Montana Mountain Valley Bride (Western Romance)

by Maya Stirling

  As always, the simple act of praying brought temporary healing and calmness to Bethany. She believed, with all her heart, that with faith she would find a way.

  She made her way back inside the cabin. Later, after she and Noah had eaten, she suggested they both ride to Nate’s cabin. Noah was eager to see the white horse. Bethany reckoned Noah had had enough disappointment for one day.

  Soon they were riding down the trail, heading for Nate’s cabin. Noah shared a horse with Bethany. Noah’s injury made it impossible for him to ride his own pony. As she guided her mount along the trail, with Noah seated in front of her, Bethany saw dark clouds gathering. By the time she reached Nate’s cabin she was sure it was going to rain soon. That would help melt what was remaining of the ice which blocked the pass. Realizing that tomorrow she’d be able to leave the valley, Bethany decided that, all being well, she’d try and make it into town.

  At Nate’s cabin, Bethany drew rein. She and Noah dismounted and she tied her horse to the hitch rail. She saw Nate and Brodie over by the corral.

  Bethany followed behind Noah as he raced across the yard to the corral. Brodie looked up when he heard Noah’s excited cry. Bethany hung back, allowing Noah, Brodie and Nate to talk about the white horse.

  Noah was genuinely excited and he had to be prevented from going into the corral to get a closer look at the horse. Nate waved hello to Bethany. She waved back. Nate glanced at Brodie, who muttered something to the mountain man and then started to make his way toward her. During the ride to Nate’s cabin, Bethany had prepared a speech she was determined to make to Brodie. But now, watching him saunter casually toward her, with that easy movement of his, and with a familiar look in his eyes, her mind emptied and she was suddenly unable to think clearly.

  A treacherous and unwanted thought floated into her mind as she watched his progress.

  Brodie Cameron was truly handsome. It was undeniable.

  She felt her pulse quicken as she watched him walk toward her. She recalled all those thoughts which had troubled her back at the cabin, earlier. She’d told herself that she would make things plain and clear to Brodie. That she and Brodie were just friends, and that she was grateful for his help. But there was no sense in pretending there was anything more to their friendship than a convenient, mutual acquaintance.

  When Brodie heard Noah scream with delight, he turned and looked back at the corral. When he faced Bethany again she saw a broad grin on his face.

  “I reckon Noah likes that horse,” Brodie said as he drew to a halt at her side.

  Bethany nodded once and then decided to get right to it. “Brodie. I’ve been thinking.”

  He lifted a brow. “What about?”

  Bethany wrapped her arms around herself. “This morning you said some really important things to me. And I do appreciate your concern about me and Noah. You’ve been a great help to us both. And we think the world of you. We really do.” She asked herself why her voice was shaking, because it was.

  He lifted his chin and peered down at her. “Why do I think there’s a “but” coming?”

  “Well,” she began, then paused, her breath catching in her throat for a moment. “It’s like this.”

  “Like what?”

  She gazed at Brodie. He was staring right at her. That look made her heartbeat quicken. “I can’t leave this valley. It just isn’t right for me to do that.”

  Disconcertingly, Brodie didn’t respond. He simply nodded and kept his gaze locked on her.

  “It’s Noah’s home. And it’s my home, too.”

  She expected him to explode but what he did was even worse. He nodded and muttered: “Uh-huh.”

  “We have everything we need here to build a happy life for ourselves.”

  Glancing up at Brodie she saw that his gaze had shifted to the corral where Noah and Nate were talking animatedly. “Maybe you’re right, Bethany,” he said. “Maybe this valley is just what you need.”

  For some inexplicable reason her heart sank when she heard him say those words. She’d readied herself for a continuation of their showdown back at the waterfall. Instead, he seemed happy to accept her choice. Had he changed his mind? And, if so, what had caused that change of heart?

  A few drops of rain splattered onto Bethany’s face. Brodie glanced up at the darkening sky. “We better get inside Nate’s cabin. Looks like it’s going to rain heavy.” Then he peered at her. “That’s good news for you.”

  “Why?”

  “The rain will melt that ice. Me and Nate will be able to clear the pass. And then you can be on your way. If you want to take that horse into town, like I reckon you’re so determined to do.”

  Bethany met his gaze. “I haven’t made my mind up if I will go into town.”

  Brodie nodded. “At least I’ll be leaving.” He lifted a brow. “That’ll take a load off your mind, I reckon.”

  “Don’t say such a thing, Brodie!”

  “It’s true, ain’t it?”

  She frowned and turned away from him.

  “You know it’s the truth,” Brodie said. He grunted. “I’ll just shut my trap! I’ve said all I need to say.”

  There was a powerful tone of disappointment, even disapproval, in his voice. Maybe he didn’t want to make trouble in front of Noah, Bethany told herself.

  The rain started to fall heavily. Bethany and Brodie ran for the cabin. She called out to Noah. For a moment he seemed determined to stay out in the rain, but she shook her head and ordered him to come. Nate took Noah by the hand and brought Noah to the front door of the cabin. Bethany gave Noah a disapproving look and then followed Nate and Brodie into the cabin.

  As she did so a rumble of thunder echoed across the valley. It was as if the skies had listened to her conversation with Brodie and was now passing judgment.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The following morning Nate arrived fresh and early at Bethany’s cabin. Nate brought the white horse, tethered to his mount by a rope. The horse pulled defiantly at the rope, trying to break free. As she stood at the cabin’s front door, Bethany watched the horse struggling with the rope and felt her heart sink. She asked herself if taking the horse into town was the right thing to do. Doubts continued to tug at her as she prepared breakfast.

  Nate and Brodie secured the horse in the small, makeshift corral at the rear of the cabin. Brodie and Nate finished eating a quick breakfast and then they headed up the trail to start the work of clearing the pass. The rain had fallen steadily into the previous late evening. All snow had cleared from the valley. It looked pristine and clean.

  Bethany remained in the cabin while Noah went outside to keep a close watch on the horse. Bethany still battled with the thought of taking the horse and selling it to the livery owner in town. Was she really doing the right thing?

  She couldn’t help thinking about what Brodie said to her, yesterday; the way he’d shown his desire that she be safe and that her life be as good as it could be. He seemed to genuinely want her to have a happy life. She couldn’t fault him for wanting those things for her. His heart was in the right place.

  Yesterday, at Nate’s cabin, Brodie had seemed to have accepted that he’d failed to persuade her to leave the valley. He hadn’t argued with her when she’d emphatically rejected every point he’d made. Inside Nate’s cabin, Brodie had been curiously tight-lipped and reserved. Either he had given up trying to persuade her, or he had other plans. She couldn’t figure out the truth.

  Around mid-morning, Brodie and Nate returned to her cabin and announced that they’d cleared the pass. Just as Brodie had predicted, the hard-packed ice had melted in the rain, and the good news was that there had been less rocky debris mixed in with the ice than Brodie had feared.

  Brodie sat at the table drinking a cup of water. He wiped his sweat-covered brow. “We can leave today,” he said and glanced inquiringly at Bethany.

  “We?” she asked.

  The air in the room suddenly crackled with tension. Nate’s gaze shifted quickly fro
m Bethany to Brodie. “I’ll go and see how Noah’s doing out back.”

  Nate left quickly. Once the door was closed, Bethany sat at the table. “Did I hear you say we both can leave?”

  “If you’re going to town today, I’m coming with you.” His voice was steady and emphatic.

  Bethany sat back on her chair. “I can do this on my own, Brodie. There’s no reason why you need to wait here any longer. Maybe you should just leave now.”

  He squinted at her. “You don’t really mean that, do you?”

  She shifted awkwardly on her chair. Why did she always feel butterflies in her middle every time he looked at her like that? “It’ll take me a while to get ready. You can make a start on your own. You don’t have to wait for me.”

  “I’m going with you, Bethany. And nothing you can do or say is going to change that.”

  Bethany met Brodie’s defiant gaze. Her heartbeat was racing and her pulse was pounding. For a long moment she felt as if she was involved in a battle of wills. She was seeing a new side to him. A stubborn side.

  Bethany rested her hands on the table and clasped them. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Brodie.”

  “You told me that already,” he said sternly. He seemed unwilling to ease up on his demands.

  “I know you’re only doing what you think is right, but I can’t allow you to come with me.”

  Brodie shook his head and said nothing. His jaw tightened slightly, hinting at growing frustration with the conversation. He sighed heavily as if a dam had broken inside him. “I thought you and I were getting real close, Bethany.” He rolled his eyes and then leaned his elbows on the table. “I thought we were developing a genuine understanding.”

  Bethany frowned. She knew what he meant; she knew where Brodie was leading this conversation. But she was fearful of what he might say next. If he confessed his true feelings, and expressed how he felt about her, that would make everything so complicated. She told herself she wasn’t ready for that.

  When she rose from the chair, Brodie stood too and came around the table. Her eyes widened when he gently took her hands, clasping them with the softest of touches. Breath eased out of her lungs as she gazed into Brodie’s eyes. His touch sent ripples of delightful sensation up her arms.

  “Bethany,” he murmured. “I want you to know how important you are to me. How much I’ve been thinking of you.” He swallowed nervously. His eyes moistened with emotion. “How much I care for you.”

  Her cheeks flushed with heat as she gazed into his eyes. This was all happening so fast. She didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know what to think.

  Abruptly, she withdrew her hands from his tender grasp. His eyes widened, and he seemed about to say something more, but she headed for the door. “I have to get ready to leave.”

  She opened the door and stepped outside. Looking back inside the cabin she saw Brodie peering steadily at her. Then he went to the corner of the room where his bedroll was situated along with his saddle. He still had every intention of coming with her. There was nothing she could say to stop him. He was determined to do what he thought was right.

  It took around a half hour for Bethany to prepare to leave. Nate helped her attach the white horse to her own mount. She also had the pack mule fixed by a rope to her saddle. The wild horse lived up to its name. When Nate tried to tie the rope, the animal reared, fighting hard. But Nate spoke quietly to the horse and soon it settled.

  Bethany saw the concern in Noah’s eyes as she took her seat on her saddle. “I’ll be back before sundown,” she told Noah.

  Noah ran to Brodie’s horse. “Brodie. Are you coming back?” Noah asked urgently.

  “Brodie has to go back home,” Bethany explained to her son. “He’s got work to do.”

  Brodie glanced at Bethany and then smiled at Noah. “Don’t you worry, Noah. We’ll be seeing each other again, real soon.”

  Noah smiled at Bethany. She masked her features, eager not to reveal her concerns about what Brodie had just told Noah. Would Brodie ever come back to the valley?

  Brodie settled in alongside her as she started to ride along the trail to the pass. He hadn’t said much since his speech in the cabin. Bethany reflected that, if things between her and Brodie were going to be this strained, then it was going to be a long ride into town.

  Just as he’d told her, the pass was clear. Some large boulders had proven too big to move but that didn’t prevent Bethany and Brodie from entering the crevasse. Once through the crevasse, they emerged out onto the mountainside. Bethany covered the entrance with tree branches and then paused for a moment to take in the view beyond the mountain. As far as the eye could see, the terrain was free of snow.

  “Clear trails down there today. Should make for an easy ride into town,” Brodie said, as if he could read her mind.

  Bethany started along the trail which cut across the mountainside. Brodie followed behind her.

  The wild horse tugged repeatedly at the rope as Bethany led the way along the trail. Every once in a while she had to stop as the animal reacted to some noise or saw something it didn’t like. Brodie helped her out every time she had to stop and calm the horse. Because of this, their progress was slow.

  Once, at the top of a ridge, Bethany had to step down from her mount and go to the wild horse. Bethany approached the horse carefully and reached out, intending to rub its neck. Seeing her approaching the horse shook its head and tugged hard on the rope. Brodie came down and held the rope tightly, watching Bethany as she worked to settle the wild horse’s nerves.

  Bethany stroked the horse’s neck. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she. So wild and so free.”

  Bethany felt the warmth of the animal against her fingers. Standing so close, she sensed the raw power of the horse. This was nature, vital and real.

  “There’s something I have to confess,” Bethany said to Brodie.

  He lifted a brow. “What’s that?”

  “I’ve never liked capturing the horses. Every time I did it, I felt like I was doing something unnatural. Something wrong.” She squinted at Brodie. “Does that make sense?”

  Brodie nodded. “It does. These animals are made to roam free. But that’s not the reason you do it, Bethany. You take these horses because you need what they can be exchanged for.”

  Bethany frowned. “If only I didn’t have to do that, Brodie. Then everything would be so simple. So straightforward.” Her voice cracked with emotion.

  Brodie examined the horse. “It would be a shame to trade her in. This one is special.”

  Bethany met Brodie’s intense gaze. “I’ve been thinking about what you said back there.”

  “I meant every word I said.”

  “I know you did.” Summoning every ounce of her courage, she told herself it was time for the truth. “I’m glad we met, Brodie. I really am.”

  His casual manner vanished instantly. His mouth opened and there was surprise in his eyes. Bethany shook her head. “I know it couldn’t have been easy for you to say those things to me back at the cabin. And I want you to know that I’ve been feeling the same way.”

  A curious relief swept through her. Saying those words had lifted a weight from her shoulders.

  Brodie’s brows rose in a straight line. He gazed at her, but remained absolutely silent. Was he fearful of driving her away again if he said the wrong word? His lips formed a thin line.

  Bethany glanced at him as she stroked the horse’s neck.“When we met in the mercantile, I have to confess, I found you annoying.”

  “I noticed,” he said in a flat voice.

  “I thought you were very presumptuous. That you had no right to speak to me like you did.”

  “I was only trying to be friendly.”

  She sighed. “I had a lot on my mind. I was worried. I’ve never gotten used to coming into town. I don’t know anyone. I just don’t feel like I belong there. Like I’ll always be an outsider.” She tilted her head and peered at Brodie. “Maybe you’re right. Per
haps I’ve lived too long in the mountains.”

  “It can’t have been easy after losing your husband the way you did.”

  The pain in her heart, always close to the surface, rose quickly. “There’ll come a time when I have to move on. Start another life with Noah.” She shrugged. “Perhaps I’ve been trying to put that day off for too long.”

  Brodie nodded. “That’s natural. None of us like to start all over again. We get stuck in one place, and forget there are other places and other people out there in the world.”

  Was he talking about himself and the life he lived on the ranch? She was thankful for the chance to talk with him like this, she reflected. Now that she had left the valley, she was beginning to sense the promise he’d been talking about. The promise of a new life. Gazing all the way to the distant horizon, she thought about all the possibilities life held for her and Noah. Those thoughts were both exciting and scary.

  With the horse settled and calm, Bethany got back up on her horse and, with Brodie following silently behind her, rode on. They reached the timberline. The trail wound its way into the trees. The scent of pine was strong and the birdsong delighted Bethany. They came to the opening in the forest where Tyrell and Rufus had attacked her. She and Brodie didn’t stop there.

  Continuing on down the trail which zigzagged across the forested mountainside, they came to the talus-covered base of the mountain. Emerging from the trees they stopped by the side of a creek. The horses dipped their heads and took some water while Bethany dug into her saddle bag and served up some jerky to Brodie.

  As she handed it to him, he squinted at the jerky. “Is this some of Nate’s jerky? Because if it is, I think I’ll pass.”