Orphan Train Romance Series: Five Books in One! (Clean Western Historical Romances)

by Zoe Matthews

  “It is so good to see you both,” Anna said as she hugged them. The three of them hung onto each other for a long moment, relishing with the fact that they were together again.

  After releasing each other, Anna proceeded to introduce her new husband and family. Katrina was instantly drawn to the oldest brother, Luke, although she had vowed to herself to stay away from men for the next year while she focused on her new job. She wanted a break from the male species. She tried not to notice that he was the most handsome man she had ever met. All three of the brothers had the same dark brown hair that curled a bit under their cowboy hats. The three of them were the best-looking men she had ever seen.

  “Who is this?” Katrina asked as she squatted down in front of the child who was still grasping Anna’s skirts.

  “This is Sage, Luke’s daughter,” Anna introduced her. “She will be attending your school when it starts.”

  “Hello, Sage,” Katrina said to the child. “How old are you?”

  “Sage held up five fingers. “Pa says I am old enough to go to school. I can’t wait. Aida can’t wait either.”

  “Who is Aida?”

  “My best friend,” Sage replied.

  “I am looking forward to teaching you,” Katrina said and then stood up, noticing Luke standing near his daughter in a protective stance.

  “Mr. Bridger, thank you for giving me the opportunity to teach at your school. I am looking forward to starting the school year as soon as I can,” she remarked as she held out her hand in greeting.

  “You’re welcome. I hope you will be able to handle the job,” the big man muttered to her, looking her up and down almost in disgust. He barely touched her hand as he shook it. It seemed to her he dropped her hand and stepped back away from her as soon as he could. She was puzzled at his response. He did want her to come and teach, didn’t he? She hoped Anna wouldn’t have brought her here if she really wasn’t wanted.

  “Of course, I can handle the job.” Katrina felt she needed to clarify her skills. “I am a certified teacher and I have taught in Maple Grove’s school for…”

  “I am sure you are qualified, but are you going to be able to handle living in Montana?” Luke asked her as he looked at her directly, then strode away alone, leaving her with the group.

  She glanced at Anna with a question in her eyes. Anna shook her head slightly but smiled in encouragement. Katrina knew she meant that they would need to talk later.

  Katrina watched as Serena talked quietly with Paul and noticed that the man seemed entranced with her. She could tell Paul was enthralled with his new bride. Katrina was happy for her friend and silently wished her and Paul well as they started their new life together.

  The next few hours were a blur to Katrina. The small group walked to the reverend’s home so Serena and Paul could be immediately married. Once inside the well-kept home, Serena was given a room in which to clean up and change into the dress she had brought to be married in with Katrina’s and Anna’s help.

  At one point, she slipped out of the room to throw out a large bowl of water and get some fresh when she overheard the brothers talking to each other in the parlor as they waited.

  “Are you sure you want to get married?” She heard Luke ask Paul and she paused just outside the room to see what Paul would say. If Paul had changed his mind, she wanted to make sure Serena knew about it before she said her vows.

  “Of course,” she heard Paul respond to his brother, impatience in his voice. “Just because you don’t like the idea of marrying again…”

  “I know! I know! Forget I said anything!” Katrina heard Luke storm out of the house.

  “Don’t let Luke get to you,” Alex advised Paul as he slapped a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t think he really means it, deep down.”

  Katrina then realized she was eavesdropping and quickly made her way into the kitchen for fresh water. While she performed her chore, she thought about what she had heard. She wondered what made Luke so against marriage. Anna had written little about Luke and so Katrina did not know very much about him. All she knew was that he was a widower and the father of Sage and that he felt a tremendous responsibility as the oldest of the brothers and the ranch. She thought it was admirable of him to provide an education for his daughter along with the other children that lived on his ranch. It was one of the reasons she had wanted to take the position of the schoolteacher. She felt all children should have an opportunity for an education, not just those who lived in towns or large cities.

  She shook her head and decided to think about what she had heard later. At least she knew Paul did want to marry Serena. She quickly filled her bowl with fresh warm water from the reservoir on the stove and walked back to the room to continue to help Serena prepare for her wedding to Paul.

  A short while later, the group was again standing in front of the two wagons. The wedding between Serena and Paul had been performed and Katrina learned that they would be staying in town and picking up some supplies before traveling in one wagon alone so they could get acquainted. The rest of the group would be traveling back together in the other wagon. Katrina could tell Luke was anxious to leave and soon they were on their way.

  The drive to the ranch was long for Katrina. She learned from Anna that it was about a two-hour drive from the town to the ranch and she tried not to feel impatient when she heard this. She was so tired of traveling and the stress of constantly looking over her shoulder, watching out for the Porters or Joshua. She would be glad when she could arrive on the ranch where, instinctively, she knew she would be safe.

  She tried to pay attention to the surroundings while the wagon slowly moved forward. She could see the same range of mountains she had seen on the train, but they were substantially closer. She hoped she would be able to explore them soon. They were beautiful. She enjoyed Sage and her chatter and was grateful for the child because she kept her mind off of what she had left behind.

  ****

  Two hours later, they arrived at the ranch, and Katrina looked around in awe. She loved what she could immediately see. There was a large ranch house that had been painted in white. This house was surrounded by three other smaller cabins which were made out of logs. She saw curtains flutter in some of the windows. She could tell that all the buildings were well cared for. She saw another large building a short distance away from the large ranch house that she assumed was a barn. There were many fenced fields that had cattle or horses in them. There were also other small cabins and buildings further away behind the barn that she later learned were homes for the ranch hands who had families, along with a slightly larger building where meals for the ranch hands were served.

  Katrina wondered where she would be staying, and she soon learned that the main ranch house was for the use of everyone in the family. Anna gave her a quick tour and she saw a good-sized kitchen with a large table and chairs in the middle of it. There was a room about the same size as the kitchen right next to it that had sofas and chairs, with a sewing machine in the corner. Katrina knew this was a room that the family likely gathered in during the evenings.

  There were two small bedrooms behind the kitchen and living room which were not in use at the moment, which puzzled her until she learned that the three small cabins that surrounded the large ranch house were the living quarters for each brother. Luke and Sage lived in one, Anna and Alex shared another, and the third had been built for Paul who would share it with Serena as they started their lives together. Those cabins were only used to sleep in since they all gathered in the main house for meals and other activities. At the moment, Anna did the cooking for everyone, but Katrina knew that Serena would be helping her with that chore.

  Katrina thought the setup of the way the Bridgers lived was smart, but wondered where she would be sleeping. After the small tour of the ranch house and cabins, she looked around the land wondering where the schoolhouse was located.

  Anna immediately knew what she was looking for. “You can’t really see the schoolhouse
from here,” she explained. “But it is over in that direction.” Anna gestured towards the west of the ranch towards the mountains nearby. “There is a small cabin close by the schoolhouse where you will be living. The schoolhouse is about 30 minutes away in walking distance.”

  Katrina felt a little disappointed that she would not be staying at the ranch with Anna and the others, but she smiled at Anna and tried to hide her feelings. “The Bridger ranch must be very large if it will take 30 minutes to walk there.”

  “Actually the ranch is called the Big Spring Ranch, named after a large spring that winds throughout the land from the mountains.” Anna smiled as she slipped her arm around Katrina’s waist. “Luke thought it would be best if you lived near the schoolhouse so it would be easier for you to get there in the mornings. You won’t need to worry about your safety. You will be fine living there and you will be close enough we can see each other often.”

  Katrina nodded her head in agreement, but still wished she would not be living alone. She reminded herself that she was embarking on a new life and she needed to be mature and accept any changes she needed to make.

  “When can I see the schoolhouse and my home?” she asked as brightly as she could. Luke had come up behind them with that familiar scowl on his face and she wanted to make sure the man knew she was willing and anxious to start her new job.

  Anna turned to Luke to question him, and he almost growled, “I can take you out there later today.”

  Katrina felt a panic in her chest. She wasn’t sure she wanted to be alone with Luke, especially since he seemed not to like her. She was grateful when Anna quickly spoke. “Why don’t I go with you? We can plan to leave right after we eat something.”

  “That will be fine, as long as you are feeling up to it,” Luke told her with a calmer voice, smiling at her. Katrina’s heart missed a beat as she realized it was the first time she had seen him smile at anyone that day. Maybe it was a good thing he did not smile very much because even with the small grin he had given Anna, Katrina’s heart had skipped a little. The last thing Katrina wanted was to be drawn to him because of a smile.

  “I’m fine,” Anna assured Luke, smiling back at him. “I would like to make sure Katrina has everything she needs in her new home.”

  Luke nodded at Anna’s words but did not look at her. He was looking at Katrina with an unreadable look. Katrina was tempted to look away, but held her ground, letting him know he could not intimidate her. He grunted again and strode away towards the barn.

  “Don’t let Luke bother you,” Anna confided to Katrina as they walked back to the main ranch house. “His bark is much worse than his bite. He has gone through a lot.”

  Katrina wanted to ask her about exactly what Luke had gone through, but in the end decided it was none of her business. “Don’t worry about me. He isn’t bothering me. Why don’t you let me help with the meal?”

  Anna nodded as she accepted her help and together they went into the large house to prepare a quick late lunch for everyone.

  CHAPTER 7

  The meal was a new experience for Katrina. There was a lot of laughter and talking among Anna, Alex, and Sage and Katrina was quickly included. Luke contributed little but did not seem as angry or curt as he had been. He smiled at some of the comments his daughter made and laughed outright at a joke Alex told. Katrina noticed he did his best to avoid looking at her, which she found interesting. He seemed to act as if she was not there, but at the end of the meal, when he stood to leave the table, he did look at her as he thanked her and Anna for the food.

  “We probably should go in the wagon to the schoolhouse since your trunks are already in it,” Luke told Katrina. “So as soon as you are ready, we can leave.”

  “Let’s make this a fun little trip,” Alex suggested. “I think we should all go and help get you settled.”

  “That sounds great, thank you,” Katrina accepted his offer. Soon they were all in the wagon, including Sage, and slowly moving in the direction Anna had pointed where the schoolhouse was located earlier.

  Katrina started to feel excitement at seeing where she was going to live. Since they were in the wagon, it did not take as long as it would have by walking. Soon Luke pulled the wagon in front of a small building that she knew was the schoolhouse.

  It was made out of logs and looked about half the size of the school she had taught in at Maple Grove, but she knew she would not have as many students. She could tell it had been newly built.

  “Pa built the school last summer, but we haven’t used it yet, because we didn’t have a teacher,” Sage explained to her as she slipped her small hand into Katrina’s.

  “It is a very nice building,” Katrina commented. “Can we see inside?”

  Luke nodded and soon everyone had climbed out of the wagon and was standing inside the building. Katrina looked around and liked what she saw. It was a typical one-room schoolhouse. There were ten individual desks that been placed into two rows, five in each row, in the middle of the room, along with some benches. Each desk was large enough to hold two students. In the front of the room, Katrina could see a teacher’s desk and a chalkboard behind it that took almost an entire wall. On another wall hung an American flag and a map of the United States. A long bookshelf had been placed against a third wall ready to hold some books. Katrina was anxious to unpack her trunk of books that she had brought and place them on the shelf.

  “I know it is a little small…” Luke started to say, but Katrina interrupted him.

  “It is a nice schoolhouse,” she hurried to reassure him. “It is perfectly adequate.”

  Sage was running around the room, talking as she touched one of the desks. “Me and Aida chose this as our desk, but pa says you have to agree.” Sage ran up to Katrina with hope in her eyes.

  “We will have to see how many children come before we can see which desk will be yours,” Katrina commented, desperately wanting to correct the child’s grammar, but did not because Luke was standing nearby silently watching her. She noticed that Sage had picked out a desk that sat in the front and smiled to herself. Very likely, Sage would be able to have the desk she wanted, since she and her friend, Aida, would probably be the youngest students since they were only five years old. The youngest children usually sat in the front and the oldest children in the back of the schoolroom.

  “I am hoping you will have ten students, but you might only have eight,” Luke told her.

  Katrina nodded and started to answer, but was distracted again by Sage. “Can we start school tomorrow?”

  “I don’t think so,” Anna answered for Katrina. “We need to get your new teacher settled in her new home first.”

  “Oh,” Sage looked down at the floor. Katrina could tell she was very disappointed and her heart melted. She knew that for a child as young as Sage, waiting for something you desperately wanted was very hard, and she had been waiting for almost a year.

  “I would like to also meet with each of the children and their families and introduce myself,” Katrina explained as she bent down to Sage’s level. “I promise, school will start as soon as I can get things ready, maybe a week from today.” She looked at Luke to see if he was okay with her promise. It was now Monday. If she started school next Monday, she would have a full week to get settled and everything ready. She was relieved to see Luke nod his permission. Sage jumped up and down with excitement.

  “Can we ride by Aida’s house and tell her, pa?” she asked Luke. Her father shook his head, explaining it was getting too late and Sage would have to tell her friend in the morning. Sage accepted her father’s words with suprisingly good grace and soon the entire group left the small building. They started walking towards a smaller building nearby. Katrina was the last to leave the schoolhouse and did not hear Anna’s gasp of horror at first.

  “What happened?” Anna asked Alex as they quickly walked towards a small cabin and Katrina looked to see what they were talking about. What she saw almost made her heart stop.

 
There in the distance was what she could have called a small shack and she could see that there was something wrong with it. As she walked closer to the small shack, she saw that part of the shack’s roof had caved in. Alex had opened the door and looked inside. Katrina saw him shake his head as he looked around.

  “I guess you won’t be staying here,” Alex announced with a grin on his face. Luke was scowling again, glanced at the caved in roof and walked around to the back of the cabin, muttering to himself.

  “Where can I stay?” Katrina wondered. She looked inside to see what Alex was seeing and she could tell that the roof and part of one of the walls was very unstable. There was a very small wood stove in one corner, a bed and a table. Dust covered everything inside and Katrina shuddered. She could tell that even if the roof had not caved in, the structure was not sound. If anyone had ever lived in there, it had been a very long time.

  Anna glanced at Luke’s retreating form and then looked at Katrina with an apology in her eyes. “I didn’t feel good about you being out here alone, even though Luke insisted you would be fine. I am glad this happened and you won’t be able to stay here.”