Read Online Zack's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) by Maya Stirling - Free Book Online

just have to rely on you both to make sure I don't make too many mistakes."
    Eva rolled her eyes. "If you grew up being a doctor's daughter, there's nothing on a ranch that will compare to the kinds of things you'd have seen your father doing with his patients," she said.
    Lydia frowned. "My father went to great lengths to shelter me from his medical practice. But, I did see enough suffering to make me realize that whether you're in the country or the city, life can be hard."
    Laura's eyes softened and she placed a hand on Lydia's arm. "You must have wished that your father could have been here today."
    Lydia nodded. "It would have been special if he could have been here. The time we spent in Great Falls meant a lot to him. But then he chose to go to San Francisco and practice. Said it would do him good. Develop new skills. New specialisms." Lydia glanced away, her eyes feeling moist. "Things didn't turn out quite the way he expected, I guess," she said her voice dropping to a murmur.
    Eva reached over and touched Lydia's other arm. "Never you mind. Laura and I will always be on hand if you need anything. You must promise us that you won't hesitate to ask us for anything you need. Anything at all. And we are going to be regular visitors to this ranch. Isn't that right, Laura?"
    "Yup," Laura said cheerfully. "If for no other reason than to keep an eye on that new husband of yours. Make sure he's looking after you," she concluded with a smile.
    "Speaking of husbands. I wonder where our own have gotten to," Eva said scanning the room.
    "I don't like it when they disappear like that. Especially all at once," Laura said joining Eva in the search.
    "Maybe we should go and find them," Eva said.
    "You want to join us, Lydia?"
    "I'll just wait. Don't want to leave the guests unattended," she explained.
    Laura and Eva headed off with determined looks on their faces.
    Lydia sipped her drink and looked around the room. Everyone seemed to be having good time. She was glad of that, even if deep down, she really wanted to be anywhere else except mingling amongst strangers, here in such an unfamiliar place.
    The effort Lydia was having to make to maintain an appearance of calm, poised good nature was beginning to take it's toll on her. She was starting to feel tired. Real tired. Not because the day hadn't been a beautiful one. On the contrary. In spite of the gnawing sadness that had been biting at her all day she had to admit that she was feeling happy. She had done what she'd set out to do. Ensure that her children had security, that they were safe.
    In the process she had become the wife of Zack Buchanan, a truly good, fine man with qualities.
    So why was she feeling such a persistent and troubling sense of unease? Surely it wasn't anything Zack had done. Ever since she'd arrived at the ranch with the children, Zack had only ever been kind and patient. He had gone to extraordinary lengths to make them all feel at home.
    No. It wasn't anything that Zack had done. It was who he was that was troubling her. He was simply the most generous, kind and handsome man she'd ever encountered. And then the thought came to her again. The one thought that had flitted into her mind so many times in the past week and had made her feel utterly ashamed of herself.
    Zack was a better man than Daniel.
    Standing by the side of the table, holding her drink, glancing at the faces of one guest after another, Lydia tried to hide the shame she felt must be written across her face.
    How could she possibly think such a terrible thought? How could she be so selfish, so unkind, to a man with whom she had borne three beautiful daughters? How could she even compare Daniel to Zack in such an unseemly fashion?
    But she had done so. In spite of herself, ever since she had seen Zack again after all these years, the old feelings she'd had for him, those intense sensations of affection that had overwhelmed her during their initial courtship, had come back to her.
    And she had