Faith (Goldwater Creek Mail-Order Brides 1) by Leighann Dobbs

building. It was on the opposite end of town from the saloon, which was a good thing. For what he had planned it was best if he was as far from Cleb Masters as possible.
    He swung up on Indigo and headed back toward the end of town. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching, he slipped between the assayer’s building and the apothecary. Behind the buildings was a trail that only a few knew about. It led to the hills, and eventually to his ranch. On the way was a destination he intended to keep secret.
    The vacant building was only one of Jax’s secrets and, if things went his way and he could get the various permits and licenses, the whole town would soon know what he had planned. The other secret would have to remain so for much longer.
    As he rode towards the mountains, a strange feeling of satisfaction flooded through Jax. He’d worked for this for a long time and it was now within his grasp. He was almost happy. The one thing he didn’t notice was that the whole time he’d been in town buying the dress and checking on his building, he had not once thought about Mary.

Chapter 9
    F aith stared in amazement at the silky gown laying wrapped in blue tissue inside the box. She'd never owned a dress so beautiful. Had Jax really bought this and sent it here for her? Her heart was touched by his thoughtfulness.
    The nice gesture almost made her feel bad about her frantic search for the book. Almost. She’d scoured the whole house only stopping short of going in his room. She didn’t dare do that while Maisie and Robertson were around. She wondered if she should asked Maisie, who was standing beside her staring open-mouthed at the dress, about the book but decided against it.
    “Well, I’ll be.” Maisie looked from the dress in the box to the one she’d been working on. She’d altered Faith’s plain dress quite a bit, adding lace and embroidery, but it was nothing compared to the one in the box. “Let’s get this thing on you and see if it needs a fittin’.”
    Maisie lifted the dress out, revealing matching slippers underneath. She eyed the dress and shoes skeptically.
    “I dunno how Mr. Jax would know what size you are, but let’s get these on.”
    She helped Faith into the dress. The fabric was soft against her skin, like the whisper of a summer breeze. She’d never owned anything as soft, silky and beautiful and when she twirled around and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she almost gasped. She looked, and felt, like a princess. And amazingly enough, the dress almost fit.
    Maisie was already fluttering around her, a row of pins in her mouth. Tucking here and raising there. Faith stood still while Maisie did her work, not wanting to get jabbed with a pin. Thoughts of the book vanished as she listened to Maisie mutter to herself.
    “I knew Mr. Jax would do the right thing,” Maisie mumbled around the pins. “Why, you’ll be the most beautiful woman in Goldwater Creek!”
    Faith blushed. “You’re kind to say so.”
    Maisie leveled her with a look. “Now don’t tell me you don’t believe it. Why, Mr. Jax could have his pick of women and he married you. That ought to tell you somethin’.”
    Faith wondered why Jax hadn’t just married one of those other women. Then she remembered how he’d asked for a plain-looking, unassuming bride of mediocre intelligence. Why would any man want that? There was only one reason—he didn’t want her getting in the way of his plans, nor did he want her to be a proper wife.
    She blushed again at the thought of being a ‘proper wife’ to Jax. Her marriage to Charles had not been a pleasant experience in that area. But Jax … well, she felt different about him. And that kiss at their wedding … oh, well, no sense in thinking about that . It was not to be.
    “Well, you could hardly say he married me for my looks. He had never even seen me before I arrived here,” Faith pointed out.
    “Yes, but he didn’t have to marry you once he laid