His Forbidden Bride (The Brides of Paradise Ranch (Spicy Version) Book 7) (18 page)

I
t’s strange
the way life works. It was only two weeks later that Honoria was back in Dr. Meyers’s office, being examined once more.

“Are you certain your original diagnosis was right?” Solomon asked, pacing the tiny space to the side of the examination table where Dr. Meyers worked.

“I’m certain,” Dr. Meyers, chuckled. How he could be so light-hearted when she was feeling so poorly was beyond Honoria.

“We can’t be too careful,” Solomon went on. “I’ve already experienced the pain of thinking I was going to lose my wife once. I’m not in a hurry to do it again.”

“Well, you’re in luck.” Dr. Meyers helped Honoria to sit up, then stepped back from the table. “It’s early days still, but I think I can make a definitive diagnosis as to Honoria’s condition.”

Honoria’s heart sank. “It’s the strain of making a break with my family, isn’t it?” she blurted. “It was so traumatic, and I’ve been so tired and nauseated since then.”

Dr. Meyers hummed and tilted his head to the side. “It does have something to do with family.”

Solomon let out a heavy breath and rubbed a hand over his face. “I’ve been working hard on finding forgiveness for that lot, but so help me, if they take my darling Honoria away from me again…”

“It’s not that.” Dr. Meyers continued to chuckle.

Honoria wasn’t sure she was in the mood to listen to someone who should know better behave so callously at such a serious time. “Then what is it?” she asked.

“I know Rex Bonneville is mighty keen to have a son,” Dr. Meyers went on. “But it looks like he’s going to end up with a grandson—or granddaughter—before that.”

“If he thinks—” Solomon started, but stopped flat a second later. His mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide.

The news took Honoria completely by surprise as well. At the same time, she knew instantly that it was true.

“A baby!” She exclaimed. “But…but we’ve only been married for a little over a month.”

Dr. Meyers shrugged. “Not to be indelicate, but as long as the two of you are enjoying a normal, healthy marriage, it is very possible for a baby to come along so soon.”

Solomon laughed and slapped Dr. Meyers on the back. “I wouldn’t say our marriage has been normal, exactly. But you’re right, a baby is possible.”

“Not just possible,” Honoria said, hopping off the table. “It’s factual. We’re having a baby!” She rushed into Solomon’s arms, barely able to believe how blessed she was. One minute she’d been certain she was going to die, and the next she was about to bring a new life into the world.

“Now, there are still complications that can occur,” Dr. Meyers went on as if delivering a speech he was honor-bound to share. “But Honoria is extremely healthy, as we all now know, and in the prime of her child-bearing years. I think this pregnancy will proceed without trouble.”

He gave them more information and made sure they knew what they needed to do, both for Honoria’s health and for the health of the baby. Afterwards, both equally stunned, Honoria and Solomon headed out of Dr. Meyers’s office and down Prairie Avenue toward Station Street in a daze.

“We’re going to be a family,” Solomon spoke at last, hugging Honoria’s arm tightly as he escorted her.

“We’re already a family,” Honoria giggled. She couldn’t seem to stop herself once she got going. “I hope we do have a boy,” she went on. “It would be grand to nurture a little Solomon, Jr. as he grew to be a fine banker, like his father.”

Solomon laughed. “I think I’d rather like to have an Honoria, Jr. if it’s all the same.”

Honoria swatted at his arm, her heart so light she thought she might float. “If it is a girl, can we name her Ariana? After my mother.”

A fond smile spread across Solomon’s handsome face, made even more handsome by pure bliss and contentment. “Ariana Templesmith. I think I like it.”

They continued on in a cloud of delight, walking arm in arm as if the world didn’t matter. The only thing that threatened to upset the perfection of the moment was the sight of Bonnie fussing with a carpetbag as she waited on the platform of Haskell’s train station. She was dressed in full travel regalia, complete with gloves and a veiled hat.

“Bonnie!” Honoria let go of Solomon’s arms and rushed over to the edge of the platform.

“Take it easy, Sweetheart,” Solomon called after her.

Honoria was certain that was the first of many ways that Solomon would wrap her up in cotton-wool during her pregnancy, but at the moment, she had bigger concerns. “Are you running away at last?” she asked, stepping up onto the train platform and taking Bonnie’s hands. “Thank God!”

“No.” Bonnie laughed, though there wasn’t much humor in it. “Just taking a short trip.”

“Where?” Honoria blinked, confused. Solomon stepped up to the platform and walked to her side, resting a hand on the small of her back.

“To Everland,” Bonnie explained.

“Everland?” Solomon frowned. “Whatever for?”

Bonnie sighed. “I told Rex I had something I had to take care of before I could marry him.”

“And it’s in Everland?” Honoria asked.

Bonnie nodded.

“Whatever is it?” Solomon followed.

The corner of Bonnie’s mouth twitched with mischief and something Honoria couldn’t quite name.

“Before I can marry your father, I’ve got to divorce my husband.”

* * *

Y
es
, I can hear you right now saying, “Whaaaaaaaaat? Bonnie is already married? When? How? Who? What’s going on?” Yes, it’s true. Because historically speaking, not all mail-order bride stories worked out back in the days of the Old West. The law wasn’t always around to help people cut ties legally either. But sometimes, if people let enough water run under the bridge, old misunderstandings could be mended. One little trip to Everland might give Bonnie and a certain Rupert Cole a second chance to fall in love. Be sure to find out in late October in
His Secret Bride
!

I
f you haven’t checked
out the Everland series by Caroline Lee, you might just want to do that before His Secret Bride! The Everland series starts with
Ella
, and you can get your first glimpse of Rupert Cole in book two,
Little Red
!

C
lick
here for a complete list of other works by Merry Farmer
.

I
hope
you have enjoyed
His Forbidden Bride
. If you’d like to be the first to learn about when new books in the series come out and more, please sign up for my newsletter here:
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Merry Farmer is an award-winning novelist who lives in suburban Philadelphia with her two cats, Butterfly and Torpedo. She has been writing since she was ten years old and realized one day that she didn't have to wait for the teacher to assign a creative writing project to write something. It was the best day of her life. She then went on to earn not one but two degrees in History so that she would always have something to write about. Her books have topped the Amazon and iBooks charts and have been named finalists in the prestigious RONE and Rom Com Reader’s Crown awards.

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I
owe
a huge debt of gratitude to my awesome beta-readers, Caroline Lee, Carly Cole, and Jolene Stewart, for their suggestions and advice. And a big, big thanks to my editor, Cissie Patterson, for doing an outstanding job, as always, and for leaving hilarious comments throughout the manuscript. Also, a big round of applause for my marketing and promo mistress, Sara Benedict.

A
nd a special thank
you to the Pioneer Hearts group! Do you love Western Historical Romance? Wanna come play with us? Become a member at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pioneerhearts/

C
lick
here for a complete list of other works by Merry Farmer
.