Historical Cowboy Romance Two Book Box Set - Mail Order Brides by Linda Bridey
The next afternoon, Geoffrey and Tessa were walking through the barn, trying to work out their differences.
“Papa, don’t you see? I’m not much different than you. As I said yesterday, you struck out on your own, so why shouldn’t I have been allowed to?” Tessa asked.
“It was different for me, Tessa. I didn’t want to get caught up in all of the fighting. Things were dangerous there. It wasn’t what I wanted for myself. I wanted to be my own man and make my own future,” he told her.
Tessa arched a brow at Geoff. “Did you hear what you just said?”
Geoffrey went back over it and saw her point. He gave her a considering look. “You tricked me,” he said.
“No, you tricked yourself, Papa,” Tessa said with a proud smile. “I had nothing to do with it.”
“I hate it when I’m outsmarted by a woman,” he teased.
Tessa laughed.
Geoffrey sobered. “But your life wasn’t in any danger.”
“No, not any physical danger, but I was in danger of becoming resentful of the people I love because I couldn’t pursue my own dreams and wishes. If I had stayed in that life, I would have withered away inside. Would you want that for me?”
“Of course not.”
“And if I had told you what I wanted to do, would you have let me?”
Geoffrey’s silence told her the answer.
“Right. So you see that I had no choice and none of this is Dean’s fault. He had no idea I’d run away like that, so please don’t blame him,” Tessa said.
“I understand where you’re coming from,” Geoffrey said. “And I don’t blame him. I could see that he had no knowledge of your subterfuge. I don’t necessarily agree with your methods, but I can now accept why you did it.”
Tessa hugged her father. “Thank you, Papa. It’s a good life here. We’re not the richest people when it comes to money, but Dean is a hard worker and he’s loves me and the children.”
“I can see that he’s a good man, Tessa. Those children are a delight. Jack is quite amusing,” Geoff said, with a smile at how Jack had started calling him “grandpa” right off.
“You don’t know the half of it, Papa. You never know what he’s going to say or do,” Tessa said. “And he’s hard to stay cross with.”
“Hmm. I know someone else like that,” Geoff said.
“Papa!” Tessa’s objected.
By the time two weeks had passed, Geoffrey was convinced his daughter had made a good match and that he would be leaving her in good hands. He enjoyed meeting the rest of Dean’s family and had gotten to know them all a little better. Geoff found himself impressed by Marcus’ self-taught knowledge. Seth entertained him with stories of his exploits on cattle drives and he told some of his own adventures in Ireland.
Too soon, it came time for her father to head back, which made Tessa realize how much she missed her family. Geoffrey promised that he would try to bring the whole family to meet them the following spring.
Dean and Tessa drove Geoffrey to Wolfe’s Point to meet the stage coach. They waved him goodbye and Tessa couldn’t help but cry. Dean held her and whispered comfort. Tessa finally dried her eyes and smiled.
“I’m all right now. We’ll write lots of letters and keep in touch and next year will be here before you know it, right?” she said.
“Of course it will. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you busy,” Dean said suggestively.
She smacked his arm. “You’re awful.”
Dean laughed and helped her get back in the wagon. “Yep, that’s me, your awful husband.”
“Who writes awful letters,” she said.
“About that. I had an idea. You have two sisters, right? I have two brothers. Seth needs a wife, he just doesn’t know it. So does Marcus. How do you feel about playing match maker?”
Tessa considered it. “Well, it might take some work, but I’m pretty sneaky and you’re pretty smart, so it could be done. I hope Seth writes better letters than you do. Oh, wait, I’ve never read any letters written by you, so how would I know?”
Dean captured her mouth in a kiss. “Hush up now, wife,” he said when he released her.
“I will not!” she said.
Dean laughed again as he clicked to the horses. “Well, then I’m gonna have to keep kissing you to get you to shut up.”
Tessa was quiet for a moment and then began talking a blue streak about anything and everything.
As they drove back to the ranch, they laughed and loved, accompanied by the westward wind.
The End
“Papa, don’t you see? I’m not much different than you. As I said yesterday, you struck out on your own, so why shouldn’t I have been allowed to?” Tessa asked.
“It was different for me, Tessa. I didn’t want to get caught up in all of the fighting. Things were dangerous there. It wasn’t what I wanted for myself. I wanted to be my own man and make my own future,” he told her.
Tessa arched a brow at Geoff. “Did you hear what you just said?”
Geoffrey went back over it and saw her point. He gave her a considering look. “You tricked me,” he said.
“No, you tricked yourself, Papa,” Tessa said with a proud smile. “I had nothing to do with it.”
“I hate it when I’m outsmarted by a woman,” he teased.
Tessa laughed.
Geoffrey sobered. “But your life wasn’t in any danger.”
“No, not any physical danger, but I was in danger of becoming resentful of the people I love because I couldn’t pursue my own dreams and wishes. If I had stayed in that life, I would have withered away inside. Would you want that for me?”
“Of course not.”
“And if I had told you what I wanted to do, would you have let me?”
Geoffrey’s silence told her the answer.
“Right. So you see that I had no choice and none of this is Dean’s fault. He had no idea I’d run away like that, so please don’t blame him,” Tessa said.
“I understand where you’re coming from,” Geoffrey said. “And I don’t blame him. I could see that he had no knowledge of your subterfuge. I don’t necessarily agree with your methods, but I can now accept why you did it.”
Tessa hugged her father. “Thank you, Papa. It’s a good life here. We’re not the richest people when it comes to money, but Dean is a hard worker and he’s loves me and the children.”
“I can see that he’s a good man, Tessa. Those children are a delight. Jack is quite amusing,” Geoff said, with a smile at how Jack had started calling him “grandpa” right off.
“You don’t know the half of it, Papa. You never know what he’s going to say or do,” Tessa said. “And he’s hard to stay cross with.”
“Hmm. I know someone else like that,” Geoff said.
“Papa!” Tessa’s objected.
By the time two weeks had passed, Geoffrey was convinced his daughter had made a good match and that he would be leaving her in good hands. He enjoyed meeting the rest of Dean’s family and had gotten to know them all a little better. Geoff found himself impressed by Marcus’ self-taught knowledge. Seth entertained him with stories of his exploits on cattle drives and he told some of his own adventures in Ireland.
Too soon, it came time for her father to head back, which made Tessa realize how much she missed her family. Geoffrey promised that he would try to bring the whole family to meet them the following spring.
Dean and Tessa drove Geoffrey to Wolfe’s Point to meet the stage coach. They waved him goodbye and Tessa couldn’t help but cry. Dean held her and whispered comfort. Tessa finally dried her eyes and smiled.
“I’m all right now. We’ll write lots of letters and keep in touch and next year will be here before you know it, right?” she said.
“Of course it will. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you busy,” Dean said suggestively.
She smacked his arm. “You’re awful.”
Dean laughed and helped her get back in the wagon. “Yep, that’s me, your awful husband.”
“Who writes awful letters,” she said.
“About that. I had an idea. You have two sisters, right? I have two brothers. Seth needs a wife, he just doesn’t know it. So does Marcus. How do you feel about playing match maker?”
Tessa considered it. “Well, it might take some work, but I’m pretty sneaky and you’re pretty smart, so it could be done. I hope Seth writes better letters than you do. Oh, wait, I’ve never read any letters written by you, so how would I know?”
Dean captured her mouth in a kiss. “Hush up now, wife,” he said when he released her.
“I will not!” she said.
Dean laughed again as he clicked to the horses. “Well, then I’m gonna have to keep kissing you to get you to shut up.”
Tessa was quiet for a moment and then began talking a blue streak about anything and everything.
As they drove back to the ranch, they laughed and loved, accompanied by the westward wind.
The End