A Secretive Mail Order Widow For The Humorous Rancher (The Love of Low Valley Series)

by Elliee Atkinson

  When she’d discovered the letters from the ladies on the East coast and then noticed him replying to Nan’s, she’d been outraged. It took everything she had not to ransack his cot and his trunk and tear up the clothes she’d so carefully repaired for him. She’d pictured herself tearing each button from every shirt, every pair of trousers, scuffing up his shoes, breaking off the spurs from his boots…However, she’d done nothing. She’d sat on his cot and read the letters from that woman, feeling herself heat up with anger and outrage.

  How could he do that to her?

  Bee listened with growing excitement to Carrie and Ben’s conversation. Nan was sick. She wished for a moment that she’d been the one to make her that way. She’d thought about it. However, at the last minute, she decided there was no way to poison Nan without hurting someone else in the house. If Ben got sick and died from being poisoned, Bee would have to take a pistol to herself in repentance.

  She tensed up when Ben flirted with Carrie. She didn’t care that neither of them took each other seriously. She was offended that Ben would flirt with someone else. If he was going to be that way with anyone besides Nan, it should be her. It shouldn’t be Nan either, for that matter. She was the one who deserved his attention. She’d been trying to get it for years.

  She pushed away from the door when it sounded like their conversation was coming to an end. She had no work that urgently needed to be done so she decided she would pay Nan a visit herself. Offer her services, maybe clean up a little. It would give her a chance to find Ben’s letters back to Nan. She wanted to read them. She wanted to know if he’d mentioned her at all. Surely he had to have mentioned her at least once.

  She’d made sure for the past six months, since she discovered she and Ben were meant to be together, to see Ben at least once a day, if not more. She was sure he noticed they were together at least for a little each day. She wanted him to have that pleasure, too, even though they would have to hide it from the Masons.

  Bee knew the Masons wouldn’t approve of the love she and Ben shared. It didn’t matter that he was trying to spread his wings and see what else was out there. She was sure in the end, when Nan proved to be the wrong woman for him, he would turn back to her and they would finally be together.

  It was best that Nan was sick, Bee thought as she slipped through the front door and made her way across the compound toward the path that led to the cottage. It was right. It was just a sign that Bee’s initial thought of poisoning was the right thing to do. It had happened even though Bee didn’t follow through with what she wanted to do.

  Bee could continue it, though. If she thought hard enough, she could think of a way. She was determined enough, that was for sure. Ben needed and deserved to be with the right woman, not led astray by a vixen.

  She approached the cottage and realized she could easily be seen from where she was. She didn’t want Nan to know she was there. She wasn’t planning on confronting the woman. She just wanted to see how she lived.

  Bee had a room in the main house that she shared with another maid. It was a nice room, but it wasn’t as nice as the family rooms and certainly wasn’t an entire cottage. It was outrageous that the Masons had given the cottage to a woman they didn’t now at the behest of a ranch hand. Even if it was Ben who had brought her here.

  She still couldn’t get over how upset it made her to think Ben had sent for someone when she was right there. It was almost as if he didn’t realize they were going to be married eventually.

  He had to know. They’d grown so close over the past few months.

  She ducked behind a line of shrubs that led up to the front porch and crouched down, skirting along the other side until she was beside it. She remained in that position, coming up under the front window that looked into the living room.

  She touched the tips of her fingers to the sill and peeked over the edge for just a millisecond. No one was in the living room. She relaxed a little and lifted up so she had a clear view of the living room. She took in the messy area around the couch. The throw was messed up and one of the pillows was propped up against the armrest as if Nan had slept there the night before.

  Confused but still curious, Bee took in the pile of cloth rags, the bucket, and the bottle of cleaning solution on the table in front of the couch. She scanned the rest of the room, thinking it all looked clean. Perhaps Nan was the kind of person who could not bear anything to be dirty.

  The thought of Ben’s dirty clothes she herself had washed, the mess of his boots after a muddy trek through the desert, the intense smell in the bunkhouse at the end of a hard day’s work… Bee smiled. If Nan didn’t want anything dirty, she was in for a big surprise.

  On the other hand, if she was sick enough, Bee wouldn’t have to worry about it. She didn’t see enough of the woman to know what she’d look like if she was sick. She wasn’t in the living room for Bee to see anyway.

  She ran her eyes around the room, looking for anything else she could disapprove of.

  Seeing nothing else unusual, Bee turned away from the window and pressed her back against the exterior wall. A smile was plastered to her face as she stared blankly out at the side yard in front of her. It sounded like the perfect plan. She would sneak back here to the cottage and poison something that only Nan would touch or eat. That way Ben would be safe.

  Then, when she got sick, it would be blamed on her fear of germs. She would be the first person to believe it.

  Delighted with her skeleton of a plan, Bee hurried back across the compound, away from the cottage and toward the stables. She had to go to town and get some supplies. She would ask them in town what was the best thing to use to get rid of pests.

  CHAPTER 19

  Nan Confesses The Truth

  Nan looked at the door when a knock alerted her someone was there. She set the hot water bottle she’d had on her belly to the side and covered it with the couch throw.

  Moments later, she was at the door, peeking through the small half-circle window. It was Carrie Sharp. A tingle of nervousness slipped through her. Had she done something wrong? Was Carrie coming to kick her out and tell her to go back to Georgia?

  She cleared her throat and blinked rapidly, staying her fear best she could before she opened the door.

  “Good afternoon, Carrie!” she said. “I was expecting Ben. Is everything okay?”

  Carrie’s smile was somewhat reassuring. Nan stepped back to let the woman in. Carrie was holding a pitcher of dark liquid, what Nan assumed was tea.

  “Yes, I know Ben was supposed to come back for lunch,” Carrie said. “But he stopped by the house and after we had a talk, he asked me to tell you he needs to return straight to work if he wants to have more time with you later.”

  Nan nodded. Carrie’s words did nothing to sway her fear that something was wrong. She didn’t have to know Carrie well to recognize the look of concern on the woman’s face. The thought of Ben stopping to talk to Carrie and then being unwilling to come to the cottage made Nan’s anxiety skyrocket. She tried to calm her shaking heart.

  “Do you want to sit down? You must have a good reason to come all the way out here.”

  Carrie nodded. “Yes, Ben mentioned something that concerns me and I noticed something as well. Do you want some tea?”

  “I would like some, thank you.”

  “I’ll pour it. You sit down. Now, will you tell me something that I don’t think you’ve told Ben?” Carrie spoke as she went to the kitchen and took two cups out of the cupboard. She looked over at Nan.

  Nan walked to the edge of the kitchen and leaned on the tall counter top. “I don’t need to sit down. Unless you want to sit here at the bar. Please, tell me, why are you here? Have I done something wrong?”

  Carrie’s eyebrows shot up. She shook her head. “No, no. Not at all.” She set one cup in front of Nan and took a sip from the other. “But I’ve got… well, I’ve got a keen sense of intuition, you see, and, well… you heard us talking about the upcoming storm.”
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br />   Nan nodded, picking up the cup and drinking from it while Carrie spoke, her interest peaked.

  “I knew about the storm ahead of time, know about it, that is, because of that extra sense. I know about other things, too. When you were at the house last night, I noticed something different about you. Something odd. And Ben says you were feeling ill this morning…”

  Nan’s eyes widened. She hadn’t hid it as well as she thought. He must have thought she looked terrible. She was devastated, her heart aching. Carrie noticed the change and hurried to continue.

  “He didn’t say anything bad about you, Nan. I think he has really fallen for you and the two of you will be wonderful together. But he did notice that you were feeling bad and trying to hide it from him. He said it was probably because you didn’t want him to worry. And I understand that.”

  Nan was relieved to hear what Carrie was saying, but couldn’t shake the ache that was flowing through her body. She hadn’t wanted Ben to worry about her. Having him actually mention it to Carrie felt like she’d made a big mistake and should just leave.

  “Nan, will you please tell me what’s going on with you? You know what’s happening, don’t you? I know why you’re trying to hide it. I do understand.”

  Nan frowned, staring blankly at Carrie. She couldn’t imagine what the woman was talking about. Had she been poisoned? Were they trying to get rid of her?

  “I… I don’t understand, though…” she said slowly. “What… I’m not trying to hide anything. I mean, when Ben came this morning, yes, I had just gotten sick and didn’t want him to worry about me. But it sounds like you are thinking something else. Do… do you want me to leave?”

  Carrie stared at her, confused. “Leave? Absolutely not. Why would we want you to leave? Do you think we are trying to get rid of you? Oh, honey, that’s not it at all.” Carrie came around the counter and stood beside Nan, looking down at her sympathetically.

  “Nan. You must tell me what you were doing before you came here. What did you do in Georgia?”

  Nan felt uncomfortable. Why was Carrie questioning her? Was she trying to make her lie about her past? She felt like it wasn’t any of Carrie’s business. However, she was living in a home owned and provided generously by Carrie’s family. She didn’t want to be kicked out.

  She studied Carrie’s kind face, wondering if she could trust her. The feelings of guilt and shame she thought she’d been able to shed were flowing over her again. She tried to keep the tears from welling up in her eyes.

  “Oh, Nan. I didn’t mean to make you cry. Please. Tell me what happened to you before you came here. Did someone hurt you? Did a man hurt you?”

  Nan lowered her head. She didn’t understand where Carrie was coming from. Why was she asking her those questions? “I don’t… I wasn’t…” She was hurt but it wasn’t by a man. It was by what happened to her man.

  “Please tell me, Nan. I won’t tell anyone else, I promise. I’ll be your friend and help you through this. You can’t spend your entire pregnancy alone. I’ll be right here with you and we’ll get Ben to understand. He will. I promise you.”

  The word pregnancy rang in Nan’s mind like a loud bell. Her eyes opened wide and she inhaled sharply. She hadn’t thought of that. It was nearly two months since the last time she’d been with Johnny. Just a few days before his death.

  She’d never even thought of it.

  The look on Carrie’s face told her the woman just realized she didn’t know that’s what was wrong with her.

  “Ho… how do you know that’s what it is?” Nan stammered. “I… I didn’t even… I don’t…”

  “Honey, I understand why you don’t want anyone to know. If you were hurt, I want you to know it’s not your fault and you still have friends.”

  Nan shook her head vigorously, covering her face with her hands. She didn’t know whether to feel elated or terrified. It wasn’t Ben’s child. Would he want to raise another man’s child? It could put an end to her budding relationship with him. He might send her straight back to Georgia.

  She didn’t want to go back to Georgia. However, if she was forced to go, she knew exactly what she would do. She would go straight to Johnny’s parents and tell them they would never see their grandchild. When they threw her out like garbage, they threw out their grandchild as well, a living, breathing reminder that Johnny had existed and they had been married.

  She might feel petty for a short time, but in the long run she was saving the child from the possibility of being thrown out if he did anything that displeased them.

  She looked at Carrie, dropping her hands to her lap. “I didn’t realize I might be pregnant,” she said quietly, looking directly at her new friend. “But nothing bad happened to make me this way. I… I didn’t tell Ben but… I was married before. I was married for the last almost three months to a man named Johnny Simpson.”

  Carrie lifted her eyebrows. “Oh?”

  Nan nodded. “Yes. And my husband was killed in a bank robbery. He was a clerk. He stepped in front of a coworker, a woman he worked with. She was spared.”

  Carrie’s face crumpled into a devastation. She held out her arms and Nan received the hug willingly.

  “Oh, Nan, I didn’t know any of that. And now you have a precious child to remind you of your husband. What a blessing. What a blessing.”

  Nan’s heart filled with warm love for Carrie. It was the perfect take on the situation. Carrie’s following words were even more fulfilling.

  “We will talk to Ben. You don’t need to fear. I’m sure he will be understanding.”

  As much as she wanted to believe it, Nan still had her doubts. However, she was glad Carrie was determined to stay by her side through whatever happened.

  CHAPTER 20

  Ben Is Concerned

  Ben sat on the stool in front of the bar and tapped his fingers in front of him. A few seconds later, Lee, the bartender, set a beer down in front of him.

  “How you doin’ today, Ben? You’re lookin’ a mite worried.”

  Ben nodded, glancing to his left and right to see who else was in the bar. “I am a mite worried,” he said. “Got a new woman to look after and a ranch to take care of and lots of things on my mind.”

  Lee laughed, shaking his head. “Well, you coulda stopped after the first one. Saw ya in town with that lady friend of yours. She’s real pretty. Where did you meet her? I don’t think I’ve seen her around here before. She from the other side of Low Valley?”

  Ben shook his head. “Nah. She’s from Georgia. Friend of mine suggested I bring a lady over from there, someone who needs a place to stay, security, you know. So I sent her some letters and she wrote me back and now here she is. Right here in Low Valley.”

  “Well, ain’t that a hoot!” Lee said, raising his bushy eyebrows. “I ain’t never heard of nothin’ like that. What if ya got a shrew?”

  “She ain’t a shrew,” Ben said, defensively and continued, immediately dropping the tone. “I mean, I’m real impressed with her. I…” He chuckled. “I already fell for her. So I can’t say nothin’ bad about her.”

  “That’s real nice, Ben. Real nice to hear.” Lee reached down below the counter and pulled out a bottle of liquor. “I’m gonna give ya a shot on the house, just for good luck!”

  Ben smiled at the man, his mixed emotions swirling through his body. “Thanks, Lee. I appreciate that!”

  He knocked the shot back before drinking his beer. Lee moved away from him, leaving him to his thoughts.

  Carrie would get to the bottom of it. He felt like she had an idea what was going on, but was hesitant to tell him what it was. She had strong intuition and often knew things before they were discovered. He was only a little surprised by what she’d told him earlier that afternoon.

  Unable to return to work and put his all in it, Ben came to the Broken Horseshoe instead. He just needed a short break to process everything that was going on. The upcoming storm was putting everyone on edge. They would be irritable until the
weather broke and then everyone would be scrambling for cover. He’d seen it happen before, but it had been a few years.

  “Thought I might find you here.” He heard a booming voice behind him he immediately recognized as Dean. He swiveled in the stool and looked over his shoulder at the big Irishman.

  “Dean. Good to see ya. How you doin?”

  “Can’t complain,” Dean said, jerking his head toward his companion. “You know Jim.”

  “Yeah of course. Jim.”

  “Ben.”

  The two men shook hands. Dean slid onto the stool next to Ben and Jim took the one on Dean’s other side.

  “So I hear you have exciting news?” Jim asked, leaning forward to speak around Dean to Ben.

  Ben nodded. “Yep. Brought over a lady from the east coast. Gonna marry her if she turns out to be the right one.”

  “That’s a pretty big risk, ain’t it?” Jim asked, nodding at Lee, who slid a beer in front of him. “You like her?”

  “Yeah, I do.” Ben nodded. “I thought it was risky, too, and I guess it is. But she’s a great gal. I feel lucky to have her.”

  “So you’re fallin’ in love?” Jim made the words sound fun and adventurous, rather than foolish.

  Ben grinned. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “Well, good for you!” Jim exclaimed, lifting his beer glass. “Here’s to love! Ain’t it grand!”

  Ben didn’t know whether Jim was serious or not. Dean, whose loving woman was Amanda, knew what love was. Ben didn’t know Jim well enough to know if he did.

  It was as if Dean knew what Ben was thinking. He tilted his head to the side and gave Ben a one-sided grin. “Jim here went through a whole lot to get his woman. Nearly died. Got shot. Right in the chest.”