Brides Along the Chisholm Trail Boxset

by Maxine Douglas

  Logan chuckled, then ordered two cups of black coffee. “Now, what is it that Rose needs to know?”

  Abigail sighed, pulling a package from her valise and setting it on the table. “First of all, let me ask you something. Is Rose happy, Mr. Granger? Really happy with her life in Dodge City?”

  Logan thought for a moment, then smiled. “Yes, I believe so. At least up until the past few days, she has been. We’d even talked of renegotiating our marriage contract. Then the other day, I had to ride out with Deputy Marshal Hawkins to check on some cattle. It was then he gave me news that came about her being wanted. A tornado almost destroyed our home that same day, and things have gone downhill from there.” Logan glanced over the brim of the steaming coffee, weighing his next words.

  “She’s locked herself up in jail. Told me to leave her alone, and to find a respectable woman to marry and be a mother to Lilly. Which I have no intention of doing.” Logan felt as if he were on trial and being drilled by an overprotective aunt.

  “That certainly sounds like Rose. I’m willing to bet her heart broke as she said those words. But she’s stubborn and probably thinks she’s protecting you.”

  “I know mine did. I made a rash decision to go to Chicago and plead with my boss to let me do my own investigation. If I don’t find anything that clears her involvement, then I’ll return to Dodge, pack up my family, and move farther west. I’ll do anything to keep us together.”

  “And Rose?”

  “Rose is a part of my family. Our family.”

  “And who is this boss you need to talk with? I thought you were a respectable man in Dodge City.”

  Logan sat back, toying with the cup. “I am, Miss Johnson, as an undercover bartender in Dodge at the Lady Gay. I’m a Pinkerton agent assigned to Dodge to find cattle rustlers for a wealthy Texas client.”

  Abigail’s eyes widened, and she again laughed out loud. “Well then, Mr. Granger, you really need to rethink your plans.”

  She pushed the package in front of him then rose from her seat. Logan pulled out the letter sporting the Pinkerton Agency seal. His heart beat wildly. The words he read popped off the page.

  Stunned, Logan shoved the paperwork back into the package and followed Miss Abigail Johnson out of the restaurant. All thoughts of catching the next train to Chicago forgotten.

  “Momma?”

  Rose looked up, joy filling her heart at the sight of Lilly. Just as quickly, sorrow burned it away.

  “Lilly, what are you doing here? The jail is no place for a child.” Rose’s body defied her words as her arms automatically extended to the girl. She needed to feel her daughter next to her, as best she could through the bars.

  “Oh, Momma!” Lilly flew into Rose’s arms, plastering her body against the steel bars of the cell. Little whimpers muffled against Rose’s dress.

  “I thought she needed to see you.” Etta May stood in the doorway, holding a covered basket in her hands. “Gabe, Deputy Marshal Hawkins, thought you might be hungry, so here we are.”

  Rose pushed on the door, surprised when it moved. “Will I be in trouble if I come out?”

  Etta May chuckled. “No dear, you are free to move about the office. Gabe never locked the door, because you aren’t a prisoner. You are under protective custody, not under arrest.”

  Rose pushed the door harder until it opened fully. She didn’t recall it being this heavy when she’d marched in and closed it behind her after telling Logan to leave her. She soon realized, after several hours in the small square with a bed made of planks, she’d wished she’d thought the situation through before acting on impulse. Stepping through it, she felt like a songbird freed from its cage.

  “Lilly, I’ll take that hug all over again,” Rose cried, anxious to wrap her arms completely around her daughter. This was so much harder than telling Logan to leave her. Logan was a grown man, whose common sense would eventually convince him she had done the right thing by pushing him away. Lilly, on the other hand, being a young girl, was not yet aware of the way of the world around her.

  “Momma?”

  “Yes, Lilly.” Rose peered down onto the sweet angelic face, smoothing Lilly’s ruffled hair with her hand.

  “Daddy left on the train for Chicago. He said I have to be brave and not to listen to what people say about you.” Lilly snuggled closer into Rose’s embrace, her tiny heart thumping against Rose’s tummy.

  Tears stung Rose’s eyes. She willed them back as she knelt down to look into Lilly’s fearful eyes. “Well, your daddy is a very smart man. And you, my sweet daughter, are a very, very brave girl.”

  Etta May cleared her throat drawing Rose’s attention. “None of us is very smart if we let this fried chicken, potatoes, and gravy get cold. I ain’t feedin’ it to the dogs.”

  Rose hugged Lilly again, then dished up a plate for both of them as they all gathered around Gabe’s desk to eat an early supper.

  “He’s coming back, Rose,” Etta May said, putting a hand on her shoulder as she poured milk into the glasses. “He loves you, as much as he does Lilly.”

  Rose nodded, stirring her gravy and potatoes together, wondering if Etta May was right. She thought of the kiss she’d shared with Logan a few days ago, and her heart swelled. She did love him, there were no two ways about it. When it happened, she couldn’t imagine—only that it did. But did Logan love her the way she did him? She’d give up everything to protect Logan and Lilly…including her freedom.

  As they finished the early supper with talk of a book Lilly was reading, the train whistle sounded, signally its arrival into town.

  “Duty calls. I’ve got to make sure there’s plenty of coffee for those folks. I’ll pick up these dishes as soon as the restaurant clears out.” Etta May stood, wiping her hands over the ever-present flour sack apron. “Come along, Lilly. You can read your momma that storybook when we return.”

  Rose held Lilly for a moment, tears settling in the corner of her eyes once again. She gave the child a kiss on top of her head, then scooted her off with Etta May as the train squealed into

  Logan stepped off the train feeling like it was the first time he’d arrived. With the court papers in his possession, Dodge City felt more like home than ever before. The question was, would Rose feel the same way?

  “So this is the infamous Dodge City,” Abigail remarked standing next to Logan. “Well, it certainly is different than—”

  “Daddy! Daddy, you’re home!”

  Logan swung around just in time to catch his daughter as she sprung into his arms. He squeezed her tight, kissing her forehead.

  “Lilly, I’d like you to meet Miss Abigail Johnson. She’s—”

  “Not gonna be my momma!” Lilly protested, her voice as threatening as a six-year-old could be. “I already have a momma; her name is Rose!” She scowled from Logan to Abigail.

  “Lilly Marie Granger, you will apologize at once, young lady,” Logan scolded, embarrassed his normally well-behaved child had turned into a smart-mouthed street urchin within a day.

  “I’m sorry,” Lilly said, her eyes downcast.

  “Miss Lilly, I completely understand what you mean. You love your momma, don’t you?” Abigail looked at Logan, her words clearly meant for him.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Lilly answered, her feet lighting on the wooden planks as Logan slowly lowered her to the ground.

  “May I meet this wonderful momma who has filled your lives with so much love?”

  Lilly’s eyes lit up, then faded into sadness. “Daddy, would Momma want to meet this woman when she’s in jail?”

  “Shhhh, Lilly, or the whole town will hear you.” Logan laughed, taking his daughter’s hand. “I think that meeting Miss Johnson would be exactly what your momma would want, don’t you, Miss Johnson?”

  “Oh yes, yes indeed, Mr. Granger. Then I really must attend to my other business in town once I know that Rose is well taken care of.” Abigail reached down for Lilly’s hand, and Logan was surprised when his daughter took it. “Mi
ss Lilly, would you take me over to see your momma...after a big chocolate sundae?”

  Lilly looked up at Logan, her eyes as big as saucers. He nodded and then watched as the two walked over to Etta May’s. He drew in a deep breath, the envelope tucked under his arm. Abigail gave him the gift of breaking the good news to Rose himself, and he’d be forever thankful to her. Stepping off the depot platform, Logan began to walk across the street and down to the sheriff’s office.

  “Logan!” Gabe came trotting up next to him, his eyes hidden under his hat. “Who was that woman with you on the train? And what’s in that envelope you’ve got there?”

  “That woman is an angel sent to me from Wisconsin. Miss Abigail Johnson approached me at the Kansas City station. Evidently, she’s traveled all the way to Dodge for two reasons. One to let Rose know she’s not a witness to a murder anymore. And the second one she wouldn’t elaborate on.”

  Gabe coughed, his hands loose around the horn of his saddle. “I received a telegram an hour after you left telling me the same thing. You should have stayed here and not wasted your money getting on that train. Where’s Lilly?”

  “Over at Etta May’s for ice cream with Miss Johnson. I’m on my way over to see Rose now.”

  “Hmm, well then. I’ll give you some privacy and go check on…Lilly.” Gabe gave his horse a soft kick and traveled over to Etta May’s.

  Logan walked over to the sheriff’s office, feeling like a bridegroom on his wedding day. What if Rose decided she wanted to go back with Miss Johnson on the next train? Would he let her walk out of their lives without putting up a fight for the woman he loved? Saying a silent prayer for guidance, he walked into the jail.

  “Rose?”

  The woman he loved spun around, her hands full of dirty dishes. “Logan,” she cried, dropping the plates onto the desk. “I didn’t…I mean I thought…”

  He scooped her up in his arms, showering her with kisses before she could utter one more word.

  “Lilly told me…” Rose said when Logan released her.

  “Told you what?”

  “Well, over supper that she and Etta May brought, that you’d gone to Chicago. Did something happen to change your mind?”

  He laughed, pulling her into him. “Yes, something did happen. But first I have a serious question for you, and I want an answer before I say one more thing.”

  “What more could be said, Logan? You need an honest woman in your life, not one that is wanted by the law,” Rose argued, her words falling on deaf ears. “That situation hasn’t changed. I’ll not ruin your reputation insisting you honor our agreement. I’m not that kind of person.”

  “I have an honest woman in my life, the problem is, she doesn’t seem to believe she’s married to me. She’s my wife, only not in the way I want her to be. Something I plan on changing.” Logan got down on one knee, holding Rose’s hand, afraid to let go. “Roseanne Duncan, will you give me the honor of becoming my wife? To have as many babies as the good Lord sees fit? To help me raise Lilly to become a beautiful young woman like you?”

  “But, Logan—” she began, tears rolling down her face.

  “Just answer my questions, Rose.” Logan’s pulse was pounding in his wrist. Every nerve in his body on fire. “Please, Rose, would you become my wife—my legal wife and all that it entails?”

  “Yes, Logan!” she cried, falling into his arms, knocking him over and onto the floor.

  “Good, because Miss Roseanne Duncan, you are a free woman. And if that isn’t enough of a surprise for you, I met a woman on the train in Kansas City who happened to be carrying these documents. They indicate your former employer, Mr. Atticus Griswold, admitted to pushing his wife down the steps and threatening you with all manners of ruination.” His hands shaking, Logan passed her the envelope. Rose pulled each document out, and he reveled in the surprise on her face. The joy in her eyes said volumes.

  “Abigail is here?”

  “Yes, she’s got Lilly over at Etta May’s for a chocolate sundae. Gabe was headed that way to join them, leaving us completely on our own.”

  “Well, Mr. Granger, if you think for one moment you can have your way with me before we are legally wed, you are sadly mistaken. At least not before I get my ice cream sundae!”

  Epilogue

  “I can’t believe you’re here, Abby, and that you answered a mail-order bride letter yourself!” Rose continued to fuss with her hair, placing the daisies in just the right places. “Who is this man? Someone here in Dodge?”

  “Let’s not talk of that right now, Rose. It’s your wedding day, not mine.” Abby brushed the lace veil into place with her hand. “Really, Rose, you must quit fussing about it.”

  “Yes, but…”

  “Hush now, child, it’s time to make your appearance. Your family is waiting downstairs for you.”

  Rose looked at her friend’s reflection in the mirror. Abby had given up her chance of an adventure to save her from what they believed to be a dangerous man. If it hadn’t been for Abby recognizing Logan at the train station in Kansas City, Rose might not be standing here waiting to marry Logan Granger. She was about to be a married woman and a mother to a beautiful six-year-old girl all in a matter of moments. The thought filled her with joyful bliss.

  The young woman in the white dress staring back at her was a far cry from the scared and reluctant bride who’d stepped off the train in Dodge City several months ago. Rose had lived through a tornado, warded off a jealous woman, thrown herself in jail to protect the man and daughter she loved with all her heart.

  The piano downstairs in the Dodge House parlor started playing the wedding march. Rose looked over to Abby, picked up her bouquet of daisies and sagebrush, then walked to the top of the steps.

  Everyone in town, including the once jealous Montana Sue, stood in various places throughout the parlor. Abby, serving as her maid of honor, now stood next to Deputy Marshal Gabe Hawkins. Gabe stood in as Logan’s best man. Rose wondered at their relationship, and if Gabe had been the one to send for a bride of his own. Too busy with her own wedding, she’d never questioned them. She trusted God, and time, would take care of it, and Abby would finally find her adventure with a man to love and cherish her.

  Rose’s soon-to-be daughter, Lilly, stood next to her father, a matching bouquet in her hands. But it was Logan and Logan alone who had eyes for only her. She walked slowly down the steps. Her gaze focused on the man whom she trusted to give her all the love he could. She reached him, hooking her hand in the crux of his elbow, allowing him to lead her over to Preacher Samuels.

  “Dearly beloved, we are…”

  Logan brought her hand to his lips, gently kissing away the nervousness running through her. She smiled, anxiously waiting to say those two little words…I do.

  The End

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  Turn the page to read the next book in the Brides Along the Chisholm Trail series: The Marshal’s Bride.

  The Marshal’s Bride

  Brides Along the Chisholm Trail ~ Book 2

  Maxine Douglas

  About the Book

  Abigail Johnson hadn’t expected that a lawman of the Wild West would ignite something in her she’d thought died along with her first husband. Now that they are married, he wants to take her into the Indian Territory.

  Gabe Hawkins aims to find what lies further beneath Abby’s matronly facade. When an order from the territory judge reassigns Gabe to Fred, Indian Territory, he and Abby are forced to start a new life away from civilization.

  When a gang of outlaws roll into town and take over the trading post, Abby wishes she’d listened to her husband. Instead she finds herself a hostage and Gabe is trying to find a way to get her out alive.

  To the men and women who dared to settle in what is now known as Oklahoma.

&nbs
p; To my husband who will always have my heart no matter what path we travel down.

  Acknowledgments

  My heartfelt thanks to Patricia Cunningham at the Grady County Historical Museum in Chickasha, Oklahoma. Thank you for allowing me to spend hours in the museum going through materials you gathered for me on Fred, Indian Territory while you made preparations for the 150 Anniversary of the Chisholm Trail.

  To Mark Rathe, President of the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce, for planting the seed of a series for the 150th Anniversary of The Chisholm Trail.

  To my friend Callie Hutton for always being the voice of encouragement to drive me in the right direction.

  Author Note

  According to Chronicles of Oklahoma, Vol. 12, No. 4, December 1934, pg. 449, Fred, Indian Territory, was originally on the north bank of the Washita River before moving south of the river to the Stage Road and near the Little Washita River in 1881. For purposes of my story I have used the former site of Fred, Indian Territory, which eventually became known as Old Fred.

  As for the historical figures of Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves and the Jesse Evans Gang, I have placed them in Fred, Indian Territory (Oklahoma), in the late summer of 1877. It is likely Reeves may have been in Fred at that time, but highly unlikely that the Jesse Evans Gang was. The Jesse Evans gang was a lesser known gang who cattle rustled and robbed banks in New Mexico.

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