Seven Brides for Seven Texans Romance Collection

by Amanda Barratt

  “Except for trees like the mesquite, most tend to clump around the creeks and rivers. You should see it in the spring when the bluebonnets are in bloom. Whole fields of delft blue. It’s breathtaking.”

  “I can’t even imagine that. I would love to see them one day. Maybe I can return for a visit then.” She doubted Herman would be in favor of her taking another trip so soon though. Being this far away from him made her wish things were different. If only she could stay.

  “Jenny would love that, I’m sure.”

  “Could you tell me a little about Austin? He seems like an honorable man, but Jenny hasn’t told me all that much about him.”

  Annie nibbled her lower lip for a moment. “Since Travis and I have lived at El Regalo for a few months, I’ve gotten to know him and Bowie better than the others, but I still don’t know them well. I can tell you that all of his brothers look up to him and respect him. He tends to be quiet unless he’s belting orders or talking about the ranch.”

  “He was quite kind and generous to us when we arrived in town. He even offered to get me my own room at the hotel.”

  “The Hart men are all that way.” Annie clucked to the horse and slapped the reins against the horse’s back, and it started trotting.

  The breeze helped cool Rebekah. “I’m grateful the canopy blocks the sun.”

  “It takes some time to get used to the warmer weather here, but the Harts are far better off than most folks. The thick walls of El Regalo keep the inside cooler.”

  “I noticed that. I guess you don’t get snow down here.”

  “No. Almost never.” Annie smiled. “So, can I ask what your plans are? Have you considered moving to this part of the country so you can be close to your sister?”

  Rebekah watched a flock of geese overhead. “I’ll return to Missouri where I’m to be married.”

  “Oh! Congratulations.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Is your future husband as handsome as Austin?” Annie wiggled her eyebrows in a teasing manner.

  “Um … no.” She thought of Herman’s overweight figure and pale complexion. “Herman is a bank clerk.”

  “That’s honorable employment.”

  Rebekah started giggling. “I think that’s probably one of the few positive things you could have said about Herman.” That and he was one of the few men willing to marry her after word of what Jenny had done had spread through town.

  Annie cast her a serious look then focused on the road again. “I’ve been around quite a few women in love and newlyweds lately, I don’t sense the same excitement in you. I may be poking my nose where it doesn’t belong, but can I ask why you’re marrying him? Do you actually love him?”

  “To be honest, I don’t.” Rebekah stared at the landscape, blinking as the wind whipped tears in her eyes. “It’s sad to say but there are few options for women to earn an income, and my sister and I will be homeless once the bank reposes our recently deceased aunt’s house, where we’ve been living. Our only choice was to marry.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss.” Annie turned in the seat. “But, you have other options now. Come and live here. Half of the big house is empty. I’m certain GW and Austin wouldn’t mind. There’s plenty of room—and lots of men in Texas who’d love a pretty wife like you.”

  The thought of not marrying Herman was more pleasing than she could express. It relaxed the tension in her stomach and gave her a sense of freedom that she needed to consider. Could she live here? Be around Austin and Jenny every day? The thought of seeing her sister’s handsome husband each day made her heart leap.

  Shamed, she glanced down to her lap. That was her answer. Her senseless attraction to Austin was inexcusable.

  There was no hope that she could stay.

  Austin rode into the ranch yard alongside Pa, who rode double with Robbie, ready for a cool drink and a warm meal. He smiled at the boy. He’d done better today than Austin had expected, and the gleam had never left his eyes, in spite of the warm sun, dust, and long day.

  “Isn’t that your fiancée at the corral?” GW pursed his lips and frowned.

  Austin’s gaze shot to the corral, where one of the twins was watching Cody ride a green-broke mare. “I can’t say for sure, but I think it’s Jenny.”

  GW shook his head. “She needs to learn not to venture out to the corral and barn without an escort. Most of the men we hire are reliable sorts, but you can never know for sure how they’ll respond when a pretty gal is around. It can do strange things to a man’s mind.”

  “I’ll have another talk with her.” He was fairly certain it was Jenny, because he felt sure Rebekah would have better sense than to be so far from the house alone.

  She must have heard them because she turned and waved. He thought her smile looked a bit forced, but then maybe it was the sun in his eyes. Had she been waiting for him? The thought stirred something in his gut that had laid dormant for a long while.

  “There you are.” She pushed away from the corral railing and walked toward him. “I wondered when you’d get back.”

  GW shot a look at Austin that warned him to be cautious. But of what? Surely he wasn’t warning him of his future wife. Not for the first time, he wondered if he’d done the wrong thing in writing for a mail-order bride. But then he wouldn’t be in this mess at all if not for his pa’s ultimatum.

  In front of the barn, GW swung Robbie to the ground and dismounted. Austin slid down as Jenny approached him. He glanced past her to see Cody watching them. The cowboy jerked away when Austin’s gaze collided with his and turned the horse in the other direction.

  “So, how were the horses?”

  “Fine.”

  Jenny glanced over shoulder then back at him. “How many do you have?”

  “Several hundred.”

  “Hundred?” Her blue eyes widened. “Why so many? I thought you raised cattle.”

  Gage walked out of the barn. “Can I take your horse?”

  Austin nodded. “Yes. Thank you.” He passed the reins to the wrangler.

  He offered Jenny his elbow. “We need lots of horses to herd the cattle and patrol the ranch. It’s a big place, and fresh horses are a necessity.”

  “I see. The only time I rode a horse was when I was about five.”

  He stopped and stared down, surprised at her comment. But then she’d lived in a town and there probably hadn’t been much need to ride. “We’ll have to remedy that.” He chuckled when her eyes grew big again.

  “Ma! I rode Grandpa’s horse all day!”

  “Oh, look. There’s Rebekah and Annie.” Jenny tugged away and hurried toward her sister.

  Austin shouldn’t feel jealous about her wanting to be with Rebekah, but he did. For the first time, they were actually talking a bit. He walked toward the buggy. Why hadn’t Jenny gone with the women? Had she been down at the corral for long?

  He blew out a sigh. Being suspicious of his fiancée was hardly the right way to start out a long-term relationship. He glanced up at the sky. I could use some help, Lord. I realize that I sent for Jenny without consulting You first. I probably deserve to have some problems, but I never expected things to be so difficult. Show me how to win the heart of my bride and to make her happy.

  Watching Robbie bounce alongside the buggy as he relayed the events of the day brought a smile to his face. What would it be like when his brothers started having young’uns? He glanced at Jenny. Would they have children? He hoped so, but that possibility seemed far away at the moment.

  Austin thought about heading to the house, but the polite thing would be to escort the women. Jenny was yakking with Rebekah, while Annie listened to her son. Rebekah suddenly looked up as if she knew he were there and smiled. She gave a little wave, much like Jenny had done, but her gesture made him smile. He reached up and tipped his hat to her, realizing he hadn’t done the same for Jenny.

  He strode toward the house. Why did he feel something warm when Rebekah looked at him, but felt as if a cold bucket of wate
r had been thrown on him when he was with Jenny? It wasn’t right, and he didn’t like the guilt he felt because of it, but what was he to do? He’d made a commitment to Jenny, and he intended to honor it.

  Chapter Seven

  Rebekah turned over in bed and glanced at the window. She blew out a loud breath at not seeing any light yet. She had dozed on and off, restless for some unknown reason. Last night’s supper had gone well, with Robbie regaling them on his exciting day. Travis and Annie had looked so proud and happy.

  She had been thrilled when she returned from Annie’s house to see Austin and Jenny arm in arm, but then her sister had left him as soon as she’d noticed them. She was having a hard time not feeling sorry for the big man. She knew he was tough, but she’d also seen his insecurities when he looked at her sister. He was having doubts about marrying Jenny.

  Her heart quaked at the thought, and she bolted upright. What if he decided not to marry Jenny? What would they do then? It was far better for her sister to not return to Arcadia given the circumstances and the disparaging way people looked at her. There was only one thing to be done—she had to make Austin see Jenny’s good points and convince him to marry her.

  So why was her heart not in the task?

  Because Austin deserved better.

  What he deserved was a woman who could love him. She could no more trick him into marrying her sister than she could marry him herself. She glanced at the lump of blankets next to her. Her heart bucked again. Why didn’t she hear Jenny’s breathing?

  She slid her hand over to the blankets and gently pressed down. They gave way. Where in the world was her sister?

  Rebekah slid off the edge of the big bed, crossed the room, and reached for the window. Someone had drawn the drapes. As she pulled them open, the light of dawn filtered in so that she could see. Jenny was not in their room. She must be in the washroom.

  She hurried out the bedroom door and paused in the hall. The lamp glowed dimly from the table, and the washroom door was open. Had Jenny gotten hungry and gone to the kitchen for food?

  Rebekah glanced back at the room. She should dress before venturing farther into the house, but she felt a strange sense of urgency. She wished she’d brought her bed jacket, but she’d wanted to travel light and hadn’t thought she’d need one. The cool flooring chilled her feet. While the days were still quite warm, the nights could be frigid. The big house seemed more intimidating in the dark of early morning, but she continued. She stepped into the kitchen, blinking at the brightness of the lanterns. A man stood at the window with his back to her—Austin.

  Rebekah froze, realizing the impropriety of her state of undress. Jenny obviously wasn’t here. She backed away, hoping to make her escape.

  Austin suddenly turned. His eyes widened as he stared at her. And stared.

  Her heart fluttered. “I … uh…” She folded her arms over her chest.

  “Sorry.” He spun around. “Did you need something?”

  “I was looking for Jenny. Have you seen her?”

  He shook his head. “Not today.” He pivoted again, his brow furrowed. “I’m sure she’s here somewhere. It’s an easy place to get lost in.”

  His expression conveyed his concern more than his reply had. Did he worry that Jenny had gone out for another stroll by herself? She couldn’t see her sister doing that so early in the morning. “I suppose that’s true. I’ll check the parlor.”

  “I’ll take a walk around and see if she might be outside.”

  “I would appreciate that.” She whirled around, knowing her cheeks were blazing. The parlor was empty, as she feared it would be. She knocked on the door to the library, and when no one answered, she peered into the dark room. “Jenny?” When she got no answer she quickly walked through the empty room, then checked the dining room before heading back to her bedroom. Worry nibbled at her composure. Where could her sister be?

  Rebekah grabbed the lamp off the hall table, set in on the desk in the bedroom, and turned it up. She gasped at the sight of the disheveled room. With the room dark when she first got up, she hadn’t noticed the disorder on Jenny’s side. One of the quilts was on the floor, as were several pieces of Jenny’s undergarments. She hurried to the wardrobe and found Jenny’s side mostly empty. Horrified, Rebekah glanced down. Her sister’s satchel was gone. What had Jenny done?

  Austin paced around the house in the pale light of dawn, not surprised to find the porches vacant at such an early hour. Occasionally, he and Pa had their coffee on the front one to watch the sunrise and talk about what they needed to accomplish that day, but it had been a long while since they had done that.

  He strode around to the back of the house and glanced down at the barn, barely visible in the early light. Pinks and oranges lined the skyline to the east, and horses and cattle grazed quietly on the hillside, but the scene failed to inspire him today. He felt a sense of urgency, but he wasn’t sure why. He finished his trek around the house and walked to the front again. Songbirds serenaded him, and the cool air helped him to wake up. He always liked this time of day.

  He turned to go back into the house when Clara barked at him. He paused, gazing at Bowie’s dog. Clara tended to shy away from the rest of them, so it was odd she’d bark at him. She’d never been overly friendly to him, but neither had she been mean. The men usually locked her in the barn at night, so someone must be down there already. Surely Jenny hadn’t gone back to the barn after his admonishing her not to go alone. Clara barked again. Gritting his teeth, he strode toward the barn, ready to confront his bride. He had a good mind to throw her over his shoulder, haul her back to town, and put her on the first stage to arrive. That would show her who was boss.

  Shaking his head, he chuckled. Who was he kidding? His brothers may think they ruled their roost, but he’d seen the way they capitulated to their wives. Yes, dear. Whatever you want, sweetheart.

  At the barn door, Clara eyed him as if asking what had taken so long, and then she disappeared inside. Bowie’s cattle dog was getting fat and lazy in his absence. Austin pushed the door all the way open to allow in some light, and listened. He couldn’t see all the way to the end of the stalls, but if anyone had been working here, the lanterns would be lit. Other than a soft whicker and the stomp of horses eager for their breakfast, everything sounded normal. So what was up with Clara? It wasn’t like her to bark for no reason.

  Instead of heading back to the house, he strode over to the bunkhouse and walked inside. Several pairs of eyes turned his way from men in different states of dress.

  Gage hitched up his suspenders and walked toward him. “Somethin’ wrong, boss?”

  Austin looked at the beds and saw one empty. “Anyone seen Cody?”

  The men glanced at one another and shook their heads. Austin turned to leave.

  “Boss.” Brody, a recently hired cowboy, sat up in his bed. “I went to the outhouse in the middle of the night and saw him. He was mounted and leading another horse. Said you’d sent him to town.”

  Austin’s gut clenched. “What time was it?”

  Brody scratched at his chest. “I reckon maybe one or two. I thought it was odd you’d send him out at that hour, but I don’t question your orders.”

  Austin nodded. “I appreciate the information.” As he left the bunkhouse and headed back to the barn, he didn’t like where his thoughts were headed, but as long as he’d been alive, two plus two had equaled four. In the barn, he lit a lantern and walked down the alley, checking each stall. Cody’s bay was gone, as well as a gray mare that was one of their more gentle horses. He returned the lantern to its peg and stormed out of the barn. He dreaded telling Rebekah what he feared.

  The front door opened and she rushed out, staring at him. She hurried down the steps and met him halfway across the yard. “Did you find her? Perla and Josefina checked the whole upstairs, and I checked the lower floor. Jenny is nowhere to be found.”

  Gritting his teeth, Austin stared at the woman he’d started to care for. He hated to h
urt her. Hated to give her such awful news, but she deserved the truth. “I’m afraid it appears that your sister ran away with one of my cowhands.”

  Rebekah gasped, her mind struggling to understand. “No! Surely not. Why do you suspect that?”

  Austin narrowed his gaze, staring her straight in the eye. “I checked in the bunkhouse, and Cody is gone. One of my men said he saw him mounted and leading another horse around one or two this morning. It makes sense. I caught Jenny down near the barn talking to Cody twice.” He ducked his head, regret pressing his lips into a firm line.

  “I didn’t want to believe it, but I think you’re right. Most of Jenny’s clothes are gone. I felt sure she couldn’t have gotten far on foot, but if she had help, she could be anywhere by now.” She reached out to touch his arm. “I’m so sorry, Austin. I never would have thought Jenny would do such a foolhardy thing.”

  He drew in a deep breath. “I had my suspicions that she wasn’t happy after we met.” He rubbed hand across the back of his neck. “But I never expected she’d run away. It’s hard to think I wasn’t man enough to keep her.”

  “Don’t say that!” She wasn’t about to let him think this was his fault. “This is all on Jenny. She made a commitment to you then broke it. That’s unconscionable. Don’t you dare think this is your fault.”

  He stared at her as if wanting to believe her. She could tell he was blaming himself and needed to hear more.

  “You’re a kind, generous man, Austin. Most women would be honored to be your wife.”

  A muscle in his jaw ticked, and he stared off. “But not Jenny.”

  She squeezed his arm. “I don’t think Jenny’s heart was ever in getting married—no matter who the groom was. Perhaps I pushed her too hard, but neither of us had a choice. With the bank repossessing our aunt’s home, we’ll be out on the street by the end of the month. We had no source of income, and there is precious little paying work for decent women. Our only choice was to marry.” She didn’t mention the fact that she’d sold the last of her aunt’s furniture to fund her trip to Texas and had just barely enough to get back to Missouri. “You needed a wife fast, and Jenny needed to marry…”