step toward home. His soothing heartbeat swept through his arms and against her back where he held her. Her eyes slid shut and sweet dreams of Michael carrying her floated through her mind.

  Selina felt herself being lowered and her eyes bobbed open. “We home?”

  “We’re home.” Michael’s voice was as soothing as the birds singing in the trees and the river waters back home.

  She pulled up from the couch and dragged her body toward the stove.

  “What are you doing?” Michael asked from behind her.

  “You ask me that a lot, don’t ya?” She tried to laugh but couldn’t find enough get-up-and-go to do so. “I’m gonna fix you some vittles then head to bed.”

  Michael laid his large hands on her shoulders. He turned her around and gently nudged her toward the sofa. “You don’t have to do that. Mother made dinner for us tonight. All we have to do is eat.”

  Relief pushed through her. “That was mighty sweet of her.”

  “She figured you’d be exhausted after being up all night and gone all day so she made extra and sent it over.”

  She stopped resisting him and allowed Michael to lead her into the living room.

  He gently pressed on her shoulders, forcing her to sit. Her eyes followed him as he walked back into the kitchen. The man sure came from some mighty fine stock.

  Michael brought her a plate full of food and a glass of warm buttermilk. She thanked him, then picked up a piece of fried chicken and tore off a chunk. Chewing took more strength than she had, so she put it back down and set the plate aside. She curled into a ball on the sofa and closed her eyes.

  Michael filled his plate and headed over to join Selina. His heart melted seeing her curled on the sofa and her food barely touched.

  He set his plate next to hers, slid his arms under her shoulders and legs and carried her up the stairs. The woman weighed next to nothing. Selina might act tough, but she felt fragile in his arms, and he could feel her ribs she was so thin. She was eating more than when she had arrived, but not much more. On top of not eating enough, she worked harder than their draft horses during wheat harvest.

  He laid her small, sleeping frame on the bed. Poor thing was so tired she didn’t even arouse. He looked at her trousers, her belt and her boots, wishing he could put her into something more comfortable. But even though they were married, he wouldn’t feel right changing her clothes. Instead, he removed her boots and laid a blanket over her.

  Tendrils of hair feathered against her pillow. Her lips parted. He wondered what it would be like to kiss her as often as he liked without restraint.

  To hold her in his arms whenever he wanted.

  To have a real marriage with her.

  To love her.

  Chapter Eight

  Michael headed downstairs. He picked up his plate and sat down at the table, alone. His attention trailed upstairs to where Selina was sleeping. He’d gotten used to eating with her and it felt weird not to. Funny how the woman was starting to grow on him.

  He finished his dinner and cleaned up so Selina wouldn’t have to. When he finally headed to his bedroom the wolf howled from his cage near the sofa, making the hair on Michael’s neck and arms rise. Before the thing woke up Selina, he hurried and snatched it out of its cage, rushed it outside and set it down on the ground.

  The second he let it go, he realized his mistake. The pup took off running into the thick woods. Michael ran after it, dodging trees and branches. He struggled to keep his eyes on where it was heading, but before long the pup had disappeared from his line of vision.

  If it were a dog, he would holler its name, but it wasn’t, and the animal had no name. Pushing back thick brush, he searched frantically for the wolf, but it was too dark to see. He knew by the time he got back to the house and grabbed a lantern, the thing would be long gone, if it wasn’t already. As much as he didn’t want the wolf around, he felt like a louse that it was his fault the animal was gone. He should have paid more attention to what he was doing.

  How was he going to tell Selina what he had done?

  And would she believe him after all the fuss he’d made about having the wolf in the first place?

  Selina squinted and placed her hand over her face to block out the light coming in through her bedroom window.

  Light?

  She bolted up and looked around. What time was it, anyway? She threw the covers back and, since she was already dressed, flew down the stairs and glanced at the grandfather clock. Fifteen minutes after eight. Jumpin’ crickets. She had way overslept.

  The house was quiet. Michael had already gone to work, and that poor wolf pup hadn’t been fed or tended to since last night. Her attention drifted to the empty cage.

  Empty? Her heart flew to her toes. She ran through the house in search of the pup, but he was nowhere to be found.

  She rushed outside, checking all around the house, under the porch, through the trees, under every bush, all the way down to the barn, and still no sign of the young critter.

  She bridled Macy and then rode off, widening her search. A rider headed her way. Relieved to see it was Michael, she galloped to him and leaped off her horse. So did Michael. “Have you seen the wolf pup, Michael? He’s gone. I can’t find him anywhere.”

  Michael’s eyelids dropped.

  Oh, no. “Where is he?”

  Michael raised his head but wouldn’t lo
ok at her. “Last night when you were sleeping he started howling, so I took him outside. When I set him down, he darted off into the woods. I tried to find him, but it was too dark to see where he went. I’m really sorry, Selina.”

  Anger bit through her. Was he? The man never did like the idea of her having the wolf pup in the house. Had he let him go on purpose?

  “I know what you’re thinking, Selina. I can see it in your eyes, but I didn’t do it on purpose. I wasn’t thinking. I was so concerned he’d wake you up that I forgot to put the rope on him.”

  She looked into his eyes. There was truth there. She glanced away, toward the place where she’d found the pup, and sadness drizzled over her heart. She hadn’t realized she’d gotten so attached to the little critter.

  “Did you get some rest?”

  She pulled her attention back onto Michael and the concern in his voice. “Sure did. I slept like a bear in hibernation. Much obliged to you for lettin’ me sleep. I’ll hurry back home now and get cleaned up so I can come back and help with the chores.”

  “The chores are all finished. Why don’t you go home and rest, sew or do something that isn’t too tiring for you?”

  “I’m fine. But I think I’ll go check on Sadie. See iffen she needs any more help.”

  “Mother and Leah went to help her today.”

  “Well, that was right nice of them. What are you fixin’ to do now?”

  “Head back to the barn to get ready to start harvesting the wheat tomorrow.”

  “Oh. Anything I can do to help?”

  “No. But, I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we head over to Jake Lure’s first? He had a litter of pups he’s trying to get rid of.”

  Her eyes shot up toward him. “You mean it, Michael? You don’t mind? I thought you didn’t want animals in the house.”

  He held his hand up. “Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I didn’t say anything about it coming into the house. The dog will have to say outside.”

  The instant the words left his mouth, Michael knew that pup wasn’t going to live outside. What had he done? Why had he offered to get her a puppy? Who was he kidding? He knew the answer to that question. When he’d told her about the runaway wolf pup, the heartbreak that had dashed across her face crushed him. To ease her hurt, he was willing to go over to Jake’s house. Jake. The man who jeered people by insulting them and had heckled Michael about Selina’s trousers. Maybe going over there wasn’t such a good idea.

  Then he made the mistake of looking at Selina again. Seeing the joy on her face, he knew he would have to follow through with the puppy idea. “Before we go and look at the puppies, you have to promise me it will stay outside.”

  She weaved her head back and forth. “Sorry. Can’t do that. ’Cause once I give my word, I keep it, and I can’t promise I won’t feel sorry for the little critter whenever it looks up at me outside the door all sadlike.”

  The woman was honest if nothing else. And she really did love animals.

  Now what should he do?

  He hated the idea of animals in the house he had spent months building and furnishing—with expensive, quality furniture—so everything would be perfect for his new wife. Whether he liked it or not, Selina was that wife, and it was her home now, too.

  All he could do was hope and pray the puppy didn’t tear up the place the same way Jesse’s puppy had chewed up Michael’s favorite toy when he was younger. Or soil anything like when Abby had let one of the barn cats loose in the house and it had a litter of kittens on his father’s shirt folded on a shelf in the closet. As a young boy, whenever Michael wore that shirt it was like having his father with him wherever he went, and made him less lonely for him. An animal in the house had ruined that for Michael. But, he wasn’t a boy anymore. It was time to let that go. “Okay. You win. Let’s go see if Jake has any more pups left.”

  Selina threw her arms around his waist and pressed her head against his chest. “Thank you, Michael. I’m so happy I could kiss you.” She yanked from his arms and looked up at him like a frightened fawn. “I didn’t mean I would up and kiss you or nothin’. I just meant that I was so happy I could. But no need to fret, I won’t,” she prattled on.

  Michael placed his fingertips gently over her mouth. “I know what you meant, Selina.”

  She nodded. “Can we go get that puppy now?”

  He moved his hand away and laughed. “Yes. Let’s go.”

  Standing next to Selina’s horse, Michael bent one knee, intertwined his fingers and laid them on top of his knee. Selina placed her foot in his hands and, using it like a stirrup, swung herself onto Macy’s back. A breeze of soap stirred in the air as Selina moved.

  “You must be excited. You actually let me help you up this time.”

  She laughed and it sounded like soft thunder and a misty rainfall combined. He mounted his horse and they headed toward Jake’s.

  When they rode through the bunchgrass, a rabbit skittered out of its hiding place, startling not only them but also their horses. Their mounts snorted and sidestepped.

  Selina hung on and calmed Macy down.

  Very impressive. Bareback, anyone else would have been thrown.

  “Oh, iffen only I’d a had my rifle with me. I’d have shot that little critter and made us some rabbit stew.”

  Leather creaked as Michael shifted in his saddle. “I don’t understand you, Selina. You love animals. You’re always doctoring them and here you are wanting to shoot something as cute as a rabbit.”

  “Oh, I don’t enjoy it iffen that’s what you’re thinkin’. It’s a matter of survival, and I know the good Lord put certain things on this earth to provide food for our bellies. I could never shoot somethin’ just to be shootin’ it. And, it does bother me. But when you see your brothers hungry, you’ll shoot just about anything to provide for them.”

  Michael couldn’t even imagine what the woman and her family had gone through. Couldn’t imagine what it was like to go hungry, and he prayed he never would. Hearing her comments hurt enough. “Did everyone in your family go hunting?” Side by side, they followed the wide trail through the trees.

  “Not when they were younger. When my ma took sick and died, my pa loved her so much he plumb gave up. Forgot all about us youngins. But I didn’t. I couldn’t bear seein’ them beg for somethin’ to eat. So, I taught myself how to shoot and hunt and look for plants and other things that were edible.”

  “How old were you when your ma died?”

  “Ten.”

  “Ten?” Michael felt the shock clear to his toes. What kind of a father let his ten-year-old daughter hunt? He couldn’t fathom letting his sixteen-year-old sister Abby go hungry or hunt for food. “How old was your brother?”

  “Seven. Ma lost two babies after she had me.”

  “How many brothers and sisters do you have?”

  “Ain’t got no sisters. Only six brothers.”

  “How old were they when your mother died?”

  “Jacob was seven. Peter and Eli were five, Matthew was three, and Zeke and Zachary were almost two. Jacob, Peter and Eli are married now. And Doc’s payin’ for Matthew to go to school to become a doctor so he can take over his practice one day. Zeke and Zachary live with Jacob and his wife, Sarah. Even though they’re seventeen now, I could a never let myself get hitched iffen I thought they wasn’t being taken care of.”

  His admiration toward her went up another notch, although he wondered how someone so young could raise a family, especially two sets of twins. “So you basically raised them by yourself then.” It was a statement, not a question.

  “Had to. My brothers helped when they got older, but it still took a lot of work to gather food and all.”

  “Why didn’t your father help?”

  “Like I told you, Pa gave up when Ma died. He just sat around, starin’ into the air most of the time until his muscles no longer worked. It got to where we had to carry him everywhere. Sure hurt watchin’ him suffer like that.”

  “What about the
suffering you and your siblings endured because he gave up? Didn’t you ever resent him for basically dying then, too?”

  Even though his own father’s death was an accident, Michael had felt that way when the man had died. But, Selina’s pa, well, he had just given up and that wasn’t right.

  His horse shook his head, trying to rid its neck of a pesky horsefly. Michael leaned over and took care of it for him.

  “No, I never did resent my pa for that, Michael. He loved my ma something fierce. And before my ma died, Pa used to read to us, tell us stories, hugged us a lot and told us how much he loved us. Pa was a good provider up until then. But his heart broke when Ma died. He said it was as iffen he’d died that day, too. And in a way, I reckon he had.”

  “My father died a long time ago.” Michael still felt his father’s death as if it had just happened instead of eons ago.

  “What was your pa like?”

  “He was a strong man who loved the Lord and loved to spend time with his family. That’s one of the reasons why he moved us out here, to spend more time with us. Business took too much of his time back in New York. And even though he worked hard, long hours out here, we were all together and could go with him anytime.”

  “How’d your pa die?”

  “A tree fell on him. Crushed his chest. He died instantly. I never got to say goodbye.”

  “You still can, you know.”

  Michael glanced over at Selina, frowning. “What do you mean? He’s gone.”

  “Well, I never got a chance to say goodbye to my ma. Always felt like somethin’ was left undone, iffen you know what I mean.”

  He understood exactly what she meant.

  “So, before I came here, I went to Ma’s grave and had myself a long chat with her. Told her I was sorry I never got a chance to say a proper goodbye and all. Told her I loved her. And that I’d see her again whenever I went to meet my maker. I had me a right fine talk with her and all that weight I’d been carryin’ with me all them years plumb lifted.”