Page 14 of Mail-Order Brides Wishes (Montana Mail-Order Brides #7)

Chapter Eight

B ryn carried a box containing their lunch to the wagon that waited outside the door. She glanced around for Susie and Flint. Both were up the trail toward Addie’s house.

Flint squatted down facing the little girl. They appeared to be in earnest conversation.

She watched them a moment then returned to the house to get the two quilts she’d found along with other bedding and linens in the cupboard at the corner of the living room. She stowed them beside the box of food and leaned against the wagon to watch the other two.

Flint glanced her way then pushed upright and held out a hand to Susie. The little girl lifted the kitten from her lap and let it go, then took Flint’s hand to walk toward Bryn.

Tears rushed to Bryn’s eyes, and she blinked them back.

Susie was settling in so easily. Bryn had taken care of her often since her birth so that part was an easy adjustment.

And Flint himself was easy for Susie to accept.

He was a man who exuded kindness. Bryn had done well in choosing to be his bride.

And she didn’t intend to risk ruining it by telling him who Susie’s mother was.

At least not for a while. Not until she knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t reject her.

Thanks to her father, it was a far-too-familiar feeling.

“Are ya ready to go?” he asked when he was a few feet away.

“Ready and waiting.”

He lifted Susie to the wagon, helped Bryn to the seat, and climbed up beside her. His shoulder brushed hers. She allowed herself to think he purposely sat close enough they touched.

The wagon rattled from the yard. Bryn looked around as if seeing it for the first time. Today the grass seemed greener, the mountains a deeper blue and stronger purple, and the wildflowers so bright she blinked.

A smile tugged at her lips as she acknowledged the scenery hadn’t changed. Only her perception. Being Flint’s wife changed everything.

“Where are we going?” Not that it mattered. She was content to go anywhere he decided to take them.

“Well now, I thought of going to the falls. Seems to be a favorite place with the Shannons. But I didn’t think it would be safe for wee Susie. So instead—”

Why did he stop? Did he want to tell her? “Go on.”

He cleared his throat. “Well, it’s kinda a special place for me though you’ll wonder why when ya see it. Just a grove of trees with a clearin’ in the middle.”

She studied him. He stared at the horses pulling the wagon as if they required his focused attention, but the trail ahead was straight.

No reason for such concentration. She could only guess that the reason this place meant so much to him made him uncomfortable.

“I’d like to know why it’s special. If you don’t mind telling me. ”

He nodded. “Don’t mind. Just a mite embarrassed.”

“Please don’t feel that way.” She rested her hand over his, pleased when the tension left him.

“Very well. It was when I was headed ta start work at the Bar-B-Bar Ranch. That's a place ta the northwest of here. Me and Jayce both worked there, and we both left because the ranch was in a bad way. Bad owners. Managers who knew nothin’ about cows. They ain’t gonna last much longer.

” He slanted a half smile at her. “Sorry. Just bothers me ta see things gettin’ run down. ”

She patted his hand. “Yet you bought a run-down place.”

“’Cause we knowed we could fix it up.”

No mistaking the pride in his voice and with good reason. “And so you have.”

“Lots ta do yet, but we’s makin’ progress.”

“Sorry to interrupt. Please continue.”

“Like I say, I was on my way ta that ranch. ‘Twas in the spring. It was gettin’ on ta dark so I looked around for a place to spend the night. Happened upon this little clearing where I’m taking ya.

It was a nice place, so I made my camp. Cooked me some vittles and hunkered down around a low fire.

” He paused as if considering his words.

“I soon rolled up in my bedroll for the night. Woke with snow fallin’ on me.

It was almost thick as a blanket by the time I got out of my covers.

Knew I was in fer a bad night. Knew I needed shelter so kicked the coals into life and pulled some bushes together to give me a little protection and hunkered down as best I could. ”

The idea of him being out in the storm caused her heart to squeeze so hard that each beat sent a jolt of pain up her throat. She gripped his hand as if she could drive away the storm.

“I ran out of wood ta burn. But I stayed put, wrapped in everythin’ I owned to wait it out. That storm lasted two days. The longest two days of my life.”

He stopped talking.

Thinking his story was over, she was about to tell him how awful it sounded when he began to again speak.

“I knew the storm was over 'cause the sun was shinin’ through the leaves of the bushes. My shelter was covered with snow. When I pushed my way out, I discovered my horse was gone. I figgered he’d found shelter or just let the storm push him.”

“What happened? How did you get out? Did someone come along and help you?” Her voice shook with tension.

His smile was so warm it made her blink.

“Someone helped me, but not the way you think.”

“Now I’m really curious.”

He chuckled. “Maybe I’ll quit there.”

She gave his hand a gentle slap. “You wouldn’t be so unkind.”

He turned and caught her hand, squeezing it slightly.

Warmth traveled up her arm and calmed her heart.

His gaze held hers with such intensity she couldn’t look away.

Not that she wanted to. This man offered her everything she’d always wanted.

Thank you, God. She pushed aside the stirring of her conscience about hiding the truth. But it wasn’t as if she told a lie.

She gladly turned back to listening to Flint as he continued.

“There I was. Standin’ in snow ta my knees.

No horse. No shovel. Just me.” He lifted his gaze to the sky.

“And God. Now at the time, I’d never given God much thought.

Most of the cowboys I’d met only spoke His name when they was rip snortin’ mad.

But one place I’d worked was for an older couple.

Good people. The missus lots of times brought us bakin’.

And always told us about a God who loved us.

About Him sendin’ His son so even the worst of us could be forgiven.

She said God was able ta move mountains. And lots of other stuff.”

His smile was so full of sweetness Bryn couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“I was mostly lost. Mostly alone. And I thought if God could move mountains, I suppose He should be able to move snow. Or find a lost horse.” He lifted one shoulder and gave a laugh that informed her that he was embarrassed.

“I believe God can do things like that.” Would her words encourage him to continue?

“I kinda felt I didn’t have any other choice.

So I looked up at the sky—” He did so. “I said, ‘God I hear yer a big and mighty God, willin’ ta save people. If’n you see me ya know I need help.

’” He paused. Swallowed audibly. “I thought it was a mite selfish to only ask for His help because I was stranded so I made up my mind it meant more’n that ta me.

I said, ‘God, I kinda need you ta take care of my sins too. I believe you can do that.’” He drew in a deep breath that matched her own breathing.

“That’s a wonderful story.”

He nodded. “Things didn’t change all of a sudden.

I still had snow 'round me and no horse. But somehow, I knew I was gonna be all right. I made my way through the snow and outta the trees to discover the snow weren’t so deep out in the open.

The wind had blowed it all into the trees.

I looked ta my right and ta my left, tryin’ ta decide which way ta go.

I thought I saw smoke in the distance and so I went that way.

Before long I made out the shape of buildings.

Here if’n I didn’t stumble onto the Shannon place.

Mr. Shannon was alive then and took me in and warmed me up.

Said his boys were out checkin’ on the herd.

He musta guessed I was a mite hungry for he had a young lady fix me up a heapin’ pile of food.

Talked a lot while I ate. Told me ’bout his sons.

About his wife who had died a few years before.

About how the town should be named Shannon Crossing stead of Crow Crossing. ” Flint chuckled.

“I told him where I was headed. And he jumped to his feet. ‘Say,’ he says. ‘I might have somethin’ that belongs ta you.’ Sure ’nough. He took me ta the barn and there was my horse.” Flint shifted. “I ain’t never looked back. From that day on I belonged ta God.”

“Flint, that’s a great story.” She mused over the way things had turned out for him.

He turned off the trail. They passed through trees with barely enough room for the wagon. “This here is the place.”

Trees circled a grassy area, bending low to provide a leafy roof.

“I’ll never forget how special it felt ta think that God cared enough ’bout me ta help me.” His voice crackled. “Saved me now and forever. No one would have come lookin’ fer me." His voice lowered to almost a growl. “Weren’t no one who cared.”

“Things have changed.” Yes, he’d found that God loved him, but he needed to understand something more.

“Now someone cares.” Would he understand she meant herself?

“Someone needs you.” She lowered her head and whispered, “Someone wants you.” He might not have heard those final words, but she meant them.

More than she would have believed possible in such a short time.

Had he heard her right? She wanted him? Did she mean more than for giving her a home? Or was he foolishly wishing for more than he deserved?