The Christmas Mail Order Bride (Holiday Mail Order Brides, Book One)

by Kit Morgan

  Fortunately, (or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it) Red Ned groaned again as he began to regain consciousness. Clayton had to force himself to stop lest he give into the temptation to shoot the bandit just so he could keep kissing Summer! But no, Red Ned had caused too much trouble for him and Clayton vowed to see him brought to justice.

  He got up and pulled Summer up with him. He then carried her to the other side of the room and set her down in a solitary chair. He kissed her again, looked into her eyes one last time, then turned to secure the famous outlaw Red Ned.

  * * *

  The stage rolled into Nowhere just after dark. Billy ran out of the Sheriff’s office just in time to see Clayton climb down from the driver’s seat. He wearily went around to the back and motioned for his deputy to join him. “Help me get these men locked up.”

  “Jumpin’ Jehosaphat! Is that Red Ned?”

  “Yep. Let’s get him locked up. I’ve got to get Summer home.”

  “Who’s the other one?” Billy asked as he noted the other man Clayton had tied to a horse like a sack of meal. Both outlaws didn’t look too good. They’d both been tied to their horses in a similar fashion and then led behind the stagecoach all the way back to Nowhere. Both outlaws moaned as Clayton cut them loose and watched them fall to the ground.

  “The other one is Sam Cooke. Escaped out of prison a year ago along with his brother Jack. He got away, but I’m sure he’ll get rounded up soon enough.”

  “I can’t believe we’ve been after this scum for so long and here you go and bring him in single handed. How’d you do it?” Billy asked enthralled.

  “Lets just say ol Ned let himself get distracted.”

  “Well, don’t that beat all.” Billy said amazed.

  Clayton and Billy dragged the outlaws into the jail and locked them up. Clayton then went back out to the stage, untied Billy’s horse along with the others and retied them to the hitching post. He then climbed aboard, and prepared to leave.

  “Where ya goin’ boss?” Billy cried after him as he came out onto the boardwalk.

  Clayton turned in the seat and smiled. “To get the preacher!”

  Billy took his hat off, slapped it against his leg, and let out a holler. “Merry Christmas, boss!”

  Clayton laughed as he gave a slap of the reins to get the tired horses moving. He would drive the stage to the edge of town and the preacher’s house, his future bride safely tucked away beneath him in the coach. “Merry Christmas Billy!”

  * * *

  Christmas came with a gentle snowfall, the smell of cinnamon and pine in the air, and Clayton Riley standing at Summer’s side. They stood in front of the preacher in the Riley’s parlor, the Christmas tree just behind him. Spencer had lit the candles of the tree one by one just before they came into the room. It was a beautiful sight and Summer wondered if she would ever see anything so beautiful again. They made it to the preacher’s house only to find he was at the church for the Christmas Eve service. They patiently waited for him until the service was over and folks began to make their way home before the snow got too heavy. The preacher, knowing why Clayton was there, offered to perform the ceremony on the spot using his wife as witness. But Clayton wanted to make it special for Summer and asked the preacher to accompany him out to the farm instead. The preacher happily agreed but could his wife come along too? That was fine, and so they started out, but then Doc and Milly caught wind of what happened and also wanted to be there. Soon the Quinn’s came and then the Johnsons, and before Clayton knew it, he had a house full of people that all wanted to watch him get married to his mail order bride.

  Summer James, no matter what she was wearing, would make a beautiful bride. She of course wore his mother’s red dress and even donned the hat that went with it. Mrs. Quinn gifted her with a beautiful white lace shawl that matched perfectly and seemed to glisten like the snow that fell softly outside in the moonlight. All was quiet and still when the wedding began, and as the Riley’s had no piano in the house to play the wedding march, the townsfolk present sang instead. But it wasn’t the wedding march that accompanied Summer James down the hallway from the kitchen to the parlor on Spencer’s arm. No, the company within the house sang Silent Night. Doc and Milly started the song, feeling it was much more fitting considering it was just past midnight and now Christmas day.

  Soft and low they sang, Mrs. Riley’s voice the most prominent among them and Summer, despite the earlier horrors of the day, rejoiced that God had blessed her with a man who truly loved her. Who, because of her past pain and suffering she thought rejected her, was already filling the void left behind from years of loneliness and abandonment. She closed her eyes as she heard Clayton’s firm and steady “I do.” Closed them again when he kissed her, and opened them to the cheers and words of congratulations. Some folks spent the night, others travelled home with the Johnsons to brave the snow in the morning and Clayton, his new wife in his arms, went up to bed.

  In the morning…

  Spencer was the first one to come down stairs and begin to snoop under the tree for his present.

  “Spencer Riley! Stop that! You are not six years old!” His mother scolded.

  “Ahhhh ma, I at least want to see if I have anything!”

  “Oh you’ve got something all right, trust me!”

  He smiled and took her in his arms. “You never disappoint! Whatcha make me this year? A new shirt? A scarf? I need mittens something awful you know! Tell me you made me something to keep me warm.”

  Mrs. Riley winked at him.

  “Mittens and a scarf?”

  Clayton came into the parlor, Summer at his side, albeit on crutches. “Morning ma,” he said and kissed the top of her head.

  “Oh just look at you! You two look like… like…”

  “Like they didn’t get any sleep last night?” Spencer laughed.

  “Spencer!” Clayton warned.

  Summer blushed and leaned against her new husband. No words could possibly come close to describing what she felt in that moment. The closest she managed was ‘at peace.’

  “Let me get you two some coffee. Sit down and we’ll get started opening our gifts.” Mrs. Riley chirped as she headed for the kitchen.

  “Gifts!” Clayton said and slapped his forehead with his hand. He turned to Summer. “I’m sorry honey, but I don’t have anything for you.”

  She looked up at him and smiled. “I’ve already had my Christmas. You’ve given me the best gift of all.”

  He kissed her then and was still kissing her by the time his mother came back into the room with the coffee. Spencer made a show of looking at an invisible watch as his mother looked wide-eyed at the kissing pair.

  “Ahem!” Spencer finally said.

  Clayton came up for air but didn’t look at his brother. “What?”

  “Save it for later or I might get jealous. After all, I’m only getting a scarf and some mittens for Christmas to keep me warm!”

  Clayton burst into laughter as did Summer and Mrs. Riley.

  “Hey, I don’t think it’s very funny!” Spencer blurted above the noise.

  “Thank you for the Christmas present, Spence!” Clayton finally said.

  Spencer folded his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes. “She’s non-returnable, just so you know.”

  Clayton looked down into Summer’s eyes. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he whispered then bent his head and kissed her again.

  Mrs. Riley smiled at the kissing pair then went to sit next to Spencer. She pulled an envelope from her apron and handed it to him. “Merry Christmas dear.”

  He looked at her. “No mittens?”

  She smiled and shook her head.

  “I was really hoping for mittens …”

  “Open it,” she urged.

  Spencer opened the envelope and pulled out two pieces of paper. One was a letter written in a neat hand. The other was a …

  “Good God! Mother, what have you done?”

  “Now Spenc
er, sometimes a mother has to take things into her own hands. After all, how can I expect you to live under the same roof with Clayton and Summer being married and not have a wife of your own?”

  Spencer stood in shock. Clayton looked from his mother, to Spencer, and back again. He then burst out laughing.

  “Shut up, Clayton!” Spencer cried. “This isn’t funny!”

  “It sure was when you did it to me!”

  “Stop it both of you!” Their mother scolded. “Now Spencer, it’s for your own good and there’s no use arguing, what’s done is done!”

  Summer looked from one face to the other in confusion. “What’s done?”

  Mrs. Riley sat up straight upon the settee and smiled. “Spencer’s going to get married, dear”

  “Married?” Summer asked in shock.

  “Yeah, married?” Spencer added with just as much shock if not more so.

  “Married, Spencer! Face it, it’ll do you good!” Clayton admonished.

  “But, but …”

  “No buts,” Mrs. Riley began. “You are getting married Spencer and that’s final! If Clayton can have a mail order bride and get married on Christmas then there’s no reason why you can’t get married on New Years Day.”

  “New Years Day! Good God Mother, WHAT have you done?”

  “You asked that already, dear.”

  “Ma!”

  Clayton stepped over to his brother and slapped him on the back. “Face it Spencer, I’m afraid you’ll just have to get hitched, and then everyone will be happy!”

  Spencer glared at his brother as he remembered saying the same words to him the day Summer arrived in town.

  “Only Spencer,” Clayton began with a chuckle.

  “What?” Spencer asked roughly as he stubbornly folded his arms across his chest.

  “When your bride gets to town promise me one thing.”

  Spencer glared at him. “What’s that?”

  It was all Clayton could do not to burst into laughter. “Try not to shoot her.”

  At that everyone laughed, including Spencer, who now sat on the settee and began to read the letter from his very own mail order bride.

  The End

  I hope you enjoyed reading The Christmas Mail Order Bride, the first book in the Holiday Mail Order Bride Series. Be watching for January's Promise, Book Two of the Holiday Mail Order Bride Series coming in December.

  About the Author: Kit Morgan, aka Geralyn Beauchamp loves a good western. Her father loved watching them and they watched their fair share together over the years. If you liked this fun-filled western and would like to read an epic novel by the author, you might enjoy Time Masters Book One; The Call by Geralyn Beauchamp.

  ***

  To find out about upcoming books and other fun news about Kit Morgan's books, check out her blog at www.authorkitmorgan.blogspot.com