Joshua's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series)

by Maya Stirling

  Joshua came to her and rested his hands gently on her shoulders. Laura suddenly felt his presence, the sheer strength of him, even with his gentlest of touches. His eyes were filled with a deep and patient acceptance. "I am so happy that you are my wife," he said quietly.

  Laura's breath caught as she looked up at him. She hadn't realized before just how much taller he was than her. Her head leaned back and she raised herself up on her toes slightly. She felt the heat of his body close to her. His scent, a mixture of leather and soap, was intense in the confines of the small room.

  Joshua raised a finger and placed it over her lips. "Don't say anything," he instructed her. "All I want you to know is that your happiness is all that matters to me. Now that you're my wife, I will do whatever I have to, in order to make sure you have what you need. I can only hope that in time we can become...more than friends."

  Laura felt the color change in her face, but Joshua continued. "But I know that will take time. If it's destined to happen."

  Joshua leaned in closer and she could feel his breath on her skin. His hands on her shoulders held her more firmly. "And I believe in destiny. Do you Laura?"

  Joshua's eyes burned into her own, seeking an answer, demanding a reply. But Laura could not utter a word in reply to his declaration. The words had stopped in her throat.

  Joshua reached down and kissed Laura on the cheek. His lips lingered on her skin. Laura closed her eyes briefly, inhaling his scent, feeling the heat of his body next to her.

  Then she was looking up at him, and he was running a thumb across her cheekbone. Laura opened her mouth to say something, anything that would answer him, but nothing would come.

  Joshua's eyes narrowed and Laura was sure she saw the deepest understanding lodged in them. With a tiny smile creasing his lips, Joshua turned and walked out of the room, leaving Laura standing there wondering what she could have said to him; what she should have said.

  Laura went across and closed the door seeing Joshua disappear down the hallway and make his way downstairs.

  With the door closed, alone in the room, seated on the edge of the bed, the enormity of what she had done hit Laura with all the force of a physical blow. She had changed her life irrevocably. Becoming Joshua's wife meant her life would never be the same again. She would always be a rancher's wife, and right now, she wasn't sure that was a good thing or the worst thing she could possibly have done.

  Laura lay back and stared up at the ceiling. How had it come to this? She knew the answer to that almost immediately when the image of her brother flashed into her mind. It was Eli's fault. All of it. If it hadn't have been for him she would never have ran away, never have even entertained the idea of marriage as some kind of escape. Her life had never been the same since Eli had taken over the management of the ranch after the death of her beloved father. Of course her mother Belinda did her best to restrain Eli's wilder tendencies, keeping him focused on the maintenance of the family business with all the firmness a mother could summon when dealing with her only son. But Eli was a law unto himself. And he had made it clear that Laura wasn't welcome on his ranch.

  So, she had drifted into mad fantasies of escape and marriage to strangers, and now, here she was, married to a man she'd known since she had been in school.

  Laura laid the back of her hand across her forehead and groaned.

  Joshua was sweet. There was no doubting that. And he was certainly mighty handsome. In fact, if she was being entirely honest, there had been many a time in the past when she had harbored what could only be described as a crush on him. But every time that had reared it's ugly head, she had pushed it out of her mind.

  But, there was no denying that Joshua was infinitely more preferable than the odious Mr. Bewly with whom she had almost made what would have been the biggest mistake of her short life.

  In marrying Joshua there was one thing that Laura knew she had achieved, and that above all meant more to her than anything in the world.

  She had made her mother happy.

  Laura smiled when she recalled the look of sheer unadulterated joy on her mother's face on seeing Joshua and Laura together after the wedding. Why hadn't her mother told her before that she was of the opinion that Joshua would make a perfect husband.

  And would he? Would Joshua be a good husband?

  His declaration only moments before gave Laura hope that his intentions toward her were genuine and pure. As she recalled his low voice uttering those sweet words, Laura felt the fluttering in her middle that seemed more than mere excitement. And his eyes. Those eyes just seemed to burrow deep inside her, searching and probing in a way that made her feel something new, something that Mr. Bewly would never have made her feel in a hundred years of marriage.

  Yes. Maybe things weren't as bad as she had been telling herself. Her choice to marry Joshua had certainly made a few people happy.

  The only thing that concerned her now was one simple thought that gnawed away at her, even as she thought about her mother happiness and Joshua's obvious strong interest in his new wife.

  Could Laura herself find happiness as the wife of Joshua McKenzie?

  CHAPTER TEN

  Joshua was beginning to run out of ideas.

  Over the past few days, since the day of their marriage, since the first night they'd slept apart, he'd tried everything he could think of to make Laura feel like she belonged at the ranch; that she belonged with him. But nothing seemed to be having any effect on her.

  What was he going to do to make her feel at home?

  It had all started on the first morning after the wedding. Laura had seemed distant, distracted. Joshua had made sure that there was a real special breakfast for them to share when she awoke. Mrs. Bell had given him some help of course, but he'd made most of it himself. Laura had come down and the look of surprise on her face at the sight of the spread laid out on the kitchen table had filled him with hope that their first day together would be something to remember.

  And it had been. For all the wrong reasons.

  The breakfast had gone well enough. Mrs. Bell had left the newlyweds alone. The conversation between Joshua and Laura had, at first, been lighthearted and casual. But there was still that darned awkwardness that he couldn't shift. They'd talked about the wedding and some of the amusing things that had happened when they'd got back to the Thorne ranch, and how it had all turned out fine in the end, in spite of all their worries at the start of the day.

  After the breakfast Joshua had offered to take Laura for a ride, just to show her what now belonged to them both. They'd headed off across the ranch, and Joshua had enjoyed showing Laura the extent of his holdings, the beauty of the landscape. But after a while Joshua's gut had tightened when he'd seen the look in Laura's eyes. It seemed like the last thing she was interested in on their first day as man and wife was him boring her with a tour of his ranch.

  On seeing her expression Joshua had cursed himself for his insensitivity. Joshua realized with a stab of regret that Laura must have been feeling all sorts of emotions about the sudden change in her life. Joshua had assumed that Laura would share his own enthusiasm for what was to be the place where they would share their future life together.

  But he'd been wrong. So darned wrong.

  The days had passed in much the same way. Joshua had tried everything he could think of to make Laura feel at home. But no amount of shared meals, quiet moments or attempts at making her feel that the McKenzie ranch was her own seemed to work. Even when he'd arranged for her belongings to be brought over from the Thorne ranch, Laura had asked him if she could be left alone to sort out her things in her room. He'd agreed to that, figuring it was important to give her some space, a real chance to get used to the idea of living on the ranch.

  But when she'd opened up the trunk that contained some of her dresses he'd seen a look on her face that he could only describe as sadness. That look had ripped his insides out.

  And that hadn't been the only time he'd seen that look. Every
time he looked at Laura and saw that expression on her face, something shifted inside Joshua, causing a hard, sharp pain. Her eyes seemed dull, uninterested. Joshua knew it wasn't so much him, or anything he was doing to try and make her feel at home. In between the times they'd spent together it was clear to Joshua that Laura was trying to avoid him.

  It seemed to be the idea of life on the ranch which was causing the pain in Laura. Joshua realized that his new wife seemed to be in pain and it was burning him up inside that he felt so helpless to ease her distress. Because that was what it was. Distress, plain and simple.

  Finally, a few mornings after their first breakfast, Joshua could stand it no longer. The only person he could speak to at times like this was Mrs. Bell. She'd been with him long enough to know how to deal with almost any crisis, especially the domestic ones. Joshua caught Mrs. Bell in the kitchen before he headed out to the herd. Laura was safely out in the yard so Joshua knew there was no chance she would hear what he was about to say to Mrs. Bell.

  Joshua stood at the kitchen window and watched Laura make her solitary way across to the nearby corral. She looked so pretty in her green outfit. He loved watching her move; the way her hair swayed across her back as she walked; the confident poise of her shoulders; the way she held her hands by her side so graceful and refined. She was such an elegant figure and watching her never failed to stir something strong inside him. Right now was no different.

  "What's on your mind, Joshua?"

  Joshua turned quickly, feigning surprise." Huh? Oh nothing," he muttered.

  Mrs. Bell fixed her hands on her portly hips. "You can't fool me, Joshua McKenzie. I've known you long enough to know that there's something bothering you," she said.

  Joshua shook his head and glanced out the window. Laura had leaned against the wooden railings of the corral and was watching one of the wilder sorrel horses being attended to by the ranch foreman. Curt was the man Joshua turned to when there was a particularly boisterous horse to be tamed. The new animal they'd just acquired was making Curt work hard this morning, but Joshua knew he'd be able to cope.

  "It's Laura," he said quietly.

  "What about her?"

  "I can't figure out how to make her happy," Joshua stated bluntly.

  Mrs. Bell's brows furrowed. "That's a mighty big statement to make."

  "But it's true. I just can't find a way to make her feel at home. I want her to feel like she belongs here. That this is her place. Our place."

  Mrs. Bell wiped her hands on her apron. "She's going to need some time. Especially when you consider what she's been through."

  "I know how hard things have been for her. Marrying me can't have been easy."

  Mrs. Bell smiled. "You're not an easy man to live with," she joked.

  Joshua frowned and then smiled realizing that his housekeeper was teasing him. "Thank you for that."

  Mrs. Bell glanced out the kitchen window. "Laura loves her mama. Looks like she'd do just about anything to please her."

  "But it's more than that," Joshua said shaking his head. "She felt so guilty about running away. What it did to her mother. I think she just married me to make her mother happy," he said.

  Mrs. Bell laid a hand on his shoulder. "That's not the whole story, and you know it," she said.

  Joshua looked at Mrs. Bell. "The last few days have been real tough. It's almost as if she doesn't want to know about me. Doesn't want to even accept that we're man and wife. It doesn't matter what I do. Nothing seems to make her happy," he said.

  Mrs. Bell took a step closer to Joshua and her eyes narrowed. "I've seen all that. You've done everything you could have. She needs time to adjust. To get used to the idea of being Mrs. McKenzie."

  "But I don't know what else I can do?"

  "You have to be patient. This is a big change for Laura. The biggest she's ever had."

  "What I don't understand is how she could grow up on a ranch and yet find things here so difficult."

  Mrs. Bell sighed. "There's more to it than that. I spoke to her."

  "You did?" Joshua said surprised. "What did she say to you?'"

  "I'm not sure I should tell you. I think she was speaking to me in confidence. You know. Woman to woman."

  Joshua came to Mrs. Bell extending a hand. "What did she tell you?"

  Mrs. Bell frowned and cleared her throat. "She had a hard time at home. On the Thorne ranch."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Her brother, Eli," Mrs. Bell said, her tone heavy with finality. "Seems he's a bad one."

  Joshua took a step back. It seemed like every time the subject of Laura's unhappiness came up, Eli's unwelcome presence made itself known.

  "I know he's been bad to Laura. I've seen it since we were all young. He's always been a difficult character. But Laura could always handle him."

  Mrs. Bell shook her head. "No. It's more than that," she said.

  Joshua frowned and felt a knot of worry settle in his gut. What could Mrs. Bell be talking about? Brothers and sisters often didn't get along. That was commonplace, especially when they were cooped up on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, even if it was in a place as beautiful as Montana.

  "What do you mean?"

  Mrs. Bell sighed. "I'm not sure. Laura wouldn't tell me. But the feeling I have is that Eli did everything in his power to drive Laura out of the home," she said.

  Joshua's fists clenched and his jaw tightened. Mrs. Bell saw the reaction her words had produced. Concern filled her eyes.

  "Don't go getting yourself worked up over a no-good like Eli," she advised Joshua.

  "What do you mean he tried to drive her out?"

  Mrs. Bell shook her head. "I don't know any details. But I think Eli is an ambitious man and his plans didn't include having a little sister around," Mrs. Bell said.

  "But she's his own flesh and blood. How could he be so mean to her?"

  "Look Joshua. You and I know that families aren't always happy. Especially when there's property and money involved. Eli seems to think he's the head of the family. And in many ways he is."

  "I think Belinda might have something to say about that."

  "Sure. I know she is one tough lady. If anyone can reign Eli in, it's his own mother."

  The thought of Eli being mean to Laura made Joshua's blood boil. If he had ever done anything to hurt Laura then it would take all the self control Joshua had to prevent himself from dealing out some justice on his wife's behalf. But then Joshua thought of the arrangement Eli had offered him. He hadn't taken Eli up on that offer, and it had proved to be just as well he hadn't. Belinda had given Joshua a way out of the unthinkable option of marrying Laura merely for money by her plea that they both wed. It had helped Joshua avoid an unwelcome obligation to Eli. In any case Joshua was sure that he would never have married Laura just to satisfy Eli's desire to have his sister move out of the ranch. The thought that he had almost fallen into a trap laid by Eli made Joshua feel a sharp chill up his spine.

  But Joshua's financial troubles hadn't gone away. The last thing he wanted was to burden an already anxious Laura with any of his pressing money troubles. He'd find a way to deal with them soon enough. But his main priority was to make sure that Laura was happy. And in that, he wasn't merely failing, but in danger of ruining their marriage right from the outset.

  Joshua glanced out the window. The sorrel was getting real antsy, leaping up and down on his hind legs, front hooves moving powerfully at Curt, who was struggling to hold on to the restraining rope. Laura was leaning hard up against the rails, watching the spectacle with eager eyes. Joshua wondered how much involvement with horses she'd had back at her parent's ranch.

  Mrs. Bell interrupted his train of thought. "Laura needs time, Joshua. She'll come around. Probably the last thing she thought would happen is that she'd end up marrying you," she said.

  "You make it sound like it's a fate worse than death," he said with a smile.

  "You know I don't mean that," Mrs. Bell said with a warm smile.

>   Mrs. Bell placed a hand on his arm and looked out at Laura. "She's a fine young woman. But then, you've known that for a long time. Haven't you?"

  Joshua nodded. "I sure have." A surge of emotion flooded through him. At times like these he could always share his feelings with the kindly housekeeper. "Mrs. Bell. I feel so lucky to have Laura as my wife. I can't believe it's happened," he said.

  "It has happened and there she is," she said looking through the window. "She's your wife and she will be for a long time to come," she concluded.

  Joshua felt the reassuring touch of his long time housekeeper. She always understood him. With her by his side, he was sure that his resolve to win Laura over would never weaken.

  Joshua's attention was caught by a sudden cry from outside in the yard. He looked quickly toward the corral and saw that Curt had tripped and fallen backwards onto the soft sand. The agitated horse was now loose from the restraining rope and was rearing powerful legs above the prostrate foreman. Curt was trying frantically to move away from the horse, but the animal's bounding movements had him pinned to the ground. Curt looked like he didn't know which way to go. Joshua felt a jolt of panic as he saw his foreman in trouble.

  The next thing he saw made his heart stop.

  "No! Laura. Don't," he cried as he saw his young wife duck through the wooden rails and start to run across the inside of the corral to the aid of Joshua's foreman.

  Laura was headed straight for the horse.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  She had to get to him!

  Curt was lying on the ground, his arms spreadeagled, his eyes wide, gazing up at the horse which threatened to trample him any moment now. Laura knew she didn't have much time. She raced across the corral.

  She knew what to do. This wasn't the first time she'd had to do this.

  Laura dashed across the sandy surface of the corral, hitching up her skirt so that she didn't trip. She skidded to a halt, her brown boots sinking into the sand by Curt's side. The foreman's head whirled around. "Mrs. McKenzie. What are you doing?"