Brides Along the Chisholm Trail Boxset

by Maxine Douglas

  Rose glanced down at her pocketbook, her fingers working the already warn clasp. “I was being replaced in my employer’s household. The lady of the house suddenly passed, and her husband decided to cut the house staff in half.”

  “Oh, well then,” he said, studying her then wiping a smudge of dirt from her face. “We mustn’t keep the preacher waiting, he’s been there all morning as it is. And please, call me Logan. After all, we are soon to be wed.” Logan guided her across the street and into a place called the Long Branch.

  Rose had never stepped foot in a saloon before, but was well aware of the sinful activities she heard went on in them…drinking, gambling, as well as, saloon girls providing entertainment. She saw none of that as Logan led her through the swinging doors. There were very few customers and not a saloon girl to be seen.

  Leaning against the bar was Deputy Hawkins from the train, his smile friendly and his eyes filled with amusement. Beside him, another lawman gawked while sipping a frothy mug. The barkeep stopped wiping down the bar and lined up small glasses of beverages. Then there was the man Rose guessed to be the Preacher Samuels, a bible sitting in front of him next to a dark frothy mug of drink.

  She fought back lingering remnants of fear, they didn’t know her real identity, and Mr. Griswold’s reach couldn’t extend this far west. Please let it be so, she said to herself her eyes closed in silent prayer. When she opened them, they all stared at her like she was some sort of oddity at the fair. Yes, she was a bit dusty from her trip, but she certainly didn’t look like she’d not bathed in a month or two. She’d taken a quick sponge bath a time or two along the way, nothing like a good long hot bath though.

  “Logan, do you want to give your bride time to freshen up before she promises herself to you?” Preacher Samuels asked after swallowing a glass of dark liquid Rose presumed to be a liquor of some sort.

  Rose glanced over at Logan, noticing he fidgeted, a bit uneasy. You can do this, Rose. He’s as hesitant as you are, so you’re on equal ground at the moment. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment then slipped her hand gently in his and turned to the preacher. “That’s not necessary. The sooner we get married, the sooner I can get things settled in the house.” Rose smiled up at Logan. He appeared to have broken out in a sweat. What did he have to be nervous about? He’d sent for her, hadn’t he? “Don’t you agree, Mr. Granger?”

  “Huh? Oh, yes. Yes, by all means, let’s do as the lady says.” Logan grinned at her, then gently squeezed Rose’s hand. Her heart skipped a beat, fluttering wildly against her breast.

  Rose turned back to the preacher, her nerve lodged in her throat she barely listened as the wedding ceremony began.

  Logan couldn’t believe his luck. The beautiful vision standing next to him would soon become his wife. Somewhere someone was playing a cruel joke on him. Abigail Johnson was anything but matronly. Despite her rumpled appearance, she was the most stunning young lady he’d ever seen. And she was about to become his wife. How in the world was he going to be able to hold to his part of the bargain with her living in his home?

  The moment he gazed into her coffee-colored eyes, he’d lost his heart to her. Thankfully she’d tucked that stray lock of hair or he’d have embarrassed himself. He’d wanted to reach over to feel the silkiness of it. His mouth ached to taste her. I am in so much trouble here. All I can think about is touching her…everywhere.

  Before Logan knew what he was doing, Preacher Samuels guided them through the ceremony. They’d said their marriage vows. Pledged themselves to each other. Logan repeated the words to love and protect, to obey, to not lay with another, all the words that he’d intended never to say to another woman. Said “I do” and then he’d kissed his new wife on a soft, pink cheek. Marshal Jones and Deputy Marshal Hawkins witnessed the marriage.

  Then came the round of drinks, his new wife—Mrs. Logan Granger—declined even a sarsaparilla. Had he married a stiff, unloving woman? No, he wouldn’t believe it. There was too much kindness in her face for him to believe she’d have a harsh word for even the girls at the Lady Gay.

  “Logan, I think your new wife could use a good meal after eating on the train,” the marshal suggested, looking at him like he was a lost child. In fact, that’s exactly how he felt. Lost in the warm depths of Abigail’s dark brown eyes.

  “Yes, of course. Come, Mrs. Granger, let’s get something to eat at the Dodge House.” It felt strange to say those words after all these years. The last time, he’d lost his wife before their fifth year of marriage. Please God, let Abigail live a long life for Lilly. Warmth spread through his heart. Logan grinned, then took his wife’s dainty hand in his larger one. “I’ll have Montana Sue bring Lilly up for dinner. Then we’ll head out to the house and get you settled in.”

  Rose peered up at him, tears brimming in the corner of her eyes. If it was one thing that tugged at his heartstrings, it was a female about to cry.

  He leaned down, tenderly kissing each eye. “It’ll be fine, Abigail. You’ll see,” he whispered, taking her in his arms—the fit perfect.

  Taking her hand, he placed it in the crook of his elbow. The feel of her next to him felt anything but wrong. It was right. Beyond perfection. This woman, who by her letter he presumed to be more sister-like rather than young and vibrant, would soon turn his house into a home. Not only for him but for Lilly. A young wife who would be able to keep up with a very active, and somewhat tomboyish, little girl. A young wife who sparked a fancy out of his dark soul. He’d have a lock put on her bedroom door first thing in the morning if she desired one.

  “Please Mr. Granger, call me—Rose. Rose is my favorite flower, and it’s my middle name. I’m named after my granny.” She strolled next to him as if they were out for a Sunday walk after church. He really was in hot water and he hadn’t even done anything wrong or dishonorable—yet.

  “Of course, Abby—err, Rose. As long as you call me Logan in return. Unless of course, I’m in hot water for something.” Logan said smiling with pride. “Which of course, I vow never to give you cause to call me anything other than Logan.”

  “Good to know—Logan,” she replied, her soft smile warming his heart.

  As they walked the short distance to the Dodge House, Logan pointed out various stores that he thought Rose would find interesting enough to want to frequent. “And this is the mercantile, where you’ll find all manners of female necessities. I think tomorrow will be soon enough for you to find everything you need; don’t you Rose?”

  “Yes, yes tomorrow will be just fine.”

  “Daddy!” Logan turned just in time to catch Lilly in his arms. She showered him with kisses, her short cropped brown hair flopping about. “Lilly, this is Abigail. Your new mother. She’s come all the way from Wisconsin to help me with the house and to help you with your school work.”

  Logan’s heart fell when Lilly scowled at his new wife, her brown eyes filled with suspicion. “But I’ve got Miss Montana Sue to help me with my school work, Daddy. She loves playing, more than ciphering.” Lilly gave her daddy her best pout, and an exaggerated sniff. “Why can’t Miss Montana be my new momma?”

  Logan looked down at his new wife, surprised at the tenderness in her gaze. “Lilly, that’s a discussion for later on sweetheart. How about if we all go have a family dinner at the Dodge House? I hear they are serving veal bits, your favorite. Then we can go home and you can show your new momma where everything is in the house.”

  Lilly continued her scrutiny of Rose and Logan didn’t like it one bit. He’d been right in finding a suitable wife and mother. While the girls at the Lady Gay were more than loving with Lilly, it was Montana Sue who had taken a shine to her. Logan liked Montana, but she wasn’t what he considered mother material, not for his little girl anyway. He only hoped Mrs. Abigail Rose Granger was exactly what Lilly needed. He didn’t relish giving up Rose before getting to know her a mighty bit more.

  Rose watched the young girl Logan held like a breakable package in his arms. She
couldn’t keep a smile from her face. Lilly was every inch the tomboy from her short-cropped brown hair down to her dirty britches and dusty boots. There wasn’t a darn thing wrong with it, and it was only too evident that Logan didn’t mind one bit either. He clearly loved his daughter given the way he looked at Lilly and held her safely in his arms. No one was ever going to hurt Lilly as long as Logan had anything to say, or do, about it.

  “Hi, Miss Granger,” Rose greeted, fighting back the urge to take Lilly in her arms and shower her with love. Whoever this Montana Sue was Lilly seemed to think highly of, she’d obviously done her best to look after the girl—even if she’d rather play than do school work. Rose knew there needed to be a balance of both and she hoped to show Lilly how to accomplish that balance.

  “Daddy?” Lilly asked, casting Rose a side glance.

  “Yes, Lilly.” Logan’s gaze filled to the brim with love as he looked into his daughter’s inquisitive eyes. Rose’s heart sank a bit; it was all too clear there wasn’t room for another. What had she expected? That once her intended had seen she was young, that he’d instantly open his heart to her? No, this was a marriage of convenience. He’d advertised for someone to manage the house and his daughter, nothing more, nothing less. No matter how much her heart pounded when he looked at her. Or how her body warmed at his touch. She’d accepted those terms, or rather, Abby had accepted those terms.

  “Can we get a special treat after dinner, if I’m good?” Lilly batted her eyes at her father and Rose about burst out in laughter.

  One of the things she learned from Miss Montana Sue? Rose wondered, looking away so the girl wouldn’t think she was being laughed at.

  “We’ll see. Rose has had a long trip to get here.” Logan reached down, wrapping his big, warm hand around hers. “I’m sure she’d love a bath after eating dinner. How about if you and Rose go on a shopping trip tomorrow and then stop for a treat?”

  Lilly furrowed her brows and looked pointedly at Rose as they stepped into the diner at the Dodge House. It was the last time Lilly even glanced at Rose for the rest of the day.

  While the words of marriage passed between Logan and her, they made no sense to Rose. She said the proper things at the proper time. Even allowed her new husband to kiss her gently on the cheek at the end. Then Lilly came bounding up the street and Rose’s heart melted all over again. Even at dinner as they passed the veal, roasted potatoes with gravy, and the huge basket of bread between them, confusion and apprehension filled her.

  In the span of a few weeks, Miss Roseanne Duncan had become Miss Abigail Johnson, and now rode in a buckboard next to the man she’d not met until today as his wife. Rose Duncan was now Mrs. Abigail Rose Granger—wife and mother. But as she’d used a false name was their union even legal?

  3

  Rose woke from her exhausted sleep feeling clean and refreshed. Her hair no longer smelled of smoke, and her body had lost all its grit and grime. She’d spent the night tucked into a feather bed of fresh linens after the long, hot bath Logan had prepared for her. Since she hadn’t any bed clothes, her new husband laid out one of his clean shirts for her to wear.

  New husband! Oh no, I need to get up and feed my new family. Logan will think he’s married a lollygagger if there’s not a hot breakfast on the table for him and Lilly. Rose scampered out of bed and grabbed her only dress from the winged back chair. The calico fabric slightly damp to the touch. When she looked it over, many of the dirtiest spots were mostly gone. Sometime during the night, someone slipped in and tried to clean up her dress. She owed Logan a big show of appreciation for the kind gesture. She’d at least make him a hot, home cooked breakfast for his trouble.

  When they’d arrived last night after dinner and a brief celebration with well-wishers, the sun had already begun to set. Logan insisted Rose not worry about anything other than a hot bath and a good night’s rest. There would be plenty of time for her to explore the house in the morning. She’d gladly accepted his suggestion and followed Lilly up the winding stairs to her bedroom. Lilly would sleep in the room across from hers, while Logan had the larger one in the front. As tired as she was, Rose was thankful her husband kept his word of separate sleeping arrangements.

  Soon after she’d gotten Lilly settled into bed, which Rose found refreshing when there was no resistance. Logan began lugging steamy buckets of water up the stairs for her bath. Rose had slipped off her travel weary garments, then tested the water and submerged herself in its warmth. Within her reach lay a bar of soap and a sponge. A drying towel lay across the wedding knot quilt on her bed.

  That was last night, her wedding night, sleeping alone in an unfamiliar bed. A quick ping of regret and semblance of loss touched her heart. It wasn’t exactly how she’d pictured her most beloved day, but given her circumstances had accepted the terms. Convenience and necessity—not love.

  “Enough self-pity, Rose. You’ve a family to feed.” Rose wiped away the tear sliding down her face, then slipped into her fresh smelling dress. There was only one person who could have taken the time to make sure she had something halfway presentable to wear today when she went into town. She walked over to the pitcher and bowl, splashed some water on her face, then ran wet fingers through her hair before pulling it back with a ribbon. She crept quietly out of her room and down the stairs, straight into the kitchen slowing along the way as she passed through the dining room.

  The room was sparsely furnished with a table big enough to feed a family of six, large matching chairs placed haphazardly around it. The wood looked dark and expensive at one time, but now was worn and well used. Grey-tinged curtains hung in the window, badly in need of some scrubbing. Were these things his previous wife had picked out for their home? Or had all the household items and furniture come with the house when Logan purchased it?

  “Ah, there she is. Good morning, Rose.” Logan warmly smiled, leaning against the door frame with the coffee pot in his hand. “Do you drink coffee?”

  “Yes, with a bit of milk and sugar. Are you ready for breakfast?” Rose answered surveying the room. It was still plenty early as the sun hadn’t fully risen above the eastern horizon. “Where’s Lilly? I’m sorry I overslept.”

  Logan chuckled, pouring the rich smelling, copper liquid into a cup of fine porcelain. “Lilly was up and out the door before I could get my boots on. She said Montana was waitin’ on her this morning. Something about practicing her numbers and letters.”

  Disappointment ebbed through Rose. “I’m sorry to have missed her. I was looking forward to our shopping trip into town this morning.” Picking up the cup, she blew at some of the billowing steam. “I don’t mean to pry, but don’t you think it’s a might early for her to be going into town alone? Did she have something to eat before she left? School hasn’t started, has it?” Was there even a school? I didn’t see one, or hear anyone mention a schoolmarm.

  “No, there’s no school today. I’m sure she’ll be eating with Montana; the woman spoils her to no end.” Logan chuckled lightly for a moment before his face turned serious. “I didn’t think about her going alone, I’m so used to her doing chores in the house and going to the mercantile for me. I almost missed her as it is. She was in a hellfire hurry this morning.” Logan pursed his lips, a thought crossing the surface of his eyes. “Lilly’s usually not the rise and shine kind of girl, she’s so used to my late nights at…”

  Logan looked at Rose, his tanned face suddenly gone pale. By the way he turned away, he was keeping something from her. So far, their marriage of convenience was adding more and more deception to it. If their life together was already packed with lies, what would the future hold for them?

  Before Rose could ask him what he meant to say, Logan looked at her a grin playing at the corners of his mouth. “How about if you and I go into town? I’ll collect Lilly and we can get some breakfast at the Dodge House, then shop for the things you need here. I’m sure you could use a few new dresses and some female items you need. I know the pantry will need to be stoc
ked. We are plum out of Indian meal for Johnny Cakes in the morning.”

  “I’d like to make some gingerbread for supper when we get back,” Rose suggested glancing in the cupboards for the ingredients. “Looks like we’ll need lard and molasses. It might be best to let Lilly be with Miss Montana this morning. She has a lot to figure out, even for a little girl. Yesterday when she woke it was just her and her daddy. Now today she’s got a momma she doesn’t know. That’s a lot to take on all at once for someone so young.”

  “Why Mrs. Granger, you are a wise woman.” Logan smiled and held the kitchen door open, waiting for her. “Then I think we’d better go before Collar’s runs out of everything you need.”

  “Well, if you’d been better at keeping a well-stocked kitchen…” Rose scowled, then laughed realizing he was kidding with her. With Logan’s hand at her elbow, they headed down the back steps and across the yard to the waiting buckboard.

  Except for the sound of the horses clip clopping and wheels of the wagon crunching the pitted road, the short mile ride into town was quiet. Logan glanced over at his new wife, not quite believing the lovely, young woman had his name. He’d been prepared for an average woman several years his senior. Had resolved himself to living a loveless life, with an honorable woman to care for Lilly. Instead he got Rose, as Abigail preferred to be called, a few years his junior and full of life by the looks of her.

  There was a spark in her brown eyes that mesmerized him. She could ask him for anything and he’d find a way to give it to her. Damn! He had a schoolboy’s crush on the new girl in town, who happened to be his new wife. His heart would be in trouble if he didn’t stick to their marriage agreement.

  Last night after he’d gotten them all home and the bath ready for Rose, he retired to the library mulling things over. He’d never thought he’d take on another wife, but he’d done just that. And a right pretty one at that. How in the world was he going to live up to his promise of keeping to his own room when all he wanted was to take Rose in his arms every time he looked at her?