A Sweet Mail-Order Bride for the Distant Rancher: A Western Historical Romance Book

by Lydia Olson

  “I can’t believe they are coming,” Sara said. She had been shocked to hear that Milton was willing to open their home to his in-laws.

  “Neither can I,” Jane said. “I’m hoping Milton doesn’t regret it.”

  Things between Jane and Milton were wonderful. Neither of them mentioned Brandon Eimer, and with everything going on, Jane hadn’t had a lot of time to think about him. The two of them fell into an easy rhythm.

  “Hank can hardly believe it. My parents would drive him to the asylum if they lived in our home,” Sara said.

  Jane laughed. She was nervous. Milton had gone from living alone to marriage in a short amount of time. Theirs hadn’t been a love match, but they developed a strong affection with one another. Things between them were as strong as ever, but she worried that her past would once again throw a rock into it the same way that Brandon had.

  “Your parents are lovely,” Jane said. “Hank would probably end up in the clink if he had to live with my father and sister.”

  Sara laughed. “I doubt they are that terrible.”

  Jane said nothing. In truth, she was uncertain about how things would turn out with her family and new husband living under the same roof. Last time she saw her father, she’d been an angry girl, and though only a few, short months passed, she was now a wife who ran her own household.

  “They aren’t terrible, per se,” Jane told her friend. She reached out and fluffed one of the pillows. They were full of goose feathers, and the softest things that Jane ever felt. Milton wasn’t a man who spent lavishly. He wore old clothes, and she was constantly mending his shirts. She smirked as she remembered the last one, she mended. She could have used that thing as a wash rag. When it came to his home though, Milton spared no expense. The beds were covered with expensive bedding. Jane’s own bed was topped with a gorgeous, crushed velvet blanket that felt like heaven against her skin.

  She was sure that neither her father nor her sister would be able to find fault with their home. Of that she was sure.

  “What are they like?” Sara asked. “You don’t talk about them very often.”

  Jane mulled over Sara’s question as she started to arrange some flowers in a vase. She had picked some roses and lavender from the gardens around the house, and she loved the way they scented the room. Jane was not a vain woman, but she was proud of her home and her husband, and she wanted to highlight them both.

  “Complex,” Jane said. That was the nicest way she could put it. Jane was cautious about saying too much. She didn’t want to allow her anger toward her father or her frustrations with Kate to influence how those on Milton’s ranch viewed them. She was determined to make the ranch a home for them.

  Even if they didn’t always extend you the same courtesy. She shook those unkind thoughts from her head. Her mother would be ashamed if she treated her father and sister with anything but the absolute best hospitality.

  “That says a lot,” Sara told her, raising her eyebrow.

  Jane sighed. Sara was one of the most observant people that she knew. It wasn’t easy to get anything past her. “They aren’t bad people. When my mother married Pa, he accepted me into his home without question. He’s been the only father that I’ve ever really known.”

  “What are you worried about? Milton can be difficult, but I’m sure that he will try and get along as best he can.”

  It wasn’t Milton that Jane was worried about. Her father hadn’t lived in another man’s home in quite some time. He was used to being in charge and running things his way. She worried he would buck against Milton.

  He’s responsible for driving the ranch into the ground, so I don’t think Milton will appreciate any of his advice.

  “My father’s been running the ranch for so long; I’m worried he will try and do the same thing here.”

  “That could make things difficult,” Sara conceded.

  Jane nodded. It was just the tip of her worries. Milton and her father might clash heads, but she was certain that she and Kate would not get along. Kate was used to pushing Jane around. Jane did not know how Kate would handle not being the center attention. Jane was lady of the ranch, and her position as Milton’s wife would elevate her over her sister.

  “I’ll have to head out soon to pick them up from the train,” Jane said.

  “I can’t believe that Milton isn’t taking you.”

  Jane lifted her small shoulder just a bit. She too was disappointed. Her stomach was all tied up in nerves and having Milton at her side would have helped her. Alas, he had a meeting with a cattle seller that he simply could not miss.

  Instead, Hank would be taking her. Either way, she was glad to have the company.

  “I should go meet Hank,” Jane said. She placed the last sprig of lavender into the vase and surveyed the room. It was bright, clean, and smelled of florals. She was pleased with it, and she hoped her sister enjoyed it as well.

  I doubt it, she thought with a low sigh.

  “I can’t wait to meet your sister,” Sara said. “It’ll be nice to have another lady on the ranch.”

  Jane gave Sara a tight smile. Kate and Sara were not likely to be fast friends unless Kate had suddenly become a new person over the last few months.

  ***

  “I think I see them!” Jane told Hank. She and Hank arrived late to the train station and the platform was nearly empty. It made spotting her father and sister easy. They were standing slightly off to the side of the train, surrounded by several trunks, and looking very much out of place.

  Kate was in a gorgeous blue silk dress which highlighted her dark hair and light features. She’d pinned a straw hat to her head, and it drooped slightly down one side, giving her an air of mystery. Men walked past her only to turn for a second look. Kate pretended not to notice. Her dark eyes were focused on the entrance of the platform where she was no doubt looking for Jane.

  Her father looked the same as ever. He was a tall man who’d grown stout over the years. His stomach stretched out his gray vest, and his dark jacket was missing a button at the waist. Jane sighed. She was sure that none of the mending had been done since she left home. Kate hated sewing.

  Jane walked toward them. Her stomach was all in knots, and she felt like she might be sick on the platform. When her father’s eyes collided with her, and she knew that he saw her the moment his eyes hardened.

  “Pa,” she said. She felt like a little girl standing before him. She knew that he was going to be angry with her, and even though she was helping him to stay out of the poorhouse, he was mad at her, and his pride was likely hurt.

  “Jane.” His voice was curt. “Is this your new husband?” He turned his dark eyes toward Hank. They narrowed until they were small points.

  This is going to be worse than I thought. She thanked her lucky stars that it was Hank standing before her and not Milton. He might have turned her father and Kate back.

  “No,” Jane said. “This is Hank. He’s our ranch foreman, and he was kind enough to escort me to come and get you.” Jane tried to tell her father his place without speaking it aloud. She was the wife of a ranch owner now, and it was by his grace that her father and sister would have a home. She needed him to understand that.

  “Your husband didn’t come? Trouble already?” Kate was never content to let any sort of insult pass her by, especially when it came to Jane.

  “Milton had to meet with a cattle seller. He expanded his land last year, and he is looking to fill it.” Jane didn’t know why she was explaining so much. She didn’t need to. They were her guests. She did not need to offer them any extra information.

  They should be much more appreciative, especially of Milton.

  “Hmmm,” Kate said. She pursed her lips and cut her eyes around the platform. “Is this man taking our trunks or should we hire someone?”

  Jane bit her tongue so hard she could taste the copper of her blood. “We’ll take your things,” Jane said. She wanted to tell her sister to grab her own trunk, but she couldn’t
. As usual, Jane did what was necessary to keep peace between herself and her sister. “We should get going. I’m sure that you are tired from your travels.”

  Kate said nothing, and her father narrowed his eyes. Jane was shocked that that was even possible.

  “I look forward to meeting this husband of yours who can’t be bothered to meet his father-in-law at the train station,” Jane’s father said.

  At that, Jane had had enough. “Stop it,” she spit out. “Milton extended you a kindness by allowing you to stay on the ranch.”

  Her father released a small snort. “A kindness? He married you without my blessing. Helping in our time of need is the least he could do.”

  Jane could feel Hank tensing up behind her, and she knew that she needed to handle her father, even if the idea of doing such a thing made beads of sweat form on the back of her neck.

  “You’re angry with me—”

  Her father cut her off. “You embarrassed me and yourself.”

  “And you are embarrassing yourself now,” she said. Her voice grew louder, and she could see that they were starting to attract some attention. Taking a deep breath, Jane did the best she could to calm herself. “We can have this conversation at the ranch, but I’m warning you that you will respect Milton. You can be angry with me. I expected nothing less, but you are a guest in my husband’s home, and you will treat him with courtesy.”

  Jane couldn’t believe the forcefulness of the words that came out of her mouth. She’d never even imagined speaking to her father in such a manner, and from the way that his mouth dropped, and his eyes widened, he hadn’t expected it as well.

  “I need a nap,” her father grumbled, as he walked toward the wagon. Kate followed behind him with a smirk on her face.

  Jane sighed. “I’m sorry about that,” she said to Hank, as she helped him to gather the luggage.

  “No need,” Hank said. “We can’t control our families, but you certainly tried,” Hank chuckled, which caused Jane to laugh a bit.

  “I’ll need to find a way to control them before my father and Milton come into contact with one another,” she said.

  Hank laughed. “Good luck,” he told her. “You’re going to need it.”

  Chapter Twenty

  While Jane and Hank were off to the train station, Milton was meeting with Brandon Eimer. It was the last thing he wanted to do. He had wanted to go and be with Jane. She’d been a ball of nervous energy all week as they prepared the ranch for her family’s arrival. That was one of the reasons he didn’t tell her about what he had planned for the afternoon. He didn’t want her even more upset.

  “Good afternoon,” Milton said, as he entered Brandon Eimer’s home. It was a small house that looked as if it were barely standing. Milton had heard from those in town that Brandon Eimer was quite wealthy. The house didn’t make sense to Milton. For someone so wealthy, the house was barely suitable for a shack, and as Milton walked inside and the floor creaked so loudly that he worried that he might fall through it.

  “Mr. Brennan!” Eimer’s deep voice boomed through the house, and it set Milton’s hair on end. There was something about Brandon that he couldn’t quite put his finger on, and it made him uncomfortable. Milton did not care to be the last to know something, and lately it seemed that everyone knew something about Brandon Eimer that he didn’t, including his wife. “I’m so glad that you were able to make time for me.”

  Milton said nothing. He simply nodded his head slightly. He told himself that he would come here with an open mind, but he wasn’t sure that was something that he could do. He had never despised someone so instantly as he despised Brandon Eimer.

  “I’m surprised that you wanted to meet with me,” Milton said. “I’m not well-known in the city. I prefer to keep to myself.”

  “That’s surprising. I’ve heard quite a bit about your prowess as a rancher, and of course, your new wife.” Milton didn’t like the way that he referred to Jane. It turned Milton’s stomach the way Brandon seemed to focus on that one word.

  “It is surprising,” Milton said. “And it doesn’t explain why you were so interested in meeting with me.”

  Milton might not be as wealthy as Brandon, but he’d brokered enough deals as a rancher to know how to handle men like Eimer. He could already tell that whatever the older man wanted from him it was something that he thought he would get with ease.

  “You’re an abrupt man,” Eimer said. His tone shifted. Gone was the friendly man who tried to engage Milton in drink and conversation, and in his stead was someone who was terser.

  Milton was sure that he was beginning to see the real Brandon Eimer. That was fine with him. He wanted to know who exactly he was dealing with. As Jane mentioned, they were going to be neighbors.

  “I like to get to the point of things,” Milton said. “I don’t care to waste time. It’s a valuable commodity, after all.”

  Brandon’s lips thinned slightly. He was older than Milton by at least twenty-years, but he still had some vestiges of youth. His hair was dark but starting to gray at the temples. Despite his wealth, he did not have a soft physique. He was shorter than Milton, but he was slender.

  “Then let us get to the point,” Brandon said.

  He gestured toward the kitchen, a room that looked like it was slightly better than the entryway. It at least had some furniture, even if it was old and looked completely worn.

  “Are you residing here?” Milton asked. He wasn’t looking to make small talk, but he couldn’t stop himself. He was curious as to why a man who was supposedly incredibly wealthy was living in a ranch house that looked fit for a pauper.

  “Lord no,” Eimer said, looking around with contempt. He pressed a hand against the table flicking the dust off of his fingers as he lifted them. There was a look of disgust on his face that Milton found curious. He didn’t like the house.

  So why buy it? Milton wondered once more. Something was off with Eimer. The more Milton interacted with him and learned about the house, the more he was suspected that Eimer was here for corrupt reasons.

  “Why did you wish to meet with me? You mentioned that we were to be neighbors, but since you aren’t residing at this house, it seems that we won’t be neighbors after all.”

  “I do plan to live in this house, eventually,” Eimer said. His tone was jovial once more, but Milton could see in his eyes that he was searching for any signs of weakness. Milton was determined that he wouldn’t find any. Milton’s weaknesses were buried deep where even he sometimes forgot about them.

  “That’s nice,” Milton said. “Though I’m surprised that you would give up what I’m sure is a very comfortable life back east. I don’t think I caught where you said you were from.”

  “Pennsylvania,” Eimer said. “But I’ve traveled far through this country. Denver is a warm and interesting city. I was charmed by it when I visited.”

  “Well, I hope that you find what is best for you in the city,” Milton said. He really didn’t care what Eimer decided to do as long as he stayed away from his land and his wife. “It may be more to your liking.”

  “As lovely as these pleasantries are,” Eimer said, “perhaps it is time for us to begin discussing business.”

  Milton nodded. He too was ready to discontinue the niceties. “Why did you want to meet with me?”

  “I want to buy your land.”

  Milton laughed. It wasn’t one of amusement. It was short, terse, and came out before Milton could stifle it. “Are you mad?” he asked.

  “I’m simply looking to strike a deal,” Eimer said. He leaned back in his chair looking like the very picture of ease. “We are both businessmen after all.”

  “As a businessman then you should know that I have no reason to sell to you,” Milton said. His voice was firm as steel.

  Eimer leaned forward. He looked like a bloodhound that scented a rabbit.

  You are in for quite a fight if you mean to take anything from me, Milton thought. Eimer might think he could use his expe
rience and wisdom against Milton, but that wasn’t going to be the case.

  “Tell me about your lovely wife,” Eimer said.

  “What does my wife have to do with you wanting my land?”

  Eimer’s eyes were completely dead. The mention of Milton’s marriage had turned the older man colder than ice, and once more Milton wondered why. Jane seemed that she was still at the heart of their conversation, at least in some way.

  “I’ve heard that your wife is from New Mexico,” he said.

  “You seem very interested in my wife.”

  Eimer shrugged just slightly. “It’s always good to know about one’s competition,” he said.