Bonnie laughed. "Don't look so shocked. You knew a baby could come of your time with Walt. I told you it could when I explained about the marriage bed."
"I thought it would take longer," Gwen said helplessly. "I'm going to have a baby." She put her hand over her stomach trying to absorb the fact that she was actually carrying another person inside her. "I don't know how to take care of a baby!"
"Libby and I will help you. You'll be fine."
"I need to tell Walt." What would he say? Did he even want a baby? He kept talking about building an empire, so she thought he did, but she just wasn't certain.
"Why don't you make him a nice meal? You can tell him over dessert. What's his favorite dessert?"
Gwen shrugged. "If it's sweet, Walt loves it. That man has a sweet tooth like I've never seen."
"Okay, so we'll bake a cake, and you can tell him while you eat it. He'll be happy. Don't worry."
Gwen got up and walked toward the door. She had chores to do. "When do I need to see a doctor?" she asked.
Bonnie shook her head. "I don't think there are any doctors close by. We'll find you a good midwife."
"A baby," Gwen said under her breath as she opened the door and walked toward home. She was going to have a baby.
*****
Gwen made a pot roast for dinner and a cake with whipped cream for dessert. Walt seemed to be partial to whipped cream, so she used that instead of making icing.
Walt's face lit up when she brought the cake out. "That looks great. Are we celebrating something special?"
Walt asked her the same thing every time she baked a cake. "We're celebrating the fact that I baked a cake today."
He laughed softly as she put a piece in front of him. He took a bite and closed his eyes, savoring the flavor. "This is amazing. Did you do something different?"
"I put whipped cream on it. I thought you'd like it better that way." Gwen walked around the table and took her spot across from him. Gwen had thought all day about how she would tell him about the baby. She wanted it to be just right. "You know that empire you keep talking about building?"
Walt nodded. "We're well on our way!"
Gwen smiled. "Our first little subject is on its way too." She ate just a bite of the whipped cream, watching his face carefully.
"Our first subject?" Walt stopped eating with his fork poised in mid-air. "What does that mean?"
Gwen patted her belly with a smile. "Our first subject will be here in a few months. Bonnie said about seven or so."
Walt's eyes grew wide. "You mean...we're having a baby?"
Gwen nodded, her whole face lit up. "Yes, a baby. Are you happy?"
"Of course I am! I can't wait until I can hold him in my arms."
"What if he's a she?" Gwen didn't really care about the gender of the baby, but she had to tease him.
"Then I can't wait to hold her in my arms." He walked around the table, took her hand and pulled her to her feet. His cake was forgotten. He hugged her tight and then looked her up and down. "I can see where you've gained a little weight. Your face is fuller."
She made a face. What woman wanted to be told she'd gained weight, even if it was because she was carrying? "Part of that is gaining back the weight I lost while I was locked in my room for two months," she told him without thinking.
Walt's face changed, a fire coming into his eyes. "You were locked in your room for two months?"
Gwen bit her lip. She hadn't meant to tell him that. He didn't know about the scandal. "It was nothing."
"You were locked in your room for two months, lost weight as a result, and it was nothing? I need to hear this story, Gwen. Don't make me take a train all the way to Massachusetts to strangle your parents." Why hadn't she told him about being locked in her room before?
Gwen sighed. "It's a long story. Finish your cake while I tell you." Talking about what had happened just before she left Beckham was not something she'd ever expected to do with him.
He gave her a look that told her he wasn't going to give in before walking around the table and picking up his fork. "I'm eating. Talk to me."
She took her time sitting back down, taking a sip of her milk before starting the story. "When I went to school there was this girl I knew. Her name was Gertie, and she hated me. No one has ever hated me the way Gertie did. We were rivals for everything. If someone was Gertie's friend, they couldn't be my friend, and the opposite was true as well."
Walton nodded as he continued eating his cake. He'd hear the whole story out before he said anything.
"My last year of school I was courted by a young man in our class named Stanley. He was nice enough, but I realized he wasn't the man I wanted to spend my life with so I ended things between us." Really? She'd moved on to older men at that point, but she didn't want to tell her husband that. "Gertie started stepping out with Stanley soon after that. They've been a couple for three years now, and were married not long before we left Beckham.
"I got a note in late June from Gertie asking me if we could iron out our differences. She asked me to meet her in a local park. I wasn't sure why Gertie wanted to make amends when we'd never gotten along, but I went to meet her. I didn't like having someone hate me the way Gertie always had.
"When I reached the park, Gertie wasn't there. It was Stanley. He told me he missed me, and that he realized Gertie wasn't the woman for him. He asked if I would consider a relationship with him. I told him I wasn't interested, and he needed to not contact me again. When I started to leave, he grabbed my arm and kissed me, so I stomped on his foot and ran home."
Walt waited for the rest of the story, but when it wasn't forthcoming he asked, "And you were locked in your room because?"
Gwen sighed. "Gertie found out about the kiss somehow. So she spread a rumor that I was expecting, and that my sisters and I had all kissed the same man. It wasn't true, but my parents decided it was time to 'take me in hand.' They locked me in my room while my father found a man who would be willing to marry me." She shuddered then, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "They found the most despicable man I know. He was a deacon of our church, and he always looked at me like he wanted to eat me for breakfast. He was in his forties and much too old for me. They agreed that Bonnie and Libby would also marry, because they were part of the scandal as well. They were supposed to marry two other deacons of the church, who were of a similar age and mindset."
"So you refused to marry the men and came here instead?"
Gwen shook her head. "I spent two months in my room. I refused to eat for a while and lost weight. My sisters are the ones who agreed to the marriages. They came to my room and liberated me in the middle of the night. We had to sneak out of the house and to the train station. Our parents don't know where we are.
"Bonnie didn't even tell me where we were going. She said we were going to visit her school friend, Anna, who lives in Wiggieville. Instead, we ended up here. You and Nate were waiting for our train."
Walt stared at her in surprise. "Why didn't you tell me?" He believed that she'd been innocent of wrongdoing. Well, mostly innocent. There was no doubt in his mind that she'd played with the affections of the men back in Beckham like she'd tried to play with his when she'd first arrived. What angered him was that she'd hidden it from him.
"I didn't want you to be angry with me. I wasn't certain you'd even want to be married to me if you knew I'd been involved in a scandal back home." She watched his face to see if it made him hate her.
Walt shook his head. "Gwen, I don't love you for who you were in the past. Obviously not. You were a selfish child. I love the woman you've become. The strong woman who will help a whore who lied to you."
"Former whore," she corrected automatically. "Wait. You love me?" He'd never said the words to her before.
"Of course, I love you. How could I help but? You're a good woman with a huge capacity to love." Walt sighed. "I don't like that you didn't tell me the truth about this, though."
Gwen frowned. "I know. I won
't hide things from you anymore. I promise."
Walt nodded. "I hope not. There's nothing we can do but go on, I guess." He shook his head. "You were giving me joyful news tonight. Let's not mar the memory of our special evening."
Gwen stood and started clearing the table, hoping she hadn't ruined things by telling him the truth. Never had she loved anyone the way she loved Walt.
Once the dishes were done, he stood and took her into his arms, holding her tightly. "I'm thrilled about the baby. He will someday be the emperor of our huge ranch."
"Wouldn't that make him the rancher, not the emperor?" she asked with a grin.
He leaned down and kissed her softly. "Whatever his title, he'll be our son. Someday, the Dalton name will be a legend in this part of Texas. And you, Gwen? You'll be the woman who made it all happen. The empress by my side." He kissed her forehead, stroking his hands up and down her arms. "When I sent for a mail order bride, I didn't expect to find love. I expected companionship and a hard-working wife who would help me build my empire. Instead, I got the woman I will cherish for the rest of my days."
Gwen leaned against him, her arms around him. "And I got the only man I will ever love. I hope the others are as happy as we are."
Epilogue
The Dalton Ranch, Christmas Day, 1888
Gwen sat at the table for Christmas dinner, looking at her loved ones around her. It was hard to believe three of the people that had become some of the most important in her life had been strangers to her less than three months before.
“That was a fine meal Libby, Gwen,” Nate told them with a nod as he patted his stomach. “I don’t know when I’ve eaten as much.”
“And to think we had no help from Bonnie!” Gwen was thrilled to say she and Libby had cooked the whole meal themselves. Bonnie still helped them with a lot of things, and she'd had a lot to do with the planning, but she hadn't helped. Not one little bit.
Walt kissed her on the cheek. “You’re a wonderful cook. I can’t wait for you to teach our ...well, whatever it is we’re having.” He truly didn't care if he had a boy or a girl, just so the baby was healthy, and Gwen had an easy time carrying it.
“Even if it’s a boy?” asked Bart.
“Even if it’s a boy,” Walt responded, smiling. He believed that boys should be able to cook as well as girls.
“Who’s ready for dessert?” Bonnie asked, seeming uncomfortable with the conversation.
“You know I am!” said Walt and Bart together.
All six of them burst into laughter. They laughed so hard, no one noticed when the door was thrown open.
Walt jumped to his feet. “What the…” He stilled at the sound of shotguns being cocked. Who could possibly be interrupting their Christmas dinners with threats against them?
Three men stood just inside Nate and Libby’s cabin, looking very angry. But not as angry as Gwen. “Benedict! What are you doing here?” What on God's green earth did her brothers think they were going to do with those guns pointed at her husband and brothers-in-law?
Walt looked back and forth between the only man looking at his wife and Gwen. What connection did the two of them have?
Bonnie’s looked astonished. “Hank?”
Bart narrowed threateningly at the man in the middle before turning to Bonnie. “Who the hel…”
“Percy?” Libby's face turned pale as she stared at the newcomers.
The Dalton brothers looked at each other. None of them had guns, and the strangers were obviously known to their wives. What could they do? Walt tried to think quickly, used to getting out of bad situations with his wits.
“Get em up,” snarled Benedict. “Now!”
The Dalton brothers knew there was no way to fight without weapons, so they all slowly raised their hands in the air.
“Gwen, Libby, Bonnie, get over here. We’re... taking you home.” The one in the middle, the best looking of the three, gave the order.
Bonnie stood, staring at the man. “Hank? What in heaven’s name are you doing here?”
“We might ask you the same question!” insisted the one Libby had called Percy.
“If you must know, we live here!” Gwen all but rolled her eyes at her brothers. Why were they in Texas? They belonged in Massachusetts. Didn't they realize they weren't welcome?
“Yes, we can see that.” Benedict took a step forward, trying to look menacing. “And it looks mighty cozy.”
“You can’t take us back! You just can’t!” Libby sounded like she was about to cry, and Gwen wanted to tell her to hush. They needed to keep their wits about them if they were going to get rid of their brothers so they stay in Texas, building the empire Walt kept insisting on.
“Take you back?” Nate said, his hands, still held in the air were balled into fists. “What are you talking about? Who are these men?”
“We’d like to know the same about you!” Percy raised his shotgun.
“I don’t care who you are! You’re trespassing, get off our land!” Walt looked like he was willing to take on all three of the men in front of him with his bare hands.
“You’re hardly in a position to demand anything,” Hank said. “All we want are these women.”
“Yeah, they’ve caused us a lot of trouble the last few months!” Benedict looked furious.
“How could we?” asked Gwen. “We’ve been here the whole time!” They couldn't blame her for more problems back home. It had been bad enough to be blamed when Gertie started a rumor about her, but to be blamed for God knows what when she hadn't even been in the state? No, she would not accept that at all.
“Precisely. Which is why we’ve come to fetch you and take you back to where and whom you belong,” Percy aimed his gun at Nate’s heart.
“Percy! Don’t!” Libby cried.
“Don’t what? Shoot this scum for running off with ya? Or was it the other way around?” Percy looked back and forth between Libby and Nate, as if he was trying to figure out exactly how his sisters had ended up in the brothers' care.
Bonnie had obviously had it with all the bickering back and forth. “Enough!”
“Bonnie, please,” Hank warned. “We have to do this."
“Shut up, all of you!” Bart shouted.
“I say we hang these scum!” Percy yelled.
All three sisters were now on their feet. “No!”
Gwen tried to get between Walt and her brothers, knowing they wouldn't harm her, but Walt pushed her behind him, knocking her to the floor. She let out a sob. She couldn't let anything happen to the baby. She wanted to jump up and get between them, but what if she was knocked down again? She had to think of the baby first!
How had their brothers found them in Texas? Hank had helped them escape, but had he known exactly where they were going? Had he betrayed them? Bonnie trusted him, but was it smart?
She listened to the fight going on around them, hoping no one would be hurt. She was more worried about Walt than anyone, but could she ever forgive him if he killed one of her brothers? She bowed her head and prayed harder than she'd ever prayed. "Please God, don't let anyone get hurt. Please let all of them stay safe. I don't want to go home with my brothers, but I don't want them dead either. Please God, only You can see a way to keep them all safe."
“Sit down, all of you!” Bonnie demanded.
“Put that gun away before you shoot somebody!” Benedict tried to grab the gun from her.
“That’s a good idea, maybe I oughta. Bonnie swung the gun barrel toward her brother.
Benedict’s hands went up, as did Walt’s. Neither of them seemed to trust a woman with a gun.
Gwen looked up and wanted to laugh. “Walt! She’s not going to shoot you!” Didn't he realize she and her sisters wanted to stay in Texas? Poor Walt must not think a gun belonged in a woman's hands. She agreed with him, but she'd never tell Bonnie that. If anything could make her sister shoot her, that would be it...
Walt rubbed the lump on his head, shook it before pulling Gwen into his arms, ki
ssing her softly on the forehead. Those buffoons better not have hurt his wife or his child. “Who are you?" He fairly barked out the words, angry beyond belief.
“We’re the Blue brothers,” said Hank. "And we’ve come to take our sisters home.”
“Brothers?” asked Nate. He grabbed Libby to him. “You never said you had brothers.”
“And our sisters never said they were leaving,” added Percy.
“Leaving?” Bart asked. “What do ya mean, leaving?” He scowled at the three brothers in front of him.
“He means our sisters ran out on a scandal caused by Gwen,” Benedict glared at his middle sister. “To alleviate any further damage to the family name, our father painstakingly chose a husband for each of them.”
“Yeah, and how do they show their appreciation?” Percy looked angrier than the other two combined. “By running away! Pa sent us here to bring you back. Deacons Smith, Jackson, and Belafonte paid a tidy sum for us to do it, too.”
“But you can’t take us back!” Gwen didn't care what they did. She was not going back to that town where everyone thought she was a tramp. She wasn't.
“And why not?” asked Benedict moving toward Bonnie.
“Because we’re all married, that’s why!” Bonnie raised the gun higher.
Benedict stopped. “We figured that might happen, but Deacons Smith, Jackson, and Belafonte don’t care. They want you three like fleas want a dog.” The look on his face told Gwen that he couldn't figure out why anyone would want his sisters.
Libby and Gwen gasped. “If you’re thinking that we’re getting annulments you’re sadly mistaken.” Even if she weren't carrying, Gwen would never get her marriage annulled. For one reason, she didn't need another scandal in her life. For another? She happened to love her husband.
“It’s been done before,” said Percy. “I just hope these scum haven’t dishonored you beyond repair.”
Gwen shook her head. “They’ve done nothing of the sort. In fact, I’m not only married, I’m expecting!” She said the words proudly, waiting for her brothers to react.
The Rancher's Mail Order Bride (Dalton Brides Book 1) Page 8