A Real Man for Ruth: a mail order bride romance

by Susan Thomas

  I was further ashamed because I wondered how much of my decision to leave was fear of the switching I was due. Well, I'd just have to take the switching. I certainly deserved one for my terrible judgemental behaviour about Amos and Miss Larsen. Maybe instead of getting cross with him I should wait for a good moment to reveal my expertise. When we lay together, after he had left his seed in me, he was always so relaxed and happy, and I pleased him so much, I could casually say, "Did I ever tell you my father was a gunsmith and taught me his trade?"

  I turned the buggy around and urged the horse on. I must get back before Amos saw my letter. As I neared the house I heard shots and my heart raced. What was going on? I decided to be cautious and hitched the horse to a tree branch and walked around the bend to see the house. What I saw frightened me. Martha and Annie were tied back to back on the porch and Amos had three men around him. I recognised them as McBride, carrying a whip, with his two thugs, Joe and Chas. Amos wasn't fighting with them. He seemed almost as if he were defeated and I saw McBride's two men seize him and start dragging him toward a tree. I thought they were going to hang him so decided I had to act. I ran around the back of the house keeping out of sight and went straight to Amos' gun store.

  I would have preferred to use something like a cavalry carbine which I could hold and would give me a longer range, but since my access to the gun store was limited, I hadn't sorted out where the ammunition was for them, let alone handled them. I couldn't use the Henry as I might have nothing to rest the barrel on. There were two other guns I had fired: one was the Cooper Pocket revolver and the other a Colt New line... also a pocket revolver. The Cooper was a good reliable little weapon with the great advantage of being double action which meant I could just pull the trigger. The disadvantage being the cylinder used ball and powder. The New Line used cartridges and was therefore quicker to load but was only single action. Seeing cartridges for the New Line I quickly loaded it with feverish fingers, put it behind my back, and walked out the front. I heard Martha gasp when she saw me but I ignored her, and Annie, and walked towards McBride and my husband. I could see now they were going to whip Amos not hang him. His shirt was torn from his back and he was tied to the tree.

  I got within the New Line's limited range and stopped. McBride saw me and bowed in the most unpleasant way.

  "Well, well, Mrs Masters, making a late but welcome appearance. You're just in time to see me whip your husband to death."

  I produced the Colt using a two handed hold in the manner taught me by my father, "No McBride, you will release my husband."

  He laughed. I hate the arrogance of men that believes women incapable of mastering the arts of which they are so proud. He raised the whip and I fired. In truth I intended only to hit the whip but lack of practice meant it partly hit his hand and, I think, removed a finger. He cursed and swore holding his hand. His two men moved to draw weapons but I shouted a warning.

  "I am out of practice, so hit your hand when I meant to hit your whip. I am now aiming at your chest and I promise I won't miss that. Your men must release my husband and if they do anything to harm him I will simply kill you first."

  McBride looked at the men and they reluctantly cut Amos free. Even as he stood rubbing his wrists I saw one going for his weapon and I turned and fired at him quickly before returning to McBride's chest. Again I was out of practice for I had intended to shoot his hat from his head but instead the bullet grazed his head and took off part of his ear.

  The other man swore and shouted, "Has he been teaching you?" He meant Amos.

  "No." I marvelled at how calm and steady my voice was. "My father was a gunsmith and taught me how to shoot, maintain and repair weapons. There is no gun in Amos' collection I cannot fire or look after."

  That wasn't true as I hadn't really hadn't much chance to look at it all, never mind fire his weapons, but I felt a lie in the circumstances would do no harm.

  "Amos, come clear of those three." When he moved looking utterly bemused I shouted to the three men to stand together and leave their weapons on the ground. They did too, scared I suppose of this mad woman who was shooting bits off their bodies. I then made them move away from their weapons and got Amos to gather them up. Now he had a revolver and I felt happier. There were two of us but I still seemed to be in charge. Amos was part watching them but also glancing at me as if he had never seen me before.

  "Right you three, strip down to your under things." They refused with curses and much foul language. "Your choice: I shall count to five, and if you haven't begun stripping, I'll shoot you in the legs. One, two, three..."

  They all three began stripping though McBride struggled a bit with his wounded hand and then I marched them to the barn where I held my revolver on them while Amos tied them up. He used a method he called 'hog-tying" which looked very uncomfortable but I didn't care... they were lucky to be alive.

  Amos was all over cuts and bruises which needed some treatment, but first we released Martha and Annie. Martha was extremely composed, that woman really is a marvel, but Annie was upset. I suddenly remembered Angel and the buggy so sent Martha and Annie to deal with it. Having something to do would help Annie. I was left alone with Amos.

  "You left me." His voice sounded broken. "Why did you come back?"

  So he had read my letter and it had clearly hurt him. I felt guilty and tried a light answer.

  "I came back for my switching."

  He snorted loudly. "A gunsmith's daughter. A crack shot. What a fool I was, but why didn't you tell me?"

  "I tried, but you wouldn't tolerate disobedience and I got cross and too proud to try."

  "Did you just leave because of the guns and the switching?"

  "No, I thought you were carrying on with another woman."

  He looked at me in astonishment. "What! Another woman? Who?"

  I was so ashamed of my folly and hung my head. "Miss Larsen, but I met her by chance and she gushed her thanks for what you do, assuming I knew. I felt so ashamed so I turned around and came back."

  He began to laugh, not a healthy laugh but a mixture of sadness and regret. "What fools we have been Ruth, what utter fools."

  While we were talking I been bathing various cuts and treating them and now he looked at me and said, "I realised when I read your note how much I loved you and my inner being collapsed. I couldn't fight McBride. I had no fight left in me."

  "I love you too, Amos. I have been so very silly."

  He seized my hand. "Is there any chance that we could start again?"

  I kissed him, tears springing from my eyes. "When will the men come back to report Amos?"

  "Not for a couple of hours yet but McBride's lot will be safe enough in the barn. I tied them securely."

  I looked at him shyly. "There's time then... could we start again in our bedroom?"

  He smiled. We didn't need any more talk, our faces told our story and we made our way upstairs holding hands. I wasn't going to tell Amos I was with child just yet, there was time enough for that... now was the time to restore our love. We walked into the bedroom and I shut the door.

  Also from LSF Publications...

  Further details of ebooks by Susan Thomas can be found here:

  http://susanthomas.lsfpublications.com/

  Further Western romance titles can be found at:

  http://western.lsfpublications.com/

  Elizabeth's Flight by Susan Thomas

  When Elizabeth (Beth) learns of her parents' intent to marry her off to Rankin Blake, she is horrified, for although Rankin is wealthy and influential, he is also cruel and abusive. Given that her parents have failed to demonstrate any love or affection towards her, there is only one course of action: she must run away from home. So with the help of Martha, her former nurse, she makes her plans to leave, securing a position as a teacher in a small town out West.

  But when she arrives in Kirkham she is mistaken for someone else, and as events unfold, learns she has a twin sister, Emily ... and that the people s
he thought were her parents are clearly not. There is an instant rapport between Emily and Beth, and Emily's warm-hearted adoptive parents take Beth into their household and make her welcome.

  Beth quickly settles and loves her new situation, and when it is suggested she marry her sister's brother-in-law Henry (who is the town sheriff), she accepts - knowing that once she is safely married, if ever Rankin Blake were to find her, it will be too late for him to claim her as his bride.

  Though she did not marry for love, Beth learns to love her new husband and vows to be a good wife to him. This includes accepting his discipline - something which Beth has no prior experience of, but soon becomes accustomed to! She is not the only chastised wife as Emily also gets spanked by her husband, and so too apparently do quite a few women in the town!

  Life is good, until Beth's past catches up with her and threatens all she holds dear...

  The Reluctant Bride by Susan Thomas

  Ellen's grandfather wants her to marry wealthy businessman, Hector Monroe - but Ellen does not share his enthusiasm. She values her independence, and besides, her priority is to trace her brother Andrew, who left home six years previously following a disagreement with their grandfather.

  Enthused by her quest, Ellen sets out to find Andrew and soon hires the trustworthy Edward (Ted) Kent to assist her. Although Ted admires many of Ellen's capable qualities and becomes increasingly captivated by the pretty 18-year-old, he also finds her difficult and opinionated and the two of them soon clash. A battle of wills ensues, and Ellen earns herself a well deserved spanking from Ted when she ignores his advice and puts herself at risk. As their relationship develops, more bare bottomed spankings ensue, and Ellen becomes increasingly attracted to this dominant man who disciplines and cares for her. They share many exciting adventures and Ellen gets to demonstrate how capable she is handling a gun. But when Ted proposes marriage, she wavers ... for being married would mean giving up what she fiercely clings to - her independence.

  Set in America towards the end of the 19th century, this 'clean' romance focuses on the domestic discipline relationship between the spirited Ellen and the man in her life, Ted Kent.

  Tamed on the Trail by Jocelyn Cross

  After a lengthy correspondence, Annie Applegate is delighted to accept James Underwood's proposal of marriage, and she travels to Independence, Missouri, to meet him. They plan to marry and join the wagon train on the Santa Fe Trail, eventually reaching James's ranch in Wyoming. But on arrival in Independence, Annie discovers that James is deceased! Given her reduced circumstances, she has no money to return home, and is forced to throw herself on the mercy of his brother John.

  In the past, the feisty and flirty Annie had no qualms in using her good looks and sweet tongue to get her own way, but she meets her match in handsome cowboy John Underwood. This is the story of their journey, during which Annie learns that there is a price to be paid for her sassy, manipulative behaviour. John makes it clear that when she breaks the rules - which she does with alarming frequency - she goes over his knee for a bare bottom spanking.

  Tempers flare, passions are kindled, and under John's understated authority, Annie learns some important life lessons ... she also falls head-over-heels in love with him. But are her feelings reciprocated...?

  Finding Love at the Trail's End by Leigh Smith

  Following the death of her mother, life takes a turn for the worse for Lily Rose. When her father succumbs to alcoholism, Lily is forced to run the family's mercantile business on her own. However, when handsome wagon train scout Johnny Billings takes a fancy to her, she seizes the opportunity to get away, and although he forbids her to accompany him on the Oregon Trail she finds a way to finagle her passage.

  During the long and often arduous journey, Johnny and Lily Rose fall in love. They marry and spend their wedding night beneath the stars under the cover of tall cottonwoods. Lily Rose, however, is frequently sharp-tongued and not adverse to throwing the occasional temper tantrum when things aren't going her way. But Johnny knows just how to deal with her... he takes her over his knee for a well-deserved spanking, an activity which usually leads to great sex.

  Eventually, the newly married couple settle at a ranch in Fort Laramie where they look forward to a long and happy life together. But disaster strikes and Johnny is killed during a fierce storm. Grief stricken, Lily Rose is left wondering if she will ever be happy again. Some months later, Johnny's childhood friend, Luke, arrives and an instant attraction is formed. Perhaps she can still find love at the end of the trail?

  Love on the Oregon Trail by Abigail Armani

  When Rosalind Cole first sets eyes on the brooding cowboy in the battered hat, little does she know what fate has in store for her - for she is destined to travel the same path as William Adams and their lives are to become unequivocally linked. Against her sister's wishes, Rosalind sets out with other pioneers from Independence, Missouri - their destination, the lush Willamette Valley, Oregon, where each and every one of them will settle and make a better life.

  The attraction between Rosalind and the wagon train captain deepens as the journey continues. He is enamoured with the independent, tempestuous and courageous beauty; she finds herself enthralled, not only by his looks, but his commanding presence, for he is a natural leader, a dominant, confident man who rapidly earns respect. Their courtship, although unconventional, blossoms, and the hardships they face on the Oregon Trail only strengthens the bond between them. But William's love for her doesn't prevent him from turning her over his lap for a spanking when she crosses the line - which she inevitably does, as the spirited Rosalind is not used to doing as she's told!

  This period Western romance is a real treat. It is a tale of courage and adventure, love and adversity, portraying characters that are easy to connect with, and an engaging storyline.

  Mail Order Mischief by India Heath

  Twins, Eden and Sierra, may be identical in looks, but not in temperament. While the domesticated Eden is happy to be a homemaker, Sierra hates cooking and cleaning and is not at all happy with her parents' suggestion that it is high time she got married - especially when they propose a match with the goat herder's son! Eden is more amenable to the idea of marriage, for she has fallen in love with the handsome Brett Sutherby, the new town preacher - and it appears the attraction is mutual. But when Sierra finds out that her sister had previously been writing to Montana rancher Beau Rivers and had agreed to marry him, she is rather taken with his photograph, and an idea begins to take shape...

  Beau is delighted when his mail order bride turns up, for she is even prettier than he ever imagined. He initially turns a blind eye to the fact that she's a lousy cook and keeps the place like a pigsty, but takes her over his knee for a spanking when she continues to sass him. And when the deception is eventually revealed, both sisters get their well-deserved comeuppance from husbands who love them but won't stand for any nonsense!