Western Kisses – Old West Christmas Romances (Boxed Set) (28 page)

“I knew you’d understand. You seem to understand everything. When you got off the train, I was so excited to see you, but I was also worried that you would be like her and hate it here. Every job you’ve done, though, you’ve done with a smile. You laugh with me. Everything you do seems to be to make me happy.” He struggled for the words he was looking for. “You do make me happy. I love you, Julia.”

She felt tears spring into her eyes at his words. “I came here, not expecting to find love. I thought I’d just be happy to cook and clean and be happy if I found a man who would treat me decently. Instead, I got here and found a man who accepted me for who I am. You appreciate everything I do, and you treat me like I’m someone precious to you. I can’t believe how lucky I am to be here as your wife. There’s nowhere I’d rather be, and no one I’d rather be married to.” She sat up and faced him, leaning forward to brush her lips against his. “I love you, too.”

Edward pulled her close, holding her tight. “I hope you know it’s not the things you do for me that I love. It’s you. It’s your smile and your warmth.”

She nodded, burying her face against his neck. “I thank God every day that it was your letter I read. This is where I was meant to be.”

Julia and Edward had been married for over four months. She’d begun to worry that maybe she would never have a child. She knew it was premature for those worries to set in, but she wanted a houseful of children, and she wasn’t getting any younger.

It was only a week before Christmas, and she had decorated her home in the happiest way she knew. She’d made tiny little decorations and had made preparations for a Christmas feast. Edward had promised to hunt for a turkey so she could make it perfect. They’d had new neighbors move in, a young couple just a mile away who had agreed to join them for the special day.

While she was fixing the bacon for breakfast that morning, she’d had to run outside to vomit up what little was still in her stomach from the night before. She’d done some counting and realized her cycle was late. So she decided to make something special for Edward for Christmas. Something that would tell him that she was carrying the best possible gift of all.

She worked every time he left the house on her gift. He would come back, and she would hide it under one of the cushions she’d made. It was hard, because he stayed closer to the house in the heavier snows that came with a Kansas winter.

Finally, Christmas dawned, and she carefully hid the fact that she was losing her breakfast from him as she had every other day.

When they exchanged gifts, he’d had to go to the barn for hers. Her eyes filled with tears as she saw what he’d made her. A beautiful rocking chair, perfect for rocking the child she was now certain of.

She gave him the gifts she’d been working on for months first. Five brand new shirts, new socks, and new gloves. He’d been alone long enough that all his clothes were in disrepair.

“Thank you. This is the perfect gift,” he’d said sweeping her into his arms and kissing her.

“There’s one more,” she’d said with an impish grin. “I’ve just made it this week.”

He’d blinked. “More? But you’ve already given me so much!” Truly just having her beside him and not spending another Christmas alone was gift enough for him. Knowing he had her love was more than enough. And she said there was more?

She found the present that she’d wrapped in brown paper and brought it to him, sitting in her new rocking chair while he sat in one of the kitchen chairs facing her. He gave her a questioning look as he carefully untied the bow and spread the paper. He pulled out a tiny pink dress.

He stared at it for a minute, his eyes meeting hers with a questioning look.

She shrugged. “Well, I don’t have any way of knowing if it’s a boy or girl, but hopefully we’ll have at least one of each before we’re done,” she told him.

He blinked back tears. “A baby? Really?”

She nodded, tears filling her own eyes. It had been all she could do not to tell him, but she’d wanted to save it for Christmas. Their first Christmas together had to be special. “Are you happy?”

He stood and pulled her to her feet, hugging her tightly. “I couldn’t be happier. There’s not a better gift you could have given me!”

She rested her head against his shoulder. She’d been sure she’d be an old maid all her life. In the past six months, she’d found the love of her life, moved to a new place, and now she carried a new life inside her. The gift she’d been given of a new beginning was more than she’d ever hoped for.

Kirsten Osbourne hails from the state of Wisconsin, but has lived in Texas for almost thirty years. She is a mother, a writer, and a wife. Married to the love of her life for fifteen years, she knows that true love exists and wants to share her vision of love with the world. Writing is something she has always loved and plans on doing for a long time into the future. As Kirsten Osbourne, she writes contemporary romance as well as historical. As Morganna Mayfair, she ventures into the realm of paranormal romance. She invites you to join her in her world of fantasy and make believe where there is always a happily ever after at the end.

Email List:

http://yahoo.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4043d1ba80ef628a625050268&id=0e99cbb0bc

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Kirsten.Os

Website:
http://www.kirstenosbourne.net

For more books from Kirsten Osbourne,
please visit her author page
.

By Flora Dare

Heloise always thought she’d marry her childhood beau, Albert, until he’s standing at the altar with her sister, expecting the family land as dowry. Her heart broken and rather than watch them wed, she starts life anew - as a mail order bride.

Jonathan is sent from Boston in shame, commanded to go west and finally become a man. His uncle and father surprise him with a mail order bride he never wanted.

Will they be able to move beyond the pasts haunting them and come together for a loving first Christmas together?

Late Summer

Heloise stood at the window, and watched the carriage drive away. She closed her eyes for a moment, then straighted her spine and turned into the room.

"Well then, that's that!" She could tell by Anna's raised eyebrow that she saw right through her false bravado, and prayed Anna would just let it go. There was a long pause between the women, then Anna gave her a sharp nod.

Anna said, "Are you really going to go through with it?"

Heloise gave her a tight smile, and said, "It's too late to stop now, all the papers are signed. Besides, if I'm here when Lavinia and Albert find out..." Heloise let her sentence trail off, and Anna finally unbent enough to laugh.

"Then we haven't much time. Once Mark sees them into the church, he'll be right back. You've all your things packed?"

"The trunk is loaded and I have my tickets."

Anna swept Heloise into a hug, and said "I'll miss you so very much. Promise you'll write often? And you'll tell me how you really are doing?"

"I promise! Maybe I'll even find a husband worthy of you."

Anna snorted, laughed and said, "A likely thing! Still, a mail order bride?"

Heloise felt tears rise in her eyes. Anna had been her friend since they were in short skirts. The hardest part of leaving would be missing her. She nodded firmly and looked Anna deep in her eyes.

"I can not stay here, and this is my chance to be free. Besides, I've always wanted to see the west."

Early Fall

Heloise sighed with relief when the stagecoach finally pulled in to the much anticipated small town. She almost cried in relief when she was finally able to unwedge herself from between the two plushy women who had been dispensing advice the entire trip. Heloise was so exhausted and filthy that she no longer cared if she was marrying a toothless old man or a dashing young one. In fact, she wouldn't mind if she had to plow the fields herself. She stepped off the coach after saying her goodbyes. As the stagecoach rattled off, she heard one last bit of advice float out, "Don't forget dearie, soak the beans! Always soak the beans!"

She took a good look at the town around her. It wasn't the very small, very dusty town she expected. It was a somewhat established town. There was a nice looking set of stores and had a general air of prosperity. She pasted a pleasant smile on her face as a man approached her.

"Miss Adams? I'm Elijah Cushings." Heloise's heart sunk, as she appraised the white haired man. She thought she wouldn't care who she married as long as he was kind, but she thought of Albert's handsome features and cringed internally. Still, Albert hadn't loved her, and Elijah had been kind in his letters.

"I'm Miss Adams, I've enjoyed your letters." She wasn't sure if she should offer him her hand. She had never felt more awkward.

"Is this your trunk?"

"Yes." He gestured to a man, standing by the hotel where the coach discharged her.

"He'll load it onto my cart, so we'll be ready after the wedding. I'm not as spry as I used to be." He gestured at himself and Heloise smiled at him. His eyes seemed kind and Heloise resigned herself.

"Of course, and you should call me Heloise. It seems a bit silly to be so formal."

He smiled at her, offered her his arm, and said, "We should head to the church directly, the preacher will be waiting." She took his arm and they headed down the street and into the church, not speaking.

They stepped into the cool church. Elijah turned to her, with kindly eyes and patted her hand. Out of the shadows, a tall man stomped towards them. She watched him with widened eyes. She'd never seen such a good looking man, dusty blond hair falling into his eyes, and unlike Elijah's Sunday best, denim clad legs into rough boots. He frowned at both of them, and Heloise quailed under his piercing blue eyes. She thought he must be a witness, but he looked none too pleased.

"Well, Elijah, is this her?" Elijah frowned at the man.

"You could be more polite, Jonathan," Elijah said, and the man barked out a tight little laugh.

"Yes, I could. But blackmail makes me an impolite man." Heloise frowned at him. Blackmailed? Into being a witness? She looked at Elijah, who blushed and wouldn't meet her eyes.

"My apologies, Miss Adams, I'm afraid I wasn't entirely truthful in my letters to you." He took her hand and stretched it out to the other man, "It's not me you are here to marry, but my nephew, Jonathan." Heloise was stunned into stillness, and let herself be passed to the other man. She looked up into his sky blue eyes, and gaped.

"But, I don't understand," she stammered.

Jonathan walked her up to the pulpit where the preacher waited patiently, and said, "Does it matter? you are here to marry a man you know very little about. The only thing different is the name." He paused and looked into her eyes. She felt heat flush up her body and for the first time since catching Albert with her sister, she felt passion stirring in her. She nodded slowly at him and they turned to the preacher.

~*~

Heloise sat at the front of the cart, nestled next to Jonathan. Elijah sat behind them, keeping up a steady stream of small talk, pointing out various landmarks. Every time the wheel hit a divot, she would be bounced into Jonathan's rigid body. She could feel the anger radiate off of him, and shrunk into herself, flipping her thoughts over and over again in her head.

She was married to a man that did not want to be married to her, and despair flooded into her. She could have stayed home to marry someone who just wanted her land or money.

When they finally pulled up to a house, she almost wept with relief. She was so exhausted from the journey, combined with the mental shocks, she just wanted to collapse into a corner. Was he going to expect an immediate wedding night?

She started to let herself out of the seat, when Jonathan reached up and swept her into his arms. She squeaked in surprise and tried to hold herself away from his broad, warm chest.

"I believe it's traditional to carry my bride into our home."

He adjusted her in his arms, strode up the steps, kicked open the door and walked across the threshold. He deposited her just inside, and she swayed as her exhaustion caught up with her. He caught her as her knees buckled and carried her once more, but this time into the kitchen to set her on a chair.

"I am so sorry, I'm not usually so delicate." She tried to hold herself ramrod straight, while he opened the pantry and pulled out some bread, jam, and a knife and set it before her.

It was the closest thing to softening she'd seen from him, and he said, "I wasn't thinking. You likely haven't eaten since morning. You've been traveling for a while."

She nodded, broke off a piece of bread and spread some jam on it. She tried not to wolf it down, but the hunger wouldn't let her be very dainty.

"I'll bring your trunk in. Just wait here." He grabbed a mug and pitcher and put them in front of her, and said, "Our well water is pretty good."

She managed to wait until he was out of the kitchen before she gobbled the bread down and drained the glass of water. She still felt weak, and didn't know if it was hunger and exhaustion or her fear. She took off her bonnet, folded her arms in front of her and rested her head on the table and let a few tears leak out. She didn't notice when sleep claimed her.