Adored By The Rancher: Mail Order Brides Box Set

by Dreams, Brittany

  “Who is that for?” asked Katherine politely.

  “It’s for Jack,” Hattie replied and then stopped.

  There was an awkward silence and Hattie continued.

  “I thought you might like to take it in to him,” said Hattie. “I’ll get the laundry started. We can go down to the stream or we can fill up a tub at the pump. I do it both ways.”

  Katherine was not sure what had just transpired but there was something strange about the moment that just passed. She smiled and accepted the plate. She rose from the table. Pain flickered as she moved.

  She pressed the door to their room opened.

  “Hey,” she whispered. “I know you have to sleep but I thought you might like some food.”

  With his eyes still closed he reached his arm around her hips.

  “What a sweet wife,” he said. “Thank you.”

  He sat up just enough to eat the breakfast. He took a bite of the bread.

  “My goodness,” he said. “This is right delicious. I think I might like them better than biscuits. Come here.”

  He touched her chin as he kissed her lightly. Katherine’s stomach was warm butterflies. She was so pleased he liked her cooking. The strange feeling she had about Hattie went away. She took the plate from him.

  “I will be up before the next meal. And then we can go to bed early tonight,” he said flirtatiously.

  Katherine leaned down again and kissed.

  “That sounds like a good idea,” she said.

  She brought the plate out and took the dishes off of the table to wash.

  “That was sure fast,” said Hattie.

  Katherine looked at her. “Pardon?”

  “He gobbled that up fast. I would have thought it would take at least that long to wake him after he got in so late,” Hattie said.

  Again Hattie’s words hit a nerve but Katherine was silent. She dunked the dishes in the tub water and stacked them. She bought them inside to put them away. She and Hattie took the laundry to the river. She unpacked a few things from her trunk to wash as well.

  Katherine was fairly good at doing laundry since they did a lot of it in the convent. She knew little tricks to getting good results. She and Hattie worked for a couple of hours, chatting very little but what they did exchange was pleasant.

  She saw Hattie smile, looking beyond them. Katherine looked over her shoulder to see what she was smiling at and saw Jack. She wasn’t so sure if she liked it that Hattie a woman who had been basically living with her husband was so happy to see him. She was officially jealous.

  He was so good looking thought Katherine. He shuffled through the straggled grass, the sound of it flicking on his boots. His black hat shaded his eyes. Katherine guessed his hair to be the color of hers. He had blue eyes like her too. The notion of what their children might look like crossed her mind.

  “Ladies,” he said. “I thought I thought we might like to go into town later for some shopping and maybe give that meal at Delmonico’s another try.”

  “Delmonico’s? Did you win at cards or some such?” asked Hattie, grinning.

  Katherine’s eyes flared.

  “You already interrupted one day’s work. We are behind,” said Hattie.

  Katherine was silent. She lived a life of intense subordination at the convent. She didn’t want to disturb the way things were in Jack’s home but she did not like having to filter her responses through Hattie. She was thinking Hattie might have to go. She piled laundry into a tub.

  “Jack will you help with this?” asked Katherine.

  She was going to have him hang it on the line by the house and have a little talk with him at the same time.

  “Is that rinse?” asked Hattie.

  Katherine looked at Jack sternly. Jack winked.

  “It’s fine,” he pronounced and he lifted the tub.

  He and Katherine strolled to the house. A few steps away from the creek bank and Jack took her hand.

  “She’s been running the house for so long it will take some adjusting for us all now that I am a married man,” said Jack.

  He set the tub down by the laundry line.

  “Why would she need to adjust to the fact that you are married?” Katherine said trying not to snap.

  Jack grinned. “Mrs. Clearwater, are you worried there might have been something between me and Hattie?”

  Katherine was too flustered to speak.

  “Sweetheart,” he said. “I will try to put this as delicately as possible.”

  With that, Katherine covered her ears with her hands.

  “Sweetheart,” he laughed.

  He got real close to her ear. “She prefers the love of women, not men. If anyone has competition with her it would be me and not you.”

  Katherine was overcome with a powerful blush. She reeled. Jack took her into his arms, laughing hard.

  “My poor delicate, saucy bride. We both are bushed. Let me take you into town. I am fond of Hattie but she really wasn’t invited. I will tell her to take the day off.”

  Chapter Five

  Katherine changed into a nicer dress and road into town with her husband. He was right. They were both exhausted. It would be nice to have dinner just the two of them and to go to bed.

  It was a wonder they made it dinner at all. Jack Clearwater was flirtatious and affectionate. They stopped and kissed or didn’t stop and kissed and had to re-route the team. They laughed. It was about the most fun Katherine had ever. He even said they might stay at Dodge House for the night.

  “That would be lovely,” said Katherine. “But can we spare the expense?”

  “Don’t you worry about such things,” admonished Jack lightly.

  “Our home is just fine,” she said. “Hattie had her own place so we have privacy.”

  “I want us to have a wedding night,” he said with a wink.

  “We already had a wedding morning,” Katherine giggled.

  “Mrs. Clearwater, I am liable to take you in the back of this wagon if you continue talk like that,” he said with a kiss.

  It was a much nicer experience sitting to supper now that she was settled. She and Jack each had a steak and mashed potatoes. They were having a lovely moment when the nun and the priest who Katherine spied when she arrived, passed in front of the restaurant. How that could have completely pushed from her mind she didn’t know. But there they were where she was. They must have seen her come in to town with Jack.

  Jack noticed the transformation in Katherine. It was impossible to miss. She was shaking.

  “What is it?” he demanded quietly.

  She didn’t answer. It was just like the other time all over again. He was going to be impatient with her. But she could tell him. The convent was after her, she knew it.

  “Katherine,” he said with a touch of warning in his voice.

  She looked at him with big eyes.

  “I think I may be coming down with something,” she fibbed.

  He looked at her with a scold.

  “Katherine,” he arched his brow.

  She touched his hand.

  “I want you know to know how much I enjoy being married you,” she said cryptically.

  Jack Clearwater was a smart man and she wasn’t evading him at all. After a brief interaction with the waiter, the nun and the priest left the restaurant. Katherine was able to settle down some.

  “I feel better,” she said. “Don’t let my silliness spoil our evening.”

  “I am your husband. We took a vow to trust one another,” he said.

  “Yes and I do. You mentioned Dodge House earlier. If that idea still appeals to you, it appeals to me to,” she said sweetly.

  He knew when he was being manipulated.

  “No ma’am,” he said. “That’s twice you turned white as ash for no apparent reason and it’s not because of traveling. Or anything else. You tell me now and you tell me true.”

  She swallowed hard.

  “Promise please you won’t send me away if I tell you,
” she said in a shaky voice.

  He glared at her. “My word,” he said. “What have you done?”

  “I ran away from a convent,” she said. “And I won’t go back. All the things I told you in my letter were true. I am from Philadelphia. I come from a large family but –“

  “But what?” he asked.

  His voice was surprisingly tempered.

  “My family put me in a convent where they were mean and cruel and awful. And you can unmarry me or whatever it is people do, but I am not going back,” she declared.

  She tried to keep her voice down. She didn’t want to spoil the evening any further with the nonsense but it did feel good to get it out.

  “I see and what makes you think that you might have to go back?” he asked gently.

  “Did you see that priest and the nun?” she asked. “You would have to be blind.”

  He smirked at her boldness. She touched her fingertips to her lips coyly.

  “Pardon,” she said.

  “So you saw those two clergy walking around and you thought that they were coming to get you from back East?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said with relief.

  “Perhaps you if you shared that with me when it first upset you, I could have explained it to you,” he said.

  “Explained what?” she asked.

  “What those clergy are doing here,” he said. “They are about to build a church of their own. I was talking to Harley about it. In fact if you want, we can go on over say hello to him and he can explain it to you. Would that make you feel better?”

  Katherine wasn’t sure. If they were building a church here someone could easily find out she had run from the convent.

  “Sweetheart, you are my wife. You are a married woman. You are not going anywhere,” he said.

  He was so adamant that she was reassured.

  “I am going to go get Harley and asked him flat out if under any circumstances, could they take you back?” he said.

  “No no,” she said now feeling a little silly.

  “Oh yes ma’am,” he flirted. “I am getting Harley and he’s going to make sure you know that you and I are lawfully wed. And then I am buying him a drink for marrying me the best darn wife a man could have dreamed of. Even if I did buy her from a catalog.”

  Jack kissed her but Katherine stopped it, burning it up with a blush. She could barely tolerate a public display though from him she was willing to try to make an exception. But in perfect timing, in walked the Reverend Harley.

  Chapter Six

  “Oh my goodness,” smiled Jack. “Speak of the devil.”

  “Jack,” admonished Katherine.

  “Oh he knows I am just teasing. Ought to; I’ve known him long enough. Join us?” asked Jack.

  Reverend Harley kissed Katherine chastely on the cheek as he took the chair that Jack held out for him. Jack took a seat himself.

  “So I am learning all kinds of things about my beautiful bride here,” Jack began jovially.

  “Do tell,” said Reverend Harley.

  Katherine was unnerved. Maybe because he was wearing a clergy shirt, but she didn’t like the way he said that.

  “My sweet wife grew up in a convent,” said Jack.

  It was painful to discuss but she was managed.

  “Really? Whereabouts?” asked Reverend Harley.

  “Outside Philadelphia. Precious Blood,” she said quietly.

  “Goodness. I understand but that is a fairly austere name,” admonished the reverend. “Were you an orphan?”

  “No I was not,” replied Katherine. “My family lived nearby.”

  “Were they impoverished to your knowledge?” asked the reverend.

  “No they were not. Quite well off as a matter of fact,” she replied, her voice breaking.

  “You uncomfortable discussing this?” asked Jack?

  She nodded quickly.

  “Was it that bad?” he asked.

  She nodded again.

  “She wants to know can they come and got her? Seems here she left before they wanted her to,” said Jack.

  “You’re a married woman. You belong to your husband now,” shrugged the reverend. “I doubt if they would. Plainly if they housed you in a convent they didn’t want you. Oh my,” he said. “That did not come out ‘tall the way I meant it.”

  “That’s okay,” said Jack.

  “I sincerely apologize,” he said.

  “Well she saw two clergy. The priest and the nun walking about and she thought they could possibly send her back,” said Jack.

  “They are building a church here in Dodge. I am quite sure that they don’t even know that you are here. Hard as you are to miss,” said the reverend.

  Katherine stiffened with alarm. Jack laughed.

  “He was paying you a compliment sweetheart. He said you are too pretty to go unnoticed,” said Jack. “Say listen Harley. I am going to check us into Dodge House. Will you sit here and keep Katherine company while I do?”

  “I would be happy to,” said the reverend.

  Chapter Seven

  As soon as Jack was out of sight, the Reverend Harley put his hand over hers. Katherine pulled hers away. She glared at him just enough to still be polite

  “Reverend Harley?” she asked with a bit of a warning in her voice.

  “Call me Harley, please,” he invited.

  “I think formalities in this situation are best,” she said.

  “Come now,” he said.

  “We are in public,” admonished Katherine. The reverend chuckled. “Oh are you saving yourself for private? I heard all kinds of stories about convents. I mean, what is a little Catholic girl to do with a bunch of other of your ilk? Cooped up. Bunking together. I can imagine naughty things happening there.”

  “It was total hell,” she replied angrily.

  It was a bold move on her part to curse but he infuriated her.

  “My word,” chastised the reverend. “The language. And to a man of the cloth.”

  The barkeep set a bottle of whiskey in front of him. He didn’t have to ask. The barkeep just knew. He poured a shot and drank it.

  “I think I shall have to encourage Jack to send you to me for counseling,” his eyes twinkled lasciviously.

  “No,” said Katherine.

  It was not a pleading rejection. It was a straight forward one. There was no waffling.

  “I don’t know maybe I told Jack wrong about those fish eaters out there. Maybe they will have the authority to come and get you,” he said. “Maybe that’s what you need to teach you some manners.”

  “And I thought you were Jack’s good friend,” she shook her head.

  “What can I say? I have a mortal weakness for pretty girls. And Mrs. Clearwater, you are a pretty girl.”

  “Thank you Reverend Harley,” she affected a smile. “I think it’s best I go find my husband because I have had the good fortune, to love him deeply.”

  “Deeply you say,” he muttered into his glass with an evil grin on his face.

  Katherine wasn't quite sure what it was he saying but she knew it was not appropriate. She rose.

  “Have a good evening,” she said.

  “I don’t think it is a good idea for you to be on the street unescorted. Why don’t we wait for Jack to return?” he suggested with a fake smile.

  Katherine pressed her lips together tightly and tuned him out. She knew how to do that. She had plenty of experience at that. Such an unpleasant tension fell between them. It caused the time to drag. Finally Jack appeared, with a smile on his face.

  “Shall we?” he asked.

  Chapter Eight

  He shook hands with Reverend Harley and thanked him. Katherine’s look was cold but not so as Jack could see it. Jack paid the restaurant tab and he and Katherine walked over to the Dodge House. Jack introduced her to the manager of the hotel before they went up to their room. Once again he whisked her up and carried of the threshold.

  “Oh my goodness,” she giggled. “I
do believe you’re going to hoist me over every threshold in town.”

  “I will too,” he said flirtatiously.

  He let her down but she kept her arms around his neck. In fact, she backed up and stood on the bed so she was face to face with him. She smiled at him. She definitely had a crush on her new husband.

  “I adore you,” she said.

  “Do you now?” he grinned. “I better get while the gettin’ is good.”

  “Get?” she asked innocently.

  “Yes,” he said, his eyes smoldering.

  He pressed his sweet, soft lips to hers. She drew him his scent and let it intoxicate her. His tongue penetrated her mouth and swept it every bit of it. He trailed kisses on her jaw line and down the curve of her neck to the base while disrobing her.

  He stooped to find her breast, now bared. Katherine arched up against him. He wrapped his arms around her back. She moaned. The feel of his hot mouth on her delicate nipple was exhilarating.

  She stripped the rest of her clothing down and went to quick work on his clothes. She unbuttoned his shirt and skimmed it off his broad shoulders. She imitated him, pressing her mouth into the soft skin of chest. His body was so amazing to her. He let her toy with him for a while before he took command.

  He swept her up and back. She giggled and craned up to kiss him. He gently gripped her thigh and moved it wider apart. His mouth blazed a path from her mouth down her chest and between her breasts. She clutched his hair thinking he was going to stay there.

  But he kept going. His mouth travel further, across her flat abdomen and to her nest of curls. Even though she was so aroused, she clamped her knees shut. She was shocked that he was going to put his mouth there.

  He didn’t miss a beat. He tantalized her thighs with his lithe kisses, arcing around until he worked back to the middle. She was so intoxicated with his loving that finally her legs just fell open. He extended his tongue as far out as he could, touching the delicate folds between her legs.

  He made her ache and needy. She immediately nudged her hips up towards, making that ancient mating rhythm. She rocked against his tongue as he lapped her. Katherine surpassed herself that she was so brave. But it felt amazing. Her belly was warm and readied. She wriggled and thrusted as he excited her.