Mail Order Merry (Brides of Beckham Book 19)

by Kirsten Osbourne

  “Starving.” Clyde smiled at her, slipping an arm around her shoulders. “Did you get a lot done today?”

  She nodded. “I made curtains for both of the children while Charlie worked on the quilts. I hope to get the curtains hung up tomorrow. You’re not going to be able to work tomorrow, are you?”

  He shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. The weather looks like it’s going to be too bad. I might be wrong, but the animals were acting like something bad is coming, and Colin was sure there was a big storm brewing on Sunday.”

  “We’ll plan to stay in then. What do you do when you can’t work?”

  He shrugged. “I’m making some things for Christmas. During the last storm, I built your workshop.” He looked at her. “Do you like it? I know you’ve had the chance to work in it a bit.” He was a little nervous about whether it was what she needed. It was strange putting so much into customizing a workshop that he never intended to use himself.

  “I loved it. It was absolutely perfect. The little compartments will be wonderful places to put the pieces once they’re finished, whether to dry or to store them until someone buys them.”

  “How did you learn to carve?” he asked. It didn’t seem like something a woman would enjoy doing.

  She shrugged. “I always loved to paint and had an eye for art. When I was a teen, my dad showed me how to carve one day, and I liked it. I practiced a lot, and once my parents died, and I lived with my sister, I wanted a way to make a living. My ornaments became the way to do that.”

  “And you just started selling them from a catalogue?”

  Merry shook her head. “To start with, I sold them at the mercantile in Beckham. They still sell them, but it wasn’t a big enough outlet for me. I sent some to Boston and sold some there, and that was better, but I felt like I needed to be more hands-on doing it that way, and my brother-in-law didn’t want me traveling alone. So I found a catalogue that specialized in Christmas decorations, and that’s where I sell. I make lots of other things too, but most of my money has always come from the Christmas ornaments, so I’ve started trying to stockpile them throughout the year, making the other things I enjoy more when I get the chance.” Truthfully, she’d done none of the carvings she enjoyed—of animals, both large and small—in over a year. There just hadn’t been time once Joey was on the way and she had to help her sister out even more with household chores and Addy.

  “I’m sure I can talk Colin into carrying some of your carvings in the mercantile in town if you’d like?”

  She nodded. “That would be nice. I’ll continue to send them back to Massachusetts, and do the catalogue sales. Hopefully with the workshop right here in the house, I’ll be able to get more done.” She loved the idea of having more venues to sell in. Obviously, he didn’t need the money she made, but it made her feel independent and as if she was doing something people would remember her for. Someday far in the future a child would take an ornament out of a box and it would have her initials on it. They would ask where it came from, and their parents may or may not know, but the ornament would be there, standing the test of time.

  “Just don’t neglect your husband.”

  She bit her lip as she looked at him. “I’ll do my best. I tend to get really wrapped up in what I do, though.”

  He laughed, leaning forward to kiss her on the nose. “I’m not worried. If I start to feel neglected, I’ll let you know, but I don’t see it happening anytime in the near future.”

  Charlie stepped into the room from the kitchen. “I’ve got the drinks poured. Anyone hungry?”

  Addy stood up. “I am! But Baby Ugly Hair doesn’t get to eat because her hair is so ugly. Maybe if I don’t feed her, it will be pretty.” She ran into the kitchen to get her meal.

  “She doesn't like the new doll I bought her, either?” Clyde said, shaking his head. “Is that one ugly in some way too?” He was still baffled about why the dolls he chose weren’t right.

  “You should have looked at the doll!” Merry said with a wink standing up and taking the baby, carefully not saying anything about the new doll. “Let’s eat.”

  He frowned. “What aren’t you telling me about the new doll I got for her?”

  She sighed. “She calls it Baby Big Nose.”

  “Baby Big Nose?” He shook his head. “Why do I pick out bad dolls?”

  “It might have something to do with the fact you’ve never played with one. She plays with both of the dolls you got her just fine. She just gives them terrible names.”

  “I’m trying again. I’m not giving up until she has a doll she loves.”

  “Fine! Now let’s eat!”

  “It smells really good!” He forced his mind off the doll problem and onto the food he smelled.

  “Charlie made chicken pot pie. I’ve been smelling it for hours, and I’m starving.”

  “I worked hard enough for two men today. I hope she made a lot.” He stepped into the kitchen and saw two huge pans of chicken pot pie. “Did you just hear me say I hoped you made a lot and whipped up extra?”

  Charlie grinned. “I’m using to cooking for fifteen, not five. There will be a lot of leftovers when I cook.”

  After supper, Charlie took the children to wash them up for bed and Merry started on the dishes. When Charlie came back down, she shooed Merry away. “I’m here to help so you have more time for your new husband. Go be with him.”

  Clyde looked at Merry. “Do you have a coat?”

  She’d been wearing one when he met her, so she just looked at him for a moment, before walking to the hook where it was hanging and took it down. He took it from her, helping her into it, then slipped his own coat on. “I love to be outside just before a storm hits,” he said softly. “There’s a certain quality to the air, and you can smell the snow coming.”

  “Smell it?” she asked, giving him a strange look.

  “I know it sounds crazy, but sniff deeply. That smell is only in the air for a few hours before a snowstorm starts.” He led her to the middle of the yard, his arm around her shoulders for added warmth. “One night, when you’re better rested, we’ll have to stay up late enough to see the Northern lights. They’re my favorite part about living in Montana.”

  “Have you always lived here?” she asked softly, realizing just then she knew very little about the man she’d married.

  He shook his head. “I came here ten years ago, when I was just eighteen. I worked as a cowhand for a while, and then as soon as I was old enough, I bought my own place. I saved every dime I had. All the other men were drinking and…” he trailed off, obviously thinking better of what he was going to say. “I didn’t do any of that though. I saved it all, and I bought this place with cash as soon as I could. I lived in a tiny little cabin for a while, and then I built the house a little at a time. There’s no mortgage on anything. I bought every board with money I earned with my own two hands.”

  She sighed, resting her head against his shoulder. “I wish my family had been that way. After my parents died, we lost the farm, because there’d been a mortgage. Same with my sister’s place. If there had been some money left, I could have saved it for the children’s future. But there was nothing, because they’d both had mortgages.” She looked up at him. “Where did you live before?”

  “I grew up on a small farm in Wisconsin. I liked the farm, but I didn’t like milking. It’s still the thing I hate the most, but I’d sure rather milk two cows than a hundred. I did a lot of research and learned about all the different kinds of cattle. I didn’t fall into bison ranching. It’s what I chose to do, because I felt like it was right for me.”

  “There was no sweetheart you wanted to share your life with?”

  He shrugged. “I thought so once. She was at our wedding actually. We courted a bit about five years ago, but I wasn’t quite ready to marry. I was just starting to build the house back then, and I wanted everything to be perfect for my bride. She wasn’t willing to wait.”

  “I’m sorry.”


  He shook his head. “I’m not. If she didn’t have it in her to wait a few years for a man who would never betray her, then that’s up to her. What about you? Any suitors back home?”

  “Not a one. A few men asked to court me, but I was always so busy. I helped my sister and I worked on my business. I didn’t have time for anything else.” She paused, staring out at the beautiful mountains off in the distance. “Besides, I think I knew as soon as my parents died that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in Beckham. There were too many sad memories for me.”

  His hand stroked her hair out of her face. “I hope Montana is only filled with happy memories for you.”

  She turned into his arms, her own going around his waist. “I can’t see how it could be filled with anything but happiness with you here. There’s something awfully special about you, Clyde Bellman. I’m not sure I know what it is yet, but I feel like this is where I belong.”

  He smiled and stroked her cheek. “I promise you here and now, I will do my very best to make you and the children happy here. I already feel like they’re mine. We’re going to be a good family. And Mistletoe is a great place to raise a family. We have a beautiful Christmas celebration at the church on Christmas Eve. Why, the town was named after Mistletoe, so you know it’s going to be full of Christmas.”

  Merry smiled. “I’m sure the children will love that.”

  “So will you! Christmas is a big deal here. I know it matters to you because of the profession you chose.” Clyde leaned down and kissed her. “You belong in Mistletoe.”

  “I’m happy to be here.” And she was. If only it were a little less Christmassy. Then she’d like it a lot better.

  Chapter Eight

  Clyde was right and they were trapped inside all the next day. Merry and Charlie played with the children, while Clyde stared out the window. He obviously didn’t like a storm nearly as much as he liked smelling one.

  It was mid-morning when Merry came to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Are you all right?”

  He turned to her, nodding. “I just always worry when there’s a blizzard. The winds are so fierce. I’m always afraid the house will blow over or the barn will tear apart. It never happens, but it doesn’t stop me from worrying.”

  Charlie came over to take Addy’s hand. “Why don’t we go bake cookies? They’ll make the house smell nice, and they’ll give us something warm to put in our bellies.”

  Merry smiled at Charlie. “Thank you!”

  “No problem. The soup should be done around the same time as the cookies are, so we’ll have cookies for dessert.”

  “I had no idea she could cook as well as she does. I’m glad we kept her,” Merry said softly as her friend left to see to the cookies.

  He pulled her into the circle of his arms. “So am I.” He felt something on his leg and looked down to find Joey pulling himself up by using his pant leg for support. “Am I ever going to get any time alone with my new bride?”

  Merry bit her lip. “I thought you knew what you were getting into when I said I’d bring two small children. I’m thankful we have as much time alone as we do, and we wouldn’t if not for Charlie.”

  “Charlie is probably the best thing that could have happened to us,” he grudgingly admitted. “One of the cowboys in town will be stealing her away any minute, I’m sure.”

  “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

  “A few days ago, I’d have said it was a good thing. Now, I’m not sure what we’ll do without her!”

  Merry smiled, resting her head on his shoulder, and ignoring the persistent tugging on her dress from Joey. “I’m glad you’re seeing what a good, kind person she is.”

  He sighed. “I never doubted that she was a good, kind person. My doubts had to do with her living with us when we were first married. And there were a few doubts about the influence she had over the children! I can see we needed someone to help out now, though.” He looked down at Joey who had started babbling at them. “Fine, I’ll pick you up. Your aunt is supposed to get all my attention, though.” He scooped the baby into his arms and held him. “Now what?”

  Joey babbled incoherently, patting him on his cheek.

  “Is that so?”

  The little boy scrunched up his face and rested his forehead on Clyde’s shoulder, obviously content to be held by the big man.

  Merry couldn’t help but compare Clyde to Alfred, the children’s father. Clyde was so much bigger than her brother-in-law had been. He was well over six feet, and he was dark, where Alfred had been light.

  “Thank you for accepting the children,” she said softly.

  Clyde frowned. “Of course, I accept them. What else would I do?”

  She shrugged. “A lot of men would have tolerated them, but not taken them in as part of their families. You’ve made it very clear that both of them are yours now.”

  “They are mine. Nothing bad will happen to them with me there to watch over them.” He frowned. “Although this little one is smelling very ripe. I think it might be time for you to take him.”

  Merry sighed. “Of course. Diapers must be changed.” She carried the little boy off to clean him up, leaving Clyde to stare out the window some more.

  *****

  It was three days before Clyde was able to return to work. He fretted the whole while, only leaving the house when it was time to do the milking. Every time he left, Merry stood at the door, waiting for him to return, worried about him. She was starting to care for him a great deal more than she’d imagined she would.

  When they woke to the snow no longer falling on Saturday morning, she was surprised by how quiet it was. “I thought the winds would howl forever.”

  He propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at her, his hand tracing her cheek. “It always feels that way in the midst of a storm, and then when it dies down, it feels too quiet, as if something is missing.”

  “Will you work today?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his waist. She didn’t like the idea of him going out into the snow again. It seemed as if she could lose him at any moment, even though she knew he’d been working this ranch for years, and he knew the dangers better than she did.

  He nodded. “I need to go out and assess the damage. We should probably spread a little more hay out for the bison to eat, and I know I need to break the water up so they can drink again.” He’d told her that there was a small pond in the area where they were fenced, but that the pond would freeze over right away once the storm started.

  She moved closer to him, hugging him. “Be careful.”

  He tilted her face up to his, kissing her softly. “I will be. I can’t leave my wife and children here all alone. I’ll always have at least a couple of my men with me.”

  She frowned at that. “Why have I never met your men?”

  He laughed. “As if I’d bring my men around two beautiful women. They’d carry you both off!”

  “You’d protect us,” she said softly. “I’m really glad I came out here to marry you.”

  He smiled, caressing her cheek. “Does that mean the wait for lovemaking is over? Maybe I won’t work today after all.”

  She blushed at his words. “No, you know you need to work today. I think it is over, though. Maybe tonight…”

  He grinned, kissing her quickly. “I’ll look forward to it all day!”

  She laughed. “That’s the difference between us. You’ll look forward to it all day, and I’ll putter around nervously, wanting the hours to tick by slowly.”

  He frowned. “We can wait longer if you want.”

  She shrugged. “The longer we wait, the more nervous I’m going to be. You’re the first man who ever kissed me, so being intimate with a man is new, and nerve wracking. It’s not going to get any better.”

  He sighed, rolling out of bed to get dressed. “Let’s say this then. We’ll both be open to it when we come to bed tonight, but if you’re too nervous, you can tell me to stop. I’d rather you didn’t…but you can if you
need to.”

  “Sounds good.” She waited until he’d left the room before hurriedly dressing and heading down the stairs to fix breakfast. She had to keep her mind off the evening to come, though, because she really would make herself crazy with worry.

  She quickly mixed together eggs and milk for French toast, and then started bacon frying. She put the coffee pot at the back of the stove to get the coffee ready. She wished she had a way to send coffee with him and keep it hot, so he could stay warm, but she knew of no way.

  He brought in a bucket of milk and set it on the counter. “How’s breakfast coming?”

  “It’ll be ready in ten minutes or so.” She glanced over her shoulder at him as she turned the bacon. “I’m surprised the children aren’t awake yet.”

  He shrugged. “They don’t need to be up at a certain time today. We’ve been off schedule with the blizzard. We can have a nice breakfast alone together.”

  She laughed, sure that as soon as they were sitting down to eat the others would join them.

  She cooked enough for the entire family, putting the extra into the oven to keep it warm, before pouring coffee and putting a plate full of bacon and French toast in front of him. “It looks like you were right. Everyone is sleeping in this morning.”

  “I think the kids need it. And Charlie works hard. I think the blizzard was well-timed, because I had no idea just how hard she was working.”

  “She does a lot around here. I know I could handle it all on my own, but I wouldn’t have any time at all to get ahead for next year’s Christmas orders.”

  They spoke quietly while they ate, both of them thankful for the time to just be together. When he finally stood to go out and start his day, she went to him, wrapped her arms around him and just held on. “Be safe out there.”

  He tilted her face up to him with one finger under her chin and kissed her softly. “I’ll do my best.”

  “Good. I don’t need to be a widow before I’m ever really a bride, you know.”

  “Looking forward to being a bride now, are you?” he asked, a grin on his face.