A Bride For Clay (The Proxy Brides Book 2) Read online

  Clay turned back and watched Grace with the mare. “I don’t name them until I’m sure I’ll keep them. If I sell them, I let the owner name them. Do you want to ride?”

  “Of course,” Grace answered.

  Clay pondered his next question. “Do you have the proper clothes coming from Chicago and all. I know you said you can ride astride, but if you don’t have a riding skirt, we can buy one for you. If you prefer a side saddle while you get used to the open prairie, I’m afraid we don’t have one.”

  Grace laughed again. “I can ride either way. I rode astride when we lived in the country, and then, unfortunately, when we were in the city, the only horses available to ride were those in the park. I had to get used to a side saddle and a sedate horse. No more galloping across the fields.”

  “If you had to name her, what would choose?”

  “Hmm, I’m not sure. Something beautiful and gentle like she is,” Grace answered.

  “Best think hard because she’s yours,” Clay said and smiled at the surprise that registered across Grace’s face.

  Grace stammered, “What? You’re giving me my own horse? She’s mine? Can I ride her now?”

  “Yes, yes, and yes.”

  Grace threw her arms around Clay’s neck and did her best to pull him close with the corral fence between them. Thank you.”

  Clay leaned a bit closer and kissed Grace until the mare’s head forced them apart.

  Grace whispered, “I think she’s jealous.”

  “Of you or of me?”

  Grace shrugged, and the mare stepped closer and dropped her head on Grace’s shoulder. “I think she’s jealous of you and decided I’m hers.”

  Clay climbed the fence and hopped to the ground. He took Grace’s hand and led her a few feet from the fence. “You can ride her after lunch, but right now, you’re mine,” he said, and he kissed her.

  Grace kissed him back, and the mare whinnied.

  “Maybe we should kiss where the horse won’t see us,” Grace whispered when she pulled back from Clay.

  “Maybe,” he whispered back, “but she has to get used to us.” He kissed her again, and the mare whinnied and stamped her foot.

  Grace giggled. “I think you think you broke her, but she knows better. She has a strong nature.”

  “That she does. Some horses bend to our will but are never totally broken. I like a horse with spirit,” Clay admitted.

  Grace thought for a minute, looked at the mare, and then at Clay. “I have a name. Willow. They bend but never break or, so I’m told.”

  Clay tightened his arms around Grace and held her close. “It’s a good name for her if that’s how you see her, she’s yours. After lunch, I’ll take you for a ride, and we’ll see more of the ranch.”

  Grace looked up into Clay’s blue eyes. “Don’t you have chores this afternoon?”

  “If Wade can sleep until nearly lunch, I think I can take an hour and spend it with my wife.”

  “I like the sound of that, husband,” Grace answered hoping Clay would kiss her again.

  He didn’t disappoint her and drew her in for a long kiss until they heard Cora’s voice calling them for lunch.

  Grace jumped back and wiped her hand across her mouth hoping her lips didn’t betray the fact that she and Clay were kissing out in the yard in front of anyone who cared to look.

  Clay smiled at her, took her hand, and they walked back to the ranch house.

  Chapter Twelve

  Clay opened the back door for Grace and commented, “Something smells good.”

  “It’s Elizabeth’s vegetable soup,” Cora explained.

  “Well, I can’t wait for a bowl,” Grace said and helped Cora and Elizabeth place bowls of soup and a platter of ham sandwiches on the table.

  Elizabeth shared, “This is one meal I learned how to make at the orphanage. We often didn’t have anything to cook except for vegetables donated by the mercantile, churches, or families living nearby. Many times the vegetables were going bad, and we had to trim away the rot, but once the good bits are in a soup, it tastes good.”

  “You’ll make a good ranch wife, Elizabeth,” Clay said. “In times of trouble or difficult winters, it’s good to know how to survive on the basics.”

  Elizabeth smiled, “Survival is something I learned at a young age.”

  “It will serve you well, my dear,” Grandpa Hutchison announced as he ambled to the table. “Where’s Wade?”

  “He slept late and left. He wasn’t happy. I’m not sure he’ll be back for lunch,” Cora said.

  Before grandpa could respond, Wade hurried into the kitchen and dropped onto a chair. Pulling a bowl of soup in front of him, he stirred it with his spoon before taking a bite and asking, “What is this?”

  “Vegetable soup,” Elizabeth said smiling at Wade.

  “Where’s the meat? What kind of soup doesn’t have meat? I need strength to work,” Wade groused.

  Biting back the anger she felt, Cora said, “We have ham sandwiches. That’s enough meat for you. The soup is good. Your wife made it. You should thank her.”

  “Why doesn’t that surprise me,” Wade continued to complain looking straight at Elizabeth. “What can you do?”

  Elizabeth felt tears prickle the backs of her eyes and tried to think of something to say when grandpa’s fist hit the table. “That’s enough, Wade. If you don’t start to show your wife the respect she deserves, I’ll take her into town and pay the lawyer to annul your marriage, and then you can find somewhere else to live. As long as you stay under this roof, you will treat Elizabeth with the respect she’s due.”

  Wade grabbed a sandwich and took a huge bite. He mumbled, “Yeah all right.”

  Clay tried to change the subject by saying her and Grace were going riding after lunch.

  “I’m excited to be riding again. Clay gave me my own horse. I named her Willow, and she’s so sweet.”

  Wade grunted. “You gave her one of the horses? Elizabeth deserves one, too. After lunch let her choose one.” He hoped that would appease his grandpa.

  Elizabeth sat quietly for a minute and then said, “That’s kind of you, but I don’t need a horse. I don’t know how to ride.”

  Grace said, “You can learn. It isn’t that…”

  Grace was cut off when Wade shouted, “You can’t cook, you can’t ride, you certainly don’t seem to be a wife. What can you do?”

  Elizabeth’s strength crumbled, and the tears she fought since Wade first complained about the soup fell freely down her cheeks.

  Grace jumped to her sister-in-law’s defense. “If you would take the time to get to know your wife, you’d know she grew up in an orphanage and never had the chance to learn to ride a horse. A little compassion would go a long way.”

  Wade stood and glared at Grace and then turned to look at Clay. “I think you need to teach your wife to show respect,” he said before storming out of the house.

  Grace sat there stunned. Before she could say a word, grandpa announced, “Grace what you did is commendable. Wade has a large chip on his shoulder, and someone needs to help him see what he’s doing. Standing up for Elizabeth was the right thing. You said something before I could. Good for you, my dear, and Elizabeth, if you want to learn to ride we will teach you. It does come in handy on a ranch.”

  Elizabeth wiped the tears from her cheeks and said, “Thank you. I suppose I should learn to ride if it’ll make me a better wife. Wade seems unhappy.”

  “Wade is a complainer, always has been. Try to ignore his grumbling. He’ll get over it and come to appreciate what a fine woman he married,” Grandpa Hutchison insisted.

  Elizabeth nodded, and Clay cleared his throat. “I enjoyed the soup, and if it’s all right, I’d like to take Grace riding now.”

  Elizabeth sat stirring her bowl of soup with her spoon and Cora stood to clean the table and said, “Eat your soup, and we’ll clean up while Clay and Grace ride. Then after we’re done, we’ll go out and meet the horses. You need to learn to
love them and respect their strength before you ride. We’ll have you racing across the meadow in no time.”

  Elizabeth’s wide eyes showed her concern, but she nodded and finished her soup.

  Grace hurried to change and returned in a few minutes dressed in a dark brown riding skirt and ivory blouse. Clay’s heart did a flip when he saw his wife in the more form-fitting riding clothes. He hoped all the tension in the house died down soon and Grace would finally share his room with him.

  “Are you ready?” Clay asked.

  “I am if I’m not needed here.”

  “No, Elizabeth and I will be all right. You two run along and enjoy the ride,” Cora insisted waving a dish towel at the newlyweds.

  Clay held the door open and followed Grace as she made her way to the barn. He insisted on saddling both horses and frowned when Grace double checked the cinch.

  “I’m your husband, don’t you trust me?”

  Grace smiled at him sweetly. “My father always taught me to double check the cinch regardless of who saddles your horse. He even made sure I did it when he saddled them for me since the last time we went riding, I was too small to lift the saddle.”

  “I suppose that’s sage advice,” Clay admitted. “Your father taught you well.”

  Grace lifted her left foot into the stirrup and threw her right leg over Willow. She smiled at Clay again. “Yes, he did. Are we riding or talking?” Not knowing exactly how Willow would react, she just squeezed her knees into Willow’s side, and the horse took off across the yard, past the corral, and into the field at a gallop.

  When Clay caught up to them, Grace was laughing and slowed Willow to a walk. “She’s beautiful and fast. I’m going to enjoy riding her.”

  Clay leaned over and kissed Grace. “I’m happy you like her. Come on, I want to show you one of my favorite spots.”

  Wade watched the two kiss and squinted his eyes and clenched the reins of his horse in his hands. He spurred his horse into the opposite direction fuming and wondering how to make sure his brother’s marriage failed.

  Clay and Grace oblivious to the fact that Wade had spied on them continued to ride their horses until they came to a small stream that widened into a pool.

  “Oh, there’s another stream,” Grace said. “Is it the same one that’s closer to the house?”

  “Actually no, it’s a different one, but it runs off from the same small river north of here. There are three of these on the ranch. This one is my favorite because the pool is deep enough to swim in and far enough away from the house, so Wade and I were never spotted skipping chores and going swimming when we were younger.”

  Clay stepped off his horse and watched Grace dismount in a most ladylike manner. His wife was a real lady, and he had to make sure he treated her that way, but she also seemed to fit into ranch life well. He smiled knowing Grace was the best of both worlds and could see them growing old together, sitting in rocking chairs on the porch, and watching their grandchildren play.

  Clay walked up to Grace and gently pulled her into his arms and kissed her until she was breathless. She leaned against his chest and whispered, “I’m truly going to love riding Willow if all the rides are like this.”

  “I can arrange that,” Clay answered, pulled a blanket off his horse, and spread it on the ground.

  Grace sat, and Clay dropped down next to her. He wrapped his arm around her, and she rested her head against his shoulder.

  “I’m certainly beholding to Mason for helping me find the perfect wife. He knows me well, and I doubt I could do better if I looked.”

  Grace thought for a moment and said, “I am, too. If the idea had been presented to me by anyone else, I might have dismissed it. Mason is a good man, and I enjoyed working for him. He did well for both of us,” she answered and looked into Clay’s eyes.

  “He did,” Clay answered before capturing her lips again.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Clay and Graced walked from the barn to the house hand in hand. Cora and Elizabeth were cleaning the parlor, and Grace said she needed to help. It was her home, too and she wanted to do her share. Clay smiled at his wife, and his heart felt as if it would burst.

  Grandpa came out of his office and announced, “I almost forgot. The Bruster’s are having their barn warming on Saturday. It’ll be a good time for the town to meet Grace and Elizabeth at a friendly party.”

  Grace asked, “Barn warming? Is that like a housewarming?”

  “Sort of,” Clay answered. “The Bruster’s barn burned down late last fall. We had a barn raising which is usually followed by a party and dance. All the ladies bring a dish to pass to feed the men and everyone who attends. It was too cold to have a party in the evening, and the Bruster’s said they’d do it this spring. I suppose they’re ready.”

  “A party? Is it a fancy party? I don’t have anything I could wear,” Elizabeth worried.

  “No, it isn’t fancy. A Sunday dress will work well,” Cora answered hoping to quell the girl’s worries.

  “I only have one Sunday dress,” Elizabeth said quietly while she dusted a table. “I need that for Sunday, I can stay here. I don’t mind.”

  “Nonsense,” Grace interjected. “You and I are the same size. You’re a bit thinner, but that’s good. I left all the foolish fancy gowns my brother and sister-in-law insisted I wear to parties to try and ensnare some poor unsuspecting soul that could help my brother’s business interests, but I brought all the dresses I wore working in the bookstore. They’re all perfect for Sunday or a barn raising party.”

  “Oh, I couldn’t,” Elizabeth blushed with embarrassment.

  Grace walked over and took Elizabeth’s hand. “Of course, you can. You’re my sister. Sisters always share.”

  Elizabeth started to catch Grace’s excitement, and they forgot about cleaning when they headed for their bedroom chatting about dresses and dancing.

  Elizabeth stopped talking in mid-sentence. “Oh, Grace, I have never been to a dance. We weren’t allowed to dance at the orphanage. I don’t know how.”

  “Don’t worry,” Grace answered pulling a light green dress with tiny pink rosebuds scattered on the skirt out of her trunk and held it up. “I can teach you to dance. Do you like this dress? It’ll look perfect with your hair and blue eyes.”

  ~ * ~

  Four days later, Elizabeth felt like a princess in the green dress and confident enough that the dance lessons Grace gave her would allow her to at least fake her ability to dance. She hadn’t stepped on Grace’s foot since the first lesson, and Grandpa Hutch twirled her around the parlor and said she was perfect. Perfect. Elizabeth usually felt less than adequate but perfect never entered her mind.

  Grace and Elizabeth chatted constantly on the ride to the Bruster ranch. Neither had been to a barn raising party, and this was the first time Elizabeth had attended any type of party. At the orphanage, the closest thing to a party was when the cook gave each child a cookie if it was someone’s birthday. No gifts. Christmas was a new, used piece of clothing and a piece of fruit. Elizabeth was always grateful, but this new life was beyond her childhood dreams.

  Grace had been to many parties and a few balls her brother pressured her to attend, but this was different. The people in town were friendly and truly enjoyed each other’s company. The delicious aroma of Cora’s fried chicken and potato salad added to the excitement. Of all the parties she had attended, she doubted the food would be as good as Cora’s fried chicken.

  Grandpa stopped the wagon near the new barn, and the young women could see tables set up with more dishes than they could count and dozens of people already in attendance. They heard fiddle music drifting from the barn, and a few people were clapping along to the music.

  Clay leaped from his horse and helped Grace and Elizabeth from the back of the wagon while Grandpa held his hand out to help Cora down from the front seat. Wade rode his horse past them in search of something to drink. He knew several of them would bring a bottle of whiskey and he had one of h
is own in his saddlebags.

  Grace and Elizabeth carried the fried chicken and potato salad while Cora found a place on the table to set them. Elizabeth’s eyes roamed the food tables. “I’ve never seen this much food in my life,” she whispered to Grace.

  Grace giggled and whispered back, “Neither have I and I’ve been to several large parties. I think the people here love to eat probably because they work so hard. I don’t think my brother would last a day on the ranch.”

  Clay looked around but couldn’t see Wade anywhere. He walked up to his wife and Elizabeth and said, “Let’s walk around, and I can introduce my two favorite young ladies.”

  Both smiled at him, and Grace winked. After they were introduced to more people than they would ever remember, Clay walked them back to the barn. “There are chairs, crates, and hay bales inside to use for seats. Would you like to sit and watch or eat something first?”

  “Eat.” Grace and Elizabeth said in unison.

  Clay laughed. “Good idea. I’m hungry, too.”

  With plates piled high, they found seats in the barn and listened to the fiddle player warming up for the dance. They talked, laughed, and watched people milling about. After they finished, Clay gathered the plates. “Would you like anything else? Did you see the dessert table?”

  Grace shook her head, and Elizabeth said, “Maybe just a cookie. I saw everything earlier and would never be able to make up my mind.”

  Clay grinned and returned a short while later with a plate of cherry pie, chocolate cake, and six cookies.

  “Are you going to eat all of that,” Grace asked wide-eyed.

  “Of course not,” Clay answered as he handed her the plate. “This is for the two of you to share. I’ll be back in a bit with my own.”

  Grace glanced at the plate and noticed two forks. “He did bring this for us. Shall we?”

  Elizabeth nodded, and they shared the treats until they were too full to move. “I hope we don’t have to dance for a while,” Elizabeth said. Grace agreed.