The Rancher’s Bride Surprise

by Maya Stirling

  She knew about the apple throwing? He felt his face flush a little. Micah had hoped she hadn't heard anything about that. Seemed he'd been wrong. Maybe she was thinking he was easy prey for her pupils. Or perhaps she felt it was her duty to use this episode to teach them something important about treating people right. Whatever it was, he was glad to see her. Being too busy up on the roof, he hadn't seen her arriving this morning. In fact he hadn't seen her since yesterday when all he'd done was convince himself that he was hopeless at courting. And always would be.

  "I'd like you to apologize to Mr Buchanan," Rachel stated.

  Both boys frowned, and Micah saw rebellion flicker across their features. But one stern, unflinching look from Rachel wiped that expression off the faces of the two boys. They turned to Micah and, in perfect unison, faces flushed with indignation, stated their apology.

  Rachel smiled at the boys. "That wasn't so difficult, now. Was it?"

  Both heads shook. "No, Miss," they replied.

  Rachel clasped her hands at her middle and took a step to one side. "Now get back into class. I'll be along in a moment. And I expect to see you sitting at your desk with your reader."

  The two boys trudged off in the direction of the front of the schoolhouse. Rachel watched them steadily. When one of the boys looked back at her, the barest hint of defiance on his face, she merely lifted her chin and peered at the boy. His shoulders hunched and he turned his head away quickly, having been faced down by nothing more than a look.

  "You've got those children in the palm of your hand," Micah said admiringly.

  Rachel sighed and shook her head. "I can't believe they would have done something like that. You could have fallen from the roof."

  He shook his head. "I was holding on pretty tight. It would have taken more strength than those boys possess to get me down off that roof."

  "Nevertheless, I shall have to inform their parents," she warned. "I can't have them doing things like that."

  Micah moved toward Rachel and shrugged. "No need to get them in trouble on my behalf."

  She narrowed her eyes. "But that's the point, Micah. Children need firm guidance. If they don't get that, they think they can do whatever they like. No matter what the consequences for others. That's what parenting is all about."

  Micah lifted a brow. "I wouldn't know anything about that," he announced. "Not having children of my own."

  "But you grew up with your brothers," she said. "Didn't your parents lay down the law?"

  "Sure they did," he admitted. "Pa was tough, but fair. We always knew what was expected of us. And we knew he loved us."

  "That's the thing," Rachel said. "Some of the children in town might not have that certainty. Life can be tough out here. I've only been here a short while, but I can already see how easy it would be for someone to follow the wrong path."

  "You see it as your job to keep them on the straight and narrow?" he asked.

  She nodded. "That's what my own teacher did, back in Philly. She encouraged me and helped me find my faith, as well."

  It was the first time she'd mentioned her faith to him, and for a moment he wasn't sure how to react. Faith had been such a big part of recent happenings at the ranch. He wondered if this was his chance to tell her about that, but something told him that now wasn't the right moment.

  "I'm glad you had that when you were growing up," was all he could say.

  Rachel smiled warmly at him. He liked that more than he realized. There was something curiously affecting about that smile, he told himself. He figured he could look at it all day long and never get tired of it. Her eyes were bright with a joy he wished he could share with her. With a delight that was infectious. Now that he was by her side, he felt a simple pleasure at being with her.

  She started to walk alongside the building and he moved quickly to her side. "How did your shopping go yesterday?"

  "What? Oh. Fine," she said hesitantly. "Lily bought a doll and we had tea and cakes at the hotel restaurant."

  "Cream cakes?"

  She nodded and smiled. "Of course."

  "That's their speciality. I've been there so many times I've lost count."

  "You like cakes?" she asked, lifting a brow and glancing at him. "I'd have taken you for a meat and potatoes kind of a man."

  "Is that because I'm a rancher?" He laughed. "Just because we look after cattle all day doesn't mean we eat nothing else."

  She laughed quietly. "Cream cakes and ranchers don't sound like they go together," she teased.

  "I have my sweet side," he joked, quirking a brow at her.

  She gave him a long look. "I had noticed," she replied quietly.

  Micah felt his face flush. His heartbeat quickened as he met her gaze. She held that gaze longer than she should have. Longer than politeness dictated. He felt something shift inside him and he couldn't stop himself from clearing his throat. She'd got to him with one look and three words murmured in her soft, sweet voice.

  She was silent for a while and he wondered what else had happened yesterday. Not wishing to invade her privacy, he restrained the impulse to ask her any more about yesterday.

  They arrived at the foot of the schoolhouse steps. There was a raucous noise coming from inside the classroom. She lifted her eyes to the sky and shook her head. "I better get back inside."

  He glanced up at the open door. "I'm sure you can handle anything they throw at you."

  "They're great kids," she stated with complete sincerity.

  He tilted his head. "I'm sure they are. When they're not trying to pull a rancher down off the roof when he's trying to do his job."

  She giggled. "I'll make sure they leave you alone."

  "You don't have to do that," he announced. "I'm getting kind of used to having them around."

  She squinted at him. "I thought you didn't like being around children."

  "Did I say that?"

  She nodded. "I got that distinct impression," she replied smiling at him.

  "Well, maybe I'm coming around to liking them," he said, hardly believing what he was saying.

  "We'll see how long that lasts," she said skeptically. She turned away and headed back up the steps. When she stepped into the noisy classroom, instant silence descended. She smiled down at Micah, a satisfied look on her face, and then closed the door.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Over the next few days, it seemed that every time Rachel was on Main Street, there would be Mr Brett Calhoun. He had an uncanny ability to know just where she was to be found every time she took a stroll up the Main Street boardwalk. She was beginning to think he had spies everywhere informing him of her whereabouts. But, on reflection, she knew that was just being melodramatic. Rachel banished that thought as a product of her fertile imagination. On one occasion, she almost physically bumped into him as she was passing the Mercantile. Another time, emerging from the haberdashers one afternoon, she'd found him leaning against the support post, grinning straight at her and saying how pleasing it was to see her.

  At first, Rachel hadn't been sure how to receive Mr Calhoun's attentions. The truth was that Brett Calhoun could be a very charming, even persuasive man. Each time she'd been in his company, even for the briefest time, he'd made her feel very special. Made her believe she was the only person of any interest to him in Inspiration. Although he was undeniably older than her, by at least twenty years, he still possessed a naturally energetic manner. He was one of those people who seemed permanently interested in all aspects of the daily life of Inspiration. His knowledge of the town's inhabitants seemed unlimited.

  She'd adopted the habit of taking walks up the Main Street boardwalk in the late afternoon after classes had finished. Lily liked to take her nap in the late afternoon, so that gave Rachel some time on her own. Encouraged by Sophie, Rachel had taken to stepping out dressed in the best gown she had in her possession, which was still not saying much. It was a green gown, slightly too heavy for the summer weather, with ruffled sleeves and a collar which was marg
inally too tight. It would be weeks before Rachel had the money to be able to afford a new gown. The dressmaker in Inspiration had promised to make her something special when the time came.

  Rachel had not mentioned anything about Brett Calhoun to Sophie. It wasn't that she was trying to deceive her incredibly kind and generous host. It was just that years of living in the city had bred a cautiousness in Rachel when it came to matters of personal acquaintances. She resolved to tell Sophie about Mr Calhoun at a time when she felt it would be most prudent. After all, her encounters with the charming Mr Calhoun were nothing more than casual meetings.

  Of course, back at the Cameron house, Rachel couldn't avoid talking about Micah Buchanan, about his work at the schoolhouse, about his amusing clashes with the children. About how one of the children had hidden in the annex room, making Rachel believed she'd lost one of her pupils. But, Micah had solved the mystery by finding the boy hiding behind the door at the end of the schoolhouse.

  Sophie had been eager to describe the merits of the handsome rancher. Almost too eager, Rachel had reflected. Sophie had laughed when Rachel had described in detail Micah's trouble with some of the boisterous boys in her class. Although, it had to be said that, since the episode with the ladder, things had cooled somewhat between Micah and the boys.

  Curious about the fact that Micah's other three brothers had wed recently, Rachel had pressed for some more details. But, Sophie had remained tight-lipped about the circumstances of the weddings in the Buchanan family. Not yet knowing the full story, Rachel concluded that maybe they'd just been lucky that Sophie had been able to bring suitable women to the town at just the right time when the Buchanans were looking to get married.

  Talks around the kitchen table had been animated and entertaining ever since Rachel had arrived in Inspiration. Rachel had come to the conclusion that Sophie Cameron could persuade anyone into a marriage, if she saw fit. More than once, Nathan, Sophie's husband had tried to restrain his wife's natural enthusiasm for arranging weddings, telling her that Rachel needed time to get to know Inspiration.

  But then, there came a surprise for Rachel. A few days after their first encounter at the hotel restaurant, Mr Calhoun asked Rachel if she would grace him with her company for lunch. He'd asked in a polite, even hesitant way. She'd agreed, but not without taking a few long moments to give it some careful thought. After she'd agreed, Rachel had considered asking Sophie what she thought about Mr Calhoun, but had decided that there would be no harm in accepting Mr Calhoun's offer. Rachel decided she would tell Sophie all about it afterwards. It made sense to Rachel that it would be better to do that after she herself had assessed Mr Calhoun's character.

  Mr Calhoun's attentions had been flattering. But that was all, as far as Rachel was concerned. He was amenable and had displayed an interest in her which she had found pleasing. However, there was more to her decision to agree to pass the time with Mr Calhoun. Rachel knew she had would have to make a choice, sooner or later. A choice which would have great repercussions for herself and for Lily. Material needs dictated that Rachel find a suitable provider for her and for Lily. And, right now, it seemed the choice came down to Brett Calhoun, or Micah Buchanan.

  Each man had qualities that Rachel found compelling. Each promised a solution to her dilemma. Sophie Cameron clearly favored Micah Buchanan as a potential husband for Rachel. But there was one problem with that. Micah didn't even look like he wanted to take on the responsibilities which would come with Rachel and Lily. And Rachel wasn't sure a ranching life was suitable for Lily. That just seemed like too much of a change from what the five-year old had been used to.

  Brett Calhoun seemed like the kind of man who had been waiting a long time for a wife. And now that he was established and independently wealthy, he appeared to be interested in acquiring a wife. The absence of a wedding band on Mr Calhoun's fingers spoke volumes to Rachel. At least that was how she read the situation. She admitted that maybe she was wrong in her assessment of both men. She concluded that the time had come to get some clarity about where she stood with both men.

  So it was that, on a warm summer afternoon, Rachel entered the restaurant of the Main Street hotel to find Brett Calhoun sitting at a corner seat, well away from the wide window which faced out onto the boardwalk. Seeing her enter, he stood quickly and smiled warmly at her. He was dressed in an elegant dark gray suit. The immaculate cut of the suit spoke of expensive tailoring. His dark hair was slicked back, making his features seem even sharper than usual.

  "Miss Ellsworth," he said softly as he pulled out a chair from the table. "I'm so delighted to see you." He ran his gaze down the length of her petite frame. "What an elegant outfit," he observed.

  She acknowledged his compliment and took her seat at the table. The restaurant was curiously empty of other patrons. All of the other tables were empty. "We have the place to ourselves, it seems," she said gazing around the room.

  He nodded. "It must be a quiet time for the restaurant." He leaned closer and she caught his scent, an intense cologne that caught in her nostrils for a moment. "Of course it means we can talk without fear of being overheard," he murmured.

  She gazed curiously at him, wondering what he could mean by such a remark. She recalled the way the women had looked at her during her first meeting with him. As if sensing her unease, he sat back and smiled at her. He handed her the menu. "I think the chicken is particularly good," he suggested.

  "Do you eat here often?" she asked.

  Calhoun lifted a brow. "Let's say, this is one of the places I come to when I want a satisfying meal. My cook always complains when I tell her I've come here."

  "You have a cook at home?"

  He nodded. "She's been with me over a year, now. She's an excellent cook, but I am a very busy man. As I assume you have no doubt heard." His eyes narrowed slightly and he peered questioningly at her.

  She frowned and shook her head. "I haven't heard anyone speak of you, Mr Calhoun."

  "Really?" he exclaimed. For some reason her admission seemed to please him more than she would have thought it would.

  "And your home, Mr Calhoun. Is it in Inspiration?" she asked.

  "I have a fairly substantial property on the outskirts." He gazed at her. "I'm told it is too big for just one man. But, I like it."

  Had that been a hint that he wanted someone else to take up residence in his property with him? Rachel resisted saying anything in response. A long, awkward silence passed as she examined the menu. Rachel made her choice and told it to the waiter. Calhoun did likewise.

  While they waited for the food to arrive, they chatted for a while. As always, Mr Calhoun was charming and attentive and polite. He seemed particularly interested in Rachel's work at the school. She was encouraged by that, since she reckoned it revealed a positive interest in children on his part. He even asked questions about the work that Micah Buchanan was doing. He watched her carefully as she described Micah. His trials. His difficulties. There had been something intense about the way he'd watched her as she spoke about Micah. As she spoke, she almost had the feeling that Mr Calhoun was assessing whether Micah might be a rival. At least that was the thought which drifted into Rachel's mind as she spoke about Micah.

  During the meal, the conversation drifted to her situation. Mr Calhoun seemed fascinated by her account of how she had become the legal guardian to young Lily. His gaze softened with what seemed like genuine emotion as Rachel recounted the difficult times the little girl had passed through. Then, Mr Calhoun probed Rachel about her own recent past, and expressed admiration at her decision to take on the responsibilities of Lily's well-being. He made one or two casual remarks that hinted at the issue of matrimony. But they were offhand comments not referring to her own situation. She considered asking him about what he thought about the Buchanan brothers and their recent marriages, but she held her curiosity in check. In fact, as the meal progressed she realized that he had spoken very little about himself, and his involvement in the town's affairs. />