The Rancher’s Beloved Bride

by Maya Stirling

  Veronica, Augusta and Molly had been riding at the back. Now he found himself riding alongside them. He was keen to know how they were faring.

  "This is such a delightful idea," Augusta said enthusiastically. Gazing around at the natural beauty of the forest, she sighed. "It's a beautiful place for making friends." Looking down at Molly who was securely sat upon her pinto, Augusta. "This is fun, Molly, isn't it?"

  Molly looked up at her grandmother and smiled. "I love riding in the countryside. Can I do it every day?"

  Augusta laughed and looked at Kyle. "I think you've given Molly a new hobby."

  Kyle smiled. "I'm glad that little horse of yours is behaving himself."

  Molly's eyes widened and she glanced down at the pinto's head. "Does he like to ride fast?" she asked.

  "No," Kyle replied. "You just keep a tight hold on those reins. Let him know who's in charge."

  Molly's fingers tightened around the reins. Kyle saw the little girl's brows furrow, in just the same way her mother's brows furrowed whenever she was determined to do what she wanted. Kyle glanced at Veronica and saw her smile warmly at his efforts to encourage her daughter to feel comfortable on a horse. Kyle knew Molly had been on horses before. This was probably the first time she'd ridden through the countryside.

  Augusta surprised Kyle by leaning close to Molly and saying quietly: "Why don't we go ahead and show the others how good you are at holding those reins."

  Seized with the idea, Molly's features brightened. Augusta glanced at Kyle, as if seeking his agreement. He nodded and then watched as Augusta led Molly's horse slowly up to the others. Sounds of appreciation drifted on the air as the others expressed their admiration of Molly's newfound riding skills. The squeal of Molly's delighted laughter made its way back to Kyle as he rode alongside Veronica. He slowed slightly, letting the others gain distance ahead of him and Veronica. For a moment, it occurred to him that Veronica had co-operated with the slowing pace he had set. He didn't mind that now, since it meant he and Veronica would have some moments to themselves.

  Kyle had something important he wanted to ask Veronica. It was a question which had plagued his mind since he'd returned to the Baxter ranch after taking Veronica and Molly back to the Flint place. No matter how hard he'd tried, he hadn't been able to get the question out of his mind. And now, he had a chance to ask her. Once it was done, he figured there'd be nothing more said about it.

  Kyle drew in a breath, feeling himself tighten in the saddle. Glancing ahead, he judged the distance was far enough that he wouldn't be overheard. He turned to Veronica and saw that she was already looking straight at him. His gaze met hers and she smiled softly at him. It was as if she knew what he was about to ask her.

  As if confirming Kyle's impression, Veronica spoke softly, leaning slightly closer to him. "I think I can read your mind, Kyle," she said quietly. "I know what you want to ask me."

  Kyle felt his jaw drop slowly open as he gazed at Veronica.

  CHAPTER SIX

  She'd thought about this moment since she, her mother and Molly had set out from the Flint mansion over an hour ago. Veronica had known Kyle would want to ask her about her husband. The other day, during the ride back to her father's house, Veronica had been sure Kyle had been about to ask. But he hadn't, and she'd been grateful for that. She figured he'd restrained his curiosity out of respect to her and Molly and to the fact that, if he'd asked, there'd been no telling what kind of reaction Molly would have had to such a conversation. Any talk of Molly's father was done carefully these days. Now that she was growing up and beginning to understand what had happened. She'd been barely old enough to realize the seriousness of it all.

  Veronica glanced up ahead. Molly was the focus of everyone's attention. The other riders were busy fussing over her, probably making the little girl feel like the most important person in the world. Which was exactly what she was to Veronica. And always would be. Molly had been on horseback before, of course. Just not like this. Not in such a beautiful place. Back at the Flint mansion, riding was strictly forbidden for the little girl. That had been a rule laid down by Veronica's father upon arrival just over a week ago. One of many rules he'd laid out. By moving to Montana, Veronica had finally done what her father had been asking her to do these past few years. Now that she and Molly were in Inspiration, her father seemed determined to exert maximum control over the lives of his daughter and grand-daughter.

  Veronica looked across at Kyle. His expression was patient and kindly. From time to time she saw him glance at the other riders, as if satisfying himself there was nothing he had to attend to. She'd been impressed with the way he'd handled the demands of this social riding session. Occasionally, he'd offered each rider advice on careful riding, but she could tell he was more interested in avoiding the attentions of Lucille Brochard. Veronica wondered how long Kyle had been friends with the pretty young woman. Lucille was obviously smitten by Kyle. That was clear to anyone looking on. But, Kyle did seem to be doing his best to hold Lucille at arms length. Looking across again at Kyle, she saw he was waiting for her to add to what she'd just said to him. His gaze was steady and expectant.

  With one last glance at the others, Veronica spoke quietly. "Molly's father passed away four years ago." Veronica glanced at Kyle and saw his brows furrow and. His mouth opening slightly, he seemed shocked.

  Kyle's features darkened with visible distress and he looked up ahead toward Molly. "You don't need to tell me this if you don't want to." His voice cracked with emotion.

  Veronica held herself steady, feeling her fingers tighten around the reins of her slow-moving horse. "I figure it's only fair you should know. After all that you did for us the other day."

  Veronica hesitated, composing herself. She felt her heart quickening. Emotion surged deep inside her. Feelings she'd thought had been long buried threatened to break to the surface. Why was this proving so difficult? She'd convinced herself she could tell him and that would be the end of it. But it was proving harder than she'd thought.

  He peered across at her. She saw sudden sincerity in his gaze. "Veronica," Kyle murmured. "I mean what I say. You don't have to do this. Not now."

  "I had to tell you." She sighed. "In any case, you'd probably hear it from someone else eventually."

  Veronica was sure that the gossip mill would be working, especially after her appearance in town today. That was to be expected. Although Inspiration was clearly a godly town, she was sure not everyone was a regular churchgoer. The temptation for the ungodly to indulge in backbiting would probably be irresistible, she reflected.

  Kyle nodded. "I guess you're right." He sighed. "It's hard for some folks to respect the privacy of others in this town."

  Veronica frowned. "I wasn't trying to keep it all to myself," she objected.

  "I'm sorry," Kyle said quickly. "I didn't mean it to sound like that." He seemed genuinely contrite.

  Veronica nodded and gazed at her mother and Molly. They were laughing about something with the Rushton sisters. Here, amongst the cool of the grove of trees, the sound of their laughter was sweet music. This was why she'd finally decided to come to Inspiration. To find happiness for Molly and perhaps some kind of contentment for herself. "They look like they're enjoying themselves," she said, changing the subject.

  Kyle smiled. "There's plenty to like about living in these parts. There's seldom any serious trouble. The sheriff sees to that."

  "It sounds almost too good to be true," she observed.

  "Sometimes it seems like its the best place in Montana," he replied. He shook his head. "And to think that, a while back, I was considering leaving."

  "You were?" she asked looking at him with genuine surprise. "Why would you do that if you love it here so much?"

  Kyle shrugged. "It's a long story. Let's just say I had to figure things out for myself. I had too many foolish ideas in my head. Looking for adventures, for one thing. I saw sense. Eventually." Kyle glanced at her. "God had plenty to do with making that h
appen. He put me in a situation where I had to see what I stood to lose if I was fool enough to walk away."

  Veronica wondered what possible circumstances would have tempted Kyle to abandon life in Inspiration. A question drifted into her mind and, not wanting to give him a false impression, she hesitated before asking it. But she was curious enough about the answer to her question that she forced herself to speak. "So you've decided to settle down here for good?" she asked.

  Kyle's gaze settled on her. "I have everything I'd ever want," he said nodding. "Family. Friends. Church. And plenty of work with the ranch."

  "It sounds like the ideal life," she suggested.

  Kyle grinned. There was something affecting about that grin, she told herself. The way his eyes lit up, and the creases at the corners of his mouth. It all caught her attention, making her gaze settle for a long moment. "I guess it is the perfect place to settle down," he agreed.

  Veronica wondered if he was about to ask her if she'd come to Inspiration to settle down. She hoped he wouldn't. Then the conversation would become too personal. Too awkward. Listening to Kyle, she'd been given a glimpse into what life was like in this little town. She admitted to herself there was plenty to recommend Inspiration as a place to build a life. Or to rebuild a broken life, she told herself.

  The riders emerged from the trees and out onto a wide, grass-covered plain which stretched west. The trail reached a bridge over a narrow creek. Kyle called everyone to a halt before they crossed the bridge. "This is as far as we go by trail," he explained. Pointing to the north, across the grass-covered plain, he added: "We can do some rougher terrain riding up that way. Then we'll head on back into town."

  Veronica almost laughed as she looked at what Kyle had charmingly called rough terrain. It was no more than some rolling hills in the distance and some nearby heavier patches of grassland. She glanced at Kyle and saw a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. "I think we can handle that," Veronica observed. She glanced at Molly. "Don't you, Molly?"

  The little girl examined the grassland as if it held hidden dangers. Maybe it would be an exciting end to the ride for Molly. Her daughter nodded. "I think it looks like fun."

  That drew peels of laughter from everyone. Then Kyle took the lead, guiding them out across the grassland, tracing a careful path in a northward direction. The sun was hotter now, and Veronica was beginning to feel thirsty. She kept Molly close as their horses stepped gingerly across the grassland. Veronica was sure Kyle wouldn't lead them anywhere hazardous. Their conversation had convinced her that, when it came to the territory in the parts, Kyle was an expert. She'd seen the confident way he'd dealt with the crisis back at the Baxter ranch. Whatever foolishness he'd left behind in his past had revealed a capable, confident man. One she could trust.

  After a short while, they found a narrow trail which led back in the direction of the town. Soon, they arrived back at the livery. Everyone dismounted and spent a short time chatting amiably about the ride. Veronica could already tell she would get to like the Rushton sisters very much. They were friendly toward Molly and seemed not to judge Veronica in any way whatsoever. The same couldn't be said about Lucille and her mother. As they all stood waiting for Kyle to finish helping Curt settle the horses back in the stable out back of the livery, Veronica chatted politely with Lucille. It didn't take long for Veronica to get the distinct impression that Lucille didn't exactly approve of her. There was something in Lucille's eyes that betrayed the truth. Veronica had seen that look on the faces of people back in Illinois. It hinted at secret opinions and withheld judgments.

  Finally, Kyle emerged from the livery. He smiled at Molly as he approached Veronica. "Did you enjoy that, Molly?" Kyle asked.

  Molly nodded her head vigorously. "I sure did. My pony is a good horse," she said.

  Veronica laughed. "She doesn't belong to you, Molly," she corrected gently. "He belongs to Curt."

  "You got stabled horses back at the house, haven't you?" Kyle asked.

  Not wanting to get into a conversation about her father's determination to keep Molly away from the horses on the estate, Veronica merely smiled. "They're kept busy around the house's grounds." Veronica saw Augusta get up onto the carriage seat. It was time to go home.

  Veronica leaned down at Molly. "Say thank you to Mr Baxter," she instructed.

  Molly stuck out her hand. Kyle laughed and took the little hand. "Thank you, Mr Baxter," Molly exclaimed politely.

  "You can call me Kyle," he told Molly. The little girl's eyes widened with delight. Kyle peered at Veronica. "And that goes for you too, Veronica," he added.

  Veronica felt her cheeks flush slightly. Kyle's gaze could be intense sometimes. And right now, that gaze was making her feel emotions she hadn't felt in a long time. Good feelings. But they were ones she knew she could not possibly show. Forcing herself to smile courteously, she nodded. "Thank you, Kyle," she just about managed to say without her voice cracking with emotion.

  "Same again next Wednesday?" Kyle asked.

  Veronica glanced down at Molly and saw the girl's excited expression. Veronica nodded at Kyle. "We'll be here."

  Moments later, Veronica's mother was turning the carriage away from the livery. Kyle Baxter stood at the open doors, watching their carriage maneuver out onto Main Street. He looked powerful and strong and confident as he waved to them. And, as the carriage started to make its way up Main Street, Veronica wondered just how friendly she could get with the handsome rancher.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  "Do you think she'll say yes?" Kyle's brother Gabe asked him as they rode up the trail toward the distant Flint mansion. It was Thursday morning and they'd left the Baxter ranch a short time ago. They had an errand to carry out and it involved the Flint family.

  "Veronica?" Kyle replied, glancing across at Gabe who was riding alongside him. "We're not just inviting her, Gabe. I thought the idea was to invite the whole Flint family to your wedding. At least that's what ma suggested."

  Gabe nodded. "I know that." Gabe sighed. "It's just that I've heard some stories about Dominick Flint."

  "What kind of stories?" Kyle asked.

  Gabe thought a long moment before replying. "I've heard he's kinda reclusive. That he prefers to keep himself cooped up in that grand mansion. And that he wants the same for his whole family."

  Kyle shook his head. "I can tell you that ain't true. Veronica has a mind of her own. And she isn't interested in staying locked up in her father's house. That's something I've seen for myself."

  Kyle saw Gabe nod his head thoughtfully. During a conversation out on the porch at the ranch last night, Kyle had shared some of what had happened during yesterday's riding lesson. How pleasant his time with Veronica had been. How much he'd enjoyed spending time getting to know the newcomer to Inspiration. Kyle had even revealed the sad part of the day. Gabe had shown real sympathy when he'd found out that Veronica was a widow. His first response to finding that out had been that it must be hard on the little girl, Molly. That was typical of Gabe, Kyle reflected. His older brother had always shown consideration for the suffering of others. Kyle guessed it was Gabe's abiding faith in the Lord which drove that need to show love and charity to others. Gabe was always looking for ways to reach out to others. Always seeking ways to make Inspiration a better place for ordinary folks.

  Glancing up ahead at the Flint mansion, Kyle reflected on the fact that there wasn't much ordinary about the Flint family. They had wealth and, up until now, had kept themselves separate from life in Inspiration. Veronica's parents had moved here only a year before, but Dominick Flint seemed determined to keep himself and his family out of everyday life in town. And that included church life. Kyle hadn't seen Dominick nor his wife Augusta in church this past year. Veronica and Molly had only just arrived. Kyle wondered if Veronica would bring Molly to church. During yesterday's conversation with Veronica, Kyle had gotten the impression that Veronica might be amenable to regular church attendance. When the Rushton sisters had invited Ve
ronica she'd smiled and said she'd seen them there real soon. That encouraged Kyle to believe that, in spite of the darkness and pain of losing her husband, Veronica had still held onto her faith.