Taming the Texas Rancher

Daniel made a mental note to throttle his baby brother when they got back to the ranch. “I—”

Before he could say anything more, Levi interrupted. “Back in December, our mother made a declaration that whichever son got married and had the first grandchild would inherit our family ranch.” His solemn gaze met Daniel’s, the teasing light no longer there.

Hannah gasped and pulled her hand from Levi’s grasp. Her eyes grew large and her breathing became rapid. Was she going to have a spell right there?

Daniel could only imagine what was going through her mind. Her green eyes screamed shock and disbelief. He’d planned on telling her once they were married and settled comfortably in his new house. Why did his mother’s words have to sound so cold when spoken out loud?

His bride-to-be cleared her throat before taking a delicate sip of her tea. She lowered the cup. “I see.”

Did she really? Daniel didn’t think so. The Westland Ranch should rightfully be his. He was the oldest, worked the hardest and he’d poured his blood, sweat and tears into the land. Daniel doubted any woman could understand.

Hannah turned her gaze to Levi. “In your letters to Miss Summer, did you tell her why you wanted to get married?”

He nodded his head, his gaze focused on his coffee cup. Daniel could almost hear his brother thinking that he shouldn’t have written that part of his letter. If he hadn’t, Millicent Summers might have arrived, too.

Hannah cleared her throat again, drawing his attention from his brother. “So why didn’t you tell me?” Her soft voice held a sharp edge.

Daniel captured her gaze with his and sighed. “Would you have come?” He didn’t think so, and in this instance supposed he hadn’t been truthful with Hannah. He sent a silent prayer heavenward asking forgiveness.

His not being honest and her stubbornness would probably cause him to lose his ranch. Lord, please help Miss Young and me work through this. I don’t want to lose my ranch.

* * *

Had she mistaken God’s gentle nudge to answer Daniel Westland’s ad? Hannah studied his handsome features. Strong jaw line, firm chin and the prettiest green eyes she’d ever seen. All that aside, Hannah had to ask herself, would she have still come had she known his real reason for taking a wife?

Truth be told, she probably wouldn’t have. Getting married was one thing, but expecting a child immediately afterward was another, unless they were in love. And they were not. It was bad enough when her fiancé had left her at the altar. What would have happened had they gotten married, she came up with child and then he’d decided he didn’t love her and left?

Hannah had thought she was doing God’s will when she’d answered Daniel’s ad. Now she had to wonder about that, as well. If she had known why he was looking for a bride, and it had still been God’s will for her to come, Hannah knew she would have obeyed the voice of her Lord.

Heat filled her face as she realized that a number of minutes had passed since his question. She raised her chin and answered, “I would like to think that if God had deemed it so, I would have.”

Bertha chose that moment to make her way to their table. She balanced three plates of food, a small basket of bread, silverware and a pot of tea on the large tray she carried.

She set the tray on the empty table next to theirs and then skillfully positioned everything before them. The rich aroma of the stew floated to Hannah as Bertha worked. When she had everything where it should be, she grinned. “Will there be anything else?” she asked.

“I think that about does it. This smells wonderful, Bertha. Thank you,” Levi answered for them all.

Daniel nodded his thanks as well, but kept his eyes trained on Hannah. “Just holler if you need anything,” Bertha replied, leaving to greet a couple who’d entered the restaurant.

After saying a quick prayer of grace over their meal, Daniel continued their conversation. “Now you can see why we have to get married today.” He picked up his spoon as if to say the matter was closed.

“No, I don’t.” He started to protest and Hannah raised her hand to stop him. She struggled to keep her voice strong and even. “I will not get married without being courted or without love. Your mother said you have to get married and have a child. I never agreed to her terms, even if you did.” She picked up a piece of bread and tore it in two.

Hannah focused on the bread. What if he said, “Fine, I’ll order a new bride who will do what I tell her to”? Would Levi be willing to court her, as he’d declared earlier? Hannah instantly rejected that thought. She refused to come between brothers, especially since, from what she could gather so far, their mother had already placed one invisible barrier between them. Hannah wouldn’t do the same.

The desire to get up and walk out pulled at her. She fought the need to run. But where would she go? If only she could return to Cottonwood Springs.... But even as the thought teased her, Hannah knew she couldn’t.

The people of Cottonwood Springs thought she’d tried to have a romantic relationship with one of their local teens, so they’d stripped her of her job, and most of the local gossips had lost all respect for her. Everyone seemed to have turned against her except her two best friends, Rebecca Billings and Eliza Kelly.

No, she couldn’t return there. Self-doubt began to plague her. Was it foolish to hold out for love? Should she up and marry Daniel Westland just to have a roof over her head?

She thought about her limp and all the years she’d been teased, ignored or pitied because of it. Hannah wanted to prove to Daniel that she’d make a good wife. That she could work on the ranch and not be a hindrance to her husband. She wanted him to love her, not just feel sorry for her.

Hannah wanted love, she wanted security and she wanted respect from her husband, not pity. To have those things, she felt that she had to insist on courtship and the words “I love you” said before they said their vows. With that thought in mind, she squared her shoulders and lifted her head.

Her gaze clashed with that of Daniel, who seemed to have been studying her. Hannah lifted her chin even as despair ripped through her heart, taking her breath away. Did Daniel realize how much power he held over her at this moment? She prayed with all her might that he did not.

Chapter Three

Hannah still couldn’t believe that Daniel had simply nodded and begun to eat his meal after she’d told him that she hadn’t agreed to his mother’s contest. Shock must have shown on her face, for Levi had grinned and winked at her. Then he, too, had turned his attention to the food in front of him.

When they’d left town in Daniel’s buckboard wagon, Levi had followed on a white stallion. Every so often Hannah would hear the animal snort and Levi reassure him with gentle words. She wondered what had happened to Millicent Summer. Had the other woman gotten cold feet? Or would she show up in a couple days? If she did arrive, would that give Levi an advantage over Daniel’s chances of winning the ranch?

“Oh, it’s beautiful out here,” Hannah said, bouncing along on the seat of the supply wagon. Red, blue, yellow and purple wildflowers dotted the deep green, grassy pastures. Cedars, elms and other short, bushy trees and shrubs peppered the landscape.

“Are we on Westland land now?” She gripped the bench she was sitting on tighter.

Daniel nodded. He’d been quiet the whole trip. Hannah wasn’t sure if that was his normal nature or if he was punishing her for not marrying him immediately.

Levi brought his horse alongside the wagon. “We like it. Pa worked hard to settle this land and build the house and barn.”

She noticed that he looked over her head at Daniel. What was Levi thinking? Since she’d come along, did that mean he’d lost the contest their mother had set into motion? Heat filled her face as Hannah remembered the rules of the game. The first one to get married and have a grandchild would inherit the ranch.

If it all relied on her having a child, then Levi was still in the contest. She’d not marry without love and would never consider having a child without marriage first. To redirect her thoughts, Hannah asked, “How long ago was that?”

Levi’s horse tossed his head. He patted the beast’s neck and then answered, “About twenty years ago now. I was only ten when we settled here. Daniel was thirteen, so he can tell you more about how life was when we first moved to Texas.” His gaze shifted from her to Daniel, to a house that stood to their right in the distance and then back to her. “I think I’ll ride on ahead. See you in a little while.” With those words, Levi nudged his horse onto a dirt road and into a trot.

They continued on in silence. Once more, Hannah wondered if Daniel was a quiet man by nature. If so, he and Levi seemed to be complete opposites.

For a brief moment their eyes met. Tension crackled in the air between them. She jerked hers from his and looked at what she now knew was the Westland Ranch. Lord, please help us, Hannah silently prayed.

“I hope you will like it here, Miss Young.” His low voice was like an answer to her prayer.

Hannah slowly returned her gaze to him. Daniel’s lips twitched as if he’d thought about smiling but at the last minute changed his mind. He faced forward once more.

This was more difficult than she’d thought it would be. “I’m sure I will like it just fine.” Hannah straightened her skirt and focused on the pretty scenery.

Sturdy oak and cedar trees towered above her on both sides of the driveway that led to the house. The wind filtered through the tall grass, giving her the illusion she was riding in a sea of green. Beauty abounded all about her. If only things were different between her and Daniel, she’d enjoy her surroundings more.

Hannah took a deep breath and then blurted, “Would you stop the wagon for just a moment?” Her hands began to tremble.

Daniel pulled back on the reins and turned to face her. His green eyes searched hers.

To halt the shaking of her hands, Hannah clasped them together on her lap. “When I answered your letters, I thought we had an understanding of what we both wanted. You wanted a wife and I wanted to be a wife, but I wanted us to be in love before we wed.”

He nodded. “Go on.”

“But since you didn’t get the letter explaining about the courtship, and didn’t understand the terms of the agreement, I feel as if we are total strangers. Is it possible to start over?” Hannah held her breath. She hated confrontations like this. She released the pent-up air in a gush of words. “Or should I simply ask you to turn the wagon around and take me back to town?”

There, the question was out. Now Daniel Westland could decide if he wanted to court her, and he could do it on his own terms. Although giving him an escape put her in a bad situation. She had no idea what she was going to do once they returned to town.

He surprised her by asking, “Why would you want to go back to town? I thought we had an agreement.” His gaze continued to study her face.

Hannah wondered if he really didn’t understand. “I know you aren’t happy that I want to wait to get married. And since you didn’t get the letter, I don’t want you brooding and blaming me because things haven’t worked out the way you planned. So I was thinking, maybe it would be better if I returned to Granite.” She swallowed hard to ease the lump in her throat.

She couldn’t hold his gaze one moment longer, so she shifted and looked straight ahead, to the two-story white house with a wraparound porch. Movement to the right caught her attention and she watched as Levi dismounted from his horse beside a red barn. Hannah could see a vegetable garden on the left side of the house; small green shoots were poking through the rich soil.

So this was the Westland Ranch. She’d waited weeks for this glimpse of a Texas ranch. Her heart gave a little lurch at the thought that at any moment, Daniel was going to turn the wagon around and take her away from the place she’d planned on making her future home.

A heavy sigh drew her gaze back to him. “I’m sorry, Hannah. I haven’t made you feel welcome. To be honest, I really don’t know how to act now. When we were going to be wed, I figured we’d work through the details of married life, but now...” He rubbed the knuckles of his right hand with his left palm and sighed again. “I just don’t know what to do or how to do it. I’m sorry. I haven’t been very friendly.”

Hannah felt hope swell in her chest. “Is there a chance we can start over?” She captured her bottom lip between her teeth and waited.

His green eyes searched hers. “That’s just it—I don’t feel as if we’ve started anything.” He looked toward the house. “I’m a man who thought he had a plan, but now that’s changed.”

“I see.” The words caught in her throat. Hannah licked her lips and looked toward the ranch house in turn.

A harsh laugh tore from him. “No, you don’t. If Levi marries before me, he’ll get the ranch.” Daniel took one of her hands in his and tugged on it to get her attention. When she looked at him, he continued, “I’ve worked hard all my life on this spread. My blood, sweat and tears are in the soil. Hannah, I can’t let Levi have it.”

She raised her chin and wet her lips with the tip of her tongue. He was asking her to give up her dream of being respected and loved because he wanted a piece of dirt. “And I can’t marry you right now, Daniel.”

He dropped her hand. “Because you want love?”

“Yes. I want to fall in love. I want to be the center of my husband’s world. I won’t settle for less.” Having love jerked from her before had hurt her too deeply to take the chance it would happen again. Tears filled her eyes. She couldn’t bring herself to finish that thought with, and I want you to forget I have a handicap. I want to be treated like a normal human being.

Hannah sighed. Where was she going to go? It was obvious she wouldn’t be staying here. Daniel wanted only the land—he didn’t really want a wife.

“We have time, Miss Young. Levi’s mail-order bride didn’t arrive today. Until she does, I am willing to court you. I can’t promise you love, but maybe we can become friends.” He rubbed his chin. His five o’clock shadow scratched against the calluses on his hand. “I’ve heard that friends have been known to fall in love and marry. Who’s to say it won’t happen with us?”

Hannah mulled his words over. She needed time. If Daniel was willing to court her, she’d use the borrowed time to pray and decide what to do about her future.

* * *

Daniel watched her face closely. Did she realize her thoughts flittered across her delicate features like a butterfly flutters from flower to flower? Even before she nodded her consent, he knew she’d agree.

He also knew it was a stretch, but maybe he could make her fall in love with him and he’d still win his ranch. He offered her a grin. “Good. Are you ready to go meet the rest of my family?”

She ran a trembling hand over her hair and readjusted her hat. Hannah turned to look at the house. “I believe so.”

Reaching across to her clasped hands, Daniel gave them a gentle squeeze. “You will do fine. My mother is going to love you.”

As for him falling in love with her, he had no intentions of doing that with anyone. With Hannah having a limp, like his sister, he couldn’t allow her to enter his heart. He’d made the decision to take care of Hannah, and keep her off the ranch and out of harm’s way.

But as for loving her...

Daniel didn’t think he could lose another person he loved to ranch life. His sister, Gracie Joy, had been ten when she’d been killed. He tried not to relive that night, but the memories started flooding his mind and he couldn’t stop them.

Gracie Joy had loved the ranch and wanted a horse of her own. Because she’d had one leg shorter than the other since birth, their mother had insisted they get her a Shetland pony instead of a full-size mare. He’d tried to explain that Shetland ponies were often mean-spirited and had no sense of personal space, but his mother hadn’t listened.

The morning they’d gone to get the little Shetland, Gracie Joy had been thrilled, and rode with Daniel over to the Carlsons’ ranch to get him. She’d listened carefully how to care for the little horse, and had named him Lightning because of a white blaze that ran down his nose in a zigzag pattern. Mr. Carlson had laughed, and then explained that Lightning was afraid of storms.

After a week, Daniel began to doubt his own judgment of the pony. Lightning and Gracie Joy took to each other like kittens take to fresh milk.

And then it happened.

A storm blew in from the west. In his rush to get the newborn calves in out of the wet weather, Daniel and Levi had hurried to the pastures to gather them. Gracie Joy remembered that Mr. Carlson said Lightening was afraid of storms, and she’d sneaked out to the barn.

When Daniel and Levi returned, they’d found their little sister’s broken body inside Lightning’s stall. The doctor said it looked as if the little horse had kicked her in the head and then run over her chest in his hurry to get out of the barn. He said Gracie Joy probably never even felt the impact.

Daniel sighed. If he had been there, then Gracie Joy wouldn’t have gone to the stables. If he’d refused to get the Shetland as he’d first planned, she would still be alive.

A soft voice pulled him from the nightmare of memories. “Daniel, are you all right?”

He looked into Hannah Young’s heart-shaped face. Soft blue eyes studied him with concern. Daniel cleared his throat. “I’m fine.”

He released her hands and focused on guiding the horse to the house. If he lost his heart to Hannah, and she died, too, Daniel was sure he’d not survive. In desperation, he turned to the Lord. Father, I don’t know why You have allowed this woman to enter my life, but I will do my best to make her happy and keep her safe. But please don’t ask me to love her.

Chapter Four

Gravel crunched under the wagon’s wheels as Daniel pulled it up to the front porch. The sweet fragrance of roses drifted from the rosebushes beside the house. It teased Hannah’s nose as he set the break and hopped down.

She watched as a woman opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. She wore a peach-colored blouse and a tan riding skirt, and brown boots peeked out from under the hem. Her blond hair was pulled back in a braid that hung over her left shoulder. Hannah wondered if this was one of Daniel’s sisters. She had the same green eyes, the same nose.

Daniel jumped from the wagon and then turned to offer Hannah his hand. She studied his stormy eyes. No longer did they look pain filled and haunted.

She laid her hand in his. He helped her down and then turned her toward the woman. “Hannah Young, this is my mother, Bonnie Westland. Ma, Hannah is my mail-order bride.”

His mother?

The same shock that Hannah felt at discovering this was his mother filled Bonnie Westland’s voice. “Your mail-order bride?”

“Yes, ma’am. You said to get a wife. Here she is.” Daniel pulled Hannah’s bags from the wagon.

Hannah stepped forward and extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Westland.”

Bonnie took her hand and gave it a hard shake, then released it. “Same here.”

Hannah felt like a cow at auction as Daniel’s mother walked around her, studying her as if she were sizing her up before making an offer.

“What was wrong with JoAnna Crawford?” Bonnie asked Daniel, placing both hands on her hips and standing in a manner that indicated she expected an answer from her son, and fast.

Daniel stomped past them up onto the porch, his neck and cheeks bright red. “Ma, that girl doesn’t have the sense that God gave a goose.” With that he used his booted foot to push the door open, and then slipped inside.

Mrs. Westland took off after him. “I was talking to you, Daniel Westland. You get yourself back here.” She slammed the door behind her.

Hannah crossed her arms. She didn’t know whether to be insulted, annoyed or happy that they seemed to have forgotten all about her. Obviously, Bonnie Westland didn’t like the way her son had chosen a bride. Had Daniel realized his mother would be displeased?

“I see you’ve met Ma.”

She turned to find Levi approaching. His steps were long and even, as if he was never in a hurry to get anywhere. “I did.”

Levi laughed. “Ma doesn’t make a good first impression, but she’s as good as gold.”

A smile touched Hannah’s lips. “I’m sure she is. But she doesn’t seem too happy that Daniel sent for me when JoAnna Crawford is available.”

“I reckon she isn’t. Ma’s wanted him to take up with JoAnna ever since we were kids.” Levi walked to the horse and gave its harness a little tug. “Why don’t you come with me to the barn? We’ll let them hash that out before we go inside.”

That sounded fine by Hannah. She nodded and fell into step beside him. “Why didn’t Daniel want to marry JoAnna? It seems to me that would be easier than sending off for a mail-order bride.”

Levi looked over at her. “Probably for the same reason I won’t marry Lucille Lawson.” He kicked a stone and watched it skip across the ground.

When they got to the barn, Hannah knew he wasn’t going to elaborate without a little prodding. “And that would be because...”

“The girls around here are simpleminded and most of them are too young for us, anyway.” Levi’s face flushed the same shade of red that Daniel’s had a few minutes earlier. He hid his embarrassment by unhitching the wagon.

Hannah leaned against a stall door and inhaled the sweet fragrance of hay. A mama cat looked up from the corner of the barn, where three kittens nuzzled at her. Contentment could be found here on the Westland Ranch, if things were different.

The mama cat licked her babies’ faces.

When Hannah was a child she’d been content. Until the horse stepped on her ankle and shattered that contentment, along with the bones. She’d been saddling her horse to go for an afternoon ride when a snake spooked it and sent it sidestepping. Unfortunately for her, the animal had stepped on her ankle, shattering the bone. Hannah remembered the doctor and her parents whispering in the next room when she’d come to and the doctor telling her father that he should probably put her away. She wasn’t ranch life material anymore. Her world had changed that day. People’s behavior toward her changed.

Her father had no longer wanted his favorite child working beside him on the family farm. He’d swiftly made the decision she was a cripple and not good for farming. Horses were to be kept far away from her, and as soon as she was old enough, Hannah had been sent off to school, where she was trained to be a teacher. Feelings of hurt and anxiety filled her as she recalled being put on a stagecoach and sent as far away from home as one could go. After all these years, resentment and pain still lingered in her heart. Then she’d met Thomas, and he’d promised to marry her and create a home she could be proud of. Only that, too, had shattered with no more than a moment’s notice. She’d pretended like neither mattered, but as soon as she’d completed her education, Hannah had run to New Mexico, as far from Missouri as her money would take her. She’d found working for the school in Cottonwood Springs rewarding, but not having her own place had left her far from content.

Then Eliza had invited her to come live with her, and Hannah had been happy for a while. She felt sick to her stomach as she remembered the humiliation she’d felt when Mr. Miller entered the school and found his sixteen-year-old nephew, John Miller, trying to kiss her.

“Miss Young? Are you all right?” Levi stood in front of her with his hands on his hips, reminding her of his mother. His concerned green eyes studied her.

In a shaky voice Hannah answered, “I’m fine.” She straightened. Earlier, Daniel had said he was fine, too, but Hannah wondered again what had put that haunted look in his eyes.