Mail Order Romance Bundle #1 (7 page)

It was on a beautiful evening only a couple of days from leaving that she decided to spend some time enjoying that balcony. She'd finished dinner and most of her packing was done, so there was time to relax. As she sat on the swing, thinking about Sam and what her life on the ranch would be like, she heard a noise coming from behind her, in her bedroom. She quickly turned around and through the doors she had a sudden fear sweep through her body as she saw that George had entered her room and was standing on the other side of the door. She was angry at herself for forgetting to lock her bedroom door.

Adrenaline kicked in and she jumped up, trying to close the door that separated them. But he was too fast, and stopped her. “I'm sorry to interrupt you,” he said in that fake polite voice that made her skin crawl. “I just know that you'll be leaving soon and thought it would be nice to spend some time with you before you go. Don't you agree?” He said it in a way that inferred it wasn't a question but a statement. It gave her goosebumps, though she tried to hide her fear.

“Yes, but this isn't a good time and you've startled me by coming into my quarters unexpectedly.”

“There have been no opportunities for us...”

She stared at him with eyes of steel. “I eat dinner with you in the dining room every night. Anything you need to say to me can be said there, in front of my mother.” Josie was amazed by the force in her voice and didn't know from whence it came. Inside, her stomach was in knots and she could feel her palms perspiring.

“I meant opportunities for us to have a chance to be alone. Haven't you wanted to be alone with me?”

He stared at her with the look that she despised. But then the look changed; it was pleading...desperate. Josie tried to get past him, but he stopped her, grabbing her arm.
“Let go of me!” Josie demanded.

“You're not mature enough yet, you know nothing of desire. The last thing I would ever do is hurt you, Josie.” With his hand still on her arm, the other one came up to gently brush against her cheek. His hot breath was in her face.

“If you wish not to hurt me, let me go! This is absurd!”

She wondered if she should scream, but suddenly she felt frozen. His grasp moved from her arm to around her waist and he was pulling her closer. She slapped him hard on his cheek.

Suddenly the door burst open, and Elsa came in. “Miss Josephine, your mother sent me to help you with your packing.”

Thank the good Lord
, Josie silently prayed as George released his grasp and she stepped away from him.

“Thank you, Elsa, this is the perfect time for your help,” Josie said, noting a flash of sympathy in Elsa's eyes.

George said nothing more before bolting out of the room, holding one hand on his face. Josie let out a whimper and crumpled down on the bed.

“He didn't hurt you, did he Miss Josie?” Elsa asked. “I've been keeping an eye on him since that night I caught him peeping in your room. I kept him away, but tonight, I was downstairs...your mother wanted me to make a lemon cake for your party tomorrow. I'm so sorry, child!”

“I'm fine, Elsa, thank you! Your timing was perfect.”

Even though he was gone, Josie was overcome by a flood of emotions and gave in to a flow of tears. Elsa sat next to her on the bed, comforting her. “You are going to be so happy with Sam. You deserve a man who will treat you with kindness and respect.”

“Oh, Elsa, I'm so worried for my mother. You don't think he would ever hurt her, do you?”
“No, he loves your mother.”

“You've been with him for a long time. How did his first wife die?”

“Not by his hand if that's what you're hinting at child. She died of scarlet fever, rest her soul. She was a pretty one, too. He loves your mother but he's...well let's just say he's a man of 'desires' which is why I felt I had to protect you. But I've been with him for many years and know too much about him for him to get rid of me.” She smiled at Josie. “So I will be here for you and I will watch out for your mother. I promise.”

“Thank you, Elsa. I can never repay you for your kindness and your help. If it wasn't for you, I would have never had the chance to correspond with Sam, we would have never fell in love.”

“Your happiness is all the payment I need, child.” Elsa patted Josie on the back and then getting up, she added, “Now make sure that you lock your door behind me. I will try to keep an eye on him but I don't want him sneaking back here, feeling rebuked.”

“I will, Elsa, and thanks again.”

Elsa smiled kindly at Josie before leaving. 
Two more days
, Josie thought.

The next day, Josie noticed that there was a red mark upon George's cheek, a remnant of her slap. She was slightly shocked as she didn't realize that she'd hit him that hard. It was very obvious and she wondered if her mother had noticed or had asked him about it. Elsa made her favorite dinner and her famous lemon cake for dessert was a special touch that Josie greatly appreciated. She got to bed early after a special time of prayers with her mother. Together they prayed for a safe journey for Josie while she secretly prayed for her mother's well-being. She slept soundly and peacefully on her last night at home. The next morning she would be leaving on a long train ride from Pennsylvania to Texas.

The train ride was even longer than she'd imagined. She had a lot of time to think. About her father and how different her life would have been if he were still alive, about her mother, and how she would miss her. But she could not be responsible for her mother's choices, she could only be responsible for her own. She was thankful that Elsa would keep an eye on her mother and update her as needed and that her mother had actually agreed to a visit the next summer, without George. Other than that thought, she did not waste her precious time on thoughts of George.

She finally arrived at Cactus Creek after her long journey. She didn't have any idea that she would be as nervous as she was to meet her new husband. Her heart was racing and her mouth felt like it was full of cotton. But when she stepped off the train, she saw him right away and their eyes met. It was really Sam!

He ran to meet her and lifter her off the ground and spun her around as she laughed, losing his hat in the process. He set her down and looked at her. It was a look filled with joy and she could tell that he was pleased with her appearance. “I know the last thing you want to hear is a comment on your looks, but Josie, you take my breath away. You are my pretty bride and I can't believe you're finally here!” he said happily. He said it in such a sweet, endearing way that it bother her at all.

“Were you nervous?” he asked her.

“Of course not! Well, maybe a little bit. The ride was long and gave me lots of time to think.”

“You're not having second thoughts on me know, are you?” he joked, his green eyes twinkling.

She thought he was handsome, though she would have loved him no matter what he looked like. He was tall with dark hair, a square jaw and a nose that was a little too wide for his face but gave him character. He had a day's worth of stubble and looked just as how she pictured a rugged cowboy to look.

“Welcome to Cactus Creek. Not much to see, just a place where we get our supplies from. We won't be here long before heading to the ranch.”

And Sam was right, they weren't there long. Just long enough for a stop at the Justice of the Peace to make it legal. Samuel Dawson and Josephine Birch were pronounced husband and wife and Josie's heart raced as Sam embraced her and their lips met for the first time. It was the first time she'd ever been kissed so she didn't have anything to compare it to, though she thought it was wonderful. Then, before she knew it, they were in Sam's wagon on the way to the ranch.

The ride to the ranch was a happy time that Josie wished would never end. They had gotten to know each other so well through their letters, it was like seeing an old friend again. They had shared so much they didn't feel as if the other was a stranger. Josie couldn't imagine the brides who wanted to get married right away after only one letter from the groom. She took in the stunning scenery; the rolling hills, the wildflowers and the country air invigorated her.

She knew from his letters that his brother, Luke, had come to stay with him and help out at the ranch and he had an old Irish cook, Murphy, who'd been there since his Pa was running the place and also knew there were a few ranch hands, but other than that, she'd be the only female there. Josie was fine with that, as she'd never got along much with the other girls at her school, though she did always wish for a close girlfriend. But now she had her best friend, Sam, with her, and that was all she cared about. She still felt a bit nervous, but it was more of an excited nervous. Her stomach was filled with butterflies rather than a sickening lump. She felt like she was beginning the adventure of a lifetime.

Sitting next to Sam on the buckboard, she knew she'd made the right choice. She watched his hands as they held the reins, they were strong and tanned; the hands of a hard worker. She boldly put her arm through his and he looked at her and smiled. It was hard to believe that she was a married woman now.

“Sam, I want you to know, as I've already told you in my letters, I'm more than willing to help you with whatever needs done around the ranch. I've been a seamstress, laundress, can cook and am not afraid to get my hands dirty if I can help with any of the ranch hands' chores.”

She could see his lips curl up into a smile. “Whoa, hold your horses there, Mrs. Dawson. You know that I'm in love with you and didn't bring you out here looking for someone to work on my ranch. I want you to be my wife, and my wife is the lady of the ranch. I'll let you do the sewing and mending, I never did have much skill with needles, and you can help Murphy with the cooking and fetching water and the cleaning of the house. But I'm lucky to have enough men to help me run the ranch, so you don't have to worry about that.”

She smiled and gave his arm a squeeze.

“I told you that my brother, Luke, is staying at the ranch, so I'm glad you'll get the chance to meet him. Ever since Ma and Pa died, he's been a roaming tumbleweed, working as a cowboy here and there, and probably in more gambling houses and saloons than he should be. Come to think about it, I guess he's been that way even before Ma and Pa died, that's probably why Pa left the ranch to me. But he'll come around, eventually, I hope. Maybe it will take the love of a good woman to settle him down.”

Josie felt a twinge of jealousy that Sam had a sibling. She always wished for a brother to have someone to relate to who would ease her loneliness. But she'd always feel guilty for wishing for a sibling when it was because of her birth that her mother almost died and could have no more children. She wondered if she and Sam would have children of their own someday; the thought of her mother's experience made her extremely fearful of the whole idea.

When they finally got to the ranch, the sun was setting, framing the ranch in a beautiful pink orange light as they pulled up and Josie got the view of her home for the first time. There were posts on the drive leading up to the house bearing the words, 'Dawson Hill Ranch'.

“Dawson Hill Ranch? You never told me your ranch had a name? I love it!”

“Not much of a name. Just the hill that the Dawsons live on. It's part of the brand that my father created.”

Josie looked closer at the house as it came into view and smiled to herself at the sight of the porch swing. Just as she'd hoped for. Her new home was beautiful. She loved Texas and she loved her new home at Dawson Hill Ranch.The house wasn't as large as the one she left behind in Pennsylvania, but it was a nice looking home. There was a short, plump, white haired man standing on the porch and smiling at them as they arrived. Josie recognized him right away as Murphy, his eyes twinkling just as how Sam had described them.

He greeted her in his Irish brogue and invited them in for some vittles. She'd read stories and Irish fairy tales and Murphy seemed very much how she imagined a leprechaun to be. He exuded a magical happiness that made her break out into a smile. Even though she'd not exchanged letters with him, from Sam's letters, she felt as if she knew him, too. He welcomed her to the ranch and helped Sam bring her trunks and bags inside.

After a tour of the house, they sat down for a dinner of stew and cornbread. Though the ranch hands had their own, separate quarters and didn't sleep in the house, they did take their meals there. Josie had forgotten about that in her vision of a quiet, romantic wedding dinner with her husband. The hands were eager to meet Sam's new bride. As Josie sat at the table she felt a little bit uncomfortable with all eyes on her, but they were all very polite to her, calling her ma'am and taking off their hats at the table in a way that told her they weren't used to doing so and only did so tonight for her benefit. There was Gus, Caleb and Henry, who was the youngest, even younger than Josie. Sam looked around and asked where Luke was. Gus answered that he was still in the barn but was on his way. And just after Sam asked about him, Luke appeared in the doorway.

“There you are, Luke, we're just ready to get started. Our first dinner with the new lady of the house. Why don't you come over to meet her.”

Josie wasn't sure if she was to stand or not, but he came over to her. He looked a lot like Sam, with the same dark hair and nose and jaw. But he was a bit taller and instead of the green eyes that Sam had, Luke's were dark brown, almost a black. He was an imposing figure and there was something about him that seemed familiar. For a second Josie didn't know how that could be, until she realized what it was. It was the way he looked at her with those dark eyes. She knew that look. It was the same way George looked at her. She felt a chill go through her whole body, down her spine all the way to her toes. His eyes were hungry and he looked at her like she was a piece of meat. She looked down into her lap for a moment and then looked up again to find him still staring at her.