Bran (Prairie Grooms, Book Six)

by Morgan, Kit

  Not all were happy though. Clear Creek’s newest residents kept to themselves most of the time. The Duke had sent enough money to put them up at the hotel for quite a while, until they could get better settled. Colin, Harrison, and the rest of the family had been polite and cordial to them. After all, the twins couldn’t help who their father was. They’d obviously had a hard enough time growing up as by-blows, the product of Thackary Holmes’ philandering. Then, to be sent to America to escape the insults and outright cruelty, then blamed for a curse that didn’t exist … not to mention, the misfortune of people the supposed victims of it.

  No, Duncan was right to send them. Out here they would have a chance at a normal, happy life. It would be easy enough to find Nettie a husband, but Newton would need a wife.

  “I’ll send word to my friend in Boston tomorrow,” said Belle. “We can get your cousin a mail-order bride.”

  “True enough,” said Colin. “But what about Nettie? What are we going to do about her? Hold a lottery?”

  “We’ll deal with that later. I had thought of Amon Cotter for her, but let’s them get settled in first. It’s only been a few days since they’ve arrived.”

  “Amon Cotter, the carpenter? Yes, he might do, but in the meantime, she’s causing quite a stir. Who would have thought ol Thackary could have produced such a beauty.”

  “Newton isn’t bad either,” commented Belle.

  And he wasn’t. The twins both had honey-colored hair and dark eyes. But there was a fierceness about Newton, one Colin and Harrison guessed was born from years of protecting his sister.

  “Let’s worry about it all later,” suggested Colin. “This is Apple’s big day.”

  “Yes,” sighed Belle. She glanced around as people began to leave the church. “Where is Imogene, I thought I saw her earlier.”

  “You did, but she sat in the back of the church and slipped out the first chance she got to check on Cutty, poor chap.”

  “Is he any better?”

  “Doc Drake said he should be fine in a day or two, but can’t seem to figure out what’s wrong with him.”

  “Imogene said he tripped.”

  “Since when does tripping send one into a coughing fit and a faint?”

  She shrugged. “Stranger things have happened in this town.”

  Colin laughed. “Indeed, dear wife, they have! But then, that’s part of Clear Creek’s charm.” He took her into her arms, and kissed her, not caring what people thought. When Colin broke the kiss he looked into Belle’s eyes and sighed. “Come spring we’ll have a new resident. Have you thought of a girl’s name yet?”

  “No, we still have plenty of time.”

  He hugged her, kissed the top of her head, and smiled. “That we do, my darling. Now, what say we go to a wedding supper? If for nothing else but to make sure Apple or Bran don’t suffer some calamity.”

  “I quite agree,” she said.

  And with that, they followed the rest of the crowd out of the church, and to the hotel. Within moments, the church was empty. Almost.

  Seth Jones stood up from a pew in the back and turned to his brother. “Did you read it?”

  Ryder still sat, pulled the envelope out of his pocket and held it up. “How in tarnation did they find us?”

  “Don’t know. What are we gonna do?”

  Ryder shrugged. “Help them, I guess. What else can we do? They saved our sorry hides once, we do owe em.”

  Seth nodded. “Yes, that’s true. But what if it’s dangerous?”

  Ryder looked up at him. “I guess we won’t know that until we talk with them and find out exactly what it is they want us to do.”

  “You’re right. Let’s not worry about it until then.” Seth reached out a hand, and pulled his brother to his feet. “How’s married life treating you?”

  Ryder smiled. “It’s a treatin’ me real well. I think Constance is tryin’ to hide somethin’ from me, but I ain’t sure.”

  Seth’s eyes widened. “You think she’s with child?”

  “Don’t know, but I’ll be one happy fella if’n she is!”

  Seth grinned, slapped his brother on the back, and together, they left the church to go celebrate with Apple and Bran, Clear Creek’s latest and now married, Prairie Groom.

  The Weaver Farm, 1871

  Tom looked at the faces staring at him from around the table. “Well? What ya think?”

  Benjamin and Calvin’s eyes gravitated to each other, then back to Tom, their jaws slack. Rose took his hand and held it under the table. Even Arlan sat in dead silence. Not so much Mrs. Weaver.

  “Glory be! I never would’ve expected … I mean … Thackary Holmes had … children?”

  “And no one knows he’s really Cutty,” Daniel whispered then looked at Tom. “What about the note?”

  “What about it?” asked Tom, “you know as much as I do.”

  “Wait a minute,” Calvin said as he stood, his hand going to his hip. Thankfully, he wasn’t wearing a gun. Tom smiled in satisfaction. “Wipe that grin off your face! What do ya mean, ya only know as much as we do?”

  “I don’t know what was in that note.”

  “How can ya not know?” asked Benjamin.

  “Because I didn’t read it. Seth and Ryder did.”

  “But… who was the big black man that gave Bran the note in the first place?” asked Samijo.

  “I thought you said you paid attention to details,” Tom teased.

  “Wait!” Mrs. Weaver cried. “I know, I know, just give me a minute …”

  “Ma, you ain’t gonna guess at it,” said Arlan dryly.

  She ignored him and pointed at Tom. “When you told us Ryder’s story, he told Constance about a couple that helped him and Seth when they was just boys, and wanderin’ in the wilderness. Taught them to hunt rabbits and such.”

  Tom smiled. “You really do pay attention, ma’am.”

  “I knew it!” she said and threw a triumphant look at Arlan.

  Arlan held up his hands in defeat, and sat back in his chair. “So what happened to the new comers?”

  Tom smiled. “I ain’t gonna say. You’re just gonna have to wait for it.”

  “What?” the twins cried in unison.

  “I’m sorry boys, but Rose and me gotta get back to town. I’ve got a job to do and I can’t be doin’ it while I’m sitting at this here table tellin’ ya stories.”

  “But … what about Belle and Colin, what did they have? A boy or a girl?” asked Ma.

  “And I still want to know about the note!” added Benjamin. “What did Seth and Ryder mean they’d have to wait to see what he wanted? What did he want?!”

  Tom shook his head in resignation. “I told ya, I don’t know any more than you do right now. All I did know at the time, was that when Thackary’s youngin’s showed up, some strange things started in to happening around town. The men went crazy over Nettie, poor thing, kinda like they did when Preacher Jo’s wife Annie first come to town. Her brother Newt didn’t take kindly to none of it, I can tell ya that.”

  “Newt?” asked Samijo.

  Tom chuckled. “Yeah, that was Newton’s nickname. Kinda funny, ain’t it?”

  Samijo smiled. “I’ve never heard it before.” She took a deep breath. “I want to thank you for staying and telling us all of these stories. They’ve been very entertaining.”

  “You’re welcome, ma’am,” Tom said as he stood. “I’m sorry, but we have to be leavin’ now.”

  “NO!” cried Calvin. “I have to know …”

  Tom looked at him, his face calm. “What?”

  “Did everything turn out?”

  Tom raised both brows at him and cocked his head to one side.

  “You know what I mean, did …” he swallowed hard. “Newton and Nettie, did they find someone?”

  Tom took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “If’n I tell you their stories, you might not believe me. I think we’d best leave things right where they are.”

  “NO!” This time f
rom Benjamin. “I … I …” His face suddenly lit up, and he looked at Tom. “Clear Creek, how far is that from here?”

  “Oh, no, don’t even think about it,” warned Tom.

  Calvin’s face also brightened with the same idea. “We’d be back before ya know it, Ma!”

  “You two are not going to Clear Creek!” she said and stood. “You’re gonna stay here where you belong and work this farm!”

  Calvin spun to his mother, opened his mouth, then turned back to Tom. “Are they still there?”

  “Who?”

  “Everyone! The Cookes, Apple and Bran, Seth and Ryder, Doc Drake … the twins?”

  Tom gave him a smile. “Yeah, they’re all there. And I imagine they will be, for a long, long, time.”

  The End

  About the Author: Kit Morgan, aka Geralyn Beauchamp, has been writing for fun all her life. When writing as Kit Morgan her books are whimsical, fun, inspirational sweet stories that depict a strong sense of family and community. When writing as Geralyn Beauchamp, her books are epic, adventurous, romantic fantasy at its very best.

  Be watching in October for the next installment of Prairie Grooms to find out (along with the rest of the Weaver clan) what happens next when Bran O’Hare catches (quite literally) his English Mail Order Bride! In the mean time, if you love Kit Morgan’s books, check out her alter ego—Geralyn Beauchamp’s titles!

  Time Masters Book One; The Call

  Time Masters 2, The Prophecy

  Coming soon to audio! The Prairie Bride Series! Be watching in December for these fun audio books at audible.com, amazon.com and iTunes. You can visit Kit’s website at www.authorkitmorgan.com