ROMANCE: MAIL ORDER BRIDE: The Other Man’s Baby (A Clean Christian Historical Western) (New Adult Inspirational Pregnancy Romance)

by Joyce Wright

  Again, not wanting to be too much trouble, Ruby hadn’t jumped at the offer for Emma to take over sleeping in the crib, but Thomas assured her that William was getting too big for it anyways. Ruby had given in and laid Emma in the crib. Then she grabbed what blankets she could find and created a small bed on the floor for William. She took him from Thomas’s arms and tucked the toddler into bed. Thomas couldn’t help but notice when Ruby gave William a brief goodnight kiss on the forehead, which William seemed to enjoy because he let out a little coo.

  Thomas couldn’t help but think he’d have the same reaction if Ruby were kissing him on the forehead. Watching the motherly way in which Ruby tucked the babies into bed and hummed softly to them, he couldn’t help but feel like they were their own little family. It had happened so fast, too fast. Yet, something in Thomas told him that Ruby and Emma weren’t going anywhere.

  Chapter 6

  As the weeks passed, Thomas, Ruby, William and Emma grew into what resembled a real family. Thomas would work the fields and care for the farm each day while Ruby would care for the house and the children. Their relationship grew stronger too. Thomas and Ruby would rise early in the morning and carry on conversation until the children woke. Then in the evenings they would chat over dinner and together they would put the children to bed.

  Thomas couldn’t help but notice how his feelings for Ruby and Emma had grown over the past month. Emma was starting to feel like his daughter. He would cuddle her and carry her around. William even treated her like a sister. He too would try to play with her throughout the day.

  Then there was Ruby. Thomas’s breath caught in his chest every time he looked at her. He had started having feelings of longing. Thomas wanted to take Ruby into his arms, to kiss her and to hold her. At times he found himself fantasizing about putting her into his bed, peeling her dress off of her and then taking her. His thoughts consumed him so much that on more than one occasion, he had to make up some excuse to leave the cabin.

  These feelings also frightened Thomas to some extent. He was finding it hard to have feelings for Ruby while also having feelings of being unfaithful to his dead wife. She is dead! She is dead! He had to remind himself over and over. She isn’t coming back. She would want you to move on!

  Thomas also had the feeling that Ruby wasn’t telling him everything about her past. There had been several moments during their long conversations when Thomas had asked Ruby more about her husband and she had completely changed the subject. He didn’t know if it was because she was dealing with the same emotions he was, or if there was more to it. Either way, he had decided not to pry. Ruby would tell him everything when she was ready.

  It had been several weeks since Thomas had gone to town for supplies. Finally, they could hold out no more. They were completely out of everything. Thomas hitched up old Russ to the wagon, helped Ruby load the children into the wagon and then they were off.

  The wagon jostled and creaked as it moved down the trail. Emma seemed to be enjoying the jiggling of her body from the rough terrain because every so often she would let out a little scream of delight and giggle. William sat on the bench between Ruby and Thomas. He looked around curiously and watched Emma every time she did her routine.

  Once in town, Thomas tied Russ and the wagon to a hitching post outside of the Mercantile. He helped Ruby, who held Emma tightly, down from the wagon. Then he reached up and lifted William off of the wagon. Together, they walked into the store.

  As they perused the aisles, discussing what they would be purchasing, Ms. Patty appeared from behind the counter. She eyed the little family with a slight grin of success on her face. Thomas couldn’t help but notice they were being watched.

  “Good afternoon Ms. Patty,” Thomas greeted the old woman.

  “Why hello there Thomas Baldwin, and who might these lovely young ladies be?” she smiled even more at Thomas as she approached them. Clearly she was itching to be introduced to the woman her letter had called for.

  “This is Ruby McAlister and her daughter Emma,” Thomas introduced them cordially, “And Ruby, this is Mrs. Patty O’Neal. She and her husband own the store.”

  “Pleasure to meet you,” said Ruby shyly.

  “Well the pleasure is all mine!” chortled Ms. Patty, “You know, it’s about damn time that man found himself a new wife. I’ve been telling him for the last year that it was time to get on with things and find a mama for that boy of his.” Ms. Patty just kept going.

  Thomas found himself to be blushing. He wasn’t sure why, maybe it was because of the sudden feelings he had been having for Ruby lately and the last thing he needed was some nutty old hen embarrassing him. Deciding to cut the conversation short, Thomas laid a stack of money on the counter. Thanked Ms. Patty for the supplies, and hustled Ruby and the children out of the store.

  “Well she seemed very nice,” said Ruby with an awkward grin once they were all seated back in the wagon.

  “Oh she is nice all right, and nosey to boot. She looked after William when my wife died. Ms. Patty has been after me to get re-hitched since last winter,” Thomas explained as he drove the wagon back through town.

  They decided to stop by the Barber Shop on the way out of town. It had been quite some time since Thomas and William had received haircuts. Thomas’s hair was close to touching his shoulders and it was starting to drive him crazy.

  After retying Russ and the wagon to a hitching post outside of the Barber Shop and helping Ruby and Emma down from the wagon. Thomas couldn’t help but notice a group of women huddled up. They seemed to be whispering to each other, casting quick glances back at himself and Ruby. He thought this was odd, however, he figured word had gotten out that he had received a mail order bride of sorts. The gossiping old hens, he thought to himself as he escorted William into the Barber Shop. Ruby had decided to window shop with Emma while they waited.

  “Afternoon Mr. Danner,” Thomas greeted the barber.

  “Hello there Thomas,” Mr. Danner replied, “I see there’s a new face in town.” He said gesturing to Ruby and Emma who were just outside.

  “Yes, sir. That’s Ruby McAlister and her daughter Emma,” Thomas told the old man as he sat in the barber’s chair, “Ruby is helping take care of William and the homestead while I work the fields.

  “I see,” said Mr. Danner as he began to cut off Thomas’s locks, “Thinkin of gettin hitched again are ya?”

  “No, she is just the nanny,” Thomas explained wondering why everyone in this damn town thought he needed a wife.

  “Well you never know,” pushed Mr. Danner, “You’ve been a bachelor for a long time now. You’ve only got one child, seems like you’d want to have a few more.”

  “I think you’ve spent too much time talkin’ to Ms. Patty,” chuckled Thomas, although Mr. Danner wasn’t completely wrong. The thought of making love to Ruby hadn’t been the only thought to cross his mind. Thomas had also found himself thinking about the way Ruby’s body would look while bearing his child. The thought sent a little shudder of excitement through his spine.

  “You know… I’ve heard a few things around town about that dame,” said Mr. Danner after a few minutes of silence.

  “What do you mean? She only arrived here a month ago. How can anyone know anything about her already?” questioned Thomas earnestly.

  “Well now, I’m not much of one for gossip, but it seems to me there was a man from New York City who came through awhile back. He said he was lookin’ for the lady who’d run off with his baby,” Mr. Danner stopped cutting and looked at Thomas, “If I remember correctly, he said the girl he was lookin’ for was named Ruby McAlister.”

  Not wanting to call Mr. Danner a liar, and not believing his ears, Thomas allowed the barber to finish cutting his hair. When he was done, Thomas grabbed William, paid the man and left in a hurry.

  Thomas found Ruby and quickly pulled her and Emma back to the wagon. He loaded them into it and without a word, turned the horse and wagon and headed out of town. He was i
n such a hurry, he was pushing Russ a little harder than he should have. The wagon was creaking and rattling as it bounced down the trail.

  “Thomas?” asked Ruby nervously, “What is going on?”

  “Tell me something,” Thomas said finally, “Did you steal that baby? Is she yours?” He couldn’t believe he was asking her this, but he had to know.

  “What?” replied Ruby, there was shock and a little fear in her voice.

  “Mr. Danner, the barber, said there had been a man come through town about a month ago. He said he was looking for a lady by the name of Ruby McAlister. Said she had taken his baby,” Thomas spat out the words as he drove. He was trying to keep his anger in check, but if she had been lying to him, she would have to leave.

  “Well…I…” but she stopped. She grew silent for a moment. Then she began to speak again, “Yes. I am Ruby McAlister… I did take Emma away from that man, but he was horrible. He beat me and I wasn’t sticking around to allow him to beat Emma too. We were never married, it was all a big mistake, except for Emma of course.”

  Thomas felt as though somebody had just punched him in the stomach. He couldn’t breath and he felt furious.

  “So you lied to me!” he said gruffly, “You came to me, lied about a dead husband and then asked to nanny my son.”

  “I didn’t ask you! I needed a job and you offered me one!” Ruby exclaimed back at him. Feeling the tension between the adults, William and Emma both began to wail. They were not used to hearing loud angry voices. Ruby tried to quiet both of them.

  “As soon as we get back to the homestead I want you out!” Thomas barked bitterly. He couldn’t believe what he was saying, but at this moment his anger was too much for him to restrain.

  When they finally reached the homestead, Thomas grabbed William out of the wagon and stormed towards the barn. He left Ruby to get herself down from the wagon, pack her things, and leave, but she didn’t.

  Chapter 7

  Thomas fumed as he stormed around the barn. How could she lie to him? He paced back and forth wasting time so Ruby could get her things and leave. Thomas would not allow a liar to raise his child. In fact if he had it his way, he wouldn’t even let her leave with Emma. He would rather raise those two on his own than let some good for nothing liar have the little girl he thought of as his daughter.

  After what felt like an hour, Thomas decided Ruby had had enough time. Surely she would be gone by now. He picked up William, who was playing in a pile of hay, and left the barn. As he reached the yard, Thomas noticed there was light coming from the cabin. Ruby had not left!

  He stormed through the yard, onto the porch and through the cabin door. The candles in the cabin were lit, there was the smell of food cooking, and there in a kitchen chair sat Ruby. If it hadn’t been for the fact she was nursing Emma, Thomas would have grabbed her by the arm and thrown her out of the cabin. However, something about the way Ruby held Emma to her breast stopped Thomas in his tracks. He was angry still, but it had subsided slightly.

  “Are you done fuming?” asked Ruby not looking at him.

  “Not really,” replied Thomas gruffly. He closed the door behind him and sat William on the floor, “I thought I told you to leave.”

  “You did,” she answered still not looking at him, “But I figured you needed to hear my side of things, before you cast us out.”

  “All right then,” said Thomas dryly, “Explain yourself.” He made his way over to a chair and sat down roughly in it. He looked at Ruby with bitter eyes.

  “Well, to be honest there isn’t much to tell. I was a young girl when my father tried to marry me off. The man I was to marry was wealthy and lived in London and my family was very poor. The man I was to marry gave my father money to wed me. When I got there he was just horrible! We were only together one time and we were to be married that next month. Soon after I told him I was with child he fell gravely ill when the plague struck. He died a few days later. I was left alone and believe it or not, he hadn’t left a dime to me. After I buried him my home had been stripped away by his family. I decided to come to America with Emma because I was told it would be a good place to start over. I came to America and found it was not a suitable place for a woman with a young baby to start a new life. I was broke and starving. A man offered me a job in his saloon. At first I thought he wanted me to waitress, then I realized he only wanted me for my body. I had nowhere else to go, so I left. I’ve been slowly making my way from job to job around the country until I saw a company who was filling letters for mail order brides. I signed up and here I am.” Ruby finished her story, wiped Emma’s milk covered lips off with a towel and began to speak again, “So, now you know my story. If you wish for me and Emma to leave, then certainly I will abide by your wishes.”

  For the second time today Thomas felt as though he had been punched in the stomach. He watched as Ruby redressed herself and placed Emma in the crib. Then she picked up William and tucked him into his own bed.

  Thomas couldn’t take his eyes off her. Yes, he was angry with her for lying to him; however, after hearing her story, he could see why she hadn’t told him. Had he known who she was, he never would have let her stay. It was then that he chose to listen to his heart. He loved her.

  Without thinking Thomas jumped from the chair, grabbed her and held her tight in his arms. Next thing he knew, he kissed her.

  He felt her body in his arms, her lips on his as he held her closely. He kissed feverishly and to his surprise, she kissed back, wrapping her arms around his neck. Both Thomas and Ruby looked up at each other in surprise. Thomas could tell Ruby wasn’t going anywhere, and he was happy about that.

  Chapter 8

  When Thomas woke the next morning he was surprised to see that it was light outside. The cabin was lit with the warm sun shining in. He was also surprised by the warm content feeling that Ruby was still there. She was still asleep, and Thomas watched as she lay peacefully. Thomas, too, felt at peace. There were no guilty feelings about his ex-wife. There were no angry or bitter feelings about Ruby’s past. He was truly content.

  Looking around the cabin, Thomas noticed that William was still asleep, however, Emma gazed up at him from her crib. Smiling to her, Thomas gently picked her up and wrapping her in a blanket, he carried her outside.

  Once on the porch, Thomas sat in the old wooden rocking chair and rocked Emma quietly. He looked down at the child as he rocked, she truly felt like his. The horses nickered at him, but he thought they could wait for their breakfast a little longer.

  As he rocked Emma, Thomas looked out over the sunlit valley. Autumn would hit soon and all the tree leaves would be changing colors. Perfect time of year for a wedding, he thought to himself. He didn’t know if he would ask Ruby to marry him or not. After last night, the proper thing to do would be to make an honest woman out of her and claim Emma as his own child. Thomas didn’t know if they were ready for that just yet. He definitely knew he loved Ruby. He knew he wanted her to bear his children, but he just didn’t know if he was quite ready to make her his bride just yet.

  At that moment the cabin door opened. Ruby stepped out wearing just her nightgown. She looked radiant, standing in the warm morning sun, her hair hanging messily down to her butt. Looking at her made Thomas shudder.

  “Good morning,” said Ruby blushingly, she took in the site of Thomas rocking Emma, “Looks like I’ve been passed up for another little lady.

  “Never,” said Thomas smiling at her. He stood up and kissed her on her forehead before handing Emma over to her, “But this little lady is probably ready for her breakfast.”

  “I’ll get right on that,” Ruby said taking the wriggling baby in her arms and unbuttoning the shirt so could nurse. Emma ate eagerly.

  Thomas walked into the cabin and pulled on his boots and hat. Then he walked back outside. Before heading to the barn to do chores, he stopped to kiss Ruby one more time. Then he walked to the barn.

  The months began to pass and Thomas and Ruby’s love only g
rew. They also watched as their children grew together, so Thomas decided the old cabin just wouldn’t do anymore, not for such a growing family. So the following spring, he began building a new house. It would have multiple bedrooms, all of which he and Ruby would fill with children, he thought. However, there was still something missing, Thomas thought one afternoon as he marked out the spot where he would build the new house.

  Without any hesitation he made his way to the cabin. Ruby was just laying Emma down for her nap, when Thomas walked through the door. He took Ruby’s hand and led her out onto the porch. Then he got on one knee.

  “When you got here, I was a broken man. I had a crippled son and a couple of unplowed fields. You and Emma helped to heal me. You brought warmth and love back into this family. You also brought a beautiful little sister for my son and I can’t wait to give them more siblings. Ruby McAlister, will you do me the honor of becoming Ruby Baldwin? Will you be my wife?” Thomas asked Ruby holding her hand closely.

  “When I came here, I was a broken woman, Thomas Baldwin. I had a bastard child and no money to my name. You and William took us into your home and together we have built a family of our own. Yes, I’ll marry you,” Ruby replied. Then with a passionate kiss, Thomas pulled his bride to be into his arms. He was ready to be married again.

  **THE END**

  Chapter One

  Reluctantly, Jesse Greenhow placed his infant daughter back into her cradle, the one he’d built when he and Aimee had been eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child a summer ago, when all the promises he’d believed in seemed destined to come true. A hard winter later, he didn’t believe in promises anymore. Six-month old Aimee-Anne was the only survivor of those promises, and her birth had cost Aimee her life.

  Sarah put her hand on his arm. “She needs a mother,” she said gently.