Read Online Mail Order Bride Leah: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (Montana Mail Order Brides Series Book 1) by Rose Jenster - Free Book Online
Authors: Rose Jenster
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Wilford said.
Henry got up off his chair and walked the few blocks home. Instead of going into his empty rooms, he headed for the stable to take Dionysius for a long bareback ride out into the foothills. Maybe a ride would clear his mind.
Chapter 5
BILLINGS, MONTANA, 1884
He picked her up for church on Sunday, and she found herself stealing glances at him, trying to discern his feelings, his interest in her. After services she talked with Becky for a few minutes before joining him for another buggy ride. She flushed at the memory of their kiss but found him oddly silent on the long drive. They went further out toward the mountains than they had driven before, and she made a few remarks about the scenery that were met with quiet nods. She played with her mother’s locket, wishing her mother were alive to give her advice on how to put him at ease.
Henry reached into his pocket for perhaps the thirtieth time that day to feel the box the pearl ring was in. He had ordered the engagement ring from the mercantile before she even arrived in Montana Territory. The ring was silver and set with a creamy white pearl. It was perfect. He just had to work up the nerve to give it to her and ask for her hand in marriage. He drove further than he’d intended to, trying to get his courage up. He resolved to stop for the horses to drink from the stream up ahead, and shifted in his seat nervously.
“Stand and deliver!” A gruff voice came, and a figure seized the bridle of one of his bays.
Pulling the reins up short, Henry narrowed his eyes. Highwaymen in broad daylight besetting them on a Sunday afternoon! It angered him, and his fists clenched.
“Here now, we have nothing worth stealing save the horses, and if I loose them you’ll never catch them,” Henry said lightly.
Leah clutched at his arm as one of the highwaymen dragged her from the buggy. She screamed and kicked, struggling against the bandit, and the man slapped her face. Henry leapt from the buggy and dragged the bandit to the ground, striking him with powerful blows. Leah backed away from them, terrified, as the second highwayman attacked Henry. She watched as Henry turned and subdued the bandit with a single blow. Shaking the first bandit, the one who had struck her in the face, Henry took him by the throat and shoved him back like rubbish.
“Run,” he said coldly, and the men scrambled to their feet and fled.
Henry rushed to Leah’s side where she crouched in the weeds, teeth chattering with fear. He knelt beside her and she clutched at his arm, gripping his sleeve in her fingers. Wide frightened eyes met his as he took her in his arms, stroking her hair and letting her weep on his coat.
“Are you hurt?” he asked solicitously.
Leah shook her head, her hand going to her throat as fresh tears sprang to her eyes. “My locket. My mother’s—” she said, her voice breaking.
“Did they take it?” he demanded. She shook her head.
“I—I don’t think so. I think it came off in the struggle.”
“Wait here. I’ll see if it can be found.” He returned to the buggy where his bays stood obediently, and searched the surrounding road and weeds, but there was no glimmer of her lost locket. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I couldn’t find it.”
Leah stood and brushed the dust off her dress dejectedly.
“Thank you for saving me,” she said softly. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
“I hate that the bandits attacked us, but I liked protecting you, Leah,” he said. “I know I can’t bring back your mother’s locket. I’m sorry it was lost, but maybe, perhaps in time you’ll grow to treasure this as much,” he continued, producing the ring from his pocket.
Kneeling down, he held the silver circlet between his calloused thumb and forefinger, and held it out to her like a knight with a tribute for his lady fair.
Tears glinted in Leah’s eyes as she touched the pearl reverently with her fingertip.
“You got this for me?”
Henry got up off his chair and walked the few blocks home. Instead of going into his empty rooms, he headed for the stable to take Dionysius for a long bareback ride out into the foothills. Maybe a ride would clear his mind.
Chapter 5
BILLINGS, MONTANA, 1884
He picked her up for church on Sunday, and she found herself stealing glances at him, trying to discern his feelings, his interest in her. After services she talked with Becky for a few minutes before joining him for another buggy ride. She flushed at the memory of their kiss but found him oddly silent on the long drive. They went further out toward the mountains than they had driven before, and she made a few remarks about the scenery that were met with quiet nods. She played with her mother’s locket, wishing her mother were alive to give her advice on how to put him at ease.
Henry reached into his pocket for perhaps the thirtieth time that day to feel the box the pearl ring was in. He had ordered the engagement ring from the mercantile before she even arrived in Montana Territory. The ring was silver and set with a creamy white pearl. It was perfect. He just had to work up the nerve to give it to her and ask for her hand in marriage. He drove further than he’d intended to, trying to get his courage up. He resolved to stop for the horses to drink from the stream up ahead, and shifted in his seat nervously.
“Stand and deliver!” A gruff voice came, and a figure seized the bridle of one of his bays.
Pulling the reins up short, Henry narrowed his eyes. Highwaymen in broad daylight besetting them on a Sunday afternoon! It angered him, and his fists clenched.
“Here now, we have nothing worth stealing save the horses, and if I loose them you’ll never catch them,” Henry said lightly.
Leah clutched at his arm as one of the highwaymen dragged her from the buggy. She screamed and kicked, struggling against the bandit, and the man slapped her face. Henry leapt from the buggy and dragged the bandit to the ground, striking him with powerful blows. Leah backed away from them, terrified, as the second highwayman attacked Henry. She watched as Henry turned and subdued the bandit with a single blow. Shaking the first bandit, the one who had struck her in the face, Henry took him by the throat and shoved him back like rubbish.
“Run,” he said coldly, and the men scrambled to their feet and fled.
Henry rushed to Leah’s side where she crouched in the weeds, teeth chattering with fear. He knelt beside her and she clutched at his arm, gripping his sleeve in her fingers. Wide frightened eyes met his as he took her in his arms, stroking her hair and letting her weep on his coat.
“Are you hurt?” he asked solicitously.
Leah shook her head, her hand going to her throat as fresh tears sprang to her eyes. “My locket. My mother’s—” she said, her voice breaking.
“Did they take it?” he demanded. She shook her head.
“I—I don’t think so. I think it came off in the struggle.”
“Wait here. I’ll see if it can be found.” He returned to the buggy where his bays stood obediently, and searched the surrounding road and weeds, but there was no glimmer of her lost locket. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I couldn’t find it.”
Leah stood and brushed the dust off her dress dejectedly.
“Thank you for saving me,” she said softly. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
“I hate that the bandits attacked us, but I liked protecting you, Leah,” he said. “I know I can’t bring back your mother’s locket. I’m sorry it was lost, but maybe, perhaps in time you’ll grow to treasure this as much,” he continued, producing the ring from his pocket.
Kneeling down, he held the silver circlet between his calloused thumb and forefinger, and held it out to her like a knight with a tribute for his lady fair.
Tears glinted in Leah’s eyes as she touched the pearl reverently with her fingertip.
“You got this for me?”
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