The Cowboy's Surprise Bride. Linda Ford

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      “We can if the snow isn’t deep, but if it is, cattle can’t dig through it. They’ll starve. We’ve been moving them down, but this snow is earlier than expected.”

      “Then I will pray you’ll be able to get your cows to a safe place.”

      “I will pray the same.”

      It made her feel as if he valued her offer. It made her feel as if they were partners in some small way. Linette wished she could see him better and gauge if he felt even a fraction of the same connection.

      “It’s cold. We better go inside.”

      His words were her answer. He obviously did not wish to prolong the moment.

      * * *

      Eddie rolled up in his buffalo robe and got comfortable on the floor. He’d slept on the ground many times, often out in the cold. In comparison, this was warm and pleasant. If the temperature dropped too low, he would put more wood on the fire during the night.

      He lay on his back listening to the women murmur. He could make out enough to follow their conversation.

      “Where did you go?” Cassie’s voice carried its perennial sharpness.

      “Just outside the door.”

      “What for? You two got secrets?”

      Eddie groaned. Cassie seemed bent on seeing evil and inconvenience at every turn. He wondered if Linette would scold her.

      But Linette laughed softly. “I wanted to see the snow.”

      “You’re twenty years old. Surely you’ve seen snow before.”

      “Not like this. It was so quiet you could hear each flake hit the ground. And the wind sighed as if carrying the snow had become too much of an effort.”

      Eddie clasped his hands under his head and listened unashamedly. Linette made it sound magical. Perhaps it was. He hadn’t put it into words, but there was something about the country. Maybe its newness. How many times did he wonder if he was the first white man to set foot on a certain spot?

      “I told Eddie I would pray his cows are safe.”

      Eddie. She said his name as if it was as special as the new-falling snow. Yet face-to-face, he was Mr. Gardiner, all formal and stiff. But then, that was proper.

      Somehow proper didn’t sound as pleasant as Eddie.

      “Who cares about cows?” Cassie obviously didn’t. “I don’t know how I’m going to endure this for an entire winter.”

      Linette chuckled again.

      Eddie smiled just hearing her.

      “Cassie, my friend, you don’t have to endure. You can enjoy.”

      Cassie snorted so loud Grady whimpered. When she spoke again, Eddie couldn’t catch her whispered words. He strained to hear Linette’s response.

      “God gives us each day to enjoy.”

      Cassie made a sound so full of doubt that Eddie choked back a chuckle.

      Linette spoke into the darkness. “I had a nurse who taught me many scripture verses. One in Psalm 118 says, ‘This is the day the Lord hath made... Let us rejoice and be glad in it.’ She said it’s a choice. An act of our will to rejoice. And she would sing the verse.” Linette softly sang a song putting the words of the verse to music, repeating it several times.

      She’d had a privileged upbringing. Despite Mr. Edwards’s dubious background, he’d expect his daughter to be treated as aristocracy. Eddie would have to be careful. He wouldn’t give her father a chance to ruin the Gardiner good name.

      Cassie didn’t say anything. Perhaps she’d fallen asleep, comforted by the lullaby of the song.

      Eddie turned to his side and listened to Linette sing. Even after the voices in the other room had grown quiet, the lyrics played over and over in his head. He fell asleep to the tune.

      He woke next morning, started a fire and put the coffee to boil. It had settled in to snow seriously. He wanted to head out and look for his cows, but doing so would be foolhardy in this weather. He had good men, experienced cowboys. They knew enough to circle the cows and keep them from drifting. He didn’t need to be there helping them. Yet it was his responsibility—and his alone—to insure the herd was safe. The future of the ranch depended on it. But he was stuck here, away from the action, doing nothing to protect his investment. Or more accurately, his father’s investment.

      Noises from the next room informed him the others were up. He slowly turned from the window and poured a cup of coffee. He’d make sure the guests were safe. Later, he’d head out to the barn. At least he could check on the stock that was there.

      The three other occupants of the storm-wrapped cabin stepped into view. Cassie’s expression was enough to stop a train and send the occupants dashing for safety. Grady fussed for no reason. But Linette smiled and hummed. He immediately recognized the tune. It was the same one playing over and over in his head. “‘This is the day that the Lord hath made... Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”’ She seemed intent on enjoying the day. She went immediately to the window. “It’s beautiful. Snow covers everything like piles of whipped cream.”

      She turned, and her smile flattened and she frowned. “I’m sorry. This is not what you need, is it?”

      “I would have preferred to have the cows closer before this hit.”

      She nodded, looked thoughtful a moment longer then turned to the others with a beaming smile. “Cassie, Grady, look. There’s snow everywhere.” She lifted Grady to the window to look out.

      He laughed. “I play in it?”

      Eddie stared at the boy. It was the first time he’d heard anything but a cry from his lips.

      “I don’t think—” Linette looked at Eddie. “It doesn’t look safe out there.”

      “Not while it’s coming down so hard.” He lowered his gaze to Grady. “You’ll have to wait for a little while.”

      In his excitement over the snow, Grady had forgotten Eddie. Now he clung to Linette’s neck. His lips quivered.

      Eddie sighed inwardly. He couldn’t bear the idea of more fussing and crying. “If you don’t cry I’ll take you to see the horses as soon as it’s safe. But only big boys can come.”

      Grady swallowed hard and blinked half a dozen times. “I not cry.”

      “Good boy. Now climb up to the table and let’s see what Linette can find to feed us.”

      Grady edged around Eddie and sat as far away as the small space would allow.

      Linette hadn’t moved from the window. She stared at Eddie, her eyes wide.

      Had he done something wrong? Did she think he was out of place telling Grady to stop crying? Or—he СКАЧАТЬ