The Bride's Heart (Mail Order Bride: Brides And Promises Book 2) Read online

  The Bride’s Heart

  Brides and Promises

  Ruby Hill

  Contents

  The Bride’s Heart

  Historical Western and Mail Order Bride Bonus Stories

  Regency Romance Bonus Stories

  The Bride’s Heart

  Brides and Promises

  Text Copyright © 2018 by Ruby Hill

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  First printing, 2018

  Publisher

  Love Light Faith, LLC

  400 NW 7th Avenue, Unit 825

  Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311

  The Bride’s Heart

  By Ruby Hill

  1

  California, 1872

  Miss Hazel Stevenson smiled to herself as she sat on the porch steps, humming softly.

  “Are you ready to go to the dance?”

  Hazel chuckled as her younger sister, Martha, sat down on the steps beside her.

  “I’m so excited.”

  Hazel smiled and wrapped an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “Sure am. Where’s John and Sophie?”

  Martha shrugged, her expression a little mulish. “I don’t know. Inside somewhere. Last I heard, they were talking to Mama and Papa about them coming to live out on John’s ranch. Says he’s got an empty cabin on his property that he wants them to live in.”

  Hazel blinked, a little surprised at the news. “John and Sophie want our parents to come out and live with them?” Sophie, their eldest sister, had married John Barker only a few months ago and had gone out to live with him on his ranch. It was only a few miles out of town, so they saw them often enough, but Hazel had never expected this.

  “Did Mama and Papa sound as though they might agree to it?” she asked, frowning a little. “I know Papa’s needing work, but I didn’t think things were that bad.”

  Martha shook her head, her shoulders a little heavy. “I don’t want to move out of town.”

  Hazel sighed inwardly and tried to smile. At thirteen years old, Martha was the baby of the family and a good six years younger than Hazel. She’d evidently been a surprise baby, but was dearly loved by all the family.

  “I guess we have to do what’s best for Papa,” she slowly murmured. “I don’t want to be moving away either, but he needs to bring in money somehow. Maybe helping John on his ranch is just what he needs.”

  “What about us?” Martha whined, twining her thick braid through her fingers. “I don’t want to live outside of town.”

  Hazel closed her eyes, trying to convince herself that it wouldn’t be so bad. “I know Martha, but it might be more fun than you expect.”

  There was nothing but a small sniff, and Hazel hugged her sister tightly for a moment before letting her go, trying to put a bright smile on her face. “Now, no more of that. You were all excited about the dance a moment ago, what’s happened to that?” She leaned in, making Martha smile. “Is there anyone you’re particularly looking forward to dancing with?”

  Martha blushed and looked away, giggling as Hazel elbowed her. “No,” she muttered, hiding her smile from Hazel. “Why, are you?”

  Now it was Hazel’s turn to blush. “No,” she replied, her cheeks burning as she lied. “Not in the least.” She saw Martha’s narrowed gaze, the cheeky smile on her face, and couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Come on,” she chuckled, getting to her feet and pulling Martha up beside her. “Let’s go and see if we can’t hurry Papa up. The dance is sure to be starting soon!”

  * * *

  It took only a little bit of cajoling for the rest of the Stevenson family to make their way out of the house, although Hazel couldn’t help but notice the concern on her mother’s face as she left the house. She wanted desperately to stop and ask her what was going on, whether they were truly considering staying with John and Sophie, but her mother simply patted her hand and told her she’d speak about it later.

  That was frustrating, of course, but Hazel soon forgot about it all the moment they stepped into the village square and saw all the dancing already going on.

  Her heart lifted as she took in the view, hearing Martha’s squeal of delight.

  “Can I go be with my friends, Mama?” Martha asked, rushing over to cling to her mother’s arm. “I’ll be good, I swear it.”

  Her mother laughed and shooed her off, watching her youngest daughter go with a soft smile on her face.

  “She is growing up so quickly,” she said, half to herself, catching Hazel’s attention. “Soon all of you will be grown up with families of your own.”

  Hazel averted her eyes as her mother looked back at her, one eyebrow lifted.

  “Is that boy ever going to make his intentions clear, Hazel? Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”

  “I don’t know what you mean, Mama,” Hazel replied, trying to be nonchalant even though her eyes were already seeking him out amongst the crowd. “We’re just friends, nothing more.”

  Her mother shook her head and laughed softly. “You can keep telling yourself that, my dear, but I can see the look in your eyes whenever he comes by.” Her smile grew tender as she glanced towards her husband. “It is the same look I used to have when I was courting your father.”

  Hazel tipped her head, looking at her mother closely. “You still love him, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do!” her mother exclaimed, evidently astonished by the question. “It’s just that love blossoms quickly, bringing that first spark of excitement and hope. It takes time for the roots to bury down deep. That’s all I meant. Your feelings will grow and change, should this be a long-lasting relationship, Hazel. Don’t hurry this part of it.”

  Nodding slowly, Hazel thought carefully about what her mother had said, taking her words and burying them deep in her heart. Her mother was always so wise, so careful, in all that she said and did. It gave her a wonderful example to follow.

  “On you go now,” her mother whispered, pressing a gentle hand to Hazel’s back. “I can see him waiting for you.”

  A sudden awareness crept over her as she looked across the square, seeing Christopher looking over at her. His eyes were dark, his face covered in flickering shadows as he leaned against one of the hay bales where some other couples were sitting. It was obvious that he didn’t want to make himself too noticeable, waiting for her to spot him. What Hazel had told her mother was the absolute truth they were nothing more than friends. Although there was a spark there that could not be denied.

  “He’s just a little shy,” Hazel explained, wondering why her hands had suddenly become so clammy. “I’d better go over and say hello, Mama.”

  Her mother laughed softly. “Don’t you worry about me, Hazel. Go on and enjoy yourself now. I’ll see you back home later.”

  Hazel barely heard her mother speak, wanting nothing more than to go and speak to Christopher, wondering if he’d ask her to dance. It took her a few minutes to work her way past all the dancers who were in the middle of a two-step, but soon she made it through.

  “Christopher,” she said and smiled, aware that her cheeks were already warm. “Good to see you this evening.”

  He slowly unfolded himself, standing up tall bes
ide her. His eyes lingered on her face for a moment before sweeping down her form. “Good to see you too, Hazel,” he replied, his voice low and husky. “I was hoping you’d be coming tonight.”

  She smiled, a thrill of excitement racing up her spine. “Were you?”

  “Sure was,” he replied quietly. “You sure look pretty this evening, Hazel. The prettiest gal around, I’d say.”

  Her blush deepened, as she took in his tall frame, his broad shoulders, and his arms filled with strength. “You’re not so bad yourself, Christopher. Truth is, I’ve been looking forward to seeing you.” Glancing back towards her mother, who looked away hurriedly in a belated attempt to show she wasn’t watching them, Hazel shook her head, laughing. “You didn’t want to come over to speak to me?”

  Looking away, Christopher dropped his head, evidently a little embarrassed. “I wasn’t sure what your mama would think of me.”

  “She likes you well enough,” Hazel replied, putting one hand on Christopher’s arm in an attempt to push the worry from his expression. “You’re a hard-working fellow by all accounts, and that’s good enough for her.”

  His smile grew warm, as he took a step closer to her. “I’m glad to hear it.” His gaze ran over her, heating her blood. “You’ve not got anyone to dance with yet, do you?”

  “No, not yet,” Hazel whispered, her throat a little dry. “I was wondering if you’d want to ask me?”

  He blinked, a little surprised, before his smile grew into a broad grin. “You know what you want, don’t you?”

  Laughing softly, Hazel held out her hand in an open invitation. “Sure do. And I ain’t afraid to go out and get it.” She lifted her chin and kept his gaze, suddenly struck with a sudden fear that he might not like that about her, that he might step away and refuse to dance with her.

  “An honest woman then,” he murmured, looking at her steadily for a moment longer. “I think I like that.” Taking her hand, he shot her a quick smile before leading her out to join the rest of the couples on the dance floor.

  2

  Hazel smiled to herself, as she dipped her feet into the small, winding river that ran through the dusty ground, leading towards a small copse of trees. She walked slowly through the river, enjoying the sensation. Tipping her face to the sky, she closed her eyes and drew in the sunshine, her heart practically singing with sheer contentment.

  “You look beautiful.”

  An involuntary shriek left her mouth, as she jerked in surprise, the basket in her hand practically flying to the ground.

  “Christopher!” she exclaimed, trying to pick up her basket before it began to float downstream. “Whatever are you doing here?”

  He chuckled and tipped his hat back a little more, bending to pick up all the things that had fallen out of her basket. “Following you, obviously.”

  Her heart slowly bringing itself back down to a calmer state, Hazel rolled her eyes and laughed. “I won’t believe that.”

  “I was out fetching one of the sheep that’d gone missing,” he explained, chuckling. “It is just over there.”

  Hazel glanced through the trees to see Christopher’s horse standing in the shade, chewing on some small blades of grass it had found. A sheep was tethered to the horse’s bridle, although it made no attempt to escape from its confines.

  “It knows it was far away from home,” Christopher explained, evidently seeing the surprise on Hazel’s face. “Got itself stuck in some kind of brambles. Just as well I found it too, the coyotes would have been out tonight.”

  Hazel nodded, glancing over at him. “I’m just taking a bit of a walk,” she mumbled, a little self-conscious. “I meant to be heading straight home, but this place just called to me.” She looked out at the expanse of land just behind her, seeing the rolling hills far beyond her, she sighed happily and looked back at Christopher. “I’ll head back soon enough.”

  “I’ll walk with you.”

  Licking her lips, Hazel tried not to let her sudden burst of nerves show in her expression. “You don’t have to.”

  Christopher looked at her steadily, his eyes never leaving hers. “What if I want to?”

  Hazel couldn’t help but laugh, even though her heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears. “You sure are a lot bolder out here, Christopher.”

  Shrugging, he reached over and caught her hand, walking alongside her as she kept walking along the riverbed. “That’s cause there ain’t no one out here but the two of us,” he replied softly. “I don’t mind telling you that I get a little self-conscious when there’s other folks watching.”

  A sudden thought made Hazel frown, glancing up at him with a little bit of uncertainty. “Is that because you don’t want anyone knowing your business?”

  There was a short pause. “No, it ain’t exactly that,” Christopher replied slowly, his hand tightening on hers. “It’s more that I ain’t never felt something like this before. I guess I’m just not sure what to do with it.”

  Hazel’s stomach tightened, the frown fading from her features. “Really?”

  The corner of his mouth tipped up. “Really,” he replied honestly. “I’m not going to pretend that I don’t feel nothing for you, Hazel. My heart says otherwise. It’s just not sure what to do about it all.”

  Pressing her lips together for a moment, Hazel stopped walking and held his hand tightly, forcing him to look at her. “Do you want to kiss me?” Her heart thudded wildly in her chest as she looked up at him, seeing the surprise on his face.

  He scratched his head, his eyes darting away. “Well, sure. I mean, I guess so, I just thought that….”

  “I’m not afraid to go after what I want, Christopher,” she said quietly, coming away from the river to stand a little closer to him. “You should know that about me by now.”

  His hands wrapped themselves around her waist, surprising her with his sudden eagerness. “I do,” he murmured, drawing her close against him. “I appreciate that about you, Hazel.”

  Hazel had been kissed before, once or twice, but nothing had prepared her for this. Christopher’s mouth was firm and sure, his lips pressed to hers with both a gentleness that softened her heart and a fire that warmed her blood. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she kissed him back, standing on tiptoe so she might reach him better. His arms were strong, holding her tightly, his hands slowly beginning to explore her frame.

  Breaking the kiss suddenly, Hazel pulled back and looked into his eyes, a flicker of worry sparking in her heart. “I think that’ll be enough for just now,” she murmured, hearing his ragged breathing. “I don’t want to be too late, and you’d best get on back with that sheep.”

  Christopher did not let her go, his arms tightening just a little. “There ain’t no rush.” His hands began to run down the length of her body, forcing her to step away.

  “There is for me,” she replied, laughing softly. “Besides, some of what you’re after ain’t for just now. That comes after.”

  He frowned. “After?”

  “After the wedding,” she replied, aware that her cheeks were heating. “Not that I’m saying we need to think about that right now, but I won’t be doing any more than kissing before then.”

  She saw him glance away, his own face red. Clearly, he was more than aware of what she was saying and hadn’t quite found the words to deny it.

  “I care about you, Christopher,” she continued, reaching for his hand. “Let's take this slow. I’m not going to pretend that kissing is all I want. I think about my future and whether or not you’ll be a part of it.” Her worry grew as he refused to look at her, afraid that she might have already let her heart get involved with someone who didn’t want the same things as she did. “Christopher? Am I scaring you off?”

  His head twisted back towards her, his eyes a little wide. “No, not at all. I guess I’m just a little embarrassed by what I did. I didn’t mean to be so obvious. I hope you don’t think that’s all I want.”

  Hazel let out a long breath of relief, squeezing his ha
nd. “No, not at all. Come on, you can walk me home if you like.”

  He held her hand for a moment, pressing a light kiss to the back of it. “I’d like that.”

  Hazel smiled to herself as they walked back towards town together, her hand still in his. Something was right about this, something that felt like this could be the happiness she’d long been hoping for. As they walked, they talked together about all manner of things, from the ranch Christopher was working on, to the constant whining Hazel had to endure from Martha, simply because she wasn’t able to do all the things Hazel did. Christopher laughed at that, understanding exactly what Hazel was talking about since he had four younger brothers himself. There was a warmth in his eyes as he laughed, the slight squeeze of his hand on hers that made her smile. Hazel was truly happy.

  “I suppose I’d best go now,” he mumbled, as they drew near to the town. “The ranch is this way.”

  “And you’re not quite ready for anyone to see us,” Hazel finished, dropping his hand and looking up at him steadily. “There ain’t nothing shameful about courting, Christopher.”

  “I’m not ashamed,” he replied at once, coming closer to her with something like desperation in his eyes. “I can’t explain it, but I’m just embarrassed, in a way. I’ve not felt like this before, and it’s a little confusing.”

  Hazel drew in a breath and tried to smile. “I know,” she said quietly, “but my mama already knows what’s going on between us. You won’t be able to hide it from people forever.”

  He nodded, dropping his head. “Just a little bit more time,” he murmured, glancing up at her. “Just until my heart stops getting itself tangled all in knots. I want to be sure about this, Hazel. I’m not taking things lightly.”