Second Chance Bride

When Daniel Gardner convinced the residents of his Kansas boomtown to advertise for mail-order brides, he never expected the woman he once loved to respond. But Leah Swann steps off the bride train...pregnant and widowed and in need of a husband. Drawn to protect his fragile childhood friend, Daniel proposes a marriage of convenience.

Seeing her onetime best friend waiting to meet the bride train is a wonderful shock for Leah. After her first rocky marriage, a practical partnership with Daniel sounds perfect—as long as her heart doesn’t get involved. But when she starts to fall for her husband, will her plans of a fresh start be ruined...or is a real marriage to Daniel exactly what she needs?

Cowboy Creek: Bringing mail-order brides, and new beginnings, to a Kansas boomtown.

“You’re one of the prospective brides?”

Leah wanted to grab on to Daniel, but held her desperation in check to simply nod. “Yes. Yes, I’m a widow.”

His expression changed, confusion turning to understanding. “I see. I’m so sorry.”

You have no idea. I never want you to know. “Thank you.”

“What about your family? Your father?”

“They’re gone, too.” Gone seemed an insufficient explanation for her grief, but of course he would understand the pain behind those words. It was an all too common story. The war had stolen so much from all of them. “Nothing is as we remember it.”

His eyes clouded with sympathy and something more. Regret. Anger. And then incredulity. He did understand. He extended a hand as though he wanted to touch her to see for himself if she was real, but he drew it back, self-consciously. He shook his head. “And after all that, here we are.”

* * *

CHERYL ST.JOHN’s love for reading started as a child. She wrote her own stories, designed covers and stapled them into books. She credits many hours of creating scenarios for her paper dolls and Barbies as the start of her fascination with fictional characters. Cheryl loves hearing from readers. Visit her website at cherylstjohn.net or email her at saintjohn@aol.com.

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Cheryl St.John

www.millsandboon.co.uk

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

—2 Corinthians 9:8

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

Your mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning,

new every morning:

great is Your faithfulness, O Lord,

great is Your faithfulness!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Kansas, April 1868

A plaintive train whistle shrieked in the distance, scattering dozens of heath hens that pecked along the tracks. Daniel Gardner experienced a sharp pang of anxiety. A murmur of excitement passed through the crowd on the station platform and among those waiting along Railroad Street, the road separating the tracks from the town. Indicative of the population of Cowboy Creek, only a few females stood among the motley gathering of drovers, cattlemen and shop owners who eagerly awaited the arrival of the first bride train.

Daniel and his friend Will had convinced the other town leaders that brides were the answer to the growth and survival of this boomtown they’d overseen from the ground up, but four women were a paltry drop in the bucket. His gaze moved from D.B. Burrows, owner and editor of The Herald, his angular face rapt with serious intent as he scribbled notes, over dozens of other bystanders, before finally landing on a sunburned young drover who sported a stiff new pair of dungarees, a red shirt and a silly crooked-toothed grin. Right about now Daniel was imagining the reactions of those much-anticipated prospective brides when they stepped off the train and got their first look at this throng of menfolk starved for the sight of a woman.

“Well, this is it.” Beside him, Will Canfield squinted from beneath the brim of his brown felt bowler and leaned a little more heavily than usual on his expensive Italian-made walking stick. He wore a tailored suit coat and starched white shirt. Tall and lean, his goatee neatly trimmed as always, he was the picture of a gentleman with his sights set on a public office. Only Daniel noticed his friend was favoring his left leg, because only Daniel knew the walking stick was not purely for show. He was also relatively sure it did not conceal a derringer or a knife as was rumored about Cowboy Creek. They’d both had enough of killing during the war to last them a lifetime. Their town was populated with peace-loving citizens, eager for a new slice of life and the profits the Union Pacific Railroad and a steady stream of Texas longhorns were bringing. Women would heighten their plans to a whole new level.

“This is it,” Daniel echoed. He wanted the past behind him. The town needed order, and these females would help bring it. Cowboy Creek was providing a new life and a fresh start for a good many people. The whistle screamed again. He checked his pocket watch and tucked it back inside his suit coat. “Right on time.” He looked to each side and held out both arms. “Step back! Step back and give the passengers room to get off the train!”

His voice held enough authority that the eager men shuffled to the rear of the platform.

The great black locomotive hissed as the brakes were applied, and it slowed on its approach, trundling past the railroad office east of the station and coming to a halt with the passenger cars only feet from the wooden platform. Clouds of steam expressed vapor into the air. From the exit closest to them, a uniformed conductor jumped down, lowered the stairs with a squeak of metal and stood waiting.

Passengers were visible inside the car, making their way to the exit and out onto the small metal platform. Anticipation hummed around him. The first to appear was a fellow in a brown pinstripe suit and a derby, followed by a white-haired gentleman with a huge mustache. A man and his young son emerged next. Passengers disembarked from the rear of the car, and a second passenger car spilled its riders, as well. The impatient townsmen crowded around the people exiting the train until the platform became a blur of shoulders and hats. Hoots and appreciative calls blended with laughter and good-natured competition.

Daniel and Will exchanged a tense glance. Had they thought of everything?

“We started with only four brides, Dan,” Will said. “Next time we’ll be better prepared for the rush of bachelors.”

“Or not announce the brides’ arrival,” Daniel replied in a grim tone. He scanned the area until he spotted a stack of crates, then pushed his way through the milling crowd and climbed to the top. With two fingers held strategically between his lips, he let out an ear-piercing whistle. He whistled again. “May I have your attention?” he shouted.

The crowd quieted and heads turned.

“Gentlemen, please make a path and escort our brides forward!”

A smattering of applause followed his request, and from the outer edge of the platform the crowd parted unevenly, allowing three figures in ruffles and flower-bedecked hats to make their way through the gathering to the stack of crates. Daniel jumped down beside Will and they stood on either side of the group of ladies.

Daniel removed his hat and every cowboy doffed his own. “Welcome to Cowboy Creek.” He glanced aside. “We’re still missing someone.”

“Mrs. Swann was with us a moment ago,” the petite young woman beside him said. “She must have become lost in the crowd somewhere.”

Will took the next initiative. “Welcome. I’m Will Canfield. And this is my friend Daniel Gardner.”

Daniel noted Will deliberately wasn’t leaning on his walking stick while attention focused on him.

“Cowboy Creek is pleased you’re here,” Daniel told the new arrivals. “We have a special welcome planned for you once we have everyone accounted for and can move away from the station.”

“I’m Pippa Neely.” The flamboyant little gal with ginger-gold hair had enormous hazel eyes and a pert smile. She wore a voluminous lavender skirt with gold braid designs down the front and fringe around the hem of the jacket. Atop her head bobbed a brown satin bow with a lavender paper rose. “I thought we’d never arrive! What a grueling journey!”

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Neely,” Daniel greeted her. In her letter to the town council, Pippa had described herself as an actress. Then he turned politely to the lady standing next to her.

“I’m Hannah Taggart,” the young woman explained. She wore her fawn-colored hair severely pulled away from her face. Her gray eyes moved uneasily from Daniel to the crowd of men and back. She wore a wine-colored dress with puffy fabric at the elbows and over the bustle, ruffles everywhere, but with no ornamentation save the row of buttons at her neck. She was a tall girl, not slender, and Daniel imagined her choice in clothing added to her size.

“Miss Taggart,” he said. “You’re the Reverend Taggart’s daughter.”

She smiled easily. “He was right behind us a moment ago.” She glanced into the crowd. “Disembarking was a challenge, but no doubt we all feel welcome.”

“The men are a bit overzealous,” Daniel said by way of apology. “I’m sure you’ll forgive their excitement.”

“Prudence Haywood, Mr. Gardner.” The short curvy woman introduced herself with a curt nod. She had auburn hair, hazel eyes and wore a cameo brooch on her collar.

Daniel and Will acknowledged her introduction.

“Here’s my father!” Hannah announced.

The beaming fellow approached and removed his hat to shake the hands of both men. “Reverend Taggart,” Daniel said. “We’re so pleased you’re here.”

“It’s Virgil,” the reverend said, his friendly manner a welcome answer for the unspoken question of what sort of preacher might be coming their way. He sported a narrow mustache and a wide smile that creased the corners of his eyes. “Hannah and I are excited to be here right when your town is on the verge of a population explosion.”

“Can’t bring women to this county without preachers and doctors and schools,” Daniel pointed out. “We’ve been planning this for some time. We have a lot to show you.”

“I look forward to hearing all about it.”

“Papa, where is Mrs. Swann?”

“She was by my side only a few minutes ago. These Kansas fellows seem quite friendly and eager to meet the ladies.” He stood on tiptoe to survey the way he’d come, but the crowd had closed back around the temporary opening. “There she is. I see her hat.”

“Let the lady through!” Daniel called, standing as tall as he could manage and peering above the crowd. He was thinking that perhaps he would need to get back on the stack of crates when he spotted a blue feathered hat on a pale gold head of hair. “There she is. Mrs. Swann! Let her through.”

The poor woman steadied her wisp of a hat atop her head with one white-gloved hand, and turned this way and that, speaking to men as she choreographed her way through the crowd. When she finally neared the open clearing where Daniel and Will stood with the other newcomers, she turned, disengaging herself from the attentions of an overeager cowboy, and nearly stumbled forward.

Daniel caught her elbow to steady her.

“Oh! Thank you. This is quite a reception!” She glanced up. Cornflower-blue eyes rimmed with dark lashes opened wide in surprise. The world stood still for a moment. The crowd noise faded into the void. “Daniel?”

Daniel’s gut felt as though he’d been standing right on the tracks and stopped the locomotive with his body. He couldn’t catch his breath or find his voice. Sounds resumed and he filled his lungs with air. Finally his heart resumed its inadequate cadence, and he cleared his parched throat. “Leah Robinson?”

She was as pretty as ever. Prettier maybe, her face having lost the roundness of girlhood and her skin and bone structure having smoothed into a gentle comeliness. Her winged brows were pale arches over those sparkling blue eyes, and her lips were full and pink. Her green-and-blue-plaid dress with black trim was the perfect foil for her pale perfection. It was ungentlemanly of him to notice the curves...the pale skin at her throat...yet he never had been able to look away.

Mrs. Swann was Leah Robinson, one of his best friends before the war. Will had once shown him a wedding announcement from a Chicago newspaper, and all these years Daniel had pictured her just as she had been back then, full of youth and vitality, and married to the army officer she’d chosen. That had been a lifetime ago. So what was she doing traveling to Cowboy Creek with their mail-order brides?

* * *

The crowded platform was a blur of faces. Leah tasted dirt on her tongue and her eyes were so dry it hurt to blink. Cowboy Creek was as muddy as Chicago, and she’d thought that was bad. That city was systematically raising buildings, even entire blocks, above the level of the river, and it had been impossible to keep a clean pair of boots. It looked as if it would be the same here.

Daniel. Seeing his familiar face anchored her in this sea of chaos, brought back memories of home and family, eased her fears and assured her she’d made the right choice coming here. She hadn’t seen Daniel in years, and yet here he was standing before her as tall and real as anything she’d ever laid eyes upon. It took every last ounce of her reserve not to throw herself into his arms and feel safe at last. Here was someone she could trust, someone who remembered her and shared her past. His tanned face and piercing green eyes revealed he was as shocked to see her as she was to discover him here under the Kansas sky.

“Daniel,” she said again, feeling foolish, but so relieved that she finally felt some moisture in her eyes. “I am so glad to see you.”

“What is this?” His tone seemed almost gruff. “You’re one of the prospective brides?”

She wanted to grab on to him, but held her desperation in check to simply nod. “Yes. Yes, I’m a widow.”

His expression changed, confusion turning to understanding. “I see. I’m so sorry.”

You have no idea. I never want you to know. “Thank you.”

“What about your family? Your father?”

“They’re gone, too.” Gone seemed an insufficient explanation for her grief, but of course he would understand the pain behind those words. It was an all too common story. The war had stolen so much from all of them. “Nothing is as we remember it.”

His eyes clouded with sympathy and something more. Regret. Anger. And then incredulity. He did understand. He extended a hand as though he wanted to touch her to see for himself she was real, but he drew it back self-consciously. He shook his head. “And after all that, here we are...”

“You survived, Daniel.” Her voice was too breathless, but she didn’t care. Life was precious.

“Leah?”

She turned as a dark-haired man with a cane approached from Daniel’s other side, amazement on his sculpted face. “Leah Robinson?”

It took her stunned brain a moment to sort and make sense of what her eyes were revealing. Will Canfield? Both of them here in Kansas? How could this be? Growing up in Pennsylvania, the three of them had been inseparable. “It’s Swann,” she said. “My husband’s name was Swann.”

“Your army officer?” Will asked.

Her army officer indeed. I made a mistake back then. More than one mistake. I should have stayed in Pennsylvania. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry. A lot of good men didn’t come home.” Will stated a fact. Yes, her father had been a good man. Thousands upon thousands of men had been killed. And many of those who had come back returned to burned-out farms and missing families. Her story was no different from plenty of others.

She had nothing to say. That both Daniel and Will had survived was, in her eyes, a blessing at the hand of their merciful God. Awash with joy at seeing her old friends, her heart swelled with emotion. She’d been so alone and frightened. Thank You, thank You. She was so happy to see their beloved faces that she moved into Will’s embrace and hugged him. He stiffened, but she didn’t let go. She pressed her cheek against the fabric of his jacket and clung.

“Will is engaged,” Daniel pointed out from beside her.

Leah pulled back and glanced from one man to the other. “Oh, my goodness! Engaged?” She gave Will a delighted smile. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Her name is Dora Edison,” he explained. “She’s the daughter of the owners of the feed and grain store.”

“Why, that’s wonderful. Have you set a date?”

“We were waiting for a preacher,” he replied.

“I want to hear all about her. And I want to learn everything about the two of you since we last saw each other. I’m curious how you both came to be in Kansas.”

“We’ll have plenty of time for that.” Daniel’s familiar mellow baritone calmed Leah’s nerves. “Now that everyone’s together, we’ll continue to move the celebration along. We’re heading over to Eden Street for a welcome gathering. Meanwhile, your bags and trunks will be delivered to the boardinghouse.”

Leah tucked her hand into the crook of Daniel’s arm and they made their way into town. Walking beside him was like a dream come true. She’d been so utterly alone these past months. Feeling at times like a piece of driftwood afloat at sea, she’d known all the while she had to find some way to ground herself and make a new home and a new beginning. As difficult things went, coming to an unknown place didn’t rate at the top, but it hadn’t been easy to get on that train with strangers. The unknown was always frightening. Now she’d found two of her dearest friends. She lifted her gaze and caught Daniel looking at her.

His courteous smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Couldn’t have been more surprised to see you among our brides.”

“I can’t say I ever imagined myself in Kansas,” she answered. “I dare say I’m more fortunate than many, just to be alive and have an opportunity to start over.”

Daniel glanced away. “We’ve all started over.”

“And you, Daniel. Are you married—or engaged like Will?”

“No.” He shook his head and once again met her gaze. “No. Will and I came here to join our friend Noah. He got injured and homesteaded here before the war ended. When we got out of the army, we came to see how he was doing and we liked what we saw. Back then it was land as far as the eye could see, and the Union Pacific hadn’t come this far. We staked claims, bought up sections and we were here when the railroad decided this was the best place for a terminus.” He took a breath then went on. “We saw the future of this as a cattle town and grabbed on to it. After that, men looking for new starts poured in. There aren’t many women yet.”

“But now there are four more.”

He nodded. “This was a trial to see how brides would be accepted. We’re seeing now how much excitement there is at the prospect. So we wait and see what happens.”

“As the women find husbands.”

“Yes.”

“Well, it looks as though there are plenty of men to choose from.”

A muscle in his jaw worked. He looked decidedly uncomfortable about that. “Looks like it.”

“I was hoping to put my experience as a midwife to use.” The wind gusted around them. A strand of her fair hair fell to her shoulder, and his gaze followed as she tried to tuck it back in place. “I want to be useful.”

“You’ll want to meet Mrs. Godwin then,” he said. “Amos and Opal are a young couple who have started a boot shop just up the street and across from the boardinghouse. They’re going to have a baby, so Opal will appreciate a visit from another woman, especially a midwife. We have a doctor, but I think Doc Fletcher’s more suited to fixing up cuts and broken bones.”

“I’ll be sure to go see Mrs. Godwin.”

“This welcome won’t take long, and then you can get settled and rest. Is there anything you need?”

She looked up at him. Security. Safety. A place to raise a family. “Not that I can think of.”

“Well, you only have to ask. You’ll find the boardinghouse comfortable and the proprietress a good cook. If you need something, give Aunt Mae’s lad a message and he will find me.”

“Thank you, Daniel.” Daniel Gardner. It couldn’t be chance that she’d ended up in a town where both Daniel and Will were living. Perhaps this was how her prayers had been answered. Her clothing still hid the mound of the new life growing inside her, but she had no intentions of keeping her baby a secret. She wanted this baby more than anything, and she’d been willing to make this trip to find a new and better life for his sake. She needed a husband, but whomever she married would have to accept her child as his own.

Chapter Two

A platform had been constructed smack dab in the center of an intersection. On the four corners sat the Cattleman Hotel, a bank, the Cowboy Café and what looked like another hotel called Drover’s Place. All the buildings were wood structures, some had wood awnings and most boasted glass windows with gold lettering. Men of all sizes and dress filled the boardwalks and gathered in the streets. It appeared the entire town and its outlying residents had shown up for this momentous event.

A cowboy band played “Sweet Nightingale” with dulcimers and fiddles as the four women and Reverend Taggart were escorted to the platform. The song reminded Leah so much of home, of afternoons and evenings in the company of her family, that her throat grew thick with tears. Her gaze met Daniel’s, and he signaled the band. The strains of that song faded away, and they played “Lincoln and Liberty.” Men’s voices joined the instruments and swelled until the singers drowned out the musicians.

“Hurrah for the choice of the nation!

Our chieftain so brave and so true;

We’ll go for the great Reformation—

For Lincoln and Liberty, too!”

The song ended and the crowd cheered.

Will moved to the front of the platform. Leah searched the gathering of men, easily spotting a pretty dark-haired young woman watching with rapt interest. Was she Will’s fiancée?

“Our newest residents have had a long trip,” Will began. “So we’re going to get them settled in their rooms at the boardinghouse. Their belongings should have been delivered by now.” He turned back to their guests. “Welcome to Cowboy Creek, ladies and Reverend. We hope you’ll find your accommodations comfortable. Our town is safe for women and families. We enforce a no-gun law in town, so if any of you are carrying a weapon, you will have to check it with Sheriff Davis.”

A rumble of male laughter rolled through the crowd at Will’s announcement. A broad-shouldered, lean-hipped fellow with a huge mustache gave a mock salute from the corner of the platform.

“That’s our sheriff, Quincy Davis,” Will continued.

Willowy little Pippa Neely made a show out of patting her pockets and checking the roll of reddish-gold hair on the back of her head as though searching for weapons. She peered into the beaded reticule that dangled from her elbow, then shrugged and shook her head. Even traveling by train she’d managed to make her hair and clothing look lovely. Leah had felt rumpled and dirty since the second day out of Chicago.

The men in the crowd loved Pippa’s pantomime and laughed uproariously. The vivacious young woman had been great fun on the trip west. Always cheerful and often playful, she made the best out of every situation and had bolstered the spirits of the other passengers when the trip grew long and tiresome. Reverend Taggart just shook his head and grinned at her antics. He’d grown accustomed to Pippa’s mischievous showmanship.

“How about you, Reverend?” someone called from the crowd. “Are you packin’ a gun?”

The reverend raised both hands in the air as if prepared for a search.

Daniel stepped forward. “We figured you’d be tired after the long journey, so the Cowboy Café will bring a meal to each of your rooms. After today, Aunt Mae will be planning on your eating at the boardinghouse, unless you tell her differently. Let’s go get you settled.”

The crowd applauded as the newest residents made their way down the stairs onto the boardwalk and headed to the next block. Eden Street boasted several businesses. On the right was a telegraph, a barber and a doctor’s office. They passed the sheriff’s office and a newspaper office before reaching Aunt Mae’s boardinghouse. It wasn’t a fancy structure, but it was two stories with an abundance of windows and two sets of stairs, one leading to a balcony that covered the front of the whole upstairs and the set on the side leading to a second floor entrance. The building was freshly painted and someone had planted fledgling rose bushes on either side of the entrance.

The short stocky woman who greeted them was every bit of sixty, with a square face. Her gray hair held a few remaining streaks of reddish brown. She wore a green dress with a white collar and white trim. When she smiled her cheeks folded into wrinkled pleats to match her lined forehead.

“Welcome! Welcome to Cowboy Creek. Oh, just look at the lot of you. You’re as welcome here as a rain on an August day. Tell me now, who is who? You’re the reverend, of course.”

“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

“Shoosh now, not ma’am. Just Aunt Mae.”

The women introduced themselves and Aunt Mae greeted them as though they were family, exclaiming over their dresses and hair.

“You’ll meet my permanent boarders soon enough. Gus and Old Horace spend their days sitting on benches in front of the mercantile, but they never miss a meal.” She explained about meal times and continued, “There’s a bathing room beside the kitchen. You can heat water on the kitchen stove. I have a lad who brings in wood and empties the tub. I figured you’d all want baths today, so I have water ready and will keep the kettles full.”

Aunt Mae gave them their room assignments. “Mrs. Swann, you’re on the south corner in front. Miss Hannah, you’re right beside her. The fellows carried up your trunks. There’s soap and toweling ready. If you need anything else, just let me know.”

Hannah, looking especially tired, thanked their hostess and trudged up the stairs.

“I’ll help you settle in, dear.” Aunt Mae gathered the hem of her skirts and followed. Pippa thanked everyone and climbed the stairs behind them.

Leah met Daniel’s piercing green eyes. Looking at his tanned face and chestnut hair bleached gold from the sun, she noticed a few lines that hadn’t been there last time she’d seen him. He was broader and more muscled than Will, his strength unrestrained by the fabric of his neatly pressed shirt, but his features were harder, leaner than she remembered. The war had seasoned his still-handsome face, but it was now a man’s face. No doubt they’d both lived a lifetime in the years that had separated them.

Overshadowing her relief at seeing his familiar face was a rush of regret and loss. As youngsters the three of them had been close until Will had declared his feelings for her. He had seemed a good choice for a husband. His family were merchants, and he had a head for business and figures. Daniel had been the adventurous one, the one talking about heading west and starting a ranch. Back then thoughts of the unknown seemed reckless and frightening. She’d sought only security and familiarity.

She’d had no idea what was coming. None of them had.

When the two friends had joined the army, she had implied that she would wait for Will. Time and distance had quickly come between them, and through sporadic letters they’d agreed to end their courtship. That’s when Leah met and married an academy graduate. At the time a future in the east, living the life of an officer’s wife, had seemed safe, protected—glamorous even. However, Charles had turned out to be shallow and self-centered. His assignments had taken them to truly uncivilized parts of the country.

She’d been terrified. In the ensuing years, she’d had plenty of time to regret her choices. She’d come here to make a fresh start, but how could she plan for the future or hold on to a shred of dignity when she had to face both men who’d known her when she’d still had hopes and dreams? That had been a lifetime ago. Everything was different now—everything except the fact that she was still looking for security, but this time for two.

Daniel gave her an awkward nod. “Send for me if you need anything.”

“I will.” She wanted to bury herself in his strong embrace and seek comfort and safety, but she had no right. They’d once been the best of friends, but now they were estranged friends with years between them. She was going to have to move on as planned.

He exited the boardinghouse, and she felt as though a light had gone out. Turning, she made her way up the stairs.

Aunt Mae had shown Hannah to her room and now opened the door for Leah to enter hers. “It’s freshly cleaned and gets morning sun.”

“It’s perfect, thank you.”

Leah was strong and determined. She would find work. She would select a kind and thoughtful husband. Feelings were too complicated, and she couldn’t trust them. She was here to rest and take care of herself. Because this baby was going to live. She would take no risks. No more travel. Cowboy Creek was her new home, and she was going to make the best of it.

* * *

Daniel entered the Cattleman Hotel and glanced into the restaurant. Will sat at a table with Reverend Taggart, so he joined them. The reverend stood and shook his hand. “That was quite a welcome, Mr. Gardner.”

“Call me Daniel, please. And we’re honored you and your daughter chose our town. How is your room at the boardinghouse?”

“It’s more than adequate, thank you.”

“Will and I want to show you the church. We’ve been meeting on Sunday mornings, and those willing to take turns have led services. It will be good to have a real preacher. Your house is being finished and should be ready to move in to by the end of the week. Maybe you or Hannah would like to pick out the furniture.”

“I’m a simple man, and my daughter won’t be staying with me for long once she finds a suitable partner. I don’t need much, but if it makes your job easier, I’d be happy to select a few items.”

“There’s an adequate furniture store at the corner of First and Grant,” Daniel said. “Select what you need and put it on my account. Irving will know you’re coming.”

“That’s mighty generous.”

“It’s our job to take care of the man God has called to our town. We appreciate your willingness to come.”

“When we saw the advertisement for brides, Hannah and I felt we should write you. I didn’t want to send her off alone, and she was determined to come. It felt right.”

“Did you have a church in Chicago?” Daniel queried.

“Indiana, actually. Lafayette.”

“Wasn’t that where a man set out in an air balloon to try to make it to New York City with mail several years back?” Will’s eyes lit with interest.

“Yes, indeed. That was quite an event. Due to weather, the fellow landed in Crawfordsville, however, and the mail was delivered the rest of the way by train.”

“Have to give him credit for trying,” Daniel added. “Would it work for you if I show you the church and your house tomorrow morning?”

“That sounds good. I’ll meet you outside the boardinghouse?” The reverend stood and extended a hand.

Daniel nodded and both he and Will stood to shake his hand. The reverend left the restaurant.

“He seems like a good choice,” Will commented.

“He does.” A stocky young man poured Daniel coffee and took his order. As soon as he’d walked away, Daniel looked at his childhood friend. “What are we going to do?”

“About what?”

“About Leah, of course. Her lieutenant husband died and she’s a widow.” He shook his head, still stunned by her arrival. “Leah’s a widow. Her folks are gone, too. It pains me to think of her being alone and feeling so desperate that she answered our ad.”

“All of the women who answered the ad were desperate,” Will replied with perfect logic. “We have to figure that much. Most places have very few men of marriageable age left.”

“I know. The women all have their reasons. But this is Leah.”

Will tilted his head in concession. “You’re right. It may not have worked out for the two of us, but she’s the closest thing either of us has to family.”

And family was the most important, yet rarest commodity these days. “Like you said, it’s safe here,” Daniel said.

“The streets are not dangerous for a woman,” Will agreed.

“But we don’t know every last man. You can bet those gals will be buried under invitations to dinners and invited for rides and asked to picnics and all manner of social things. It will probably be confusing to have so many different men as husband prospects.”

Will raised his eyebrows. “We can’t choose for any of them.”

“I know. But maybe we could give Leah our guidance.” They sat in silence until Daniel’s meal arrived. He picked up his fork. “We need to talk to Noah. I wish he’d come today.”

“You knew he wouldn’t. He didn’t want any part of it. He only comes to town when he has to.”

“After I eat, I’m going to see him. Come with me.”

Will took a sip of his coffee and grimaced. “Cold. All right. I’ll go change and head for the livery.”

Will had Daniel’s brown-and-white skewbald gelding saddled when he arrived. They headed west. A few miles away from town, they encountered a small herd of buffalo. Interrupted from their grazing, the beasts lumbered away. Daniel and Will sat astride their horses and watched. As they stayed there without moving, several turkeys strutted out of the long grass and pecked at the ground. Daniel patted his horse’s neck, then slowly drew his rifle from its scabbard on the back of his saddle, aimed and fired. The horse beneath him didn’t flinch. One of the birds flopped on the ground and the others scattered.

Daniel got down to retrieve his kill. “I’ll take this to Noah for dinner. Maybe we’ll make a night of it.”

Will leaned on his saddle horn. “You know he’ll get cantankerous when he figures out we’re hoping he’ll want one of those brides.”

“Yep.” He used a leather thong to tie the bird to his saddle.

Will tipped his hat back and looked at Daniel. “Maybe he’ll take a shine to Leah.”

“Maybe.” Daniel didn’t like the arrow of discomfort that pierced his thoughts and made him turn away to look at the sky. He relived a brief moment of jealousy, remembering the hug Leah had impulsively given Will. His friend had appeared startled and exchanged a glance of confusion with him over her golden head. Daniel prayed he’d either get used to thinking of Leah with someone else or the good Lord would send him his own wife to change his confusing feelings about her.

Before the war Daniel had stood back and watched as Will courted Leah. She had shown his best friend favor. Daniel had never told either of them how he felt about her, but Will had figured it out. Things had been tense at first, and they hadn’t talked about it at length, but Daniel had assured Will that if he made Leah happy, so be it.

After the men had joined the army, Will and Leah’s separation had made communication difficult, and eventually the two had ended their courtship. Daniel and Will had come to terms with the past a long time ago. Life was too uncertain to hold grudges stemming from circumstances that were out of their control. They’d seen each other through days and nights with little to no rations, dug graves side by side, mourned comrades left where they’d fallen and bolstered each other’s grit and determination when death had seemed the easy way out. Leah’s arrival might muddy the waters in respect to their plan for brides, but her presence wouldn’t come between them. He’d see to that.

They spotted Noah digging a post hole. It appeared a section of fence had been broken or trampled. “Did buffalo do that?” Will called. “We saw a small herd.”

Noah squinted at them from beneath the brim of his hat and leaned on the handle of his shovel until they got close. His hat shaded his face and eyes from the sun, and beneath the brim his collar-length hair was dark with sweat. “What brings you two out here? Wasn’t this the big day?”

“It was.” Daniel got down and hobbled his horse. Will did the same.

“Everything go as planned?”

“Cowboy Creek has a friendly preacher and four new marriageable women,” Will told him.

“That’s what you wanted.” Noah gripped the shovel and continued digging the hole.

Will went for one of the posts in the back of Noah’s wagon and Daniel grabbed a sledgehammer.

“So, it all went well and you came out here to be ranch hands this afternoon?” Noah still had a Virginia drawl. The burn scars on the side of his face stood out white in contrast to the rest of his face, which was red from exertion and the sun. The scars extended down his arm and on his chest, as well, and were the biggest reason he stayed to himself and rarely went into town.

They’d met the southerner when the 155th Pennsylvania Regiment had marched to Washington. Opposed to slavery, Noah had left behind his home and family to fight for his beliefs and joined the army at the Potomac in ’62. Only a year later, as they joined the fray at Gettysburg, Noah’s gun backfired at the Battle of Little Round Top and ignited a fire that left him badly burned.

His discharge from the army had been all the more difficult for him because Noah had always believed that as a born southerner he had to fight harder than any northerner. His bravery had been an example to all the men who fought with him, but he’d been forced to leave due to his injuries. That’s when he’d come to Kansas and staked his claim.

“I shot a turkey for supper,” Daniel said. “Thought we’d stay.”

“Daylight’s burnin’.” Noah’s reply was terse as always.

Daniel and Will glanced at each other and bent to the task.

Near sundown, the fence repairs were finished and the men headed to Noah’s cabin. Noah’s black fierce-looking companion, a cross between a dog and a wolf, greeted Noah and watched the other two men dismount. Wolf accompanied Noah to town on the rare occasions he went, and folks were wary of him. Like Noah, Wolf came across more dangerous than he was.

The men washed at the pump in the yard, and Daniel prepared the turkey, splitting it and roasting the meat over a fire pit. Noah brought turnips from his root cellar and Will baked biscuits in a skillet. It was dark by the time they ate under the stars.

“You remember us telling you about Leah Robinson?” Daniel asked.

Noah tossed a turkey leg to Wolf. The dog snatched up the meat and trotted several feet away to eat. “Wasn’t that the woman Will was engaged to before the war?”

“That’s her. She showed up today on the bride train.”

Noah looked at them with a quizzical expression. “I thought she got married.”

“Her husband died.”

“In the war?”

“I assume so.”

“So she’s looking to remarry.”

“She is, and I’m concerned about her.” Daniel removed his hat to rake a hand through his hair and then settled it back on his head. “The three of us grew up together. I don’t want her to make a wrong choice. She needs to find the right husband. Someone who will take care of her like she deserves.”

“Too bad Will’s got himself a fiancée. He could marry her.”

Daniel’s supper felt like lead in his belly at the thought.

“We were barely more than children when we were engaged. Like it or not, the war changed us all,” Will objected. “Besides, Leah isn’t cut out to be the wife of a politician. Dora is well aware of my ambitions, and she shares my vision. What about you?”

Noah tossed a bone into the fire and rubbed his hands together. “Don’t need a woman. There’s nothing wrong with my life the way it is.”

“You have a great life out here,” Will agreed. “But companionship is a good thing.”

“Don’t need a companion, and don’t ask me again.”

“All right, all right,” Will said in exasperation. “Don’t get your tail feathers all ruffled.” He glanced at Daniel. “How about Owen Ewing then? He has a flourishing business. He’s a fine cabinetmaker.”

Daniel cast him a dark scowl. “He’s also the undertaker. That would never do. Not for Leah.”

“You’re not getting squeamish on us, are you?” Noah asked.

“I wouldn’t be the one marrying him. Leah is a lady of refined sensibilities. She can’t live in a home where there are bodies in the basement. The other ladies would snub her.”

“He might have a point,” Will said.

Noah shrugged. “Quincy’s a good man. Honest as the day is long. Hardworking. He’s only in his thirties. He looks like a man women would take to, doesn’t he?”

“A lawman’s job is too hazardous,” Daniel objected. “He’s not salaried, you know. He gets paid by the arrest, so he’s motivated to get himself into some tight spots going after criminals. A wife would worry about a man in that position. And, worst case scenario, he might get killed. You never know. She’s already lost one husband.”

Will and Noah both nodded, and Noah poured them cups of coffee. “This is like the old days, the three of us eating under the sky,” he commented.

“Except the food is better and there’s more of it,” Will said.

They sipped their coffee and discussed a couple more candidates that Daniel rejected for one reason or the other.

The firelight flickered across Noah’s scarred cheek as he peered at Daniel. “Seems the best choice for Leah’s new husband is you.”

Chapter Three

Daniel’s last sip went down the wrong way and he choked. He coughed and cleared his throat. “Me? I don’t think so.”

“Why not? You don’t have dead bodies in your basement. You aren’t a lawman, so your life isn’t at risk. You don’t have an old father to take care of and you don’t scratch your neck all the time.” Noah listed all the reasons for which Daniel had just rejected the last husbands under consideration. “She knows you. She is fond of you, am I right?”

“She’s fond of him,” Will supplied. “She tucked her arm right into his and chatted with him all the way to the boardinghouse.”

“That doesn’t mean she’d want to marry me.”

His friends raised their eyebrows at Daniel’s ardent objection.

“She doesn’t see me like that. Never has.”

He’d thought of nothing but that walk to the boardinghouse, about the delicate curve of her cheek and the sweep of her lashes. She was still the prettiest thing he’d ever seen. She’d been wearing her pale hair caught up on her head, but he remembered it curling around her shoulders as a girl. Leah had always been full of life. She’d ridden with them, run alongside the riverbank barefoot, practiced shooting at tin cans and held her own.

Some nights during the war while he’d been sleeping on the ground in the cold and rain, he’d dreamed of seeing the sun glint from her hair as it had that afternoon. He’d heard the sound of her full-throated laughter that turned his insides to warm honey. And then he’d awaken and the present would grasp him in its cold, unforgiving fingers. The notion that she was here in Cowboy Creek now, looking for a man to marry, tied him in knots.

Will tossed the dregs of his coffee into the fire and it hissed. “You’re one of the three wealthiest men in Cowboy Creek, probably in all of Kansas.”

“I wouldn’t want her to marry me for my money.”

“You’re reasonably handsome. To a woman,” Noah added.

Daniel signified his annoyance with a snort.

“You already have a house ready and waiting for a wife,” Will said. “Don’t try to say you didn’t build that house with a woman in mind. You want a wife. She needs a husband. You can help establish her in town.”

“That seems so...” Swallowing hard, Daniel sat with elbows on his knees and rubbed his chin. “Calculated. Impersonal.”

“Any marriage she makes now will be calculated,” Noah pointed out. “And marrying you is more personal than marrying a stranger. You’re already friends.”

To her they were friends. To him she was the woman who had always been just out of his reach. This idea seemed like a backhanded way of fulfilling his boyish dreams. But the war had changed him. He was no longer the naïve, lovelorn boy he’d once been.

“Who else do you trust with Leah?” Will asked.

Daniel scraped a knuckle on his jaw as he thought. No one. He didn’t trust anyone with her welfare...her future. Nor did he want her marrying another man. “I’d...” He stopped short and considered. “I’d have to propose to her. Court her.” He glanced up and regarded the two men. “Would I have to court her?”

Will grinned.

He would have to swallow his pride to ask her to marry him. And even if he did, there was no guarantee she’d have him. “What if she won’t have me?”

“If she won’t have you, then I’ll court her,” Noah said. Which told them all how profoundly he believed Leah would marry Daniel. “Let her decide for herself.”

He would do it. He would ask Leah to marry him. He would lay out all the reasons why he was the best choice. And then he’d let her decide.

Daniel felt something more than he’d felt for a long time. He didn’t want to let himself think of Leah in the big house he’d built on Lincoln Boulevard just yet. He didn’t want to picture her in the rooms he’d walked through when the house was a mere shell, before burnished flooring, paint and fixtures had made it a home. He’d always had a faceless woman in mind. As he’d surveyed the land and overseen construction he’d planned that one day he’d share the home with a wife. But Leah’s image, with her bright blue eyes and soft pale hair, was all he could envision now. He had his doubts about the wisdom of this decision, but along with his reluctance he felt more than he’d felt in a long time.

He felt hope.

* * *

Leah woke early and ate breakfast in Aunt Mae’s dining room with the other brides and the full-time boarders. Gus Russell had stark white hair and still stood straight. The lines at the corners of his wise dark eyes were evidence of his years in the sun. “Cowboy Creek got a windfall when you young gals showed up,” he said.

Old Horace wore his long gray hair pulled back with a leather thong. He had been tall in his day and was still lean, but his back was hunched so he was always looking up. “Why if I’d a knowed these fillies would be so purdy, I mighta got a haircut and throwed my hat in the ring.”

“Wouldn’t any of these young ladies want a dried-up old coot like you,” Gus countered.

Old Horace bristled. “I still got my charm. Down in Mexico I was quite a ladies’ man.”

Gus stabbed a piece of sausage from a platter. “The Mexican War was over twenty years ago and you were an old man then.”

“Did you fight for the annexation of Texas?” Hannah asked.

“For two years,” Horace replied.

“Mr. Gardner is showing me the church this morning,” Reverend Taggart said to his daughter. “I thought you might like to join us.”

“If you don’t mind, I’m still tired from the trip,” she answered. “Is it all right with you if I rest this morning?”

“That’s perfectly fine,” her father replied. “You rest. I imagine you’ll want to check out available locations for your shop when you’re up to it.”

She gave him an affectionate smile. Hannah was a talented seamstress and made all of her own clothing.

Leah cast her a curious glance. “You’re planning a shop?”

Hannah nodded. “I’ve always wanted to have my own dressmaking establishment. This place seems like the perfect opportunity, with new businesses cropping up everywhere and more women arriving. I might not have many customers at first, but I’m sure business will flourish as the town grows.”

Which reminded Leah of her own plans for the morning. She was going to visit the newspaper about an advertisement. “The newspaper office is right next door to us here, isn’t it?” she asked.

“I’m heading there right after breakfast,” Prudence replied. She wore a plain brown dress, with her ever-present cameo at her throat.

“We might as well walk over together then,” Leah suggested.

“Actually I went late yesterday, too,” Prudence said. “I got a position.”

“My, my, isn’t that news?” Aunt Mae exclaimed. “What if you get a husband who lives outside town, dear?”

Prudence glanced at the others around the table. “I will choose one who either lives in town or nearby.”

Old Horace squinted at her. “Do you have newspaper experience?”

“D.B.—er, Mr. Burrows has assured me my help is quite welcome.”

“Perhaps Mr. Burrows is in the market for a wife,” Aunt Mae added with a wry lift of one eyebrow. “Wouldn’t that be convenient?”

Prudence pursed her lips in exasperation. “I don’t think so.”

“Well, I’m significantly impressed you’ve found a position so quickly,” Pippa said. “Perhaps you could employ your curious side and find the latest news on all the residents.”

“We got news for ya,” Old Horace chimed in.

“Facts are what we need,” Gus reminded him “That newspaper has a reputation for blowing the truth out of proportion. Why, this town was still a row of clapboard buildings and tents, and The Herald was already calling it a boomtown.”

“It is a boomtown, you old fool,” Old Horace rebutted.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be going.” Prudence set down her napkin and stood.

Leah watched her go. She was the least friendly of all the women who had traveled west together. Leah understood Prudence was widowed, as well, so perhaps she was still grieving and not ready for friendships. Everyone handled grief their own way. “May I help you with the breakfast dishes?” she asked Aunt Mae.

“Goodness, no. You’re a paid renter, even if the town is paying your rent for a few weeks. The dishes are my job.”

“Thank you. It was a nice meal.” Leah took care of a few last-minute things, and then walked next door.

D.B. Burrows was a tall fellow with muttonchop sideburns and pale skin. He was standing at a worktable when she entered. “Morning,” he offered.

“Good morning. I’d like to place an ad, please.”

“Miss Haywood will get all the information,” he told her.

Leah hadn’t seen Prudence sitting behind a partition until she stood and reached for paper and ink.

Leah recited what she’d planned for her ad.

“There aren’t many women around here yet,” D.B. said.

“I understand that,” Leah answered. “Hopefully, people will read it and remember me when my midwife services are needed.”

D.B. wiped his hands and moved to stand beside Prudence. He stood a little too close in Leah’s opinion, but the young widow didn’t seem to mind as she showed him what she’d written. “That’s good,” he praised.

This seemed awfully quick, but maybe theirs would be the first marriage, just as Aunt Mae had suggested. Or Leah was reading more into their new employer and employee relationship than was there. She paid for the ad. “Do I remember seeing the doctor’s sign on this street?”

D.B. nodded. “Keep walking the way you came here and on past the jail. Across the street on the corner is Doc Fletcher’s place. If he’s not in, there’s a chalkboard.”

“Thank you.”

Quincy Davis spotted her as she passed, and he came out to greet her. “Morning, Miss...”

“Mrs. Swann,” she supplied.

“Mrs. Swann. I trust Aunt Mae has made you comfortable?”

“Yes, indeed.” She glanced across the street and spotted Gus and Horace settling onto chairs in front of a building. The sign above the door read Booker & Son—Purveyor of Dry Goods from Nails to Cloth.

“Is that the mercantile?”

“It’s one of ’em. The largest, in fact. Gus and Old Horace loiter there all day, except when they go back to the boardinghouse for lunch. Sometimes if I don’t see them, I can hear clanging and I know they’re playing horseshoes behind the store. There’s a lot between the store and the church.”

She continued on her way and found the doctor in his office. He was rail thin and his hair was balding on top, but he still had gray fringe around his ears.

“How do you do?” Leah said. “I’m Mrs. Swann.”

“Welcome to Cowboy Creek.” He had smile lines in both cheeks and his dark eyebrows were thick. “You’re one of the widows? You ladies are the talk of the town, you know.”

“Yes, sir. I’ve come to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about me. I’ve had midwife experience and I’m hoping to put my knowledge to use.”

“I’m sure you’ll be quite useful,” he replied. “As soon as we have more women and babies on the way. Right now there is only Opal Godwin here in town, but I know of two more women on nearby ranches who might appreciate your services.”

“I wanted to make sure I wasn’t stepping on your toes before I called on Mrs. Godwin,” she said.

“Goodness, no. I’ll be happy to be relieved of those duties. I have more than enough to keep me busy with all the rowdy cowboys, snakebites, scrapes and cuts, and the occasional construction accident.”

“That’s good to hear. Not the part about the snakebites and the accidents, of course. The part about you being relieved to turn over some of your cases.” She paused and he studied her. “There is one more thing I need to mention.”

The doctor waited.

Leah’s nerves fluttered. She hadn’t told anyone yet. Saying the words aloud brought back her past losses. “I’m going to have a baby myself.”

“I see.” He nodded. “Best you find yourself a husband soon then.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “But I’m concerned for my baby.”

“Of course you are.”

“No. What I mean is, I’ve lost two babies before it was time for them to be born.”

“I’m real sorry to hear that, ma’am. Would you like me to check your health now?” he asked. “How did you fare on your trip?”

He did a routine exam, asking questions about the circumstances leading to previous issues and finding her healthy. “I see nothing that would warn us of a problem,” he said.

“This time feels different,” she said. “I don’t know how to explain it, except I don’t feel the same way I did the other times.”

“I trust your intuition, but I caution you to get plenty of rest and not overtax your body.”

“That’s my plan,” she assured him. “I don’t want anything to happen this time.”

“I think you should come see me every few weeks,” he suggested. “We’ll keep a close watch.”

“Thank you, Doctor Fletcher.”

“Now head back to your room and rest.” He grinned. “Doctor’s orders.”

Leah said a silent prayer of thanks. This time was going to be different. This time she would have a child to hold in her arms and love. Her heart ached with the joy of gain and the sorrow of loss. One crucial component remained—the reason she’d come to Cowboy Creek. She still had to find a father for this baby—a husband.

Chapter Four

Daniel and Will had spent the night at Noah’s and lit out at first light. Daniel gathered clothing and headed for the bathhouse, then around the corner to the barber for a shave. He met Will and Reverend Taggart outside the boardinghouse and couldn’t resist glancing up at the room where Aunt Mae had mentioned Leah was staying. He’d lain awake most of the night, and it hadn’t been the other men’s snores that had disturbed his sleep. It had been thoughts of Leah and how she would react to what he was going to ask this morning.

The reverend was appreciative of the white frame church building on Second Street, with its steeple and fresh paint. The interior smelled of new wood and plaster. The council had voted for and commissioned twelve stained glass windows that lined the east and west walls, six on each side. The morning light streamed through those windows and reflected colorful rainbows on the polished wood pews and floor.

Reverend Taggart walked up the middle aisle in devout silence, examining every beam and board of the interior as he slowly reached the front. His steel-gray eyes were moist when he turned to face the other men. “God is so good and merciful. This is more than I ever expected. I know our Creator can use this building, and I pray He can use me to minister to the people of this community. I wish my wife could have been here to see this.”

“When did you lose her?” Will asked.

“Five years ago. It’s been only Hannah and me since then.”

“Let’s go have a look at your house,” Daniel suggested.

Virgil Taggart nodded. “I can’t wait to come back here.”

Daniel dropped two keys into his hand. “It’s yours and God’s.”

The parsonage had a front porch and a yard large enough for a garden. Daniel settled his hat back on his head. “There are three bedrooms, a kitchen and small dining room. The workers are finishing up the plaster and paint this week. They’re digging a root cellar. You’ll share a well with the church. For now we’ve planned for your meals at the hotel, but I hope to hire a cook and housekeeper for you.”

“I’m a simple man, Mr. Gardner. Hannah and I have been on our own for some time. Once she’s married I can look after myself.”

“You can, but your time is better spent looking after the people,” Will said.

“You should be able to move in at the end of the week,” Daniel explained. “Monday at the latest.”

“That will be fine. The boardinghouse is perfectly comfortable until then.”

They parted in front of the parsonage, and Daniel headed up Eden Street toward Aunt Mae’s. Removing his hat, he held it against the front of his coat. He took a deep breath and rang the bell. Pippa answered the door.

“Mr. Gardner! It’s so nice to see you.” She wore another fancy dress, this one in green with puffy sleeves at the shoulders. Beads at her throat and dangling earrings glistened in the sunlight that filtered through the window on the landing above. “Aunt Mae is making a pot of tea. Would you like to join us?”

“Thank you, but I’ve come to see Mrs. Swann.”

“Oh, of course. She’s upstairs. I’ll run up and get her for you.”

A few minutes later, Pippa descended the stairs. “She’ll be right down.”

He waited impatiently, pacing the foyer. Each time he came up to the framed mirror, he looked at his intense reflection and reminded himself to relax his features and smile. It wouldn’t do to scare the poor woman away.

A stair squeaked. “Daniel.”

He glanced toward the landing. The light caressed her hair through the panes of glass and turned it to spun sunshine. She wore a white dress with sprigs of tiny blue flowers and light blue trim. Ivory lace stood up around her throat. Blue fabric buttons on the jacket matched another row of buttons on a flounce that covered the hoop skirt. She reminded him of a fresh floral breeze on a spring day.

“This is a nice surprise,” she said with a soft smile. “I thought you’d be busy working.”

“There’s something I want to show you.”

“Oh. Well, all right.”

“We won’t be long. You won’t need anything. Are you up for a short walk?”

“Yes, of course. That sounds nice. How far?” She came down the rest of the steps and he held open the front door for her.

“Only a block to the east.”

“I’m intrigued.”

Leah was delighted to see her friend. He offered his arm and she tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. Daniel looked dashing in his gray jacket and black tie. His polished black boots sounded on the boardwalk that ran in front of the businesses on Eden Street, around the corner and down two steps. The side street had only a dirt path for walking, and she was thankful it wasn’t muddy.

Across the street was a saddle shop. A minute later, the sound of a hammer ringing drew her attention. A square building was under construction on the street behind the boardinghouse.

“That will be the schoolhouse soon,” Daniel told her.

They reached the corner of the block, and across the street from them on the opposite corner sat a large gray three-story house, trimmed in white, with arches above the windows, two chimneys and trees no taller than the first floor planted at intervals in the yard. “What a beautiful home.”

“It’s Second Empire architecture,” he said. “And the porch is colonial, but together it has a Victorian look without being frilly, don’t you think?”

She nodded. “I guess so. I don’t know much about architecture.”

“I saw this style used in Boston, so I studied it. The style evolved from seventeenth-century Renaissance buildings. The house has eleven rooms.”

He led her across the street and toward the house.

“Do you know the people who live here?” she asked.

His gaze moved from the house to her face. “I live here.”

“It’s your house?” She stared up at the stories above as they approached.

He used a key in the lock and opened the front door. “Please come in.”

Leah stepped into the enormous foyer and studied the ceiling with plaster-designed leaves and scrolls, and a sparkling chandelier. Their heels echoed on the shiny wood floor. Only one small table and an umbrella stand occupied the space. He led her through a wide doorway into a parlor with crown molding, wood embellishments, built-in window seats and a beautiful blue-and-white-tiled fireplace. Curtains had been hung at the windows, but the room was bare of furniture.

He showed her each room, pointing out special features. She sensed his assessing gaze on her several times, but when she looked up at him, he went on with the tour. Only one room was completely furnished, but he showed her his bedroom from the doorway.

“And that’s it,” he said.

“It’s lovely,” she told him honestly. “It’s even nicer than any of our homes back in Pennsylvania. You paid attention to every detail.” And it was his attention to detail that revealed his intent. She pictured him returning from war, joining Will to create a town, and taking on this project that held so much hope and meaning. He’d chosen everything so carefully and overseen the construction. He intended to share this home with a wife. Raise a family here. Perhaps he had his eye on one of the brides with whom she’d traveled. It was entirely possible his intended wife would arrive on the next bride train.

“I did,” he agreed in the deep, smooth voice she remembered well. “I wanted to get it just right.”

She opened the front door and walked to the end of the porch. “There’s plenty of room for gardens. And the trees will shade the porch. You’ve planned everything.”

“Almost everything.”

She looked up at him.

“Leah.”

Their gazes remained locked.

“Let’s sit on the steps for a few minutes.” He took one hand while she used her other to smooth her skirt under herself and sit. “I’m sure you recognize that I built this house for a family.”

She nodded. “I can see that.”

“Nothing is as it used to be. The war changed this country. It changed its people. There is opportunity for so much here in the North. Industry is flourishing because of that wretched war. A lot of people are getting wealthy. The railroad changed this land, too. And the cattle are making Cowboy Creek rich.”

He raised his chin a notch. “Riches sure aren’t everything, and we all know that. But they’re a way to be comfortable now, to make a good life. We can have good lives here.”

“New lives,” she said. “That’s why I came. I need a new start. There’s something I need to tell you, Daniel.”

“Before you say anything, Leah, I’d like to speak. I have been thinking a lot about the future.”

“All right.” She already knew, of course, that he was making plans for a wife and children. His ambition and planning were remarkable, actually. Leah had always known him as the one who suggested fishing spots, foot races and expeditions into the woods. She fondly recalled the two of them sharing evenings around a roaring campfire, telling tall tales, laughing. Always laughing. She wouldn’t have pictured him here in this town, intent on building a community and securing a family. If she’d imagined what he’d be doing, she would have pictured him settling down on the ranch he always talked about.

But he was right. Nothing was as it used to be. And Daniel was a grown man now. A man who’d experienced things she couldn’t imagine. Stability and security probably sounded pretty good to him, too.

“I would be a good husband. You already know what kind of man I am. I can provide for you. I can give you this home. And a family. We could raise children here. I own the stockyards and a lot of the property and even homes. I’m building more all the time.”

He’d be a good husband and provide for her? They could raise children, he’d said. His words penetrated her reminiscent musings and registered with more than a little surprise. She purposely kept the astonishment from her expression, but rested a palm on her chest, where her heart had skipped a beat.

“I’ve hired workers to build the houses,” he continued. “And I’m selling them to the arriving families. Besides having a respected position in the community, I’m rather well off. You can have your fresh start and never have to worry about anything again.”

All that information about the property and obvious money would have mattered more before. It still mattered, of course, because he was talking about securing her future. He was looking right at her, in that intense way he had when he felt strongly about something, his green eyes bright. But the words that rang in her head were those that offered her heart’s desire. A new start with nothing to worry over.

She’d hoped for a decent man to ask for her hand in marriage. She’d prayed for someone kind and God-fearing. She’d asked the Almighty for His protection for her child and a husband she could tolerate.

She had nothing to fear from Daniel Gardner. He was gentle and kind—a man of his word, a man of integrity. He wanted to marry her and have children together. Her mouth was dry.

She stood and moved down to the stone path, where she turned and looked back up at him sitting on the top stair. “Daniel Gardner, you’re asking me to marry you.”

“I’m asking if you will allow me to court you.”

Raising a trembling hand to her forehead, she shaded her eyes from the sun and gazed down the street at the schoolhouse that would soon hold children. Their cheerful voices would be audible from this porch, perhaps their singing would even reach the kitchen window. The imagery stole away her breath and pierced her heart with want and loss.

Daniel had a dream. He’d survived the horrors of war and traveled to this place with hopes. He wanted children of his own. He deserved a selfless young wife who would love him as he deserved.

An ache grew in her chest, an ache like a gnawing hunger. She felt as though she’d lost something perfect and beautiful. An ache so big and ugly she couldn’t bear it spread to her belly. She didn’t want him to change his mind, but once he knew the truth, she didn’t want him to marry her out of duty or obligation—and most of all not out of pity.

“Daniel, I’m going to have a baby.”

His bright green gaze immediately flickered over her dress and back to her face. A line creased his forehead. “Now?”

“Not this moment,” she said in a wobbly voice. “In a few months. I’m carrying a child. My husband’s child.”

He appeared to turn that information over in his mind before speaking. “He didn’t die in the war?”

“No. He died five months ago.”

Daniel straightened and came down the stairs. Standing beside her he seemed taller and broader. The faint scents of cedar and starch touched her nostrils. She looked up into his face, rethinking her image of him, rethinking her options. Either her options had just become a whole lot more appealing, or her losses had become even greater—if he didn’t want her baby.

Nerves fluttered in Leah’s chest. Her mouth was dry.

“Your suffering’s the same no matter how or when he died, Leah. I’m sorry you lost your husband.”

You have no idea. I don’t want you to know. “Thank you, Daniel.”

“I understand the hurt is fresh.” His tender, caring tone brought tears to her eyes. “And I know you’re doing what you must do in order to move on and make a life for yourself. For your child.”

She blinked and looked over his shoulder at the long narrow double windows reflecting the sky.

“I’ll take care of you and the baby. I’ll raise him like my own. He’ll never want for anything.”

Oh. There it was. The promise of a good man. An earnest and kind man. The one requirement from which she couldn’t be budged. Tears burned behind her eyes. “I believe you,” she managed. “You’re a man of your word. A devoted man. You have ambition and foresight. And you’re good-hearted.” She reached for his sleeve and rested her hand on his arm. “Most importantly, you’re kind.”

His hesitation was barely perceptible. “Will you marry me?”

She looked up into his piercing green eyes and searched for sincerity. He wouldn’t be human if he didn’t share her uncertainty. He masked his tension well, but she knew him better. This wasn’t a choice to make lightly. But marriage was a practical decision. Like he’d said, they weren’t strangers. They already knew they had things in common and would be compatible. If she said no, she couldn’t know who would ask her next. Obviously there were plenty of options, with all the single men vying for a wife, but she would never do any better than Daniel.

She’d married Charles, believing he would provide a home and security. Daniel’s beautiful home and standing in the community would have meant everything to her at one time. Now the house was superfluous, like pink sugar sprinkles on iced tea cakes. She wanted the provision he promised for her child. She needed to feel safe. But she was hungry for kindness.

She’d lost her faith in mankind, but she still believed God loved her and was watching out for her. Why else would Daniel Gardner want to marry her?

“This marriage would be a practical partnership,” she said at last. “I can promise to be a good wife. You have a standing in town, and I would make every attempt to uphold that and make you proud.”

He raised his chin and gave a conciliatory nod. “Of course.”

“I may not be able to assume a lot of household duties right away,” she told him. “If that’s a problem I understand. I must be honest with you.”

“Of course,” he said again.

Her stomach dipped as she formed her next words. “This isn’t the first time I’ve carried a child.”

He lowered his eyebrows in question. “No?”

“I lost two babies before. I am going to be very careful and get a lot of rest so I can bring this child safely into the world. I won’t take any risks.”

“Of course, Leah. Of course you must take every precaution. I’ll take care of everything. I’ll make sure you have help with the house, and later with the baby.”

She took a shaky breath. “This is almost too good to be true.”

He took her hands in his. His fingers were large and warm, and she felt undeniably safe in that moment. “We can’t lose hope, Leah. We’ve lived through difficult times—the worst of times. We’ve lost so much. But there’s still good in the world. God’s still on His throne, watching over us, guiding us, loving us. He knows our hurt and our hearts.”

“I believe that, too, Daniel. Otherwise, how would I have ended up here at this time? Seeing you and Will yesterday was like finding family I’d lost.”

He nodded in understanding. “Say yes.”

This was the sensible thing to do. She hadn’t expected this opportunity and she’d be a fool not to seize it. “Yes.”

Chapter Five

They’d decided to tell people quickly, so everyone would know Leah was no longer an eligible bride. There was a welcome function planned for after church on Sunday, so they decided to make their announcement then. Daniel had barely had time to register the monumental life change he faced and talk to Reverend Taggart about a ceremony when a commotion snagged his attention the next morning.

Through his office windows on Eden Street, he caught sight of half a dozen men riding past. He got up and went to the door.

A rider reined a horse to a stop in front of his building and jumped to the ground. He tossed the reins over a post and stepped onto the boardwalk. His clothing, face and hair were coated with dust. “You Mr. Gardner?”

“That’s me.”

“Theo Pierce’s outfit is about four miles out,” the fellow said. “Herd should reach the valley within the hour and we’ll camp there overnight. Mr. Pierce sent me ahead to tell you we’ll be heading for the yards at first light tomorrow.”

It was the first drive of the season and cause for celebration. “This is good news,” Daniel said. “I’ll buy you breakfast and ride back with you to look over your cows.”

Daniel got his horse from the livery, they had a quick meal at the Cowboy Café and then headed out.

“Looks like a fine, healthy herd,” he told Theo Pierce. The two men sat atop their mounts assessing the longhorns.

“We started out with two thousand head,” Theo replied. “Lost a dozen in the Red River, a couple to snakebite and let the Kiowa and Comanche have a few to keep them off our trail.”

“We’ll do a count as we lead ’em through the chutes tomorrow,” Daniel said. “You didn’t lose many. Sounds like a good trip.”

“Not complainin’.”

“Remind your men about the no-gun law before they go into town tomorrow. They can check their weapons with Sheriff Davis. Another laundry opened on Fourth Street, besides the one across from the tracks. Bathhouse on Second, and three places to eat along Eden now. The townspeople will be happy to see them.”

A rider joined them, a young fellow wearing a fringed buffalo-hide vest. “A calf ran off yonder. Dutch is after ’im. His mama’s cryin’. Other than that, they’re pretty calm.”

“Keep an eye on his mama ’til Dutch brings ’im back,” Theo said.

The rider acknowledged the order by turning his horse abruptly and heading back to the herd. The state of Texas had been quilled in Indian beadwork on the back of his vest.

“That’s James Johnson. He’s my point man,” Theo explained to Daniel. Being point man required experience. He determined course and set the pace for the drive, keeping the lead steers headed the right direction.

“I’ve heard that name. Thought he usually rode with Stone’s outfit.”

“Not this time.”

“I’ll book a room for you at the hotel. Plan to join me and my partners for dinner tomorrow evening,” Daniel said. “Tell James he’s invited, too.”

“That’s mighty generous.”

“We appreciate you bringing your herd to Cowboy Creek. Spread the word that we treat you well and pay top dollar.”

“We’ll see how the sale goes tomorrow,” Theo answered.

Daniel agreed with a nod and rode back to town. He hadn’t made it to the livery when Sheriff Davis caught up to him on horseback. “Daniel! Don’t put your horse up yet.”

Daniel reined in beside him in front of the Fourth Street laundry. “What do you need?”

“There’s something you have to see.”

He accompanied Quincy down Lincoln Boulevard, past his own house, south a few blocks, and rode across the tracks to a row of railcars that awaited unloading. Quincy pointed to an empty flatbed car. “That one was stacked with your lumber.”

Daniel glanced at it. “I had a crew deliver it to a building site to the west today.”

Quincy shook his head. “’Fraid not. When they got here the lumber was gone.”

“There’s a night guard. What does he say?”

“They found him tied up in one of the other cars. Said someone got the jump on him last night and he doesn’t remember anything.”

Daniel frowned. “Someone stole the lumber?”

“Looks that way.”

Daniel’s first reaction was more confusion than anger, but the more he thought about it the more irate he got.

“Were those supplies for one of your houses?” Quincy asked.

“No, that was town property. Lumber for section twenty to the west.” They hadn’t even named the new street yet. The council planned to do that at the next meeting.

“I sent out a couple of deputies and I’ll be searching, as well. I found tracks leading away from town, but they were covered by others and I lost ’em. We’ll figure it out and hopefully catch the thieves.”

Daniel nodded. “I’ll take a look, too. Which way did the tracks head?”

“East.”

“Thanks, Quincy.” At the livery he gave his horse feed and water, then rode from the rail station east, following the tracks Quincy had discovered and losing them, but picking them up again a couple miles farther away.

He’d gone half a mile farther when the smell of smoke touched his nostrils and he scanned the sky, spotting a thin thread of black twisting into the horizon. He headed toward it and met two riders coming his way. As they neared, he recognized Timothy Watson and Buck Hanley, two of Quincy’s part-time deputies. Timothy wore his hat tipped back on his head. “Found your lumber, Mr. Gardner!”

“Somebody hauled it out here and lit fire to it,” Buck supplied.

Daniel absorbed that grim news. “We’d better stay and watch it,” he said. “Last thing we need is a prairie fire. This is a pretty stupid thing to do.”

Buck’s somber expression showed concern, as well. “Surprised a spark hasn’t caught the grass afire yet.”

“Got anything we can scoop dirt with?” Daniel asked.

“I got a tin pan in my saddlebag,” Timothy offered.

“I have one, too,” Buck said.

“I have a knife,” Daniel informed them. “I’ll loosen dirt and you toss it on the fire.”

A couple of hours later, only a few embers still glowed. Even though it was spring, the three men were hot and dirty under the Kansas sun. Daniel yanked out the questionable boards and kicked dirt on them. They stayed until there was no threat of the fire spreading.

“I appreciate you both sticking around to see this through,” Daniel told them in a solemn voice.

“We have a stake in Cowboy Creek, too,” Buck said. “I’m doin’ the deputy job and working for Owen Ewing so I can save up and start my own business.”

“What do you want to do?” Daniel asked Timothy.

“I put a deposit down on a building. I’ve been watching to see who comes along to see if I can find a partner. Not sure, but my options are open.”

“Let me know if I can help you when you decide on something,” Daniel said.

“Will do.”

The three of them mounted their horses and headed back to town. Uneasiness settled over Daniel and didn’t let loose. Someone had stolen that wood and destroyed it, not caring who or what was hurt in the process. A prairie fire could spread for miles, decimating everything in its path—wildlife, crops, farms. The motive for such an act escaped him.

He’d talk to the town council about immediately hiring another guard for the station and railroad yards. It was better to take preventative measures than be sorry later. Daniel didn’t intend to let anyone undermine what they were working so hard to build. There was too much at stake.

* * *

Leah joined the other young women on their walk to church. It was a beautiful morning, warm and filled with sunshine. The perfect day for a joyful announcement. She wished she felt more jubilant than cautiously relieved. Her future wasn’t as uncertain as it had been a week ago, but apprehension still wound its cold claws into her conscience. Daniel Gardner had always been a close friend, but when it came to pondering a husband she’d never so much as considered him. Maybe she’d been too close to him and had foolishly overlooked what was right in front of her. Now that the war had cut her world into pieces like a jigsaw puzzle and she had to fit it back together again, he was the best option she had.

She felt guilty for thinking that way, as though he hadn’t been a choice back then, but now he was good enough. But it wasn’t that way at all, and she sure didn’t want him to have the impression he was her last resort. He would make any woman a good husband, and she was truly blessed that he’d asked her to be his wife.

When they reached the new church building, Aunt Mae stood outside the door with Reverend Taggart and a dark-haired young woman who, by the size of her swollen belly, could only be Opal Godwin. Aunt Mae smiled from ear to ear. She wore a lavender-and-cream-striped dress with ruffles on the cuffs and hems of the jacket, skirt and overskirt. Lace at the neck cut into her abundant chins, and the matching buttons down the jacket front looked as though they might pop at any moment.

Opal, who was painfully thin by contrast, wore a loose dress with white lace-trimmed bodice and sleeves and a gray pinstriped skirt with black trim. Pleats draped the round protrusion of the child she carried. The colors washed out her already-tired complexion.

“You’re all here!” Aunt Mae beamed. “I left early to help set up for the celebration after the service, so I didn’t get to see your lovely dresses. I hope your breakfast was adequate.”

“It was tasty and satisfying,” Hannah replied.

“Welcome,” Reverend Taggart greeted them. “Darling.” He kissed Hannah’s cheek.

“Opal has been looking forward to meeting you,” Aunt Mae said, addressing Leah.

“And I her.” Leah took the hand Opal extended and placed her other hand over the back. “I hope to be able to call on you this week, Mrs. Godwin. I’m a midwife.”

“I’ve heard all about you, and I’m relieved to know you’re here. But, please you must call me Opal.” She kept her voice cheerful, but her brown eyes and the dark smudges beneath them belied her weariness.

“Your husband is a boot maker.”

Opal nodded. “An extremely talented one.”

“And you help him?”

“I’ve always helped him in the shop, but he won’t let me now, so I’ve been staying in our upstairs quarters sewing and doing a lot of reading.”

“Your husband is looking out for your welfare and that of your child. Rest is good.” She leaned forward so Opal was the only one to hear her. “I expect to be doing a lot of that myself in the months to come.”

Opal raised her eyebrows in question.

“I’m expecting a child, as well. I answered the advertisement to find a husband because mine died only a few months ago and I have no family left.”

Opal hadn’t released Leah’s hand, and she squeezed her fingers gently. “I’m sorry for your loss, Mrs. Swann. You must have been frightened and felt very alone.”

A flutter of the old heartache caught in Leah’s chest, and she fought it down. Opal’s understanding left her feeling vulnerable. “Yes. Finding Daniel and Will here was like having family again.”

“I’m glad you found your way to us.”

“So am I. Thank you. And please call me Leah. How is your appetite?”

“I’m never very hungry.”

“We’ll have to do something about that. Your baby needs sustenance and so do you. This is an important job you have, nourishing this baby.”

“Everything seems to make me feel sick,” Opal admitted.

“We’ll see what we can do.” Leah flashed a reassuring smile. “Don’t you worry, all right?”

Menfolk climbed the wooden stairs behind them, so the women entered the church. Morning sun streamed through the stained glass windows that lined the side walls, creating arcs of color across the plain-hewn pews, polished floorboards, as well as heads and shoulders of those already seated. The color and warmth lent a surreal tone to the already reverent atmosphere inside the building.

“Isn’t this the most inspiring sight we’ve seen yet?” Pippa said from behind Leah’s shoulder. “All the colors of God’s rainbow right here for us to enjoy on Sunday morning. This little church couldn’t be any more beautiful.”

“It is beautiful,” Leah agreed with a soft smile for her energetic friend.

“Who do you suppose will be the first to marry here?” Pippa asked.

Leah didn’t reply, but a flutter in her chest stole her breath for a moment. It would be her. She would be marrying Daniel in this very place. Soon.

“There haven’t been this many men in the service since the church was built,” Aunt Mae said in a loud whisper. “Seems like they’ve all turned out to get a gander at the brides.”

Hannah surveyed the crowd of men, her expression uneasy. When she looked at Leah, her gray eyes revealed what Leah imagined was fear or uncertainty. Her hair was pulled away from her face as always, leaving her expression visible. It wasn’t easy to travel to an unknown place with one’s future up in the air. The mail-order brides were here because they had no other choice but to take this chance.

Leah reached for Hannah’s hand. “Come sit beside me. Unless you have to play the piano?”

Again something flickered in the tall girl’s eyes. “No, I’m not very good at reading music. Thank you.”

They noticed Will Canfield motioning and found he’d held a row for them.

After everyone had been seated and Reverend Taggart moved to stand at an oak pulpit at the front, he looked around and visibly composed himself. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” the congregation greeted in unison.

“I’m Reverend Virgil Taggart. I am fortunate to have been invited to your town, along with my beautiful daughter, Hannah, and the other three brides you sent for.”

An irreverent whoop filled the building, followed by claps and whistles, to which the reverend good-naturedly grinned and nodded.

Finally he raised a hand for silence. “I know. I know you’re pleased. It’s exciting to be here, too. I want to assure you I’m grateful for this position. I don’t take it lightly, and I am looking forward to knowing each of you as my family.” He released a breath, then went on. “Your gracious town has provided me with a home and ample help, so my burden will be easy. I’m going to do my best to be a friend and counselor to all who come to me. I put my trust and confidence in God to come here. He’s going to show me what He has planned next, and I’m excited about it.”

He reached under the podium and opened a book. “Richard Mosely has graciously offered to play the organ. Thank you, Richard. Turn with me, if you will, to page sixteen in your brand spankin’ new hymnals.”

Clothing and pages rustled as churchgoers reached for their hymnals and opened them.

Bless Richard’s heart, he hit a couple of sharp notes before he settled into the measures of the first song. Around Leah a chorus of men’s voices rose and sent a chill down her spine. She and Hannah exchanged a glance of surprise and appreciation.

“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.

Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.”

She’d never heard so many men singing at once, and their enthusiasm was overwhelming. Tears formed in her eyes, preventing her from seeing the page. But she knew the words to the ancient song by heart, so she continued.

“...on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing.

Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is He...”

Leah sensed something beyond the power of the moving words and let her gaze wander across the sea of men standing on the other side of the aisle. There she found Daniel looking back at her as he sang, a secret smile on his face. He looked handsome in his Sunday finery, his shoulders broad in the gray coat. A new sense of joy rose up and overwhelmed her. She’d made the right choice by coming here. She was going to be fine and her baby would be well taken care of—and loved, she prayed. She couldn’t ask for more than this new beginning. After the service ended, Will walked to the front with a barely discernible limp. “Ladies and gentlemen. Please stay and join us on the lawn for refreshments and to meet the newest residents of Cowboy Creek. But bear with me for just a moment before we move outdoors. Mrs. Swann, will you come forward, please?” He extended his arm in her direction.

Daniel stood and joined him. He and Will changed positions, and Daniel watched her approach with a determined smile.

Leah’s heart pounded. She’d known this was the day he planned to make the announcement, but she hadn’t known where or how. Her fingers trembled on her skirt as she raised the hem away from her feet and edged her way to the end of the pew and into the aisle. She looked forward, and the kindness in Daniel’s expression allayed her qualms as she reached him. He took her hand and tucked it familiarly into the crook of his arm, where the rough fabric was warm. He smelled good, like cedar and saving soap.

“This will come as a disappointment to many of you, but I do hope you will rejoice with us. Mrs. Swann and I knew each other years ago. We grew up together in Pennsylvania.” He glanced at his friend, standing to the side. “Along with Will, we were close. We’d lost touch for a long while, so it was a surprise to see her on the platform the day the train arrived.”

Leah observed the faces of the townsfolk as well as those of her fellow travelers. All were smiling.

“I’ve asked Mrs. Swann to be my wife, and she has agreed. We are officially engaged.”

Silence hummed for a minute, and then a dozen groans attested to the expected disappointment that one bride prospect had been removed from the already inadequate list.

“I know, I know,” Daniel said, commiserating.

And then applause broke out, softly at first, but quickly gaining enthusiasm. Shouts and whistles accompanied the outpouring of congratulations.

Leah looked toward Daniel, and when he smiled gallantly down at her, she sighed with relief. He gave her a quick hug and declared, “Now let’s go eat!”

Chapter Six

Leah had already told her fellow traveling companions about her engagement, and they’d been happy for her. One by one they formally congratulated her.

Daniel took her hand. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

He led her across the grass to where a muscular-looking fellow dressed in clean trousers and a plain shirt stood a distance from the gathering. He had blond hair, and when he turned wary blue eyes her way, she noted scars on his cheek.

“Leah, this is my good friend Noah Burgess. He’s a farmer and rancher. He and Will and I joined up in ’62.” He glanced at his friend. “Noah, this is Leah Swann. She used to be Leah Robinson. Will and I have known her since we were children.”

Noah nodded. “Mrs. Swann. My companions speak highly of you.”

She extended her gloved hand, and he touched it briefly before releasing her fingers. “Daniel says he and Will came here to see you after the war and decided to stay. You founded Cowboy Creek.”

“Well, I was here, buying horses and planting crops. Once they’d come and bought even more land, the railroad scouted the area.” His smooth southern accent defined his heritage. “They thought it would be a good idea to sell and invest and build. So we did. And that’s how Cowboy Creek got on the map.”

“I will be happy to introduce you to my friends,” Leah offered. “I might be able to secure you a private conversation with one of the ladies and give you an edge above the others.”

“No,” he said brusquely. “I have to get back and do chores.” With that, he settled his hat on his head and turned away, heading toward the lot where horses and buggies were waiting.

Leah cast Will a nervous glance. “I guess I said the wrong thing.”

“Don’t fret yourself. He’s not a social person.”

“Or he doesn’t much like me. What does he know about me exactly?”

“It’s not you, Leah,” Daniel reassured her. “In fact, Noah’s the one who encouraged me to ask you to marry me.”

“He did?”

“Yes, he did. He rarely comes to town. We pressured him to be here this morning.”

“How did he get those scars? Is he self-conscious?”

“His gun backfired in a battle,” he answered in a low tone. “The burns were down his chest and arm, too. I think the scars still pain him, but he won’t talk about it. He was an exceptional soldier and was discharged because of his injuries.”

“And a southerner, obviously.”

“So he thought he had to fight harder than anyone else,” Daniel said with a nod.

“He’s fortunate to have you as his friend.”

“The three of us got used to looking out for each other.”

“I hope I will have friends like you do.”

He took her hand and touched her cheek with his fingertips. “You will.” His green eyes showed sincere kindness. “Until then, you have me.”

His thoughtfulness blessed her. The sun glinted off his thick chestnut hair. “You make me want to be a better person, Daniel.”

“You’re perfect just the way you are.”

She smiled. “I will let you think that.”

He tucked her hand in his and they joined the gathering.

Pippa, dressed in a striking jade green dress with crisscrossing layers of ruffles across the voluminous skirt and decorative buttons from shoulder to cuff on each sleeve, was the center of attention. The color set off her vibrant ginger-gold hair and hazel eyes. Every male’s attention was riveted on the petite beauty’s dazzling smile.

“Leah, have you heard? There’s an opera house under construction! The gentlemen were just telling me of it. Why, we can hold plays and concerts and enjoy the arts just like back east.” She looked to Daniel for confirmation. “When do you expect it will be finished, Mr. Gardner?”

Daniel’s gaze darted to Will and back to Pippa. “I’m afraid construction is temporarily delayed. The load of lumber designated for the opera house has been reassigned to another project with a pressing deadline. The council decided the houses take priority over the opera house. But only until a new order can be supplied.”

“Some of you might have heard about a shipment being stolen from the rail yard,” Quincy Davis supplied. “The lumber for the west side houses was hauled out of town and burned. The load that arrives tomorrow will need to replace that for now.”

“But we’ve put in an order for more to replace the lumber for the opera house,” Daniel assured Pippa and the bystanders.

Amos Godwin furrowed his brow. “Do you have any idea who would do something like that?”

“We don’t,” Daniel answered honestly. “And it’s worrisome. But we’ve hired additional guards for the rail yard, so it won’t happen again.”

“On a positive note,” Will interjected, “the first drive of the year is in the holding pens and will be shipping out this week.”

“You didn’t have t’ tell us that,” Old Horace said with a cackle. “We’ve smelled the money since yesterday!”

The crowd shared a laugh.

A while later, after they’d visited with other churchgoers, accepted congratulations and eaten lunch, Daniel suggested they slip away to make plans.

Even though they’d eaten, he escorted her to the hotel restaurant for tea.

D.B. Burrows spotted them and stood beside their table. “I didn’t have a chance to congratulate you. When will the nuptials be?”

“We’re here to talk about that,” Daniel answered.

“I plan to do a piece on your engagement in The Herald. Since you’re the first and your decision was so hasty, it will be of interest.”

Leah didn’t care for his word choice. “We’ve known each other for a long time. It’s not as though we’re strangers.”

“It seems Mr. Gardner had an advantage over the other men in town. You were acquainted before the war?”

“Our families were close...” she replied.

“So your parents were friendly, as well. But you were previously married to another?”

“D.B., I’ll come place our wedding announcement in the paper,” Daniel said in a clipped tone. “Until then, I ask you to respect our privacy.”

The black-haired man pursed his lips and straightened. “Do enjoy your afternoon.”

Leah watched him go. When she turned her gaze back to Daniel, he was studying her. “Why do I get the feeling he’s not as interested in our engagement as in our past history?”

“Probably what makes him good at his job,” Daniel answered grudgingly. “Doesn’t win him any friends, though.”

“What’s his story?”

“He’s mentioned he’s originally from Missouri. He and his brother came to Kansas and ran a paper in a town called Harper. The town did pretty well until the Union Pacific chose Cowboy Creek for the terminus. After that the town folded. I heard D.B.’s brother died, so D.B. came here to start up a new paper.”

“He’s part of the town council?”

“He is. Do you have any ideas about how and when we marry? People will know you were already expecting before long, so we should probably do it as quickly as possible.”

“You’re right. It won’t be a secret. But we don’t want secrets, do we?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. Reverend Taggart will accommodate any date we choose. You do want to get married in the church?”

“Yes, of course.”

“And a reception? I’ll speak with Mr. Rumsford, who runs this hotel. Perhaps we can hold the reception in the ballroom. It’s only a room with nice flooring and a few chandeliers. Nothing extravagant, mind you, but—”

“It doesn’t have to be fancy.”

“We will be celebrating,” he pointed out. “And as the first couple married in Cowboy Creek and the first wedding resulting from the bride train, it will be a festive occasion. Everyone will turn out.”

She absorbed the idea. “Would it be outrageous to plan the reception outdoors, but have the hotel reserved in case of rain? I’d like to keep it as simple as possible.”

“I am agreeable to anything that makes you comfortable,” he said with a nod.

“I think I’d be more comfortable if it’s less formal.”

They discussed a few more details. “Would you like to order a dress?” Daniel asked.

“Hannah is an excellent seamstress and has brought trunks of fabrics, lace and trims in hopes of operating her own shop. If I help her, I believe we can make a suitable dress in time.”

“Don’t spare expense and assure her she will earn more than a fair wage for her efforts.”

Daniel drummed his fingers on the tabletop, uncertain how to politely discuss the other details. “And afterward you will move from the boardinghouse to my home—our home.”

She nodded, but the way she swallowed and drew a fortifying breath indicated her trepidation at the thought of sharing a home. “Of course.”

He opened his jacket, took a key from an inner pocket and slid it across the white linen surface. “Please visit as often as you like. Assess whatever furniture and items are needed. I’ll help if you want my help. Let me know when you need a buggy and I’ll have a driver at your disposal.” Still holding her gaze, he went on. “Booker & Son across from the jail has a large selection, even mirrors and dinnerware. Abram Booker has catalogs and can order anything you don’t find locally. Three blocks south of our house on the boulevard is Remmy Hagermann’s mercantile. There’s a furniture maker on First and Grant. Mr. Irving has pieces in stock or will build to order.”

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