His Chosen Bride (Love Inspired Historical)

by Rhonda Gibson

  “I know.” Hannah picked at imaginary lint on the blanket. “You know what, Millie? I think this was good for us. Not that losing the baby will ever be anything but a great loss, but I felt Daniel’s love like I’ve never felt it before. And he wanted the baby, too, Millie. Not for some stupid old challenge his mother made, but for the two of us. Does that make sense?” She didn’t even wait on Millie to respond. “It’s as if we are now bonded even more. Like we have experienced something that was only between us.” She smoothed the covers between them. “I love him so much. I know this sounds silly, but he’s my hero, like the heroes from the books I so love to read.”

  What would it be like to have a man love her like that? And to love him in return? Levi’s face came to mind. Millie sat up, then went to the dresser and picked up Hannah’s brush. “Are you allowed to sit up? If so, I can brush out your hair.”

  “Yes.” Hannah flipped back the covers and eased to a sitting position on the side of the bed. “By the way Doc talked, I can ride a bucking horse in a couple of weeks.” Hannah’s dry sense of humor and natural sarcasm had kicked in.

  It was then Millie realized her friend would be just fine. She gently pulled the brush through Hannah’s hair. Millie braided it in a single braid. Hannah yawned, and then in a few moments yawned again.

  “Okay, sweet friend, I think you’re ready for sleepy town.” Millie settled Hannah back under the covers and heard her soft snores before she could place the brush back on the dresser.

  The door opened, and Daniel walked in. He looked at his wife, then looked at Millie in wonder. “Did I hear her laughing?”

  “Yes, she was laughing.”

  “If she was laughing, then she is going to be okay, right?”

  “I think so. She will have sad days, but time will heal her loss and she will move on. I’ve never known Hannah Young to mope around. I doubt being Hannah Westland has changed that.” Millie offered him a teasing smile.

  He grabbed her hand and shook it awkwardly. “Thank you for talking to her.”

  “But I mostly listened...” Millie felt sure Daniel didn’t even know when she left. He had already gone to his wife before she’d finished her sentence. As she prepared for bed, she whispered a prayer heavenward. “Lord, please, please, allow me to experience that kind of love in my life.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Levi wouldn’t dare say it out loud, but he felt happy and relieved to be back in town. It had been five days since Hannah had lost the baby. She seemed almost back to normal. Before they left the ranch Hannah had managed to come downstairs with a little help from Daniel and see them off. She’d given Millie a fierce hug, and to Levi’s jaw-dropping astonishment, Daniel had hugged Millie, too.

  His brother and Hannah seemed to be taking their loss as well as could be expected. God surely had applied the Balm of Gilead to their sorrowful hearts.

  Even his mother had hugged Millie and thanked her for all her help over the past few days. Something had changed between the two women. Bonnie Westland now treated Millie like a daughter instead of an intruder, and for that Levi was thankful.

  He stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for Millie to come down. Tonight was the barn dance and he’d gone out of his way to provide her with an evening she’d never forget.

  This was their first outing alone in almost a week. He’d rented Mr. Meriwether’s carriage in hopes that Millie would enjoy riding the short distance in style. He wore a new pale green shirt Susanna had made him at his request. He’d seen Millie sewing up her new dress and had wanted his shirt to match the grass-green color.

  As if on cue, Millie appeared at the top of the stairs. She placed her hand on the banister and looked down at him. He felt a ripple of excitement. The very air between them seemed electrified.

  He swallowed hard, unable to manage even a feeble hello. Finally, he simply nodded and she descended the stairs. Millie seemed to be in slow motion, careful not to trip on her dress. The hunter-and grass-green material floated about her, making her look like a princess to him.

  It wasn’t a real fancy dress, nor a ball gown, but on her it looked elegant. And she looked radiant. Tonight she’d pulled her hair into some kind of fashionable style, which surprised him. Millie wasn’t one for keeping up-to-date with the latest hair styles. Had she done so to please him?

  Levi finally found his voice and could speak again. “You look lovely.” Huskiness filled his voice and he wondered briefly if he was coming down with something. He took her hand and helped her down the remaining stairs.

  “Thank you.” An escaping strand of blond hair fell over her forehead, and she swept it back into place. “You look nice, too.” Millie sounded shy and unsure of herself. Was she nervous with him?

  On the night Hannah had lost her baby, everything had changed between them. They’d grown closer and talked freely on the few occasions they had been together. Yet at this moment, she seemed to have built a wall between them.

  “Shall we go?” He extended his arm to her.

  Mrs. Englebright stepped off the stairs behind Millie. “You kids enjoy yourselves tonight.”

  They said their goodbyes and headed out the door. The chaise carriage waited in front of the house, drawn by two black horses. Amos sat on the wagon’s side seat while Levi hurried to the carriage door and held it open.

  Her palm felt warm against his as he helped her into the wagon. Levi missed that warmth the moment she released his hand. He slapped the top of the carriage, then swung inside and closed the door.

  The interior darkened, leaving him feeling lost. The horses lurched forward, throwing him off balance. He landed beside her with an oomph sound. As he settled beside her, Millie finally spoke in a soft voice. “Levi, this carriage is a bit extravagant, isn’t it?”

  “A little, I guess. I borrowed it from Mr. Meriwether. He’s English and was happy to loan it to us this evening. I thought we could arrive in style.” Why was he rambling like a rusted saw?

  “But what if the mail-order brides see us arrive like this? Won’t they think we are courting?”

  Levi struggled to maintain an even tone. “You mean we’re not?” he teased halfheartedly, wanting more than anything for her to say, “Yes, we are courting.” He couldn’t give her his heart, but he could give her his friendship and protection. So why shouldn’t they court?

  “No, we are only friends. Remember?” Millie lifted her chin and boldly met his gaze. He was caught off guard by the determination in her voice. “I don’t want the mail-order brides or anyone else to think otherwise.”

  Her manner irked him, and he allowed his annoyance to show. “Are you sure that’s what you want, Millie? Just to remain friends? We can still be friends and be married.” He wished the carriage weren’t so dark so he could see her expression better. “I thought things had deepened between us. Can you seriously deny you have feelings for me?”

  He heard her soft sigh and felt her sit up straighter on the seat. “Levi, I’ll admit that something has changed between us, but it doesn’t matter. I still can’t marry you.” Was that a catch he heard in her voice? Or wishful thinking on his part?

  “Can’t? Or won’t?” Levi was more shaken by her refusal than he cared to admit. He knew his voice held the anger he felt, but he couldn’t help it. It was as if he were trying to draw a different response from her. To make her admit she cared. He sought to erect a wall of defense around his heart.

  “I don’t have a choice, Levi.”

  “What does that mean, Millie? Are you secretly married to someone else? Betrothed? What?” Levi came to an abrupt halt.

  What was he doing? Had he gone mad? His intention had been to show her the best night she’d ever had. How could he have gotten so far off base? In the dusk of the carriage, he saw the anxious look on her face and knew he had hurt her. But her refusal simply to let people think she cared for him hurt, too.

  She didn’t answer, and the silence between them grew tight with tension. He could feel the
tenseness in her body posture but he couldn’t or wouldn’t take back his words. Why couldn’t she see that a marriage between them would be the best solution? It dawned on him it was the solution to his problem, not hers.

  The carriage slowed to a stop. Masking his inner turmoil with a deceptively calm voice, he spoke. “All right, I’ll dance with the brides and you can dance with whomever you wish. I’ll try and stay out of your way.”

  She rested her hand on his arm. “Levi, please don’t be like that. Please, for tonight, until we can talk this out, can we be friends?”

  Pride kept him from answering her.

  Amos opened the door of the carriage. Levi turned to help her down and she curved her hand along his jaw before settling it on his shoulder.

  He felt weak and vulnerable in the face of his emotions for this woman. Emotions he continued to deny, too. He didn’t want his heart broken and she didn’t want to get married. What were they doing?

  She turned to him with a sad smile. Millie leaned close enough to him to whisper so that Amos wouldn’t hear. “Friends only. Nothing more. You are going to have to choose one of the other ladies as a wife.”

  A pain filled his chest like nothing he’d ever experienced. Levi realized he’d only thought his heart was breaking when Lucille had tossed their engagement back in his face. He’d been wrong. This pain was the true feeling of a broken heart.

  Levi followed her toward the barn. Light and music flowed from the interior. He knew she cared for him, so why did she fight marrying him? Surely it wasn’t just because of her controlling mother? It was then he realized, that while they were in the carriage, he’d hit on the fact that Millie Hamilton had a secret.

  For the rest of the evening, Levi watched her and wondered what she was hiding. She seemed to have as many dance partners as he did. He danced with Emily, Susanna and Anna Mae several times each. The ladies also danced with other men, but just when he thought he’d head over to the punch bowl, one of them would be waiting for the next dance.

  Lucille Lawson whirled past him and smiled. She was on the arm of the banker’s son and seemed quite happy. The truth of the matter was Levi was pleased for Lucille. The old hurt was gone.

  When the song ended, Levi applauded with the other dancers and then turned to his current dance partner. “Thank you for the dance, Anna Mae. I am in need of a glass of punch. Would you like one?”

  She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted as the music started again, and Mr. Lupin stepped forward. “May I have this dance?” he asked.

  Anna Mae looked confused. “I guess I’ll pass on the punch, Levi, and dance with Mr. Lupin.”

  Levi nodded and watched as they walked to the dance floor. He gazed about the barn in search of Millie, but he didn’t see her in the crowds or on the dance floor. His throat was parched so he headed toward the refreshment tables.

  Susanna’s voice reached his ears. “How serious is your relationship with Levi? If you’re not interested in him as a husband, would you please step aside so that Anna Mae or Emily will feel free to pursue him? Right now, you two seem to be together and neither of them wants to come between you. But if it’s just friendly, well, then he’d be a great catch for one of them. I’d pursue him myself, but I’ve already come to the conclusion that he isn’t for me.”

  Levi stopped in his tracks. He ducked behind a stack of hay bales and listened.

  Millie’s sweet voice answered the other woman. “Oh, what makes you think Levi will be a ‘great catch’ for one of them?”

  Susanna laughed. “His family is the wealthiest in the area. Didn’t you know?”

  “And that’s what makes him a ‘great catch’?” Millie’s voice held an edge to it, and he wondered if she was irritated or simply interested in what the other woman had to say.

  He almost chuckled out loud. A great catch? Him? If those women really knew him, they would run screaming in the other direction. He left his socks turned inside out, forgot to empty his shaving water most mornings and on cold winter days, had to be forced to get out of his nice warm bed.

  Susanna’s voice dropped and Levi strained to hear. “His father left both Levi and Daniel large trust funds and whichever man wins the ranch will be even wealthier. Just think, Millie, a girl would never have to struggle financially again.”

  “It may surprise you to learn that I’m not interested in the Westlands’ wealth. Levi and I are good friends. We were friends before you told me this, and we will be friends until the day he marries regardless of what he’s worth financially.” From the closeness of her voice, it sounded like Millie had moved closer to him, but he dared not peek from behind the hay bale.

  He heard her dress rustle away once more. “If you will excuse me, I see Emily and need to speak to her.”

  Levi chanced a glance around the hay bales. Susanna was gone and he could see Millie stomping off in the opposite direction. What had she meant, until he got married? He’d never thought their friendship would end when he chose a bride. Why must it end?

  His chest felt as if something heavy sat on it. Distractedly, he ran a hand across his heart in an effort to ease the pain. He didn’t want to lose Millie or her friendship. What was he going to do?

  The music and fellowship continued around him—happy voices, teasing and laughing—but Levi heard none of it. Strange and disquieting thoughts raced through his mind.

  The fact that his emotions were so out of control bothered him the most. How had his heart gotten involved? When had everything about Millie become more important to him than his own well-being? And just now he’d learned that unlike Lucille and Susanna, Millie didn’t care about the Westland fortune.

  But could he trust Millie with his heart? Apparently not. She insisted that they would never have any other relationship beyond friendship. He knew with sudden clarity that he wanted more than that from her.

  He came to the edge of the dance floor, where Millie spun around in the arms of another man. He wanted to demand that she dance with no one but him. She looked up into the face of the man dancing with her. Joy bubbled in her laugh and shone in her eyes.

  Levi couldn’t stand seeing her in the arms of another man. Before he knew what he’d done, Levi found himself on the dance floor stopping beside the man. He tapped him none too gently on the shoulder. “May I cut in?”

  Irritation radiated from the man. He didn’t like the interruption of his dance with Millie. Levi noted it, but it didn’t matter one whit to him what the other man thought. Reluctantly the gentleman stepped aside.

  Millie placed her hand in his. The music changed from fast beat to a slow tempo. When she stepped close and laid her head on his shoulder, the barn, the dancers and everything else completely disappeared.

  Levi inhaled her scent and brushed his lips across the top of her silky hair. He felt her take a deep, unsteady breath; then she stepped back in his arms. Her lips formed a soft and loving curve, and her rounded blue eyes stared up at him full of questions.

  “You’re no longer angry with me?” When she spoke, her voice was tender, barely above a whisper, but he heard her. He, on the other hand, could not utter a word past the rioting emotions in his heart. He answered her the only way he could at the moment. Levi pulled her close, so that her head rested over his chest, and let his heart speak for him.

  The rest of the evening passed in a blur. He lurked on the outskirts of the barn, dancing only with Millie when the opportunity presented itself.

  Levi searched his heart and questioned his thoughts and intentions. He avoided the other ladies and the mail-order brides. There was no interest in him for the other women so why waste his and their time?

  Still, he had to ask himself if he could trust Millie not to break his heart. She was still running from something, but what? They were alike in this also. Much like her, he’d been fearful to trust another person with his well-being.

  Levi realized that he’d been making decisions based on past hurts. Not once had he asked God to b
e in control. How foolish.

  He did what he should have done in the first place. Levi slipped out of the barn and walked to the carriage. He climbed inside, welcoming the darkness, and bowed his head. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts. With a heavy heart, Levi prayed.

  “Lord, please forgive this foolish man. I should have come to You for guidance instead of trusting my own emotions.” He took a deep breath—this part was the hardest. He didn’t want to allow God to make this decision for him but pressed on knowing it was the right thing to pray. “Father God, I trust You so I’m coming before You now with these questions. Should I continue to pursue Millie? Or start looking closer at the other three brides?”

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next morning, Millie gathered up her sketch pad and headed to the woods. She stopped in the kitchen long enough to tell Beth where she was going and to grab a hot buttered biscuit.

  “Will you be back in time for services?” Beth asked.

  Millie pushed the back door open. “Yes, I just need some alone time to think and pray.”

  Beth scooped fried potatoes into a bowl. “About Levi?” Levi had left the dance early, instructing Amos to take her home when she was ready.

  “Among other things. Thanks for the biscuit. See you at church.” Millie hurried out the door before her friend could ask any more questions.

  It had been a full, busy week since Levi had stopped her from exploring the stream she’d discovered in the woods. If she hurried she might be able to find it again before church, explore a little and maybe even sketch an outline of its banks. Millie set off into the woods at a brisk pace, loving the feel of the cooler morning air.

  Going farther than she’d ever gone before, she followed the sound of running water. The birds in the trees twittered back and forth as if they didn’t have a care in the world. It was a happy sound and she wondered how long it had been since she had laughed spontaneously. If only she could feel that free.

  She had to admit that her heart ached each time she’d seen Levi dancing with another woman at the barn dance. She’d experienced a gamut of perplexing emotions. Confusion that her response to him went directly against what she spoke out loud, and then extreme happiness when he singled her out for dances. It had hurt that he’d left early and left her well-being in the hands of another.