The Rancher’s Bride Blessing

by Maya Stirling

  Mrs Lucas came to Abigail's side. "Looks like your ride is waiting for you," she observed.

  Abigail smiled at Mrs Lucas. "Thank you for your help, Mrs Lucas."

  "You're welcome, dear," the woman replied. She glanced over at the door. "Now, where has my husband gotten to? We need to be getting back to Inspiration."

  Abigail followed Mrs Lucas out. Mr Lucas was in the kitchen. He listened patiently to his wife's mild complaint. Abigail could tell that the couple, married for thirty years according to Mrs Lucas, loved one another. As she opened the front door of the ranch house, Abigail couldn't help wondering what that would be like. To spend your whole life with the same person was such a blessing from God. Truly it was something to be hoped for, she thought emerging out onto the porch.

  Noah had already made his way across the yard and was standing next to the carriage. He ran his gaze appreciatively over Abigail's restored form. He nodded. "You cleaned up nice," he observed.

  "No thanks to you," she replied. Abigail glanced back at the open door. "And a little help from Mrs Lucas."

  "She's turning out to be quite indispensable," Noah commented. Noah gestured to the carriage. "Can I take you home? I reckon its safe, now."

  Abigail furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

  He squinted at Abigail. "The way you looked earlier would probably gotten me shot if I took you home."

  "Maybe you're right," Abigail replied. "Jake might not have taken too kindly to his sister turning up looking like she'd just been swimming."

  Noah laughed. She liked it when he smiled. Wished she'd seen more of that side of him during the day. Maybe he'd had too much to worry about. But all that would change now. Wouldn't it? Life at his ranch was about to settle down. And with that, she might see the other sides to Noah's character. The prospect made anticipation flicker to life inside her.

  Mrs Lucas came running out, carrying a multi-colored, patchwork blanket in her hands. "Take this, Miss Buchanan," Mrs Lucas instructed. "It'll keep you warm during the journey."

  Taking the blanket, Abigail smiled. "It's not that far, Mrs Lucas."

  The other woman smiled patiently. "Still. It's good to be cautious."

  Abigail got into the carriage. Noah took his place next to her on the seat and curled his fingers around the reins. Abigail swept the blanket around her body, tugging the edge up beneath her chin. Glancing across at Noah, she saw approval in his eyes. They moved off slowly, heading down the trail which would lead them to her home.

  Although it was dark, there was a crescent moon in the sky. It cast enough light so that Abigail could see the trail up ahead. Silvery light illuminated the rangeland giving it a mysterious quality. For a while, Abigail settled back, enjoying the gentle rocking movement of the carriage. Feeling the welcome warmth inside the blanket.

  Eventually Noah spoke. "Did I say I was sorry?" he asked and glanced brightly at her.

  "You don't have to," Abigail replied. "It was nothing."

  He quirked a brow. "Are you saying you're used to taking nighttime dips in the creek?"

  She shook her head. "Of course not. If anything I should be the one apologizing."

  "Why?" he asked.

  "I lost my temper," she explained. "I shouldn't have done that."

  He grinned. "Maybe we've both got some changing to do, Abigail. I let my pride get the better of me. I shouldn't have let that happen. I prayed to God I would tame that beast. But it's proving harder than I thought."

  Abigail shook her head. "How often do you pray for help?" she asked.

  "Whenever I need to talk with Him. And that means every day," Noah admitted. "And you?" he added lifting a brow.

  "The same," she replied. "My ma and pa brought me up to have faith. They did a good job in that respect. With me and Jake and Grace."

  "Good parents," Noah said. His features darkened slightly after saying those words. She wondered what he was thinking. He'd started to tell her things back at the creek. And she'd seen how difficult that had been for him.

  "Maybe your own parents only wanted the best for you, Noah," she suggested.

  Noah shook his head. "If they did, they sure went about it in strange way, Abigail."

  An awkward silence hovered between them for a few moments. "You planning on seeing them again?" Abigail asked.

  To her surprise, he nodded. "I'll probably make the occasional trip back there. But it won't be a regular thing."

  "I'm sure they'll be proud of you," she said. "Once they find out what you've achieved."

  "I haven't achieved anything," Noah objected. "Not yet, at least."

  Abigail frowned and gazed across the moonlit rangeland. They'd be leaving his spread soon, but they were still on his land. "You have all of this. And if you make it a going concern, surely that will be something to be proud of, Noah."

  She saw his jaw tighten. He shook his head. "My parents don't want a son who works the land. They want one who fits in to their idea of society. Someone who is good at playing a part. That'll never be for me." He frowned. "I may suffer from pride, but I don't lie."

  Abigail stayed silent for a few minutes, thinking over what he'd said. Noah was clearly determined to make this whole enterprise work. No matter what he had to do. That kind of determination could be a good thing, she told herself. Out here, in this territory, it was hard to make anything work without some fortitude. And help from God. Noah seemed to have both. But, he was still clearly struggling with his past. With the legacy of his upbringing. Although she'd helped Noah with the ranch, she wasn't sure she was going to be able to help Noah with those more personal wounds. Because, he was hurting. And she was sure he would have to face struggles caused by those inner wounds.

  God would help him heal, Abigail told herself. He always healed in ways we couldn't understand, nor expect. It might take time, and may come in a surprising from, but Abigail was sure God would help Noah.

  Finally, they arrived at the Buchanan ranch. As Noah drew the carriage to a halt, the front door opened and out stepped Matilda and Jake. They came quickly to the carriage. There was clear concern on Matilda's features. A much darker expression on Jake's face.

  Abigail stepped down from the carriage. When she let the blanket drop from around her, Matilda gasped. "What happened?" Matilda took hold of a few locks of Abigail's mussed up hair. "Wet."

  Abigail explained quickly what had happened at the creek. As she finished, she saw Jake glare at Noah.

  "You trying to drown my sister, Mr MacKendrick?" Jake snapped.

  Refusing to take the bait, Noah simply smiled. "Brought her back safe and sound."

  "That may be the case, sir," Jake countered. "But it still looks like she took a dunking."

  "Jake, it's nothing to be worried about," Abigail reassured.

  Jake's brows furrowed. Matilda swept an arm across Abigail's shoulder. "Let's get you inside." Matilda smiled up at Noah. "Did everything go okay today?" she asked.

  "Yes, ma'am," Noah replied. "Just perfect."

  Abigail was proud of the fact that, even with her daughter in such a state, she could still maintain a sense of decency and politeness. Her mother was patience personified, Abigail told herself.

  As she passed Jake, Abigail saw the way he was glaring at Noah. Maybe both men would be having words once she was safely indoors. No matter what happened between them, she was sure they wouldn't come to blows. That was some consolation.

  Abigail paused at the front door and looked back at the carriage. Noah had leaped down and untied Rebel. Noah was handing the reins to Jake when he smiled at Abigail and gave her a charming, brief salute. Abigail felt her heart quicken. It didn't matter what had happened tonight. The feelings wouldn't go away.

  As she stepped into the hallway, Abigail heard Jake's voice rising to a fever pitch. Her brother was set on making his point, it seemed.

  And as the door closed behind her, Abigail told herself there was just no way she could stay angry at Noah MacKendrick.

  CHA
PTER NINETEEN

  "You fell into the creek, Abigail?" Lydia exclaimed. She lifted a hand to her throat and stared at Abigail. "How on earth could you allow such a thing to happen?" There was a long pause as Lydia looked around at the other three women in her sitting room. Sophie Cameron was crammed into the long sofa along with Rachel Durant and Susan Flynn, both of whom were long-term members of the society. Lydia, dressed elegantly as always and seated next to the fireplace, lifted a fan from her lap and waved it frantically in front of her face.

  It was Saturday morning, the day after the cattle drive. Abigail had come to Inspiration, to Lydia's home, with the express purpose of giving the members of the Benevolent Society a progress report on Noah MacKendrick. And, she'd done exactly that, going over in detail how Noah had, over the last few days, shaped the ranch into what was already almost a going concern. All that was missing was a crew of his own ranch hands. And a few more horses. Abigail had no doubt Noah would be working on those problems this very day.

  "What happened after you ended up in the water?" Sophie Cameron asked, barely able to contain her glee at Abigail's story.

  Abigail wondered if she should tell them about Noah taking her back to his ranch. How he'd taken such good care of her. Predicting a scandalized reaction, Abigail hesitated. "Noah was very kind to me. It was an accident."

  Lydia frowned. "How can a young woman end up in a creek by accident?"

  "It was getting dark," Abigail stated emphatically. That piece of information seemed to make things worse as far as Lydia was concerned. Her brows rose sharply. No doubt all manner of thoughts were flashing through Lydia's mind, right now, Abigail told herself.

  Abigail heard giggling. Rachel and Susan had hidden their mouths behind gloved hands. Abigail just about managed to stop herself from smiling at the two young women.

  Lydia, however, did not hesitate giving them a disapproving scowl. "I understood Mr MacKendrick was from a fine family back East."

  Abigail nodded. "He is. And he has such fine manners."

  Lydia looked wearily at Abigail. "Does that include allowing his companions to throw themselves in rivers?" Lydia sighed. "Hardly the conduct of a gentleman."

  Lydia's harsh judgment of Noah triggered a sharp indignation in Abigail. Suddenly, she felt the need to defend Noah. Lydia's cutting words were unwarranted. Unfair. And, Noah wasn't here to defend his reputation. "Noah is a very fine gentleman, Lydia," Abigail insisted.

  Lydia's brows rose even higher. Her mouth twisted. "You are on first name terms with Mr MacKendrick?" she demanded. "I hardly think that's appropriate. He's only been in town less than a week."

  Abigail glanced away from Lydia's stern scrutiny. Sophie's eyes were bright with curiosity. What was the town's matchmaker thinking? Surely she wasn't getting any silly ideas, Abigail told herself.

  "He's a very hard worker," Abigail continued. "And a fast learner. I've seen all of that for myself."

  "How very observant of you," Lydia announced grandly, obviously not in the slightest impressed by Abigail's admiring comments.

  "But, he still has to learn how to shoot a gun," Abigail said breathlessly, knowing that would shock everyone. And it did.

  Sophie frowned. "How does he expect to look after himself up there on the ranch if he can't fire a pistol?"

  "I offered to show him, but he turned me down," Abigail told everyone in the room.

  "Have you taken it upon yourself to become Mr MacKendrick's personal advisor, Abigail?" Lydia asked, her voice rich with sarcasm. Once again, Abigail felt herself bristle at the condescending tone of Lydia's assessment of the man Abigail had gotten to know so well these past few days.

  Abigail peered at Lydia. "You did ask me to do whatever I could to help him, Lydia."

  Lydia's mouth twisted again with obvious distaste. "I did hope you would show some discretion, Abigail."

  The beginnings of anger flared inside Abigail. She glared at Lydia. "Noah arrived here with nothing. And no knowledge of what ranch life is like."

  Lydia rolled her eyes. "I do recall someone mentioning Mr MacKendrick has brought his considerable fortune with him. After all, that is what has made it possible for him to take the ranch, even though he doesn't appear to know what he's doing."

  Lydia smiled after making that last remark. Maybe she'd thought it was funny, but Abigail was not in the slightest amused. "The fact he has money is neither here nor there, Lydia," Abigail barked. The eyes of the three women on the long sofa widened visibly. They looked shocked at Abigail's ever bolder statements about Noah.

  Abigail faced Lydia. "Surely it is his character that matters, more than his wealth," Abigail said sharply. "Isn't that what you've always told us, Lydia?"

  Lydia nodded. "Of course character is paramount."

  "And Noah is a very devout man," Abigail revealed. "In fact, he's almost as devout as my cousin Gideon." Abigail gazed at the other women. "And you know Gideon is probably the most devout man in Inspiration."

  Abigail saw Sophie Cameron nodding. It was Sophie who had helped Gideon find Rosalind, his bride.

  "Having faith is, of course, important," Lydia agreed. "But, we were talking about Mr MacKendrick's place in Inspiration society."

  The sound of Abigail's scoffing filled the room. All eyes turned to her.

  "Is something funny?" Lydia asked Abigail.

  "Noah doesn't think much of the idea of Inspiration having a polite society," Abigail explained recalling how Noah had poured scorn on her description of what, until she'd met him, Abigail thought was the best of Inspiration society. Now that she'd spent some time with him, she was convinced his skepticism had been justified. And now, hearing the way Lydia was talking about Noah, Abigail was beginning to think she wasn't sure she wanted to be a part of anything that judged someone as fine as Noah so harshly and unfairly.

  "Is that right?" Lydia asked.

  Abigail nodded. "He told me he left Philadelphia to get away from society life. He can't stand it. The snobbery. The unpleasant people."

  Every word uttered by Abigail seemed to make Lydia's face turn paler by the second. Lydia waved the fan in front of her face. There was an even longer silence than the one they'd all endured a few minutes ago. Now, it seemed, Lydia was really lost for words.

  For the first time since she'd joined the society, Abigail felt out of place. Of course the work they did to help people was important. But, being with Noah these past few days had shown her how important it was to treat people well on the basis of their character and not to be influenced by their wealth, nor their supposed status in life. Up there, at the ranch yesterday, Abigail thought she'd seen a new side to Noah MacKendrick. One she had no business discussing in front of Lydia.

  As if sensing the sudden change in Abigail, Lydia spoke: "I take it you will be taking no further interest in Mr MacKendrick."

  Abigail didn't have to think about an answer. "On the contrary. I believe I'll be seeing a great deal more of Mr MacKendrick. We are neighbors, after all."

  Lydia's eyes widened. Had she assumed that Abigail would feel she'd done what was asked of her? That she had no further interest in Noah? If that was the case, then Lydia was completely mistaken.

  Abigail stood quickly. "I think I'd better be going. I have things to do up at the ranch."