Mail Order Cowboy (Love Inspired Historical) (21 page)

W
hen Nick woke, he was lying in a strange bedroom and Milly was sponging his forehead with water that felt blessedly cool.

“Where am I?” he asked, staring up at the lovely face of his beautiful Milly.

She smiled down at him. “Ssssh! I don't want her to know you're awake just yet, so I can have you all to myself. You're in Mrs. Detwiler's spare bedroom, and she's out in the kitchen making broth for you. She wouldn't hear of us taking you home in the wagon until you came around. But I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if she insists you stay longer. I think it's been a long time since she had anyone to ply with calves' foot jelly and tea.”

“I…I take it the Comanches have been routed?”

She nodded. “Put to flight, the few who survived the crossfire between our fort and the cavalry.”

“Thank God,” he said soberly, to which she said, “Amen.”

“It'll be a long time before they try to attack Simpson
Creek again, the major said, now that we have a fort,” Milly continued.

“Have the others been back to the ranch yet? Is it all right?” he said, hardly daring to hear the answer. If Waters had been killed and his ranch burned, it was always possible the Matthews ranch had been hit, too, and the livestock stolen.

“Untouched. We've been so blessed.”

“Indeed, we have. Thank You, Lord.” He straightened up in the bed. “The last thing I remember was hearing the cavalry bugler sounding the charge, and the cavalry galloping into sight.”

Milly grinned now. “That's when you swooned.”

He glared at her with all the ferocity he could muster—which wasn't much, considering the headache he still had. “I did not
swoon,
woman, I'll have you know. Men do not swoon. Females swoon.”

“Very well, you fell unconscious,” she said reasonably, but mischief still danced in her eyes. “Whatever you did, you slept nearly around the clock. It's Sunday now.”

“Did we…lose very many townspeople?” Nick had guessed from Milly's calm demeanor that Sarah and their ranch hands must be all right, so now he could ask about the others.

Her expression sobered. “Doctor Harkey. He didn't make it to the fort. He must have been behind us.”

“That's a shame. Poor Maude…”

She nodded. “Blakely Harvey, of course… And the major said they found Bill Waters and a couple of his hands killed and the ranch house burned to the ground.”

Nick nodded, unable to find anything to say. No one deserved to die that way. He only hoped Waters and Harvey had had time to cry out to God before they died.

“Other than those, no one was killed, though several got arrow or gunshot wounds, and there's an assortment of cuts and bruises.”

“And the town's without a doctor, because Doctor Harkey is dead.”

Milly shook her head. “In God's providence, no, it's not. Remember, the Yankee who was corresponding with Sarah was a doctor? Right now he's busy as a barefoot boy on a red ant bed, as Josh would say.”

“How does Sarah feel about that? Before the attack, I'm sure she was hoping he'd ride back out of here when the day was over.”

Milly grinned. “I'm sure she realizes he's a very essential man to have around right now. I think she's worried he'll decide to stay, though, now that the town needs a doctor.” She chuckled. “I met him, and I liked him. I think he might just turn out to be exactly what my sister needs. If Prissy Gilmore doesn't snap him up, that is.”

“It'll be interesting to watch.”

She nodded. “He's been to check on you, though of course you wouldn't remember it. He's brought some more quinine from Doctor Harkey's supply. He expects taking the quinine when you did will considerably shorten this attack.”

“I feel quite a bit better already.”

From somewhere beyond the bedroom a clock began to chime.

“Church will be over soon,” Milly remarked. “We'd better get you shaved for the visit.”

“Visit? Who's visiting?”

“The mayor was planning to stop by after the service at church—they were going to give thanks for the town's deliverance,” she said. “He says the town's going to proclaim you a hero. I believe he's commissioning a medal to be made.”

“I? As I recall, every man in the fort was firing at them, and the bravest woman I know, too,” he said, reaching up to cup her cheek.

“If it weren't for you, that fort wouldn't have been there just when we needed it. And we'd still have been giving in to the demands of bullies wearing hoods and making threats.”

He smiled, warmed by the love and admiration he saw in her eyes. “And all because one plucky woman decided to advertise for husbands.” He raised his head and met her lips. “I love you, Milly Matthews. Being your husband is going to be an adventure.”

Dear Reader,

As I was trying to decide what to write for my next submission to the Love Inspired Historical line, and hoping to find an idea that could possibly extend into a series, I remembered the advice of a wonderful former agent of mine, who's now retired, Alice Orr—something to the effect of “Take an idea that's popular and twist so it's new.” Mail-order bride stories are popular (I certainly love them), and a staple of Western historical romances. But I couldn't remember ever seeing a mail-order
groom
story. And so was born Milly and her Spinsters' Club, formed by my enterprising heroine in a Texas town with no single men. Since I met my husband, Tom, online, it's a story that's near and dear to my heart, and I hope you like it, too.

My next book will feature Milly's shy sister, Sarah, and the man she finds to love—who should have been the last man she'd ever consider.

As always, I love to hear from readers, either via my website at www.lauriekingery.com or on Facebook.

Laurie Kingery

1. Have you ever been afraid to begin something that's never been done before, as Milly is when she starts the Spinsters' Club? Were you afraid of what people would say? How did you handle it?
   
2. Would you say you are more like Milly or more like Sarah? How would you describe the differences in the sisters' personalities?
   
3. If you lived in mid-1800s America, would you be brave enough to settle in an area in which Native-American attacks are possible, or would you remain in a safer area?
   
4. Are you fully using the talents that God has given you, as Milly and Sarah did by the end of the book? If not, what's holding you back?
   
5. Have you ever had a “Mrs. Detwiler” in your life? What was your response? Have you tried to or been able to change his or her mind by what you did?
   
6. Have you ever kept secrets from someone you loved? Why or why not? What was the effect?
   
7. What was the townspeople's response to the Circle's actions and threats? Why did it change?
   
8. Why is Nick so afraid to reveal his secrets to Milly? What problems could Nick have avoided by trusting Milly sooner?
   
9. Do you think God guides us in our choice of mates? Why or why not?
   
10. If you had to plan a sermon around your favorite Bible verse, as Reverend Chadwick did with Micah 6:8, what verse would you choose?
    
11. Do you think it's all right for someone who wishes to marry to take action to meet someone, as Milly does, or should he or she wait for the Lord to send him or her the right person? What role does prayer play in the choice of the right mate?
    
12. Do you think Sarah should have been more willing to consider getting to know the Yankee doctor?