Page 9 of Mail-Order Brides Wishes (Montana Mail-Order Brides #7)

Chapter Five

B ryn stared out the window. The mountains stood tall, strong, and immovable.

Seeing them did nothing to calm her nerves.

Rustlers? Desperate men. Ruthless, lawless men.

What if Flint had been shot? She’d be a widow before she truly became a wife.

Her cheeks burned and she pressed her palms to them in a vain attempt to cool her skin.

“Bryn?” Flint’s gentle inquiry made her suck in a deep breath and turn to face him.

He stood close enough that she had only to lift her hand to touch him and felt an incredible urge to do exactly that. As if by doing so, she could allay her uncertainties in such a fashion.

Perhaps she could at that, and she rested her hand on his forearm. Warmth like summer sunshine ran up her arm and flooded her insides. Her already warm cheeks grew hot as a sunburn. But she could no more remove her hand than she could order the sun from the sky. Not even when Flint stiffened.

“I was never in no danger.” His softly spoken words increased the sensation of being blessed by summer warmth.

She nodded, unable to find a word to say even though she guessed he’d like some sort of response.

One more nod, her eyes fixed on his, and then she found hidden strength to draw her hand away.

“I better clean up the kitchen.” Her feet remained exactly where they were.

Not one step closer to the table or the stove or anything else in the room.

“I need to get on with the work.”

“If I remember correctly—” And she knew she did. “You’re training horses.” It sounded exciting and… well, western… when she’d read it but now, she wondered what it entailed.

“Where do you do that?”

“In a pen by the barn.” He tipped his head in that direction.

She’d like to watch, but did she need an invitation? Or did his plans include something else today?

Boots thudded on the floor as he crossed to the door where he paused. “Me and Jayce moved the cows back to the main herd last night, but we’s ridin’ out again to make sure those men have left.”

Her heart slammed into her ribs. They were returning to the rustlers?

“Bryn, we don’t take chances.” His grin was crooked. “Me standin’ in the doorway proves I’ve been cautious, don’t it?”

His reasoning brought an amused chuckle from her. “Guess that might be so. Be safe and come back.”

Deep crinkles appeared around his eyes as he smiled. “Nice to know someone’s waitin’ for me.” Before she formed a response, he stepped outside, closing the door with a gentle click.

A smile lingered on her lips as she moved to the window to watch him stride to the barn where Jayce waited, two horses ready to ride. Flint swung into the saddle of one horse then turned and lifted his hand in a farewell salute.

Bryn cradled her hands to her chest. Be safe . She lingered at the window until the pair rode out of sight. Be safe , she breathed again.

The day stretched out before her. Alone in unfamiliar surroundings.

Was she free to explore? Where was it safe to go?

Those and other questions circled her thoughts as she cleaned the kitchen, made the beds then wandered through the rooms. She'd hang pictures and she searched for a hammer and nails.

A knock on the door caused her to jerk up from searching in a bottom cupboard.

“Ouch.” She rubbed her head where it had encountered the unforgiving wood of the shelf.

Still rubbing her head, she went to the door and opened it.

“Hello. Welcome. I’m Adele Addington but please call me Addie. I live across the way if you haven’t been told.” She pointed toward the other house.

Bryn swallowed back surprise. And gratitude. Here was someone who knew where she could go. What she could do. “Hello. I’m Brynlee but please call me Bryn.” Susie peeked out of her bedroom. “That’s my niece, Susie. Susie, come and say hello.”

Her eyes, wide, the child made her cautious way to Bryn’s side. “’Lo,” she murmured, pressing to Bryn.

Bryn put an encouraging hand on Susie’s shoulder as she spoke to Addie. “Won’t you come in?”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

Intending to make tea, regretting that she hadn’t baked cookies or made a cake, Bryn waved her guest toward the table.

Addie didn’t sit. Instead, she glanced around the room. “Are you getting settled?”

No doubt she took in the bare walls. “I was going to hang some pictures I brought with me, but I haven’t been able to locate a hammer or nails.”

“You’ll find them in the barn. Why don’t I show you?”

“I’d like that.” With Susie on her heels, they went to the barn.

Addie looked around and laughed. “You should have seen this a couple of months ago. It was badly in need of cleaning. In fact, the whole place was. Our men have been working very hard to get this place into decent shape.”

Our men. Bryn liked that.

Susie rocked back and forth. Finally, she could contain herself no longer. “You gots a cat?”

Addie chuckled. “I do. Would you like to see her?”

Susie nodded, expectation filling her face.

“Let me show your aunt where to get the things she needs and then we’ll go find her.” The hammer hung on the wall in a neat row that contained other tools. A wooden bucket held an assortment of nails.

Bryn dropped a handful of nails into her apron pocket and took the hammer from the wall. Their journey took them past Bryn’s house where she left her things and then they made their way along the narrow path to the other house.

Addie paused at the doorway. “I feel bad to have the bigger house. There’s only two of us and three of you.”

“Please, don’t apologize. In my opinion, the house I’ve been offered is perfect.” Her eyes warmed with the reason it suited her so well. “After all, it isn’t the size of the house that matters. At least to me. It’s the security of knowing it’s mine. I have a place where I belong.”

“It is a good feeling.” Addie opened the door. “Daisy, come here.”

A fluffy gray kitten trotted out the door and rubbed around Addie’s ankles.

Susie vibrated with excitement. “Can I hold her?”

Addie’s smile was warm and gentle. “Why don’t you sit down and see what she does?”

Susie immediately plopped to the ground. The kitten walked over to her and climbed into her lap.

“She’s used to children,” Addie explained. “She was raised by the Shannon children.”

“On the way here, we passed a place that Flint said was the Shannon ranch.”

“Our nearest neighbors. They’re good people.” Addie turned to glance up the hill past the house. “Would you like to come in for tea or would you prefer if I show you around the place?

“Would you consider me rude if I asked to have a tour of the place?”

“Not at all. I’m sorry Flint has had to be away.” She smiled. “But very grateful Jayce hasn’t gone after those rustlers on his own.”

“Do you worry about him? Them?”

Addie drew in a quiet breath. “Worry and pray and scold myself.”

Her answer brought a chuckle from Bryn.

Addie chuckled acknowledgment. “I often remind myself that if I’m going to pray then it’s best if I leave it in God’s hands. His strong, loving hands.”

“Amen. But I find it easier said than done.” As they talked, they crossed the yard to a pen of chickens who came clucking to the fence at Addie’s approach.

“We have eggs which is lovely,” Addie said.

“Yes, I used some for breakfast.” A basketful had been on the cupboard. “Thanks for sharing.”

Addie waved away her thanks. “Come and have a look at my garden.” They went down the trail. Susie followed, the cat meowing around her feet as she walked.

Tidy rows of young plants stitched the ground. No weeds in sight. Hunger filled Bryn. Not a hunger that food would satisfy, but a longing for the belonging and permanency that growing things indicated.

“Is it too late for me to plant?”

“I don’t believe so. I have seeds I can share. Come to the house and I’ll find them.”

Addie’s house was indeed bigger than Bryn’s with a larger kitchen and a roomy living area in a separate room.

Addie ducked into her generous pantry and almost immediately emerged with a basket of seeds.

“I got these ready as soon as I heard that Flint was going to marry you and bring you out here. Have you planted before, or would you like me to show you what to do?”

“I hate to admit it, but I’ve never before planted.

” When living with her grandparents, they had bought their vegetables from a greengrocer.

Certainly, her father would never dirty his hands in such a way.

He considered that below him. If anyone had suggested it, he would have said he paid people to do things like that.

Addie chuckled. “Then I shall have the pleasure of teaching you.” She led Bryn back to the smaller house and passed it. “If you look around, you can see that this used to be a garden.” At Bryn’s look of disbelief, Addie waved away her concern.

“My garden looked like this when I started.”

For the rest of the morning, they pulled out weeds and dead grass and piled it at the end of the garden spot.

Addie glanced at the position of the sun. “I expect Jayce and Flint to be home at noon. We’ll have to leave off gardening for now so we can prepare food for them.”

“I’d almost forgotten about meals.” Though at every sound from the horse near the barn, she had glanced up to see if Flint returned.

With a friendly pat on her shoulder, Addie chuckled and headed back to her house.

Daisy, the kitten, meowed, escaped Susie’s hold, and ran after her owner.

Susie hung her head and sniffled.

“What should we make Uncle Flint for dinner?” Bryn held out her hand to the child.

“I don’t care.”

Which was just as well for Bryn had been too busy outside all morning to bake or cook. Leftovers from last night were soon simmering as soup while biscuits browned in the oven.

The house was warm, so she opened the door to let cooler air in. The fact that it allowed her to watch the barn was a pleasant side effect.