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

by Maya Stirling

  Laura didn't answer Curt. Instead, she concentrated on the huge body of the horse which was rearing up on powerful hind legs. The animal's eyes were wide with distress, and it's mouth was salivating heavily, teeth bared.

  Laura took up a position in front of the animal and spread her arms wide. The horse's hooves whirled dangerously in front of Laura's face. She took a step back.

  Curt slid to the side and made it onto his knees. "Mrs. McKenzie, please. Leave this to me."

  Curt tried to grab the loose rope which was tied around the horse's neck, but the animal reared and then lurched away from him, dragging the rope across the sand, out of Curt's desperate grasp.

  "You don't need that," Laura told him, waving the foreman away with a firm gesture of her hand.

  Curt frowned. "What are you going to do? This one's wild," he cried out above the screaming of the horse which had taken a few threatening steps toward the two of them.

  "He's just scared," Laura said sharply, taking a step toward the horse. She thought of all the times she had done this before, how her father had instructed her, how she was the only one in the family who could do this. How even Eli wasn't able to tame a wild, frightened horse the way Laura could.

  She spread her arms wide and started to speak in the way she'd always known would help her connect with the terrified animal. Her voice was deep and soft . Her firm yet gentle tone of voice cut through the high pitched whinnying of the horse. Laura took another step closer, putting all the reassurance she could into the sound of her voice. She could only imagine the look on Curt's face behind her. But she knew exactly what she was doing.

  The horse's legs waved wildly in front of her, it's head shifting from side to side, but Laura didn't flinch once.

  She took yet another step closer.

  Laura saw that the horse's movements had softened imperceptibly, now less agitated. But maybe Laura was the only one who could see the change.

  Suddenly from behind her she heard a voice. It was Joshua.

  "Laura. Get out of there. Now."

  She didn't even turn her head to look at her husband, so intent was her focus on calming the animal in front of her. Laura took another step closer. Now the horse's hooves were starting to settle on the sand more frequently. From behind her she heard Curt utter a word that under any other circumstances would have been completely inappropriate.

  Laura felt a smile crease her own lips. She gazed into the horse's eyes, seeing calm appear where before there had only been terror. Laura continued to speak calmly, nodding her head gently, stepping slowly up to the horse, making sure that none of her movements were sudden.

  She glanced over to her side and saw that Joshua had stepped into the corral. But, he was resisting the impulse to come running over to her aid. His eyes were wide, fixed on Laura. She could only imagine how he was feeling.

  The horse was now standing on four legs, his head shaking from side to side, his gaze fixed on Laura. She took one last step to the horse's side, and reached out a hand, placing it gently on the side of the horse's head.

  Laura felt the softness of the horse's face under her fingers. She continued making the soft soothing noises that she knew were the key to the calming of the animal. All the while she calmly caressed the horse's head, until finally it ceased it's sideways movements and stood, serene and pacified, it's eyes fixed on Laura.

  "Well, I'll be..." she heard Curt say from behind her. "How did you do that?"

  Laura turned and smiled at him. "I've been doing that for years," she said to him, continuing to stroke the horse's head.

  Laura lifted up the loose rope and handed it to Curt. "Here," she told him.

  Curt took it from her, a look of consternation written on his face. Laura stepped away from the horse.

  Joshua walked gingerly across the corral toward Laura. "What did you think you were doing?" he asked firmly.

  "Taming a wild beast," she said with a smile. She looked at him and quirked a brow.

  Joshua frowned. "I never knew you could do that," he said.

  "Of course you didn't. How could you?" she said, feeling a glow of satisfaction settle in her, the likes of which she hadn't felt in a long while.

  Joshua wrapped an arm around her waist. "Where did you learn that?"

  "With my father. I guess you could say it's one of my special skills," she said.

  Joshua led her to the gate of the corral and opened it for her. She stepped out, letting him keep a hold of her waist.

  Mrs. Bell came running up to them. "Are you okay, Mrs. McKenzie?" she asked wide eyed.

  Laura smiled. "Of course. I'm fine."

  "Seems like we shouldn't have worried," Joshua said to Mrs. Bell.

  "You near gave me a heart attack," Mrs. Bell said placing a reassuring hand over her own chest.

  Laura frowned. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Bell," she said placing a hand on the housekeeper's arm. "I promise not to surprise you like that again. Just that Curt needed some help and there was no-one else around," she said.

  Joshua smiled at Laura. "Wait'll the ranch hands hear about this. Curt won't be able to live it down," he said.

  Laura glanced back at the corral. The horse was pacing around slowly. Curt was walking by the horse's side, his grip firm on the rope. He looked over at Laura and gave her a slight nod of thanks.

  Laura sighed. "I think Curt appreciated what I just did," she said.

  "You'll be needing some tea after your little escapade," Mrs. Bell said to Laura with a frown.

  "I think she needs more than some tea. I need to have some words with my wife, I think," Joshua said, a look of mild concern on his face. He took her gently by the arm and started to lead her back to the house.

  Laura knew she'd taken him by surprise, even had made him temporarily fear for her safety. There was a lot that Joshua didn't know about her. Judging by the way he'd reacted it was going to take some time before he was going to get used to the kind of person she really was.

  They went into the kitchen and before long Mrs. Bell had prepared a pot of tea and laid out some biscuits she'd baked earlier. They took everything through to the parlor. Joshua and Laura took their places on the sofa, side by side.

  Laura was surprised at how quickly Joshua had accepted what he'd seen her do. There weren't many men who would accept that their wives could have such an ability, especially one that put them in such danger.

  After a few minutes Joshua placed his cup down and looked at her intently. "Are there any other surprises that you have in store for me," he said with a soft smile.

  Laura shook her head. "It just never came up in conversation," she answered.

  Joshua grinned. "I guess it wouldn't. It's just that, you gave me a fright," he said, his brows furrowing.

  Laura reached across and laid a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry if I made you worry for me," she said.

  Joshua nodded. "I'm going to ask you to promise not to do that again," he said.

  Laura took a sip of tea and looked at him. "I've been doing that since I was young. But only in the privacy of the ranch. That's why you've never seen me doing it before. I'm not going to give it up now," she said.

  "Not even for me?"

  "Why should I? It's something special that I can do. It makes me happy," she explained.

  Joshua frowned. He looked so intense all of a sudden. Laura guessed he really didn't like to see her in any kind of danger. That thought touched her. The look of worry on his face told her that he really did care for her. She'd never seen that expression on his face before.

  Joshua shook his head. "But it's so dangerous. And I can't stand the thought that one of those horses might not do what you want," he said firmly.

  "That's not going to happen," she said.

  "How do you know that for sure?"

  "I just know. Look I can prove to you that the horse trusts me now."

  Joshua frowned. "How?"

  "Easy. I take it for a ride."

  "What? That's a newly broken horse yo
u're talking about. You can't just take it for a ride."

  "I sure can. I've done it many a time. That horse trusts me now," she said.

  Joshua jaw tightened. Laura had always known that Joshua could be determined. He couldn't have built up the ranch to the successful spread that it was if he hadn't had a strong, determined character. But now he was being downright pushy. "I don't want you doing that," he ordered.

  Laura peered at him, scrutinizing his expression. "You are telling me what I can and can't do?"

  Joshua looked at her. "I'm only thinking of your safety."

  "I've been riding horses like that since I was little."

  "But now you're my wife. And I don't want you getting hurt," he said.

  Laura's teeth clenched together and took a deep breath. "Do you know how special that makes me feel?" she said finally. "Being able to make a horse trust me, even when it's distressed. Not even my brother could do that."

  Joshua frowned. "I understand that. I know how important Eli is to you. I understand what he's done to you," he said.

  "What do you mean?"

  Joshua sighed and leaned forward laying a hand on her arm. "I know you and Eli haven't always seen eye to eye on everything."

  Laura wrenched her arm away from Joshua and stood up. "Joshua. You don't know anything about me and Eli."

  Laura felt her eyes moisten and she could see that Joshua realized he'd probably stepped over the line. How dare Joshua probe her about the one thing that had made her want to leave behind her entire life on the Thorne ranch; the one dark corner of her otherwise happy life growing up in the wilds of Montana; the thing that had made her impulsively want to seek out a better life married to, of all things, a town lawyer.

  Joshua stood and tried to take Laura's hand but she pulled it away from him.

  She wanted to be away from him now; needed to put some distance between them.

  "Laura. I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by that," he said.

  Laura shook her head and turned, striding quickly out of the parlor, knowing that there was only one thing she needed to do. And it didn't involve being with Joshua McKenzie.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Laura dashed out the front door and headed straight for the corral. There was no sign of the horse she had tamed. Curt must have taken the stallion into the stable. Laura went inside the stable and was pleased to find that Curt was nowhere to be seen. She was alone with the horses in their stalls. Laura quickly found the horse she had just dealt with.

  A few minutes later she had a saddle on him. The horse seemed disturbed at the feel of the saddle on his back, but Laura soon calmed him down with soothing words and gentle caresses above his muzzle. Laura loved the blaze of white down the front of the horse's face. He was a beautiful chestnut brown and his mane was thick. His ears twitched showing Laura that he was curious about what was happening. But there was little sign of the agitation he had displayed earlier. Laura was sure that he was safe to ride.

  Laura tied the cinches and made sure neither of them were too tight. The horse took the bit in his mouth and Laura set the reins up on his back. She lifted herself up onto the saddle and made sure she was secure.

  Laura heard some noises from the yard and moved the horse forward, peering out. Satisfied that there was no-one there who could stop her, she guided the horse out of the stable, glancing all around.

  No-one had seen her. She was glad, but at the same time she wondered where Joshua was. Why hadn't he followed her out? She frowned and drove the thought out of her mind. She had to get away. She needed to be anywhere but here, on this ranch, with Joshua trying to tell her what she could and couldn't do.

  She headed out across the yard and out over the flat land surrounding the ranch. It would be best to keep clear of the trails. They would be used by the ranch hands and she didn't want to be seen. She burned with the need to be alone; had done for days since coming to the ranch. It wasn't that Joshua was unkind or even unpleasant to her. On the contrary. He had been a real gentleman, kind and considerate, seemingly thinking only of her happiness, and whether or not she was settling down to life on the ranch as his new wife.

  But that was the reason why it was all so difficult for her.

  Settling down. Being a new wife.

  Laura drove her mount on, picking up speed. She felt the familiar sensations of the wind in her hair, the power of the horse beneath her, the tightness in her arms and legs as she tried to control the horse. All the sensations she had savored so much while growing up on the Thorne ranch. And now she was here, on Joshua's spread, experiencing all the same pleasures and freedoms she had enjoyed back on her parents' ranch.

  So why was she finding it so difficult to accept her new life?

  The only thing she could think of that could possibly make it difficult was the one thing she could never have thought would be any kind of obstacle to her happiness.

  Joshua.

  Everything he had said and done since they had married had been designed to put her at her ease, to help her settle down to a new life with him. But the truth was, she wasn't even sure she was able to settle down with him. Not in the way he so obviously wanted her to. The nights alone in her room with Joshua so far away across the hall had showed her that she hadn't thought through the consequences of living with a handsome, sensitive and caring man. Someone who she had grown up thinking of as a family friend.

  Laura gazed across the beautiful Montana landscape. In the distance she could see the mountains with their high, snow covered peaks. She loved this land; had loved it ever since she could remember. It filled her soul in a way that nothing else came close to doing. Yet, why had she really run away from all this? What had driven her to seek out a life in the town with a man who probably would have made her unhappy and regretful for the rest of her life?

  One person had driven her. As she thought of him, her jaw became tight and she leaned forward, resting her arms on the horse's withers, gripping the reins.

  Eli.

  He had made her life a misery. There was no other way to describe it. No matter what her mother had done to protect her against Eli. He had always found ways to torment her, demean her, make her feel that she had no place on the Thorne ranch; that it was his domain and that she was nothing but a silly, feminine hinderance. In spite of the gift of a fighting spirit which her mother had instilled in her; even with the inner strength and confidence that her beloved father had nurtured in her; Eli still had found a way to make Laura's life unbearable.

  That was why she had finally given in and found the only way out.

  And how badly it had all turned out. The shame she'd felt at being brought home had burned in her, especially when she had seen the look on Eli's face, the sheer pleasure at her humiliation.

  Laura had felt so low that she had wondered if she would ever recover her life in any shape or form.

  And then her mother had thrown her a lifeline in the form of Joshua.

  Sweet, handsome, Joshua.

  She drew the horse to a temporary halt and gazed out across the land that her new husband owned and had nurtured. Laura had to admit that for someone so young Joshua had some truly sterling qualities, the kind that weren't often found in men of his age. He had taken possession of her with the same determination and resolve that he had shown in building up this spread. Laura thought that the way he had agreed to marry her had seemed almost improper, almost too hasty. As if he had been waiting for his chance to be with her.

  Could that be true? That, all along Joshua had been waiting for his opportunity. Laura recalled the expression on his face when her mother had broached the subject of their possible matrimony. He had seemed almost relieved, even pleased that something had come his way that he'd waited such a long time for.

  A strong breeze blew up from the valley below and she heard the sound of a herd, accompanied by the shouts of the ranch hands. She couldn't see where they were but she decided that, if she was going to have any privacy, any chance to clear her
mind, understand what her life had become and what she could do about it, she had to head in the opposite direction.

  And do it as fast as she possibly could.

  *****

  Joshua drove his horse on across the scrubland and up toward the ridge from where he hoped to catch a glimpse of where Laura could have gone.

  He had to find her. No matter what she thought, that horse wasn't safe. Of course he knew that she was probably more than capable of controlling the mount. But even the smallest chance that some harm could come to her filled him with dread.

  One thing was for sure; Laura Mckenzie was one headstrong young woman. When she'd stormed out of the parlor his first instinct had been to race after her, try to persuade her that he only had her safety in mind; that if anything happened to her he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. But he'd held back and decided to give her some time to gather her thoughts, calm down. Then she might see sense, might respond to reason.

  But, when he'd come out to the yard and tried to find her, his heart had stopped when he realized that she was nowhere to be found. And his immediate fear about where she had gone had been confirmed when he'd gone to the stable and seen the empty stall.

  So now he was racing up the ridge, hoping that once he reached the top he would see just where she had gone. He knew this land like the back of his hand. There wasn't any part of his land that he didn't know intimately. He knew it was a tall order hoping to spot her from the ridge, but he had to try.

  His mind was a whirl of confusing thoughts. His throat was dry and parched already. He pulled the horse up on the ridge and took out his flask of water and took a long drink of the cold water. Looking down onto the wide expanse before him, he saw the herd way off to the west.

  He gazed out across the land, searching for any sign of Laura. There was no sign of her.

  He felt a flush of pride every time he saw his spread from up here, and now was no exception. He had made this all come true; he had forged this with his will, and the help of people who apparently held him in affection. And that was the truth about the whole thing, and the reason why he wanted Laura so much. Even if a man made and shaped a land; built a living up from virtually nothing; it didn't mean a thing if he couldn't share it with someone.