A Horse Wrangler for Christmas

by Cheryl Wright

  “Daniel Peterson, Ma’am,” he said, his hand outstretched. If nothing else, this was going to be an adventure.

  She continued to study him until he squirmed under her scrutiny. “I guess you’ll do,” she said suddenly. “I supposed I’d better go and change.” She stared at him then. “We are getting married right away? I couldn’t possibly live out on the ranch without getting hitched first.”

  She was the female version of a cowpoke. Daniel wondered what he’d got himself into. But she was rather pretty, he could see her hidden beauty beneath the dust and dirt. If she wore a gown instead of breeches, he was certain she would have curves in all the right places. “What on earth made you dress like that?” He hadn’t meant to say the words out loud, but it was too late to take them back.

  She glared at him. “Single women traveling alone don’t fare well,” she said between clenched teeth. “Besides, this is my normal attire. Gowns are for sissies.”

  That make him pause. Who was this woman? Okay, so he knew she was Meredith Caldwell, but she certainly didn’t present like the bride he thought he was getting. He couldn’t help himself, he had the widest grin. This was going to be fun. He was sure of it.

  He took her to the bathhouse so she could get cleaned up. While she was there, he made arrangements with the preacher. He’d attended church here since he’d moved to Jordanville five years ago. To his amazement, Uncle Willy had left his beloved ranch to Daniel. He’d also inherited his cowpokes, more’s the pity. It made him wonder if they were always so terrible, or whether they were seeing how far they could push him. Colt was the best of a bad lot. He would probably lose him if he met some gal who flashed her eyelashes at him.

  With the arrangements made with Preacher Elliot, he sat on the wooden seat outside the bathhouse to wait. She’d grabbed up her carpetbag, which she said held a change of clothes, and went inside. He dreaded getting married with his wife looking like a cowpoke, but what choice did he have? He already knew he’d be the laughing stock of the town. Daniel Peterson sends for a wife, and gets a cowboy instead. He could hear them now. They might even publish it in the Gazette.

  He groaned.

  “I’m ready, Daniel.”

  The soft voice took him unawares, as did the beautiful woman standing in front of him. He stumbled to his feet, confusion engulfing him. This was Meredith Caldwell? She was stunning. The most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

  He stepped toward her. She held her carpetbag out to him and he took it. Their hands brushed and he shuddered. She stared intensely at him, like she had earlier, only more so. Those pretty blue eyes were so intense, he was certain nothing ever got past her.

  “I’ve made arrangements with the preacher,” he said. “We can go anytime you’re ready.”

  She took the longest breath, then let it out. It was obvious she was as nervous as he was. “Can we get something to eat afterwards? I’m starving.” She looked away then, as though she’d shown her vulnerability to him and was ashamed of it.

  “Sorry,” he said, guilt overwhelming him. “I should have thought…we can do that first if you like?”

  She shook her head daintily. It was like she was a whole different person in that gown. No longer the cowboy, instead the beautiful debutante, only he figured she’d flinch at that idea. She reached out her arm to him and he hooked his arm through hers. He placed the carpetbag on the buggy outside the church where he’d left it, and they headed inside.

  He introduced her to Preacher Elliott and they were soon man and wife. He leaned in to kiss her when instructed, but held back. Would she even let him? He was surprised when she cupped his face and pulled him in.

  Her lips were soft and pliable, and she tasted like…stale coffee. It was all he could do not to laugh. The cowboy was still there beneath the frills and lace of the pretty gown that had been barely worn. As he stepped back, she lifted her gown slightly. He looked down and saw a pair of dusty cowboy boots.

  He’d married a cowboy. Daniel couldn’t help but grin.

  ~*~

  “This is so good,” she said as she filled her mouth with the hearty beef soup. She glanced up at him. “I haven’t eaten any decent food for days,” she said, trying to explain why she was tossing back her food. If he thought he was going to get a refined wife, he was wrong. Very wrong. She liked nothing more than to be outside with a horse and teaching it everything she knew. Whether or not he’d let her was another thing.

  Old George said he’d be a fool to refuse her. And he was right. She ripped open a bread roll and spread butter over it. “Can you stop staring?” She was beginning to squirm under his gaze, and it made her feel uncomfortable.

  “Sorry,” he said, lifting up his spoon. “I…I can’t get over the difference between when you arrived and now.”

  She glared at him. It wiped the smile right off his handsome face. “I guess it’s okay then,” she said sarcastically, then went back to her food.

  He chuckled. “I think I’m going to like being married to you,” he said, watching her carefully.

  Was he waiting for a reaction? She was far too hungry for that. She waved a hand across in front of her. “You might not say that once you get to know me,” she said, brushing his words aside. It wasn’t like it was a real marriage. For either of them. He wanted a housekeeper, and she needed a safe place to live. They were helping each other, and that was it.

  She glanced about the diner. Now that her belly wasn’t quite so empty, she took in her surroundings. There was a small Christmas tree in the corner. It confused her. “It’s not Christmas is it?”

  He frowned and followed the direction she’d been looking. “Not yet. You don’t know what the date is?”

  She wasn’t sure what to say, but the truth was probably better than trying to kid her way through. “Hardly. One day is the same as another. That’s what my pa always said, anyways.”

  “Christmas is some weeks away yet.” She could see him churning something over in his mind. His expression was intense – she hadn’t seen that from him before.

  “Don’t you go doing something special for me,” she said. “I ain’t used to that sort of thing.” He frowned again. “And don’t you go feeling sorry for me. I’ve had a good life. Up til when pa died anyhow.” His hand slipped across the table and onto her hand. It felt good, as though he was saying I’m here to protect you. Only she didn’t need protecting. She could shoot a gun as well as any man, could do anything a cowpoke could do.

  It suddenly occurred to her that he might think she wasn’t a God-fearing woman. “I go to church every Sunday,” she blurted out. “And at Christmas of course. I just need someone to tell me it’s Christmas.” His eyes opened wide and he squeezed her hand. What was that about?

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll tell you when it’s Christmas.” He grinned, and it irritated her.

  Worried? She wasn’t worried. She always found out in time. “You ain’t expecting no big Christmas dinner, are you?” She glared at him again.

  “You can’t cook? I thought…”

  “If you like beans, I can.” She let that sink in for a few seconds, then laughed. “Of course I can cook. I had to feed my pa and the cowpokes for over ten years, since Ma died. My cookin’ won’t kill you.”

  Daniel Peterson was far too serious. Oh, he was handsome alright with his slick-backed black-as-night hair, his long lanky legs, and his intense hazel eyes. She challenged herself to teach him how to lighten up. This marriage gig might just be fun.

  ~*~

  As they got closer to the ranch house, he watched her scan the area. Her eyes opened at the size of the house itself, which he had to admit was larger than your average ranch house. The barn was rather big too, but it had to be, given what they did here.

  Everything he did he was modeled on Uncle Willy’s business. The old man had been here for as long as Daniel could remember, and had always been successful. As he got older and more frail, Uncle Willy asked Daniel to move in with h
im, to become his manager and learn the business. He gave no clue he was willing the place to his only nephew. With Uncle Willy having never married, Daniel was practically the only family he had left, unless you counted Daniel’s sister, who far preferred to attend balls than to muck out stables. The thought made him chuckle.

  “You have a big place here.” She continued to look about and Daniel wondered what she was searching for. “Where are your cowpokes?” She stared at him then, and it occurred to him she might think he had none.

  “The good-for-nothings are probably back in the bunkhouse.” He brought the buggy to a stop and applied the brake, then climbed down. By the time he got around to the other side to help her, she was down on the ground, her gown up around her knees. This really was going to be an interesting exercise.

  “Want me to round them up for you?”

  He laughed at first, but then he realized she was dead serious. He might have taken up the offer, except he wasn’t sure they’d take much notice of her in that pretty gown. He leaned in and cupped her face. “You’re far too pretty for that.” Then he kissed her. He really shouldn’t have done that. This was meant to be a marriage of convenience. Not that he’d told her that, but in his mind, it was what he’d wanted.

  At least he had until he’d met her. Now he wasn’t quite so sure.

  He pulled his hands away from her, and let them drop by his side. She sighed, then leaned into him. His arms went up around her. Until he realized exactly what he was doing. He was going to have to be far more careful. She was much too appealing for his liking.

  Housekeeper. Cook. That’s what he needed, and that’s what he’d asked for. Daniel stepped away from Meredith and her bewitching ways, and pulled her trunk from the buggy. “What’s in this? It’s almost weightless.”

  She considered him for a moment or two. “Not much. A few changes of clothes, and my spare cowboy boots.”

  “Huh. Well you won’t need cowboy boots here. I’ve got cowpokes, and the only things I have for a woman to do around here is cook and keep house.”

  She screwed up her nose at him. “Is that so?” Uh-oh. That sounded like a threat. Except her voice was far too sweet for it to be a threat. She stared at the front door. “Well, I guess I’d better get in there and start keeping house and cookin’. That right?” She stared at him for the longest time, and he wasn’t sure what to make of it all.

  “Yeah, sure,” he said, feeling more confused than ever. “Hang on. Wait!” She was about to open the front door, and tradition demanded he carry her across the threshold, even if they were only going to play at being married. He dumped her trunk on the porch and scooped her up.

  “Hey!” She didn’t seem too keen on being in his arms. Well too bad – he rather liked it. She was such a petite thing, and weighed basically nothing. He could quickly get used to this. Meredith stared into his face. Was she studying him? Without warning, her arms slipped around his neck, and a shiver went through him.

  He kicked the door open and strode inside. She glanced about while she was still in his arms, and he wasn’t in a hurry to let her go. He hadn’t felt this good in ages. “You can put me down now,” she said quietly, as though she didn’t sound sure if she wanted him to.

  He wasn’t sure if he wanted to either.

  “There’s the kitchen, as you can see,” he said. They were standing in the sitting room, and the kitchen was off it. “If you need anything, let me know. I usually only go into town once a month, but I’m pretty sure you’re capable of getting yourself there if needed.” He grinned at her, but she just stood there, glancing about. “One thing we are not, is self-sufficient. We get all our supplies from the mercantile.”

  “Is that so?” There was so much menace in those three words, and he wondered what she was planning.

  “I’m going to need a horse,” she said, then headed toward the bedrooms without waiting for a response. “How many cowpokes did you say you have?”

  “I didn’t. But I have three full-timers. I get in extras when I need them.”

  She craned her neck again to peer out the windows at this end of the house. “Where are those cowpokes of yours? I don’t see anyone. Again.”

  How did he tell her they were useless as all get-out? Except for Colt, he wasn’t too bad. Who was he kidding? The man could be far better. He had no idea why Uncle Willy hadn’t gotten rid of them years ago. All he could think was perhaps he felt some sort of loyalty to them. Why, he had no idea – they sure weren’t loyal to him.

  It was something he would have to remedy, and soon.

  “This place isn’t bad,” she said, nodding her head as she glanced into each room. “Running water?” she asked. “Or am I going to have to cart water from a well that’s miles away?” She didn’t sound too keen on doing the latter, and Daniel didn’t blame her one little bit. “Or a stream? I really hope that’s not the case. If it is, one of those good-for-nothing cowpokes of yours got themselves a new job. That ain’t no job for a lady.” She peered at him between squinted eyes and grinned. Was she saying she wasn’t a lady? Or was she joking with him? Sometimes she was hard to figure out.

  “Point me in the direction of your root cellar,” she said matter-of-factly. She cleverly avoided discussing the sleeping arrangements, but it was something they’d have to tackle sooner or later. He guessed it would be later.

  She followed him outside, where he collected her trunk. “End of the house and turn left. Both the root cellar and the spring house are there.”

  His wife, he’d have to get used to that, stopped at the bottom of the steps. “Please don’t tell me this is your vegetable patch.”

  He grimaced. “Fine, I won’t tell you.”

  She pursed her lips and walked off without another word. It wasn’t long before she was back with her arms full of produce; bacon, eggs, butter, onions, and cheese. She marched into the house without a word. He wondered what on earth she was making with that unorthodox mix.

  “Your trunk and carpetbag are in the main bedroom,” he said, not giving her the chance to demand her sleeping arrangements. What was done was done. She stared at him with those piercing eyes of hers, but said not a word.

  After she’d placed everything on the counter top, she suddenly spun around to face him. “Today I might be your bride, but tomorrow is a whole different story.” She tentatively smiled, and quickly turned back.

  Daniel wondered what on earth she had in store for him.

  Chapter Three

  “This is good,” Angus said with his mouth half full of food. It made Meredith cringe. She might be rough around the edges, she admitted that, but she wasn’t a complete savage.

  “Better than your cooking,” Colt added, and grinned at his boss.

  “You’re lucky you get anything,” Daniel bit back. She could see there was no love lost there. “Most ranches don’t supply food, and sure don’t cook for their cowpokes.”

  Meredith knew that wasn’t quite true. It depended on whether their cowpokes were like family, or just workers. From what she’d seen, and the little Daniel had told her, this lot were merely workers. They did little through the week, but put their hands out come Saturday.

  Old George and the others she’d left behind were family. Which had made it so much harder to leave them behind.

  “Ma’am,” Billy said. He’d been quiet throughout the meal. He was the latest addition according to her husband, and wasn’t too bad a worker. Unfortunately, the others were leading him astray. “This is the best food I’ve had since I arrived. Do you mind if I ask what it’s called?” Good manners too.

  “It’s a Denver Omelet,” she said. “Provided you have plenty of eggs, you can throw just about anything into it.”

  “Huh.” It seemed her husband liked one word answers.

  She suddenly changed tack. “I ain’t no maid,” she said sternly. “When you finish eatin’ your dishes go in the sink. There will be hot soapy water waiting there.” She glanced about the table. “Everyone got
that?”

  “Yes Ma’am,” echoed around the table. Daniel grinned.

  “You will take turns doing the dishes. One to wash, one to dry. Rotatin’ night about. Or week about – your choice. That includes you too, Daniel. You all got that?”

  “Yes Ma’am.” None looked too happy, especially her husband.

  She glanced across the table. “Startin’ with Angus and Colt.” The two men groaned.

  “Now we’ve got that out of the way, I’ll serve up dessert.” They were all grinning now. “I don’t mind cookin’ but everyone has to do their fair share. Anyone who doesn’t, don’t get fed. Keep that in mind.”

  They all looked shocked, Daniel included, but it was now her kitchen, so her rules. She turned her back to dish up the apple cobbler. It was a quick and easy dessert for her first night, but one that would fill their bellies.

  “Is there a milkin’ cow here?” She glanced about waiting for an answer.

  “No Ma’am, there’s not,” Daniel answered, and she quirked an eyebrow at him. Was he going to address her as Ma’am? She sure hoped not. “I can see if I can get one for you, if that’s what you want.”

  “You want milk and cream? Then we need a milkin’ cow.” She studied him. It was obvious he had no idea what he’d let himself in for when he picked her for his bride. Or maybe he didn’t pick her – perhaps she was foisted upon him. “I don’t abide wastin’ money,” she said sternly. “Why pay the mercantile for anything we can produce ourselves? Except for meat, we were totally self-sufficient back home.”

  And I don’t abide wastin’ money on no-good cowpokes who don’t do their jobs, she wanted to say. But she’d leave that until another time.

  They all tucked into their dessert. She sat down to eat her own meal. “Mugs are on the countertop, also the coffee. Kettle is on the stove. You want it, you get it.” They glanced up momentarily, then went back to their food. Was that fear she saw in their eyes?

  Meredith could see this was going to be a challenge, but as pa always said, begin as you intend to continue. She had no intention of letting this lazy lot get the better of her.