O'Neill's Texas Bride
Page 18
She wanted to reassure him he didn’t face alone all the work in store. “Your sister told me I need to gather the eggs each morning and feed the chickens. She showed me the schedule Kathryn set up to help her. I copied everything so I can be a good ranch wife.”
Sending her a look filled with love, he brushed her hair from her face. “Of course you’ll be a good wife, my love. You only have to be by my side to achieve that. I’ll do me best to be the husband you deserve.” He planted a gentle kiss on her lips.
After releasing the break, they drove up a tree lined drive to the front hitching rail. The closer they came, the better the house appeared. When Finn set the break and climbed down, she was too excited to wait for him to come around to help her. She made her way to the ground.
One of the cowboys came running. “I’ll take care of the wagon and horses.”
Finn “I’m obliged.”
They joined hands and walked up the front walk. Stella couldn’t believe the changes in her life in the past few weeks. They threatened to overwhelm her.
She glanced at the wedding ring Finn had placed on her finger two weeks ago. He fairly danced up the steps, tugging her along. Not that she minded.
Obviously, Finn was not as confident as he tried to appear, for his hands trembled when he inserted the key into the lock. Her pulse raced with excitement and she had difficulty not jumping for joy. He pushed open the door then swept Stella into his arms and carried her over the threshold.
Emotion choked his voice. “Here we are, my love, in our own home.” He set her down and they both surveyed the foyer.
She stared at the staircase that wound upward. “I can’t believe this is ours. It’s beautiful and so large.”
“For a family. But I’m having trouble taking this all in, too.” He planted a kiss on her lips.
She broke the kiss to whirl across the floor. “Let’s explore our home before we devote ourselves to one another.”
Hand on his heart and his dark eyes dancing, he said, “You wound me. ‘Tis second place to a house I am.”
She laughed but waited for him to reach her. “You know that’s not true. I simply can’t believe all the wonderful things that have happened to us.”
“Me, either. I dreamed o’ this ranch, but it wouldn’t be a home without you here with me. And now your folks will be nearby.”
“Thank heavens for that. Papa will live longer now that he’s out of the mines. Mama’s so happy with the house Mr. McClintock rented to them, which is the nicest place they’ve ever lived.”
The Lippincott’s had left what furniture didn’t fit into their smaller house in town. A sideboard took up the end of the dining room near a table that would easily accommodate twelve. She pictured both their families here for Christmas or other holidays.
In the parlor, a lumpy sofa and well-used chair facing the fireplace at least gave them somewhere to sit. Thank goodness, draperies were on the windows in both rooms. At least the cowboys couldn’t see in the windows.
In the kitchen she hurried to the stove. “Would you look at this range? I can cook huge meals. Am I supposed to cook for the cowboys?”
“No, love, there’s a cook in the bunkhouse where they eat.”
“I wonder why she didn’t take her washtubs?” Stella stared at two large tubs stored in the screened-in porch.
“There’s a laundry in town where a lot o’ ladies have their wash done. Not Ma, but she told me about the ladies who work there.”
“Oh, there’s another wing of rooms here.” She tugged him with her and into the next room.
His face clouded with worry as he peered at the shelves of ledgers. “This was Lippincott’s office. I hope you’ll help me keep the ranch records, love.”
She knew he agonized because she had more schooling than he. “I’d love to. Then we’ll truly be partners. Let’s see what’s next.”
A small sitting room or back parlor looked out onto the garden and delighted her. “I’ll bet this is where they spent most of their time, don’t you?”
“I’d say so. Nice view o’ the flowers and looks like a vegetable patch.”
She clasped her hands to her breast. “We’ll grow most of our food. That’s wonderful. We’ll be independent.”
He slid his arm around her waist. “Yeah? What about those cowboys who work for us?”
Laughing, she whirled and grabbed his arm. “Come on, let’s see upstairs. Oh, I hope they left us a bed.”
He wiggled his eyebrows and pretended to leer at her. “Not any more than I do.”
She ran her fingers over the beautiful wood banister as they climbed the steps. Would their children slide down this someday? Would they be boys or girls, have red hair or dark brown, have blue eyes or brown?
Upstairs, there were five rooms. The first four were equally nice-sized bedrooms, each with a small fireplace and room for a chair and table in addition to the bedroom furniture they’d have eventually. Additional furniture might be a long time coming. The fifth room offered a great surprise.
She turned slowly, taking in every corner. “This bedroom is big enough for a house. Half of our cottage at Lignite would fit inside this.”
“Bigger than the cottage where I was born and the caravan where Mac and Vourneen live. I’ll bet they had a sofa and chair up here near the fireplace. Best o’ all, they left a bed, though I’d wager it isn’t the one they used.” He pushed to test the mattress.
She barely glanced at the iron bedstead while she focused on each part of the room. “Who cares? We have a place to sleep tonight.”
“And to use now.” He pulled her into his arms and gently laid her on the mattress then climbed beside her.
She slid her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. “Mister O’Neill, I am the luckiest woman alive.”
He spread her glorious red hair around her. “And I’m the luckiest man ever on this earth, my love. The world belongs to us.”
She allowed the euphoria inside her to burst forth. “And we belong with each other, my soul mate. Forever.”
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Read Caroline’s Amazon bestselling western historical titles:
The Most Unsuitable Wife, Kincaids book one
The Most Unsuitable Husband, Kincaids book two
The Most Unsuitable Courtship, Kincaids book three
Gabe Kincaid, Kincaids book four
Brazos Bride, Men of Stone Mountain book one
Buy the Audiobook here
High Stakes Bride, Men of Stone Mountain book two
Buy the Audiobook here
Bluebonnet Bride, Men of Stone Mountain book three
Tabitha’s Journey, a Stone Mountain mail-order bride novella
The Texan’s Irish Bride, McClintocks book one
Save Your Heart For Me, a western adventure novella
Happy Is The Bride, a sweet humorous wedding novella
Long Way Home, a sweet Civil War adventure novella
Caroline’s Time Travel
Out Of The Blue, 1845 Irish lass comes forward to today
Caroline’s Contemporary Titles
Be My Guest, mildly sensual
Snowfires, sensual
Home Sweet Texas Home, Texas Home book one (sweet)
Caroline’s Mysteries:
Almost Home, a Link Dixon mystery
Death in the Garden, a Heather Cameron cozy mystery
Take Advantage of Bargain Boxed Sets:
Wild Western Women, five western historical novellas by USA Today bestselling authors Kirsten Osbourne and Callie Hutton, and Amazon bestselling authors Sylvia McDaniel, Merry Farmer, and Caroline Clemmons, plus short stories by Merry Farmer and Caroline Clemmons
/> Mail-Order Tangle, a western historical duet includes Mail-Order Promise by Caroline Clemmons and Mail-Order Ruckus by Jacquie Rogers
Hearts and Flowers: Save Your Heart For Me, Happy Is The Bride, Long Way Home
10 Timeless Heroes, time travels include Out Of The Blue and novels by Sky Purington, Skhye Moncreif, Donna Michaels, Beth Trissel, P. L. Parker, L. L. Muir, Linda LaRoque, and Nancy Lee Badger
Rawhide n’ Roses 2,000 word short stories by fifteen western authors introduce readers to their voice and style
About the Author
Caroline Clemmons is an Amazon bestselling author of historical and contemporary western romances whose books have garnered numerous awards. Her latest release is O’Neill’s Texas Bride, book two of her popular McClintock series. A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, she has taught workshops on characterization, point of view, and layering a novel.
Caroline is a member of Romance Writers of America, Yellow Rose Romance Writers, From The Heart Romance Writers, and Hearts Through History Romance Writers. Her latest publications include the acclaimed historical Men of Stone Mountain series: BRAZOS BRIDE, HIGH STAKES BRIDE, and BLUEBONNET BRIDE and the audio books of BRAZOS BRIDE and HIGH STAKES BRIDE.
Caroline and her husband live in the heart of Texas cowboy country with their menagerie of rescued pets. Prior to writing full time, her jobs included stay-at-home mom (her favorite), secretary, newspaper reporter and featured columnist, assistant to the managing editor of a psychology journal, bookkeeper for the local tax assessor and—for a short and fun time—an antique dealer. When she’s not indulging her passion for writing, Caroline enjoys reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, oil painting, and getting together with friends. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.