Chapter Eighteen
“Here is your Christmas present, Judith.” Katherine handed the gown to her sister. “You look so beautiful in that blue silk gown I’m going to be sorry I will not be here to see Robert whirling you across the floor in it. Of course, no present can equal the one you and Robert received today.” She placed her slippers on top of her packed gowns and smiled at the toddlers resting on the bed they would share. “Everything has happened so quickly. I can’t believe the girls are to be yours! I’m surprised Colonel Lamont has that power.”
Judith’s eyes filled with tears. “He is the law at the fort. That’s the way it is out here on the frontier. And he was relieved when Robert told him we wanted to have the girls for our own. His only other choice was to have a soldier take them back east to an orphanage.” Her sister stroked her new daughters’ hair. “There is no one to claim them, and no way to know where they came from or where they were going. They’re too young to tell us. And there was nothing left in the wagon. The soldiers don’t even have a name to put on their mother’s and father’s graves.”
“I know. Such sad things happen to people. And so quickly out here on the frontier. But the toddlers will have a wonderful life with you and Robert. You must write and tell us how the youngest one mends.”
“I will, Katy. And you must write about your new profession as nurse to your doctor husband.” Her sister’s eyes sparkled at her. “And thank you again for helping to save Robert.”
She laughed at the memory and buttoned on her coat. “Whoever would have thought peppermint tea could save someone? When correctly applied, of course.”
There was a rap of knuckles on the door. “Judith. We need to load Katy’s trunk if they’re to catch the train.”
Katherine opened the door and motioned her brother-in-law into the room. “It’s ready to go, Robert. And so am I.” She gave her sister a hug and followed the soldier who shouldered her trunk and headed for the door. Her heart fluttered at the sight of her husband waiting for her. Her husband! When she had given up all hope. She glanced at the sampler on the wall and smiled. I trust in thee, Lord. I trust in thee.
The snow crunched beneath her boots as Trace helped her to the wagon. He lifted her in, his gaze holding hers, his hands lingering at her small waist. Her pulse raced. She settled herself on the seat and turned for one more wave as the soldier climbed to his place and took up the reins. Robert and Judith stood in the doorway of their home, holding their new daughters and beaming with happiness. Lord, I pray You will bless them with health and happiness. All that had happened in her short visit popped into her head. There were so many dangers on the frontier. And please keep them safe.
The train whistle blew.
The soldier snapped the reins and the horses broke into a trot. The buildings of Fort Bridger grew smaller in the distance. The train was at the station, the conductor waiting by the steps when they arrived. Trace helped her down from the wagon and they hurried to board. The doors closed. “Ready, Mrs. Warren?” She looked at her husband and nodded, her heart too full to speak.
The train lurched, rolled forward. She sat on the seat beside Trace, their shoulders rubbing with the sway of the train. His hand held hers, his thumb making little circles on the inside of her wrist. Strength flowed into her at his touch. Her heart soared with happiness. She and Trace were going home to their baby.
“Tell me about Howard, Trace. How much has he grown?”
“In the time you’ve been at your sister’s—perhaps a quarter of an inch.”
“I’m serious!”
“So am I. Babies don’t grow that fast.” He smiled and touched the tip of her nose. “But they do change quickly. Howard is trying to talk. I think he will learn to make sounds much quicker when he has his mother talking and playing with him again.”
His mother. How wonderful those words sounded. She clutched Trace’s arm and leaned her head against his shoulder.
The wheels clacked over the cold steel tracks. The train swayed its way along the miles. She fought to stay awake, to hold the fatigue at bay. She was improved, but with all that had happened, she was not fully recovered.
“So much has happened so fast I haven’t had a chance to ask you, Trace. Have you injured your foot?” Concern darkened her eyes. “I thought I saw you favoring it once or twice.”
“You see, I’m right to hire you. You have the natural instincts of a nurse.” He smiled down at her. “You were almost correct. I sprained my ankle.”
“How did it happen?”
“I was running to catch your train when you left.”
She stared at him, tears shining in her eyes. “You were running after me?” Her voice was soft, husky.
He gazed down at her, brushed a tendril of hair back off her forehead. “I was. And I will be for the rest of my life.”
The car quieted. They glanced at the other passengers and lowered their voices to a whisper. He chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement when she told him about trying to save Robert the night of the snowstorm. “Peppermint tea! Ingenious! And rolling him onto the warm hearthstones was the best thing you could have done for him. You will make a fine nurse, Katherine.”
She smiled and wrinkled her nose at him. “Well, the credit is yours. We rolled Robert onto the hearth because I kept wondering what you would do if you were there.” She cuddled closer against him and closed her eyes. His arm tightened around her.
“Sleep, dearest. We have a few hours until we reach home.”
* * *
The whistle blew. The train slowed, chugged to a stop. The conductor opened the door and leaned in.
“Whisper Creek Station. You have twenty minutes, folks.”
Her pulse quickened. Trace rose and held out his hand. They made their way to the front of the car, stepped out onto the little platform and walked down the steps. A door opened and her trunk was hefted to a broad shoulder and carried to the platform. Her valise rested on top.
“Evenin’, Doctor. Mrs. Warren.”
Doctor. How wonderful to hear Trace addressed that way. She brushed snow from her collar and smiled at the station manager. “Good evening, Asa.”
Trace threaded her arm through his and walked her to the runabout. A door on the station opened and closed and Mrs. Zhong walked toward them, a bundle in her arms.
“Howard! My baby...” Her heart jolted. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She took her baby in her arms, lifted the blanket over his face and covered his chubby little cheeks with kisses. She laughed at his soft, cooing sounds and choked on tears at the touch of his tiny hand on her face.
“Ah Key wait for you. Me go home to hill three days.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Zhong.”
“You had her bring the baby to surprise me?” She couldn’t stop her happy tears.
“I knew you wouldn’t want to wait to reach home to see him. Ah Key brought them in the buggy. Now let’s take our baby home.”
“Our baby...”
Trace kissed the tears from her cheeks, handed her into the buggy, loaded her trunk and valise, then climbed to his seat and started the horse for home. It was the same and yet so very different from that first night.
Lights shone from the windows on the first floor of the hotel. They warmed the windows of Blake and Audrey’s home above their general store. And they glowed at the church and parsonage. She cuddled Howard and snuggled against Trace and watched for the Ferndales’ house. The large Victorian-style home loomed out of the dark, its paint gleaming in the snow-streaked moonlight. And now their home. Her pulse quickened. She sat forward and peered ahead, remembering how strange it had looked when she first saw its octagon shape.
Trace stopped the horse by the front entrance and Ah Key stepped out of the shadows and took hold of the cheek strap. He smiled and gave a short bow. “Glad see Missy W ho
me.”
She cleared her throat and smiled. “It’s good to be home, Ah Key.”
Trace helped her down and Ah Key led the horse away, her hoofs thudding against the packed snow.
She held Howard close and walked with Trace up the steps and across the porch, stopped and waited for him to open the door.
“Not this time, Katherine. This time I’m going to do it right.” She held Howard tight as her husband lifted them in his arms. He pressed his warm lips to hers then carried them across the threshold.
Trace’s strong arm supported her up the stairs. She unwrapped Howard from his blanket cocoon, changed his diaper and put on his nightclothes Trace handed her. The baby’s eyelids slid downward, fluttered and closed.
“Looks like the fresh air made him tired.”
“Isn’t he beautiful, Trace?”
“He is indeed. And healthy and strong.”
“Thanks to your skill, and the blessing of the Lord.” She tucked the covers close around their baby, leaned down and kissed his soft, rosy cheek. He wiggled and squirmed. His little hand sneaked out from under the blanket and found his mouth. He closed his lips around his thumb and made tiny sucking sounds.
Happiness overwhelmed her. She turned and stepped into her husband’s arms, leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. He raised his hand and touched her cheek; warmth flowed through her. “I love your hands.” She turned her head and kissed his palm, caught her breath when he tipped her chin up and their lips met.
“I love you, Katherine.” Her heart skipped. He lifted her into his arms and gazed into her eyes. “The thought of spending all the rest of my days with you takes my breath away. It will never be long enough.” He claimed her lips again. She slipped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss as he carried her to their room.
* * * * *
Don’t miss the first book in the
STAND-IN BRIDES series by Dorothy Clark:
HIS SUBSTITUTE WIFE
And enjoy these other historical romances from Dorothy Clark:
HIS PRECIOUS INHERITANCE
AN UNLIKELY LOVE
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Dear Reader,
My second trip to Whisper Creek is over. When Katherine boarded the train in Albany she was simply on her way to visit her sister at Fort Bridger in Wyoming Territory. And Trace, well, he had turned his back on love and medicine forever—he thought. But that was before they met baby Howard, and compassion for the orphaned infant forced them to follow paths they never expected. I love doing that!
I enjoyed writing Trace and Katherine’s story, but it’s time to move on. Confirmed bachelor Garret Stevenson has a hotel to open. How will he deal with the revision clause in his contract with the town’s founder? And with—But that’s for the next story. I’m excited to find out what this next journey to Whisper Creek holds in store. How about you, dear Reader? Would you like to come along on my third journey to Whisper Creek? We’re underway.
Thank you, dear Reader, for choosing to read Wedded for the Baby. I hope you enjoyed Katherine, Trace and little Howard’s story. I truly appreciate hearing from my readers. If you care to share your thoughts about this story, I may be reached at [email protected] or www.dorothyclarkbooks.com
I hope I see you in Whisper Creek,
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Historical title.
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Frontier Want Ad Bride
by Lyn Cote
Chapter One
Wisconsin Frontier
March 1873
Standing beside her sister, Emma, on the deck of the steamboat, Judith Jones gazed out at the snowy, thickly wooded shore of the northern Mississippi River. The river ice had broken just last week.
“The porter said Pepin is coming up,” Emma said, slipping her hand from her fur muff and through the crook of Judith’s elbow.
Judith clenched her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering from the piercing wind. “I can’t believe we’ve done this.” Answering an ad to find husbands.
“Did we have a choice?” Emma challenged. “Our dear sister-in-law wanted our father’s house to herself.”
Leave it to Emma to speak the truth so...baldly. But her words brought to mind their brother’s Kentucky wife’s sour glare and her razor voice.
Emma jostled Judith’s shoulder with hers. “We’ll be fine. We’ll be together.” Emma grinned and shivered. “Embrace the adventure.”
At this bravado, Judith shook her head, glancing at her very pretty sister from the corner of her eye. Emma’s cheeks were rosy from the brisk March wind, her big blue eyes were wide and she was dancing on her toes from either the cold or excitement. Judith guessed the latter, hoped the latter. But Judith knew her sister still mourned the fiancé she’d cruelly lost in the very last days of the awful war.
Neither of them had come here for happy reasons or without past loss. Still, Judith felt as if she was being squeezed between two unpleasant realities. Before her lay marrying a stranger. Would she and Asa Brant be a good match? No man had ever fallen in love with her. Was she a woman who could engender that kind of love? That doubt plagued her. Yet behind her lay an unhappy home. The memory brought the image of her sister-in-law, Mabel Joy, with hands on her hips, glaring at Judith. Staying in their family home had become impossible. She faced forward, refusing to open the deep well of rejection. Neither her brother nor father had stood up for Judith and Emma. There was no turning back.
“With that sour expression, you must be thinking of our dear sister-in-law,” Emma teased.
Judith shook her head in reply, not taking the bait. But she tried to relax her tight face. She must not look peeved when meeting Asa Brant. She drew in a deep breath of cold air.
The steamboat horn blasted and as they chugged around the bend, a little town came into view. The porter appeared at Judith’s side. “This is your stop, ladies. Pepin, Wisconsin.” Behind him another two porters stood beside the twins’ two trunks and various baggage.
“Wonderful!” Emma said, slipping her arm from Judith’s.
Judith checked her coat pocket to make sure she still had the gratuity to give the porters. And then they were on the shore and faced with a crowd of people pouring out of every building. Jud
ith took a step backward.
Emma tugged her forward. “Oh, look, everyone’s waving.”
Judith allowed Emma to drag her. What choice did she have? They’d reached their destination. Nerves appeared to affect Judith’s sight. She saw the people but had trouble focusing on any faces. In this crowd was the man she’d come to meet and marry sometime soon. He’d promised to make all the arrangements.
At the last moment, Judith remembered herself and turned to give the porters the money from her pocket. “Thank you.”
They accepted it and, after bowing, hurried back on board, holding on to their hats against the wind.
“Welcome to Pepin!” a middle-aged lady with silver in her hair said, reaching them first. A man and a young girl, probably her husband and daughter, hurried just behind her.
Judith looked past them, trying to spot a boardinghouse where she and Emma would stay, but saw none.
“We’re the Ashfords. We own the general store here. You must be the Jones sisters. But I thought you were supposed to be twins.”
Emma eagerly shook the woman’s hand. “We’re fraternal. That means we’re just sisters who were born at the same time. I’m Emma Jones, and this is my sister, Judith.”
Judith curtseyed, a custom almost out of style.
Mr. Ashford beamed at her approvingly as he introduced himself and his daughter and shook her hand. “But you aren’t interested in meeting us.” He looked around in the crowd of people. “Come on, Asa. Meet your bride.”
Judith’s gaze flew upward, seeking her first look at Asa Brant.
A tall man approached her. He’d bundled up against the cold. For a moment he looked familiar but, of course, they’d never met. “Miss Judith Jones?”
She offered him her hand. “Yes.” Her voice came out as a squeak compared to his deep, rich voice that seemed to warm the air around her.
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