Regency Romance: Fallen Duchess (A Historical Victorian Murder Mystery Love Regency Romance)

by Tracey D Morgan

  Ruby took the apple in her hands and tried to offer it to the mare but immediately retreated when the mare nudged for it. Bronson laughed out loud.

  “She won’t bite. Just do it slowly. Like this.” He took her hand gently in his and led it towards the mare’s mouth. As her thick lips picked up pieces of the apple, she left a moist trail of her tongue on Ruby’s palm. With her hand still in Bronson’s, Ruby could feel herself shaking.

  For the next several days, Ruby found herself in the stables more and more often, even when Bronson wasn’t there. There was something about Breeze that urged her to keep coming back. She could feel a bond between the two of them that grew with each day. Eventually, Breeze even allowed Ruby to take her out for a walk, and the two strolled throughout the ranch like best friends. Ruby would catch herself whispering into the mare’s ear, and the mare would be neighing in response.

  One morning when she entered the stable to feed Breeze, Bronson was waiting for her in front of Breeze’s stall with full riding equipment.

  “Here.” Without even greeting her properly, he handed her a saddle and a few other things that she had no idea what their purpose was.

  “What is all this?” She looked at him, puzzled.

  “I’m teaching you how to ride,” He said, grabbing Breeze’s reins and leading her out.

  “What? No, no, I can’t do that. I’ve never ridden a horse in my entire life,” she argued. “I could get hurt.”

  Bronson and Breeze stopped and looked at her. “Almost everything we do can make us get hurt. Breeze opened up to you. You should respect that. Breeze sees something good in you. She wouldn’t have chosen just anyone. She won’t hurt you. Trust her.” He caressed Ruby’s cheek gently. “Trust me.”

  Both Breeze and Ruby allowed themselves to be led out by Bronson, and the lessons started. Breeze knew exactly what she needed to do, and she did it with pleasure. Ruby followed instructions but found it difficult to mount the horse immediately. However, slowly but surely, along with Bronson’s gentle guidance, she managed to mount the mare.

  Suddenly, sitting on top of this majestic animal, Ruby felt invincible. She felt that zeal, the rush for life she had been missing for so long that she had now found alongside this strange but wonderful man, his children and his animals.

  Bronson led Breeze gently, and it seemed that both were doing their best to make sure Ruby was comfortable and that she came to no harm. After a few days of practice, Ruby was able to mount Breeze on her own and take her on a quick jog around the ranch.

  That evening at dinner, Bronson suddenly spoke.

  “Ruby, there is something I wanted to tell you.” His tone was solemn, but just like before, it didn’t lack warmth. Even the children stopped eating and listened eagerly. “There is a social get together tonight, and if you’d like, we could go.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin, as if a little embarrassed by what he had just revealed and needed a distraction not to look at her in the eyes.

  Ruby could barely believe her ears. She had been eager to go for such a long time, despite the fact that this desire had diminished slightly after she discovered Breeze.

  “Bronson, really?” She had to hear it again.

  “Yes, go get ready, and we’ll be on our way.” He smiled.

  She rushed to hug him, an act that he reciprocated clumsily. She still found it sweet.

  She immediately went upstairs to get dressed, and in a matter of an hour, the children were taken care of and the couple was all dressed up and ready to go.

  Upon arriving at the city hall where that evening’s gathering was taking place, Ruby noticed that Bronson was a well-respected member of society. Everyone was eager to congratulate him on getting married. Just like during their wedding, Bronson appeared uncomfortable being showered with so much attention, which was why he tended to greet everyone appropriately but then quickly excuse himself and his new lovely bride only to be accosted by a new pair of inquisitive eyes.

  What Ruby didn’t expect was that Bronson would be such a good dancer. To the amazement of everyone around them, he swayed with her on the podium. The entire evening felt magical, but all of a sudden, she realized that she actually preferred the company back on the ranch to the company of all these people who were judging her and her every move. After all, she was a newcomer in their town, and opinions were yet to be formed about her. If she had been her old self, this would be the biggest problem in the world: how to make everyone around her like her. But now, all she could think about was Bronson, Eveline, Roy and Breeze.

  “Why don’t we go back home?” She tugged gently on Bronson’s arm at one point in the evening, as they were sitting at their table.

  “Wouldn’t you like to stay longer?” He seemed genuinely surprised by her desire to leave so soon.

  “No. I’ve had my fun. Now I wish to return home. To our home.” She squeezed his arm lovingly.

  The following morning, she decided to wake up the children earlier than usual.

  “Wake up, little ones!” She sneaked into their room, bright and early. “We have a special plan for today.”

  “A special plan?” Roy was rubbing his eyes, while Eveline jumped out of bed. “What are we supposed to do?”

  “Well, you do know it’s Christmas next week, right?” she asked jubilantly.

  “Yes, Christmas!” The children jumped with joy.

  “We need to prepare the house for a festive mood, don’t we?”

  “Yes, we do!” They agreed unanimously.

  “And we have a very special present for daddy,” she added mysteriously.

  “Really? What is it? What is it?”

  She couldn’t contain their joy even if she wanted to. “A little birdie told me that we are having a new baby. What do you think of that?” she asked the children.

  “A baby?” Eveline shouted. “A baby of our very own?” Roy asked. They started dancing together, like a crazy little pair of amused monkeys.

  “Yes, a baby of our very own.” Ruby smiled as she watched the children take in the news. “But, it’s a surprise, and we can’t tell daddy before Christmas, do you understand? Not a peep!” She pressed her finger against her lips, emphasizing secrecy.

  “Yes, shh!” The children repeated her action, in unison. “We won’t tell. We promise!”

  “I know you won’t. That’s exactly why I decided to tell you in the first place. It’s a very important piece of news, and I wanted the three of us to reveal it to your father together.” She smiled.

  Both Eveline and Roy felt like important adults who now had an even more important task on their hands.

  For the next couple of days, the three of them had a jolly good time decorating not only their rooms and the house but also the entire ranch. All the animals had to know that Christmas was coming, and their houses, stables, barns had to be decorated as well. The spirit of Christmas was in the air, and everyone felt festive and happy.

  During Christmas dinner, everyone seemed relaxed and jovial. Even Bronson himself was more talkative. He laughed much more than usual and generally appeared to be having a great time with his family. Ruby felt the same. Now the only thing she was hoping was that the news of their child together would bring him additional happiness on this wonderful day.

  When they finished having dinner and sat around the Christmas tree, Bronson announced that he would be reading a story to everyone. The children gathered around, knowing what a special treat this was, and Ruby was equally eager to participate. Cozied up together, they listened to Bronson read the story of a lost little boy who, through hardships and despite all odds, managed to return to his family and live his own happily ever after.

  Suddenly, the children jumped.

  “Ruby, Ruby, can we tell him now? Can we? Can we?” they asked her.

  Bronson looked at them in astonishment. He had no idea what was going on and what this something was, but obviously it was something of the utmost importance, as his children didn’t usually get this excited abo
ut just anything.

  Ruby thought about it for a while, enjoying the look of puzzlement on Bronson’s face, but in the end, she decided not to put him through this uncomfortable situation any longer.

  “All right then, tell your father.” She smiled at them.

  “Dad,” Eveline started. “You have a very special Christmas surprise,” she said.

  “It’s actually for all of us, not only for you,” Roy added, as Ruby just looked at them with a heart filled with warmth and love.

  “A special present? I wonder what it could be!” Bronson was eager to play their game, and it was one of the sweetest sights Ruby had ever beheld: a father and his two children about to reveal a secret that would change their lives forever.

  “Is someone coming for a visit?” He tried to guess, purposefully making his guesses silly. “Are we going somewhere?”

  “No!” Both children were rolling on the floor, laughing. “He can’t guess!”

  “All right, children, do tell him. I’m sure he’ll be grateful to know,” Ruby said.

  “Daddy, we’re having a baby!” The children jumped with joy.

  Bronson was stupefied. He had no idea how to react. In an effort to check whether this information was really the truth or not, he simply looked blankly at Ruby.

  Ruby blushed and lowered her gaze. That was exactly when he knew.

  “We’re having a baby!” He lifted both his children in the air, and they started dancing together to music only they heard. Ruby’s eyes teared up.

  “I think it’s time for a big celebration to welcome our new family member. Don’t you think so?” Bronson said. The children agreed.

  Once he released them from his loving grasp, he approached Ruby and kissed her gently on the forehead.

  “This is the best Christmas present ever,” he whispered in her ear. She fell into his arms and felt as if the warmth emanating from his body would melt her.

  For the first time since she moved here, since she embarked on this new adventure, she felt truly happy and truly blessed to be Bronson Vaughn’s wife.

  THE END

  Return to the TOC for Bonus Content

  Will’s Bride

  Chapter One

  Will sighed as he stepped out of his house and into the dry, vast landscape of Montana. This was God’s land, and it was untouched by modern machinery and still fertile. This was going to be America’s heartland, and he was proud to be a part of it, even if it was unplanned.

  A neighbor rode by on a horse, swaying back and forth with the horse’s movements. Will raised his arm, offering a wave to the elderly man who waved right back, pulling at his horse’s reins.

  “Good morning, Fred,” Will called down to the old man.

  “Morning, Will. How are you settling into ranching life?”

  “Better than I expected,” he admitted with a laugh.

  Will was truly surprised that he was managing so well in this harsh land. He was born in Chicago and lived his entire life in the city. He was the son of a lawyer and a well-to-do heiress. He was raised to go into the family business and eventually went to law school, proving himself to be a prodigy. He would have liked to take credit for his genius, but the truth was he wouldn’t have gotten far without God.

  He was always raised to put his faith in God, and that’s exactly what he did. It was the same reason he’d ventured all the way out here to Montana. Will worked in his father’s law firm for a little more than five years, but the itch to do something more was constantly gnawing at the back of his mind. He didn’t want to sit in an office for the rest of his life. He felt like he was made for greater things, so he did what he always did: He prayed on it.

  The answer did not come immediately, of course, but shortly after Will began to feel hopeless, a letter arrived in the mail. It was from his uncle’s estate. Will’s great uncle was an explorer and a man that seemed to have no limits. He was a bit of an eccentric, but seeing as he was one of the country’s wealthiest men, no one questioned his odd behavior.

  It was sad to know that his beloved uncle passed away, but Will knew that he’d moved on to greener pastures. His uncle was a good man, and there was no doubt in Will’s mind that he would see the man again when it was his time to leave this earth.

  The affection Will felt for his uncle was clearly shared, seeing as the man left him the deed to a vast ranch in Montana. He was shocked at the generous gift that was left for him, but he knew it was the answer to his prayers. He’d never considered being a rancher or going West, but he knew he couldn’t ignore his calling. If that was what God had in mind for him, then that’s what he would do.

  His father was a bit upset by his son’s decision to leave but understood none the less. He wished Will luck, and after a few tearful goodbyes from his mother, he set off into the unexplored land. There was a small settlement in the capital of Billings, but other than that, the land was full of ranches and farms that were spaced far apart. Even Fred, Will’s closest neighbor, was a good seven miles up the road.

  The distance and solitude didn’t really bother Will. He’d spent his entire life in big cities, constantly surrounded by others with little to no privacy. It was nice to be allowed to breathe the open air for the first time in his life. The air was fresh and clean, and Will knew that this was his destiny.

  “Has the train come into town yet?” Will asked, assuming that Fred was coming from town.

  Fred glanced over his shoulder back toward the direction of town. “It wasn’t in the station when I was there, but the ticket woman said that it would be in before sundown. Do you have family coming to visit?”

  “Not family, though I am expecting someone,” Will said, a soft smile coming to his lips.

  Like all matters in his life, he left his choice of a wife in God’s hands. There were few women in the West, and those who made their way across the country were either already married or engaged to be wed. The West was an unforgiving place, not meant for young, single women. The only way to survive this harsh landscape was to find a husband.

  Because women in the West were so scarce, many of the men put out ads for mail-order brides. They often came from the bigger cities for the same reasons the men did. There was more opportunity and more wholesomeness out here. It was rare that men like Will came out West. Men who were seen as professionals normally stayed in the city where they ran their successful businesses. They weren’t the ones who were normally interested in taming the wild land. The men in Montana were often failed business men and construction workers looking for a brand new start or young men looking for adventure. The women who traveled West and answered the ads were often in similar positions. It was always a risk to put out an ad for a bride, but Will knew that God would send him a wife that was right for him.

  “Who are you expecting, then?” Fred asked, cocking a bushy eyebrow.

  “Her name is Rebekah. She’s going to be my wife.”

  Fred whistled, impressed with the answer. “We’ll see her at church then?” he asked, urging the horse forward, though the great beast took slow, careful steps.

  “If all goes as planned and she arrives today,” Will said, tipping his hat to Fred.

  The old man offered one last wave and then disappeared down the dry, dusty road. It was the dead of summer, and nearly all of the plants that were once pleasantly green were now a brown color, thirsty from the lack of rain that normally came with summer. At least the evergreens were still standing tall, offering some relief from the otherwise brown foliage.

  Knowing that the sun would be setting shortly, Will stepped off the porch and wandered into the stable where his beloved horse was waiting for him. Will never would have realized his love of horses if it wasn’t for the ranch. Yet as much as he loved his new home, he was struggling to keep the large piece of land in working order. He quickly realized that it was impossible to keep a ranch in working order on your own. It was why so many of the men in town turned to mail-order brides.

  The land in Mo
ntana was cheap and sometimes free, so many people came out to these rural areas and bought large patches land they couldn’t manage on their own. The women were expected to work just as hard as the men out here, so a wife was not only a good companion, but she was also a valuable asset when it came to farming and caring for the animals.

  Will knew that he could make the ranch a thriving business, but he needed a wife to help him. He hoped that by the time he reached the train station, she would be arriving, and they could live out this dream together.

  Chapter Two

  The ride into town seemed a lot longer than normal, though Will attributed that to his excitement. He was still a fairly young man at just 27, and the prospect of marriage was an exciting one. Once he and his wife were married, they could start a family. Will wanted children more than anything else.

  Love was not something that was expected from a marriage. Most people hoped for it but understood that a marriage was a business agreement. It was especially true of marriages like the one Will was preparing to enter.

  When he finally made it to Billings, he let his horse rest in the public stables and walked over toward the train station. People were piling out of the simple log structure, many of them lost women dressed in their best clothes and carrying suitcases. Any of these women could have been Will's future wife, and the possibility seemed overwhelming. The only thing he knew about the woman he was supposed to marry was that her name was Rebekah Larson.

  Just as he stepped forward to begin asking their names, a gust of wind blew through the main street of the small town, kicking up dust and causing the women's skirts to rustle. Many of them gasped and held their skirts down to remain modest and, in doing so, lost their hats.

  A fairly plain navy blue sun hat tumbled by Will's feet, and he leaned down to pick it up. As the dust cloud cleared, a pale redheaded woman came running over toward Will, her emerald eyes wide.

  "Oh, thank you, Sir. That's my hat. I lost it in the storm," she said, her voice soft and melodic.