Joshua's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) (8 page)

But he'd been wrong. So darned wrong.

The days had passed in much the same way. Joshua had tried everything he could think of to make Laura feel at home. But no amount of shared meals, quiet moments or attempts at making her feel that the McKenzie ranch was her own seemed to work. Even when he'd arranged for her belongings to be brought over from the Thorne ranch, Laura had asked him if she could be left alone to sort out her things in her room. He'd agreed to that, figuring it was important to give her some space, a real chance to get used to the idea of living on the ranch.

But when she'd opened up the trunk that contained some of her dresses he'd seen a look on her face that he could only describe as sadness. That look had ripped his insides out.

And that hadn't been the only time he'd seen that look. Every time he looked at Laura and saw that expression on her face, something shifted inside Joshua, causing a hard, sharp pain. Her eyes seemed dull, uninterested. Joshua knew it wasn't so much him, or anything he was doing to try and make her feel at home. In between the times they'd spent together it was clear to Joshua that Laura was trying to avoid him.

It seemed to be the idea of life on the ranch which was causing the pain in Laura. Joshua realized that his new wife seemed to be in pain and it was burning him up inside that he felt so helpless to ease her distress. Because that was what it was. Distress, plain and simple.

Finally, a few mornings after their first breakfast, Joshua could stand it no longer. The only person he could speak to at times like this was Mrs. Bell. She'd been with him long enough to know how to deal with almost any crisis, especially the domestic ones. Joshua caught Mrs. Bell in the kitchen before he headed out to the herd. Laura was safely out in the yard so Joshua knew there was no chance she would hear what he was about to say to Mrs. Bell.

Joshua stood at the kitchen window and watched Laura make her solitary way across to the nearby corral. She looked so pretty in her green outfit. He loved watching her move; the way her hair swayed across her back as she walked; the confident poise of her shoulders; the way she held her hands by her side so graceful and refined. She was such an elegant figure and watching her never failed to stir something strong inside him. Right now was no different.

"What's on your mind, Joshua?"

Joshua turned quickly, feigning surprise." Huh? Oh nothing," he muttered.

Mrs. Bell fixed her hands on her portly hips. "You can't fool me, Joshua McKenzie. I've known you long enough to know that there's something bothering you," she said.

Joshua shook his head and glanced out the window. Laura had leaned against the wooden railings of the corral and was watching one of the wilder sorrel horses being attended to by the ranch foreman. Curt was the man Joshua turned to when there was a particularly boisterous horse to be tamed. The new animal they'd just acquired was making Curt work hard this morning, but Joshua knew he'd be able to cope.

"It's Laura," he said quietly.

"What about her?"

"I can't figure out how to make her happy," Joshua stated bluntly.

Mrs. Bell's brows furrowed. "That's a mighty big statement to make."

"But it's true. I just can't find a way to make her feel at home. I want her to feel like she belongs here. That this is her place. Our place."

Mrs. Bell wiped her hands on her apron. "She's going to need some time. Especially when you consider what she's been through."

"I know how hard things have been for her. Marrying me can't have been easy."

Mrs. Bell smiled. "You're not an easy man to live with," she joked.

Joshua frowned and then smiled realizing that his housekeeper was teasing him. "Thank you for that."

Mrs. Bell glanced out the kitchen window. "Laura loves her mama. Looks like she'd do just about anything to please her."

"But it's more than that," Joshua said shaking his head. "She felt so guilty about running away. What it did to her mother. I think she just married me to make her mother happy," he said.

Mrs. Bell laid a hand on his shoulder. "That's not the whole story, and you know it," she said.

Joshua looked at Mrs. Bell. "The last few days have been real tough. It's almost as if she doesn't want to know about me. Doesn't want to even accept that we're man and wife. It doesn't matter what I do. Nothing seems to make her happy," he said.

Mrs. Bell took a step closer to Joshua and her eyes narrowed. "I've seen all that. You've done everything you could have. She needs time to adjust. To get used to the idea of being Mrs. McKenzie."

"But I don't know what else I can do?"

"You have to be patient. This is a big change for Laura. The biggest she's ever had."

"What I don't understand is how she could grow up on a ranch and yet find things here so difficult."

Mrs. Bell sighed. "There's more to it than that. I spoke to her."

"You did?" Joshua said surprised. "What did she say to you?'"

"I'm not sure I should tell you. I think she was speaking to me in confidence. You know. Woman to woman."

Joshua came to Mrs. Bell extending a hand. "What did she tell you?"

Mrs. Bell frowned and cleared her throat. "She had a hard time at home. On the Thorne ranch."

"What do you mean?"

"Her brother, Eli," Mrs. Bell said, her tone heavy with finality. "Seems he's a bad one."

Joshua took a step back. It seemed like every time the subject of Laura's unhappiness came up, Eli's unwelcome presence made itself known.

"I know he's been bad to Laura. I've seen it since we were all young. He's always been a difficult character. But Laura could always handle him."

Mrs. Bell shook her head. "No. It's more than that," she said.

Joshua frowned and felt a knot of worry settle in his gut. What could Mrs. Bell be talking about? Brothers and sisters often didn't get along. That was commonplace, especially when they were cooped up on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, even if it was in a place as beautiful as Montana.

"What do you mean?"

Mrs. Bell sighed. "I'm not sure. Laura wouldn't tell me. But the feeling I have is that Eli did everything in his power to drive Laura out of the home," she said.

Joshua's fists clenched and his jaw tightened. Mrs. Bell saw the reaction her words had produced. Concern filled her eyes.

"Don't go getting yourself worked up over a no-good like Eli," she advised Joshua.

"What do you mean he tried to drive her out?"

Mrs. Bell shook her head. "I don't know any details. But I think Eli is an ambitious man and his plans didn't include having a little sister around," Mrs. Bell said.

"But she's his own flesh and blood. How could he be so mean to her?"

"Look Joshua. You and I know that families aren't always happy. Especially when there's property and money involved. Eli seems to think he's the head of the family. And in many ways he is."

"I think Belinda might have something to say about that."

"Sure. I know she is one tough lady. If anyone can reign Eli in, it's his own mother."

The thought of Eli being mean to Laura made Joshua's blood boil. If he had ever done anything to hurt Laura then it would take all the self control Joshua had to prevent himself from dealing out some justice on his wife's behalf. But then Joshua thought of the arrangement Eli had offered him. He hadn't taken Eli up on that offer, and it had proved to be just as well he hadn't. Belinda had given Joshua a way out of the unthinkable option of marrying Laura merely for money by her plea that they both wed. It had helped Joshua avoid an unwelcome obligation to Eli. In any case Joshua was sure that he would never have married Laura just to satisfy Eli's desire to have his sister move out of the ranch. The thought that he had almost fallen into a trap laid by Eli made Joshua feel a sharp chill up his spine.

But Joshua's financial troubles hadn't gone away. The last thing he wanted was to burden an already anxious Laura with any of his pressing money troubles. He'd find a way to deal with them soon enough. But his main priority was to make sure that Laura was happy. And in that, he wasn't merely failing, but in danger of ruining their marriage right from the outset.

Joshua glanced out the window. The sorrel was getting real antsy, leaping up and down on his hind legs, front hooves moving powerfully at Curt, who was struggling to hold on to the restraining rope. Laura was leaning hard up against the rails, watching the spectacle with eager eyes. Joshua wondered how much involvement with horses she'd had back at her parent's ranch.

Mrs. Bell interrupted his train of thought. "Laura needs time, Joshua. She'll come around. Probably the last thing she thought would happen is that she'd end up marrying you," she said.

"You make it sound like it's a fate worse than death," he said with a smile.

"You know I don't mean that," Mrs. Bell said with a warm smile.

Mrs. Bell placed a hand on his arm and looked out at Laura. "She's a fine young woman. But then, you've known that for a long time. Haven't you?"

Joshua nodded. "I sure have." A surge of emotion flooded through him. At times like these he could always share his feelings with the kindly housekeeper. "Mrs. Bell. I feel so lucky to have Laura as my wife. I can't believe it's happened," he said.

"It has happened and there she is," she said looking through the window. "She's your wife and she will be for a long time to come," she concluded.

Joshua felt the reassuring touch of his long time housekeeper. She always understood him. With her by his side, he was sure that his resolve to win Laura over would never weaken.

Joshua's attention was caught by a sudden cry from outside in the yard. He looked quickly toward the corral and saw that Curt had tripped and fallen backwards onto the soft sand. The agitated horse was now loose from the restraining rope and was rearing powerful legs above the prostrate foreman. Curt was trying frantically to move away from the horse, but the animal's bounding movements had him pinned to the ground. Curt looked like he didn't know which way to go. Joshua felt a jolt of panic as he saw his foreman in trouble.

The next thing he saw made his heart stop.

"No! Laura. Don't," he cried as he saw his young wife duck through the wooden rails and start to run across the inside of the corral to the aid of Joshua's foreman.

Laura was headed straight for the horse.

She had to get to him!

Curt was lying on the ground, his arms spreadeagled, his eyes wide, gazing up at the horse which threatened to trample him any moment now. Laura knew she didn't have much time. She raced across the corral.

She knew what to do. This wasn't the first time she'd had to do this.

Laura dashed across the sandy surface of the corral, hitching up her skirt so that she didn't trip. She skidded to a halt, her brown boots sinking into the sand by Curt's side. The foreman's head whirled around. "Mrs. McKenzie. What are you doing?"

Laura didn't answer Curt. Instead, she concentrated on the huge body of the horse which was rearing up on powerful hind legs. The animal's eyes were wide with distress, and it's mouth was salivating heavily, teeth bared.

Laura took up a position in front of the animal and spread her arms wide. The horse's hooves whirled dangerously in front of Laura's face. She took a step back.

Curt slid to the side and made it onto his knees. "Mrs. McKenzie, please. Leave this to me."

Curt tried to grab the loose rope which was tied around the horse's neck, but the animal reared and then lurched away from him, dragging the rope across the sand, out of Curt's desperate grasp.

"You don't need that," Laura told him, waving the foreman away with a firm gesture of her hand.

Curt frowned. "What are you going to do? This one's wild," he cried out above the screaming of the horse which had taken a few threatening steps toward the two of them.

"He's just scared," Laura said sharply, taking a step toward the horse. She thought of all the times she had done this before, how her father had instructed her, how she was the only one in the family who could do this. How even Eli wasn't able to tame a wild, frightened horse the way Laura could.

She spread her arms wide and started to speak in the way she'd always known would help her connect with the terrified animal. Her voice was deep and soft . Her firm yet gentle tone of voice cut through the high pitched whinnying of the horse. Laura took another step closer, putting all the reassurance she could into the sound of her voice. She could only imagine the look on Curt's face behind her. But she knew exactly what she was doing.

The horse's legs waved wildly in front of her, it's head shifting from side to side, but Laura didn't flinch once.

She took yet another step closer.

Laura saw that the horse's movements had softened imperceptibly, now less agitated. But maybe Laura was the only one who could see the change.

Suddenly from behind her she heard a voice. It was Joshua.

"Laura. Get out of there. Now."

She didn't even turn her head to look at her husband, so intent was her focus on calming the animal in front of her. Laura took another step closer. Now the horse's hooves were starting to settle on the sand more frequently. From behind her she heard Curt utter a word that under any other circumstances would have been completely inappropriate.

Laura felt a smile crease her own lips. She gazed into the horse's eyes, seeing calm appear where before there had only been terror. Laura continued to speak calmly, nodding her head gently, stepping slowly up to the horse, making sure that none of her movements were sudden.

She glanced over to her side and saw that Joshua had stepped into the corral. But, he was resisting the impulse to come running over to her aid. His eyes were wide, fixed on Laura. She could only imagine how he was feeling.

The horse was now standing on four legs, his head shaking from side to side, his gaze fixed on Laura. She took one last step to the horse's side, and reached out a hand, placing it gently on the side of the horse's head.

Laura felt the softness of the horse's face under her fingers. She continued making the soft soothing noises that she knew were the key to the calming of the animal. All the while she calmly caressed the horse's head, until finally it ceased it's sideways movements and stood, serene and pacified, it's eyes fixed on Laura.