Nathan’s Montana Bride (Sweet Historical Mail Order Bride Romance) (Montana Ranchers Brides series) by Maya Stirling Page A
Authors: Maya Stirling
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like so much hot air after a night like the one she had just passed through.
She went downstairs and into the kitchen. Mrs.Wardle chatted amiably and fed Abby a fine breakfast. Nathan was nowhere to be seen, a point which obviously wasn't lost on Mrs.Wardle.
"Where is Emma?" Abby asked Mrs.Wardle.
The housekeeper glanced out the kitchen window. "I do believe she's out at the corral. She loves those horses," she said with a shake of the head.
Abby went outside and saw Emma sitting astride a large, brown horse. She was being led around the corral by one of the hands who gripped a leather strap attached to the horse's head.
When Emma saw Abby she screamed with excitement and started waving. "Abby! Look at me. Aren't I just like a grown up," Emma called out.
Abby made her way hurriedly to the wooden fencing of the corral. She gripped onto the wooden bars and looked at the ranch hand who was controlling the horse. "Morning. I don't know your name," she said to him.
The ranch hand tipped his hat. He was a tall, lean man, with sun weathered skin. He was dressed in jeans and plain blue shirt. His boots were dust covered.
"Lyle, ma'am," he answered.
"Lyle. Do you think it's safe for Emma to be on a horse that big?"
Lyle smiled and glanced at Emma. "This little girl is the best horsewoman I've seen in these parts. I don't think you need to worry about her. She can look after herself," he said.
Lyle turned and winked at Abby. She nodded conspiratorially. Lyle continued to lead Emma around the corral. Abby watched them together, figuring she had some things she'd have to get used to out in Montana. Amongst them was little girls being a whole lot more independent than the delicate little flowers she'd known growing up back in Boston.
Abby called out to Emma. "I'll be back in little while, Emma. I'm going to take a quick look around."
Emma nodded. "Okay mama. I'll see you."
There it was again, Abby thought. How quickly Emma had taken to her. She wondered if she could measure up to Lucy. Abby had no idea what kind of mother Lucy had been to Emma, so she had no standard to measure herself against.
The only other person who could tell her anything about that was Nathan. And he was nowhere to be found this bright, beautiful morning.
She figured she'd just have to do her best with Emma. And that was usually what she did with everything. Her best.
It was a beautiful morning. The prospect of spending the day with her new daughter filled her with excitement and apprehension in equal parts. Excitement at the opportunity to get to know the beautiful little girl; apprehension about whether she would deal with her new role.
Abby walked around the ranch, taking in the place. She knew next to nothing about how ranches were run. However even she could tell this was a big spread. There were more outbuildings than she'd at first noticed and there were vastly more men working the cattle and keeping things in good order.
Every ranch hand knew who she was. As she passed them they each raised their hat and wished her a fine morning. The men here were so much more alive than the men back in Boston. Working the land and making a living with the animals seemed to bring out the best in the men. They were fitter and healthier looking; their eyes shone; their skin was browned by the sun. She didn't see a single miserable face amongst all of Nathan's employees.
That said a lot about Nathan as an owner. She was sure her assessment of Nathan hadn't been wrong. In spite of last night.
The memory of the night stabbed at her, but she drove herself on. She tried to see as much as she could without going on a horse.
Eventually she made her way back to the corral. Emma had gotten down off the horse and she was stroking the animals face, speaking quietly to it. Abby felt her heart warm as she watched how gentle and happy Emma looked with the horse.
Emma came to Abby. "Did you see me?"
Abby reached down and hugged Emma. "I sure did. You
She went downstairs and into the kitchen. Mrs.Wardle chatted amiably and fed Abby a fine breakfast. Nathan was nowhere to be seen, a point which obviously wasn't lost on Mrs.Wardle.
"Where is Emma?" Abby asked Mrs.Wardle.
The housekeeper glanced out the kitchen window. "I do believe she's out at the corral. She loves those horses," she said with a shake of the head.
Abby went outside and saw Emma sitting astride a large, brown horse. She was being led around the corral by one of the hands who gripped a leather strap attached to the horse's head.
When Emma saw Abby she screamed with excitement and started waving. "Abby! Look at me. Aren't I just like a grown up," Emma called out.
Abby made her way hurriedly to the wooden fencing of the corral. She gripped onto the wooden bars and looked at the ranch hand who was controlling the horse. "Morning. I don't know your name," she said to him.
The ranch hand tipped his hat. He was a tall, lean man, with sun weathered skin. He was dressed in jeans and plain blue shirt. His boots were dust covered.
"Lyle, ma'am," he answered.
"Lyle. Do you think it's safe for Emma to be on a horse that big?"
Lyle smiled and glanced at Emma. "This little girl is the best horsewoman I've seen in these parts. I don't think you need to worry about her. She can look after herself," he said.
Lyle turned and winked at Abby. She nodded conspiratorially. Lyle continued to lead Emma around the corral. Abby watched them together, figuring she had some things she'd have to get used to out in Montana. Amongst them was little girls being a whole lot more independent than the delicate little flowers she'd known growing up back in Boston.
Abby called out to Emma. "I'll be back in little while, Emma. I'm going to take a quick look around."
Emma nodded. "Okay mama. I'll see you."
There it was again, Abby thought. How quickly Emma had taken to her. She wondered if she could measure up to Lucy. Abby had no idea what kind of mother Lucy had been to Emma, so she had no standard to measure herself against.
The only other person who could tell her anything about that was Nathan. And he was nowhere to be found this bright, beautiful morning.
She figured she'd just have to do her best with Emma. And that was usually what she did with everything. Her best.
It was a beautiful morning. The prospect of spending the day with her new daughter filled her with excitement and apprehension in equal parts. Excitement at the opportunity to get to know the beautiful little girl; apprehension about whether she would deal with her new role.
Abby walked around the ranch, taking in the place. She knew next to nothing about how ranches were run. However even she could tell this was a big spread. There were more outbuildings than she'd at first noticed and there were vastly more men working the cattle and keeping things in good order.
Every ranch hand knew who she was. As she passed them they each raised their hat and wished her a fine morning. The men here were so much more alive than the men back in Boston. Working the land and making a living with the animals seemed to bring out the best in the men. They were fitter and healthier looking; their eyes shone; their skin was browned by the sun. She didn't see a single miserable face amongst all of Nathan's employees.
That said a lot about Nathan as an owner. She was sure her assessment of Nathan hadn't been wrong. In spite of last night.
The memory of the night stabbed at her, but she drove herself on. She tried to see as much as she could without going on a horse.
Eventually she made her way back to the corral. Emma had gotten down off the horse and she was stroking the animals face, speaking quietly to it. Abby felt her heart warm as she watched how gentle and happy Emma looked with the horse.
Emma came to Abby. "Did you see me?"
Abby reached down and hugged Emma. "I sure did. You
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