Taming the Texas Rancher. Rhonda Gibson

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СКАЧАТЬ supposed he hadn’t been truthful with Hannah. He sent a silent prayer heavenward asking forgiveness.

      His not being honest and her stubbornness would probably cause him to lose his ranch. Lord, please help Miss Young and me work through this. I don’t want to lose my ranch.

      * * *

      Had she mistaken God’s gentle nudge to answer Daniel Westland’s ad? Hannah studied his handsome features. Strong jaw line, firm chin and the prettiest green eyes she’d ever seen. All that aside, Hannah had to ask herself, would she have still come had she known his real reason for taking a wife?

      Truth be told, she probably wouldn’t have. Getting married was one thing, but expecting a child immediately afterward was another, unless they were in love. And they were not. It was bad enough when her fiancé had left her at the altar. What would have happened had they gotten married, she came up with child and then he’d decided he didn’t love her and left?

      Hannah had thought she was doing God’s will when she’d answered Daniel’s ad. Now she had to wonder about that, as well. If she had known why he was looking for a bride, and it had still been God’s will for her to come, Hannah knew she would have obeyed the voice of her Lord.

      Heat filled her face as she realized that a number of minutes had passed since his question. She raised her chin and answered, “I would like to think that if God had deemed it so, I would have.”

      Bertha chose that moment to make her way to their table. She balanced three plates of food, a small basket of bread, silverware and a pot of tea on the large tray she carried.

      She set the tray on the empty table next to theirs and then skillfully positioned everything before them. The rich aroma of the stew floated to Hannah as Bertha worked. When she had everything where it should be, she grinned. “Will there be anything else?” she asked.

      “I think that about does it. This smells wonderful, Bertha. Thank you,” Levi answered for them all.

      Daniel nodded his thanks as well, but kept his eyes trained on Hannah. “Just holler if you need anything,” Bertha replied, leaving to greet a couple who’d entered the restaurant.

      After saying a quick prayer of grace over their meal, Daniel continued their conversation. “Now you can see why we have to get married today.” He picked up his spoon as if to say the matter was closed.

      “No, I don’t.” He started to protest and Hannah raised her hand to stop him. She struggled to keep her voice strong and even. “I will not get married without being courted or without love. Your mother said you have to get married and have a child. I never agreed to her terms, even if you did.” She picked up a piece of bread and tore it in two.

      Hannah focused on the bread. What if he said, “Fine, I’ll order a new bride who will do what I tell her to”? Would Levi be willing to court her, as he’d declared earlier? Hannah instantly rejected that thought. She refused to come between brothers, especially since, from what she could gather so far, their mother had already placed one invisible barrier between them. Hannah wouldn’t do the same.

      The desire to get up and walk out pulled at her. She fought the need to run. But where would she go? If only she could return to Cottonwood Springs.... But even as the thought teased her, Hannah knew she couldn’t.

      The people of Cottonwood Springs thought she’d tried to have a romantic relationship with one of their local teens, so they’d stripped her of her job, and most of the local gossips had lost all respect for her. Everyone seemed to have turned against her except her two best friends, Rebecca Billings and Eliza Kelly.

      No, she couldn’t return there. Self-doubt began to plague her. Was it foolish to hold out for love? Should she up and marry Daniel Westland just to have a roof over her head?

      She thought about her limp and all the years she’d been teased, ignored or pitied because of it. Hannah wanted to prove to Daniel that she’d make a good wife. That she could work on the ranch and not be a hindrance to her husband. She wanted him to love her, not just feel sorry for her.

      Hannah wanted love, she wanted security and she wanted respect from her husband, not pity. To have those things, she felt that she had to insist on courtship and the words “I love you” said before they said their vows. With that thought in mind, she squared her shoulders and lifted her head.

      Her gaze clashed with that of Daniel, who seemed to have been studying her. Hannah lifted her chin even as despair ripped through her heart, taking her breath away. Did Daniel realize how much power he held over her at this moment? She prayed with all her might that he did not.

      Chapter Three

      Hannah still couldn’t believe that Daniel had simply nodded and begun to eat his meal after she’d told him that she hadn’t agreed to his mother’s contest. Shock must have shown on her face, for Levi had grinned and winked at her. Then he, too, had turned his attention to the food in front of him.

      When they’d left town in Daniel’s buckboard wagon, Levi had followed on a white stallion. Every so often Hannah would hear the animal snort and Levi reassure him with gentle words. She wondered what had happened to Millicent Summer. Had the other woman gotten cold feet? Or would she show up in a couple days? If she did arrive, would that give Levi an advantage over Daniel’s chances of winning the ranch?

      “Oh, it’s beautiful out here,” Hannah said, bouncing along on the seat of the supply wagon. Red, blue, yellow and purple wildflowers dotted the deep green, grassy pastures. Cedars, elms and other short, bushy trees and shrubs peppered the landscape.

      “Are we on Westland land now?” She gripped the bench she was sitting on tighter.

      Daniel nodded. He’d been quiet the whole trip. Hannah wasn’t sure if that was his normal nature or if he was punishing her for not marrying him immediately.

      Levi brought his horse alongside the wagon. “We like it. Pa worked hard to settle this land and build the house and barn.”

      She noticed that he looked over her head at Daniel. What was Levi thinking? Since she’d come along, did that mean he’d lost the contest their mother had set into motion? Heat filled her face as Hannah remembered the rules of the game. The first one to get married and have a grandchild would inherit the ranch.

      If it all relied on her having a child, then Levi was still in the contest. She’d not marry without love and would never consider having a child without marriage first. To redirect her thoughts, Hannah asked, “How long ago was that?”

      Levi’s horse tossed his head. He patted the beast’s neck and then answered, “About twenty years ago now. I was only ten when we settled here. Daniel was thirteen, so he can tell you more about how life was when we first moved to Texas.” His gaze shifted from her to Daniel, to a house that stood to their right in the distance and then back to her. “I think I’ll ride on ahead. See you in a little while.” With those words, Levi nudged his horse onto a dirt road and into a trot.

      They continued on in silence. Once more, Hannah wondered if Daniel was a quiet man by nature. If so, he and Levi seemed to be complete opposites.

      For a brief moment their eyes met. Tension crackled in the air between them. She jerked hers from his and looked at what she now knew was the Westland Ranch. Lord, please help us, Hannah silently prayed.

      “I hope you will like it here, Miss СКАЧАТЬ