Nathan’s Montana Bride (Sweet Historical Mail Order Bride Romance) (Montana Ranchers Brides series) (14 page)

Abby got dressed quickly. Nathan had told her to pack some extra clothing and any other necessaries she'd need. They were going to be away from the ranch for a short time, he told her.

Abby wondered where they could be going. Nathan was determined to keep it secret though and didn't succumb to anything she did to get him to reveal where they were going.

She thought about the transformation in him. What had changed his mind? He seemed to almost have forgiven her for her lie, because she realized that that was what she had done. She had deceived him by keeping her secret to herself.
 

How could he forgive her so easily. Something must have caused him to change his mind. Whatever it had been she wasn't going to question it. Her heart was bursting with happiness. Things were going to be alright now. She felt it in her bones.

They had ridden for a couple of hours and they were still climbing the hills. The morning sun was warm. The view from the mountain was stunning, but Abby had to keep her attention on the trail.
 

Abby's horse followed Nathan's as if it already knew the way up the mountain.
 

"How far do we have left to go?" she asked Nathan.

He pulled his horse to a halt and pointed. "Right up on that ridge there," he said. "You're not too tired are you?"

Abby sat up tall in the saddle. "Not at all," she told him, not wanting him to see that she was beginning to feel aches and pains in a few delicate places.

"You still haven't told me where we're headed," she said.

Nathan smiled. "You'll see."

They covered the short distance to the ridge and the trail got temporarily steeper. Then they were on the ridge and Abby could see what all the fuss had been about; why Nathan had brought her up to this place.

Abby looked at the wooden cabin and sighed.

"Why. It's beautiful, Nathan," she gasped.

"I knew you'd like it," he said satisfied.

The cabin was small and faced out on the stunning views over the valley below. It couldn't be any more lovely or secluded, Abby thought to herself.

They tied up the horses and put the bags on the porch.

Nathan had an expression of both joy and curiosity on his face. "What do you think?"

"It's beautiful. Do you come up here?"

Nathan's eyes narrowed slightly. "This is the first time I've been up here since...Lucy."

Abby went to him. "Oh, Nathan. I'm sorry I asked."

Nathan took her in his arms and turned so they both could see out over the wide valley. "It's okay. Lucy and I used to come up here when we wanted to get away from the craziness of the ranch. It was our hideaway," he said.

"You both must have been very happy up here," she said.

"We were."

Nathan paused and then sighed. "But we're here now. You and I. Let me get you inside," he said.

He scooped Abby up in his arms and cradled her.

"What!" she cried.

"I'm gonna carry you over the threshold," he told her.

He kicked the cabin door open with a booted foot and strode inside.

Abby felt like she was floating on a cloud.

Nathan put her down gently. "Welcome, Mrs.Grantly."

The inside of the cabin was plain but homely. There was a little covering of dust on the small wooden table, chairs and on the bed.

The bed!

Abby looked at the bed. It had on a floral patterned cover and was wide enough for two.

Nathan glanced at it and gave Abby a wry grin.

Abby felt a rush of heat to her face. Nathan seemed to notice. "I'll go get some water," he said. "There's a stream close by."

Abby wasn't sure what to do. "I'll...uh...clean the place up a bit while you're gone."

"I won't be gone too long," he said leaning down and kissing her.

Then he was gone and Abby was at a loss what to do.

Later they sat on the narrow seat on the porch. Nathan's arm held Abby tight. They gazed out over the valley. Abby had never felt more at peace than she did in that moment. She glanced at Nathan and saw a satisfied man; her happy husband.

"You love it here, don't you," she said.

Nathan nodded slowly. "The best place on earth," he answered, his voice full of contentment.

Abby looked out to the far horizon. This was indeed the best place on earth. And she was here.

She could hardly believe that everything that had happened had led to this; being on a secluded mountain with a beautiful man who loved and
 
cherished her.
 

In spite of some of her unwise choices she had arrived in a place where happiness belonged to her.

"Nathan. About everything else..." she started to say.

Nathan shook his head and smiled, placing a finger over her lips. "I told you. There's nothing to forgive. Nothing to say. We have a future to make together and I can't think of a better place to start than here," he said quietly.

"But what about the doctor..." she began to say.

"He was wrong and I'm going to prove it to you," he whispered. "Here. In this cabin for the next couple of days."

Abby gazed into her husband's eyes and knew that he was right.
 

She was more than ready to prove the past wrong and the future right.

THE END

Devlin's story will be told in
 

DEVLIN'S MONTANA BRIDE

Available from the end of July

Thank you!

Thank you for reading Nathan's Montana Bride. I hope you enjoyed it.

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The Montana Brides series

Three ranchers and their search for brides in 1880's Montana

Nathan's Montana Bride

Devlin's Montana Bride
(Available now)

Trent's Montana Bride (coming August)

Devlin's Montana Bride
is a sweet, clean Western historical romance with a happy ever after.
 

Montana 1886
 

Handsome Montana rancher Devlin Cooper has no plans to marry, especially after being jilted at the last minute by his former fiance. But when he's faced with losing his ranch to a rival rancher the only option is to marry a beautiful stranger.
 

Feisty Elise Macleod has no intention of giving in to her father's demands that she marry elderly rancher Bart Caulfield. He's just too old and too mean. Her only escape from the threat of a loveless marriage is to agree to Devlin Cooper's surprise proposal.
 

If Devlin and Elise enter into a marriage of convenience they'll both get what they need. All they have to do is stay married in name only.
 

But can they resist the sudden attraction they both feel for each other? And can they overcome the obstacles that stand in their way to a future life on Devlin's Montana ranch?
 

The Brides of Sweetheart Falls
 

Three sisters and their struggles finding husbands and new lives in 1870's Wyoming

Book 1
 
Mail Order Vows
(Cassie's story)

Book 2
 
Mail Order Beau
 
(Martha's story)

Book 3
 
Mail Order Blessing
(Rachel's story)

Mail Order Vows

Brides of Sweetheart Falls series: Book One. A sweet, full length, complete mail order bride romance novel with a happy ending.
 

Wyoming 1878
 

On the verge of giving up on a future in the growing Wyoming town of Sweetheart Falls, and heading back to an uncertain life back East, recently widowed mail order bride Cassie Miller is given a final chance at happiness.
 

Soon Cassie finds out she has no choice but to marry handsome ex lawman Ethan Macleod. However, can she make a new life while trying to come to terms with the loss of her beloved husband Joshua?
 

Can she really trust Ethan, the man the entire town agrees would make a perfect husband? How come he already knows so much about Cassie?
 

And just how far will he go to prove to her that he is worthy of being her new husband?
 

Book 2 Mail Order Beau (Martha's story)

Brides of Sweetheart Falls series: Book Two. A sweet, full length, complete mail order bride romance novel with a happy ever after.
 

Wyoming 1878
 

Martha's story.
 

After waiting months for the Sweetheart Falls Matrimonial Society to find a husband for herself and her sister, Cassie Macleod's sister, Martha is beginning to wonder if she and Rachel will ever get married. Meanwhile, there's a baby on the way at the Macleod farmstead, and Martha and Rachel need to move out so that their sister and her wonderful husband, Ethan can start their new life as a family, without relatives getting in the way.
 

However, when town matchmaker Hettie finally provides a selection of suitable husbands, only one of them holds any promise.
 

Who is the mysterious ranch owner who wants to wed one of the unmarried sisters? Why is he going to such lengths to keep his identity secret? And just what will Martha have to do to secure a future for herself and Rachel?

Book 3
 
Mail Order Blessing (Rachel's story)

Mail Order Blessing. A sweet, full length, complete mail order bride romance novel with a happy ever after.
 

Wyoming 1878
 

Rachel's story.
 

Sweetheart Falls' town matchmaker Hettie Longfellow has finally found a husband for young, eager to marry, Rachel. Or so Rachel thinks. But there's one obstacle. Aaron Caldigate doesn't want to settle down in town. Then there's the problem of Aaron's past and how it stands in the way of Rachel's chances of married bliss.
 

Aaron Caldigate is a man who keeps his word. He's returning to Sweetheart Falls because he promised he'd come back after completing his training as a lawyer. But he's not planning on staying, especially since his mother has taken it upon herself to find him a bride!
 

However he hasn't counted on a very determined and beautiful young bride-to-be who is going to do everything she can to persuade him that Sweetheart Falls is the only place to settle down, and that she is the only woman for him.
 

Copyright

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Devlin's Montana Bride © 2014 Maya Stirling