Page 2 of Val (Wild Rose Ridge #1)

His mouth curved the faintest bit. “Patience, Miss O’Malley. It tends to last longer than pokes and prods.”

Val huffed, giving her parasol another sharp jab. “Not when you’re only four foot eleven, it doesn’t.” Her eyes flicked to him again. “You know my name?”

“Of course I do. I know about all of you.”

“How is that?”

“Mrs. Schulte,” he said, as if that explained everything.

When she thought about it, it did. Mrs. Schulte was the one who had written to The Sisters’ Mail-Order Bride Company in the first place. She was probably waiting for them at the hotel.

Val and the brides followed the preacher as he made his way through the heavy throng of men.

To her surprise, they cleared a path and grew quiet when he looked their way.

So, he had influence here. That was good.

She’d heard enough about places like this to wonder if the preacher didn’t spend most of his time locked in his church for protection.

At least he wasn’t the mild-mannered type.

Just… steady. Strong. Why that was irritating she didn’t know.

They reached the hotel, and the preacher had them file inside one by one. Val stood next to him, making sure the brides were all accounted for. While she’d been speaking with the preacher, who knew if one of them might get tossed over a shoulder and whisked away?

She rattled off their names as they passed. “Bernadette, Clara, Marianne, Cornelia, Elinore, and last but not least, Elizabeth Ann.” Val sighed in relief. “All accounted for. Thank Heaven for that.”

“Indeed. But I see more than six young ladies.”

She started and looked up at the preacher. “Val O’Malley. And you are?”

“The one that’s going to perform each of your brides’ nuptials. And again, I see more than six young ladies.”

“Oh, you must mean Ella Weaver, Bernadette’s friend. There was also a young lady by the name of Meg that got off the ship. Her brother was going to meet her at the dock and escort her home to a neighboring town.”

“Ah, I see.” He gave her a slight bow. “Preacher Micah Sutton, at your service.” He straightened and smiled. “And I already knew your name, Miss O’Malley.” He gave her that steady gaze of his and didn’t move a blasted inch. How could he be so calm?

“So you did,” Val conceded. She spied Mrs. Schulte approaching and finally got a good look at her. She was well dressed, blonde, and looked to be in her forties. She was followed by the other women she’d seen with her.

“It’s so nice to see that you’ve arrived safe and sound,” Mrs. Schulte said. “And it’s nice to be inside where we can hear one another.” She tacked on a smile.

“Mrs. Schulte,” Preacher Sutton cut in. “May I introduce Miss Val O’Malley. She’s the escort for the brides you’ve ordered.” He waved a hand between them. “Miss O’Malley, Mrs. Schulte and company.”

Val took in his gentle smile and ignored the warmth spreading through her chest. “Mrs. Schulte, it’s a pleasure.” She glanced around the hotel lobby. It was quaint, in an almost rustic sort of way.

“Oh, but the pleasure is all ours,” Mrs. Schulte trilled, swooping toward Val with a flurry of lace and lavender perfume.

“I’ve been simply dying to introduce you to my ladies.

Our town’s dear Busy Bees. We do so many good works in Wild Rose Ridge.

Sewing for the needy, arranging socials, guiding the… ah, less refined among us.”

Val wasn’t sure if she meant guiding the poor or guiding the tasteless, but she smiled politely anyway.

“This,” Mrs. Schulte began, laying a hand on the arm of a tall, elegant woman with perfectly waved brown hair. “Is Mrs. Mae Hanford. Her husband, Levi, owns the Hanford Mining Company. Mae has the most exquisite sense of style. We consider her our arbiter of taste, you might say.”

Mae gave Val a smile that looked as if it had been ironed flat. “We do try to keep things… presentable here, Miss O’Malley. You’ll find refinement is contagious, if you’re around the right people.”

Val inclined her head. “I’ll be sure to stand downwind.”

Mrs. Schulte blinked, uncertain if that was gratitude or insult, then hurried on. “And here we have Mrs. Helen Dawes and her sister, Mrs. Minerva Dawes. They both married into the Dawes family.”

Helen’s hat quivered as she nodded, her eyes bright and inquisitive as a magpie’s. “We’re in charge of the music at church,” she said proudly. “I play the organ.”

“And I sing,” Minerva declared, puffing out her chest. “Our duets are the highlight of any service.”

“Indeed,” Val murmured, trying her best to remain polite. She was tired and still had to get her ladies situated.

“This is Mrs. Ima Paine,” Mrs. Schulte said next, gesturing to a brisk, no-nonsense woman with dark hair and a clipboard clutched like a weapon. “She’s our organizer. Couldn’t do without her.”

Ima gave a sharp nod. “We meet every Tuesday afternoon. Attendance is mandatory. I’ll send you the list of assignments.”

“Oh… good,” Val said faintly.

“And lastly, dear Mrs. Adelaide Beck,” Mrs. Schulte said fondly, patting the shoulder of a short, plump woman wearing a hat that looked like a tea cozy with aspirations. “She keeps us all in good cheer.”

Adelaide beamed. “Oh, isn’t this fun! All these wonderful weddings we’re going to have!”

Val managed a polite smile, though she suspected the groups prattle would give her a headache before long.

Mrs. Schulte clasped her hands together. “Well! Now all we have to do is go over a few rules.”

Val bristled again. “Rules?”

“Of course, Miss O’Malley. We want this town to remain respectable. If you’ll just follow me. My bees will see your charges get to their rooms.”

Val’s eyes flicked to Mrs. Hanford, who was obviously joining Mrs. Schulte in going over the rules. She looked down her nose at Val and smiled.

Val heaved a sigh. “Very well, let’s get to it then.” She arched an eyebrow at Mrs. Schulte.

The woman smiled back, then nodded toward the hotel’s dining room.

Together, they left the lobby, Preacher Sutton bringing up the rear.

Val had a feeling she might not like their “rules,” but then the sooner she got her brides married, the better.

And if the rules were going to see that happen, she’d be all for them.