Page 29 of Mail-Order Brides Wishes (Montana Mail-Order Brides #7)

Chapter Sixteen

B ryn prepared a cake, biscuits, and a bowl of carrots right from her garden.

.. scrubbed and served uncooked for the July Fourth picnic to be held at the Shannon ranch.

Every woman was to bring food to contribute.

She had prepared cold venison in gelatin.

It had turned out rather nicely, she thought.

She smiled as she worked. A smile was never far from her face.

The last few days had settled into blissful peace.

Flint’s wound had healed nicely though he had a red scar that, for the most part, his hair hid.

He’d told her of the promise he’d made himself on his ride back from town after turning the rustlers over to the marshal.

“I intend to keep my home and family safe. I won’t let anythin’ steal our joy.”

It was a noble plan, but one that made her struggle with her promise to God to tell Flint about Rowena.

Thankfully, she had not promised when and with every passing day the when grew farther away.

Although a part of her wanted to believe the truth would not destroy what they had between them.

But it wasn’t a chance she was prepared to take.

She didn’t want to be responsible for ruining the peace they had.

And the longer she put it off, the more reason he’d have for being angry.

What a pit she’d dug for herself.

But why was she letting those troubled thoughts bother her on this day of all days? They’d enjoy the picnic without the intrusion of her secret.

The rattle of harnesses announced the wagon drawing up to the house.

Flint came through the door to help her carry food out.

Susie came from her room, pulling the door closed behind her.

They’d had a long discussion about Kitty.

Bryn wanted to leave the cat outside while they were away.

The cat would be safe, having been outdoors many, many times, but Susie was beside herself, afraid Kitty would get lost. Bryn had relented and agreed the kitten could stay in Susie’s room.

They’d left food and water, and a box of dirt.

Out in the bright sunshine, she saw that a second bench had been put in the wagon. She and Flint were to sit there as Jayce and Addie were in the front seat. Susie sat on the bed of the wagon, among the boxes of food.

Addie turned to speak to Bryn as they headed down the road. “I can’t wait to see what the Shannons have planned.” She must have seen in Bryn’s expression the nervousness weaving through her excitement. “You’ll be welcomed by everyone.”

Flint patted Bryn’s clasped hands. “Nothin’ but good people 'round here.”

She slanted him a disbelieving look. “Have you forgotten about the rustlers?”

He shrugged. “They wasn’t from 'round here.”

His reasoning both surprised and pleased her. She laughed softly and shifted her hands more fully into his grasp.

As they drove into the Shannon yard a bit later, Bryn saw by the number of wagons and saddled horses that many had been invited. She recognized the Luckhams and several others from town. She was introduced to so many cowboys she’d never keep them all straight.

Except for one that Addie drew forward to introduce.

“Bryn, I’d like you to meet Shorty. He guided Jayce and me up the mountain to where we hoped to find my father.”

The man was short and stocky, dark except for light gray eyes. His look was steady. A man not to mess with was her assessment. And yet his smile was kindly.

After exchanging greetings, he moved on, in step with a cowboy Flint had introduced as Buster.

Flint watched them. “They’re looking mighty pleased about somethin’.”

“Maybe because they’re having a day off and attending a picnic,” she teased.

“Could be.” He chuckled and pulled her to his side. “Is that why ya look so pleased with yerself?”

“Partly.” The smile and secret look she gave him said far more than her word.

He laughed aloud, drawing curious looks in their direction.

Let people think what they wanted. She grinned widely. Hopefully, they were happy to realize she and Flint enjoyed each other’s company.

Riley, the eldest of the Shannon brothers, called them all to attention. “What better way to celebrate than to have some fun. Everyone pick your partner. We’re going to have a three-legged race.”

Flint put his arm around Bryn and pulled her tight to his side. “I got mine,” he murmured.

Matt squinted at his twin brother, Luke. “Our wives are in no condition for this sort of thing.”

Honor smiled down at her baby daughter and Gwen patted her tummy.

“So, brother, let’s show them how it’s done.”

Cowboys paired up and tied legs together.

Bryn rested her hand on Flint’s shoulder as he bent over and tied his ankle Bryn’s.

Tingling ran up her body from contact with him.

She drew in a steadying breath and scanned her surroundings.

A dozen and a half couples lined up at the rope Riley had placed. She and Flint hobbled to join them.

“On your marks,” Riley called. “Get set. Go.”

Bryn stumbled as she tried to adjust her steps to match Flint’s. He caught her around the waist and held her steady. They tried again, found their rhythm, and headed for the finish line. Maddie and Wally were ahead of them. A couple of pairs of cowboys ran beside them.

One pair stumbled and fell into a heap, shouting with laughter.

Another couple of bowlegged, bewhiskered men tripped on each other but they didn’t laugh. They started hollering and fighting. Riley ran over to intervene.

It struck Bryn so funny she stopped to watch and laugh which put Flint off balance and they fell in a tangle of arms. Unable to separate their legs, they simply lay facing each other.

“Mrs. March, you have caused us to lose the race.” He might have thought he sounded scolding but ended with a laugh.

“Who cares about a silly race.” She leaned in closer, tempting him to give her a kiss.

“Bryn.” His voice was husky. His gaze lingered on her lips. “We’re in public.”

“Pshaw. No one is paying attention to us.” She leaned closer.

“Ahem.”

She looked up to see Riley and several others looking down on her. “So, who won the race?” she asked in the most innocent tone she could manage.

Riley laughed. “Wally and Maddie but only because they kept their minds on the goal and worked together.”

Flint untied their legs and pulled her to her feet.

A glance at him and she saw he blushed, which only served to make her laugh. She took his hand and pulled him after her as they went to check on Susie who played with the other children under the supervision of Olivia.

There were more games. She and Flint won none of them.

He squinted at her. “Ya aren’t tryin’ very hard.”

“Maybe because I already have the only prize I want.” She waggled her eyebrows at him, rewarded by his burst of laughter.

He pulled her closer, not caring about others nearby. “I have ta agree with that.”

The meal was set out on several long tables. By way of grace, they sang the doxology she and Flint had sung at one of their picnics.

People had contributed plates creating an assortment of shapes, sizes, and colors. She and Flint each took one. He held Susie in one arm, so Bryn had the enjoyable task of helping him select food.

Twice someone had to prod them to move on as she got lost in his warm gaze.

They sat on the grass, in circles that allowed them to visit. Most held empty plates when Riley got to his feet.

“Folks, congratulations are in store for Shorty and Buster. They’ve taken over a part of the Bar-B-Bar.”

Shouts of congratulations rose and then questions. What had happened to the Bar-B-Bar?

Riley held up a hand to quiet the noise. “From what Shorty and Buster tell me, creditors took the ranch. It’s sad, but we’ve all known for a long time that it wasn’t being managed properly. Buster and Shorty, we’re going to miss you working for us, but we wish you all the best.”

He turned toward a horse riding toward them. “I see we have another visitor.” He waved to the man. “Come and join us.”

“It’s Lanigan.” Andy was on his feet trotting toward the man. “Been a while,” he said. He waited for the man to dismount and then brought him forward. “Everyone this is Lanigan—sorry I don’t know your surname.”

“That is my surname. I go by it.”

“Lanigan then. I met him when I was getting coal a while ago.”

The man hooted. “Met me, did ya? Folks, he dug me out of a coal mine when the rocks came a tumbling down. I walked out of that pit alive because of him and I vowed on that very day, I was never going back underground. No sirree. I learn my lesson.” He turned back to Luke. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Luke clapped him on the back. “This is where I live. Come on. Grab a plate and fill it up.”

Lanigan did so and he and Luke circulated, talking to various cowboys. After a bit, Luke left him on his own.

“He’s looking for work,” he informed the others. They looked to where he talked to Shorty and Buster. “They could use some hired hands. Might be a good fit.”

It was late when the festivities ended, and everyone headed home. Most had chores to do, cattle and horses to take care of, and wanted to get home before dark.

Bryn leaned against Flint’s shoulder as they journeyed down the road. Susie curled up on a blanket in the back, exhausted by the activities. Bryn thought she had gone to sleep but her little voice reached them.

“They’s gots lots of kittens.”

Flint whispered in Bryn’s ear. “I hope she doesn’t want another cat.”

Bryn leaned close to whisper in his ear. “We’ll simply have to say no.” She trailed her lips along his cheek as she sat back.

He caught her hand and chuckled softly.

In front of them, Jayce and Addie grinned at each other, and he reached for her hand.

Flint thought often of that day. It seemed something special had happened although he couldn’t say what. Was it that she’d been open in public about how she felt about him? That she cared and didn’t mind who knew it? It was a good feeling.

He and Jayce had been busy. They cut hay and piled it in stacks for winter use.

The oats they grew to feed the horses weren’t ready yet, so they brought in firewood, cutting it and stacking it in the shed Mr. Roe had built.

Not for the first time, he thanked the man for the work he’d done on the place.

As they unloaded logs, Flint’s gaze went to the little graveyard on the hill.

The man had been broken after his family died.

He had nothing but sympathy for the man.

But he was grateful he and Jayce had been the ones to benefit from Mr. Roe’s hard work.

His gaze shifted to his own house. He couldn’t imagine life without Bryn and Susie.

“Storm coming.” Jayce’s worried tone jerked Flint’s attention to his surroundings. The wind carried an icy touch. Thunderheads built up over the mountains. “Hope we don’t get hail. Wouldn’t want to see our oats flattened.”

They considered the black clouds for a second then returned to their work, unloading the logs in record time, then they took the horses to the barn and unhitched them. Already, thunder rolled down the hills, distant as drumbeats several miles away.

He hurried to the house. “Rain coming.” A cold wind followed him inside.

Susie held Kitty. Bryn stared out the west window. Her arms were wrapped around her. Her hands fisted into the material at her sides.

“I thought you liked rain.” She’d been happy to see the rains that brought plants through the soil in her garden.

“I do.” Her shoulders rose and fell as if she sighed. She turned. “Would you like coffee?” The darkness in her eyes was deeper than their natural color.

Maybe having something to do would calm her. “Coffee sounds good. You got any cookies?”

A laugh drove away the darkness from her eyes. “Don’t I always?”

“Seems so.” Ever since she’d learned he liked to dunk cookies in his coffee.

When she brought him a cup of hot brew, he caught her hand and held her at his side. “Thanks. You’re good to me.”

She patted his shoulder. At the same time, distant thunder rolled down the hills and she stood back, her hands knotted, her gaze out the window. “It’s getting awfully dark.”

“Yup.” His eyes narrowed as he watched her.

Lightning flashed. She winced. And laughed but not with a happy sound.

More thunder sounded.

The lightning came faster. Thunder rolled louder. Rain pounded on the roof.

Bryn rubbed her upper arms and shuddered.

Pushing aside his coffee, leaving cookies uneaten, Flint got to his feet and went to her side but when he touched her, she jerked.

He dropped his hand. A flash of lightning filled the land with silver light. Then darkness was as thick as the blackest of nights. Followed in a second by thunder that shook the house and hurt his ears.

Bryn whimpered.

“Are ya afraid of thunder?” he asked.

She rocked her head back and forth. Stared with eyes so big he wondered if she’d ever be able to close them again. A squeak left her mouth. “It was a storm like this that caused Rowena’s death.”

Had he heard those whispered words correctly? Rowena? It wasn’t a common name, but it surely couldn’t be the same Rowena he’d known.

“Did you say Rowena?” He heard the harshness of his words.

Bryn didn’t move. He couldn’t even say if she’d heard him, so he repeated his question.

Slowly she turned his eyes toward him and gave one tip of her head to indicate yes.

“What was her last name?” His Rowena had gone back east to marry. “Before she married.”

Her throat worked as she swallowed. She opened her mouth, but only a croak came from her lips.

Lightning flashed, followed within seconds by thunder. Rain pounded on the roof.

“Bryn?” The tightness in his chest would not release until he had an answer.