The Montana Rancher's Bride (New Montana Brides) Read online

  Montana Rancher’s

  Bride

  New Brides of Montana Series

  Susan Leigh Carlton

  Susan Leigh Carlton

  Tomball, Texas

  Copyright © 2014 Susan Leigh Carlton

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

  Susan Leigh Carlton

  Tomball, TX

  www.susanleighcarlton.com

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Book Layout ©2014 susanleighcarlton.com

  Ordering Information:

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPLKT9Q/

  Book Title/ Author Name. -- 1st ed.

  ISBN 978-0-0000000-0-0

  Contents

  Description

  Texas

  Raid On The Lazy J

  Life Goes On

  Letty Has A Plan

  Responses

  Exchanging Letters

  Indian Raid

  This Is Where I Live

  I Am Carrie Robbins

  He Wants To Meet Me!

  Carrie Accepts!

  The First Real Kiss

  Welcome To Our Home

  I Arrived Safely

  The Thunderstorm

  The Wedding

  Our Married Life

  The Surgery

  Epilogue

  About Susan Leigh Carlton

  Susan’s Other Books

  Dedicated to Joyce in appreciation for her support and understanding that made it all possible.

  SLC

  In the interest of lifelong companionship and devotion—I am submitting this notice, I am a soldier in the United States Army . I am 27 years of age and of good, sturdy stock. I would like to correspond with a lady interested in matrimony.

  ―Lieutenant Fred M Carey—1851

  Hearts West

  Description

  Montana Territory 1867…

  Case Jamison was left to run the Lazy J Ranch after a Sioux raiding party killed his parents. He endured three years of loneliness, with only his friend, Luke Haskins and his other ranch hands. Case finally decided to find someone with whom he could share his life.

  There was a basic flaw in his plan… There were less than ten single females anywhere near Helena and the Lazy J. When Jack Owens, pastor of the Christian Church told him one of his church members had a mail order bride, he decided it was his only alternative.

  Carrie Robbins is the oldest of five daughters, living with her parents in the small college town of Oxford, Ohio, thirty five miles north of Cincinnati. After graduating from the Oxford High School, she entered the Oxford Female College. During her junior year, Joshua Hartley, a neighbor and friend since both were five, asked her to marry him. She accepted his proposal, but both agreed to wait until Joshua returned from the war. Carrie wept after kissing him goodbye at the train station. One more kiss, then he hurried to catch the train that would carry the First Ohio Volunteers to war.

  Carrie continued her education while waiting for Joshua to return. He would not return. He was killed on the third day of the battle at Gettysburg. A month later, Carrie found his name on the casualty list. At her father’s insistence, she continued school, graduated, and accepted a teaching position at the local academy.

  When her mother starting inviting men her father’s age for dinner, Carrie rebelled, determined to decide her own fate, and placed an ad in the Matrimonial Bulletin.

  This is the story of two young people and their struggle to overcome the tragedies in their lives and to find love and companionship.

  chapter One

  Texas

  Dust began swirling as the wind came up. Dark clouds were gathering on the western horizon and lightning flashed in the distance. Peals of thunder rolled across the prairie.

  Blaise Jamison and his son seven-year-old son, Case finished repairing a fence that had been damaged by one of his bulls trying to get at a heifer. Blaise kept a wary eye on the sky, since it was the season for tornados.

  The repair was finished and he began gathering his tools. The sky turned an ominous green color, and as he watched, a funnel cloud stretched from the ground to the dark clouds above.

  “Case, get your Mama and go to the root cellar now! Hurry.” The urgency in his voice propelled Case into a run to the house.

  “Mama,” he yelled. “Papa says we have to get in the root cellar. Hurry, Mama. Pa will be there in a minute.”

  Maddie Jamison took a quick look from the doorway, hurried to her bedroom, and emerged holding her family Bible, candles, and matches.

  She pushed Case ahead of her down into the dark root cellar, leaving the wooden door open so her husband would have quick entry.

  She stood on the steps in the cellar and watched for her husband an interminable time. The intensity of the wind had increased. Blaise appeared, running hard. The wind made it difficult to keep his balance, and knocked him down twice in his mad dash across the yard.

  He took one last look over his shoulder at the clouds, the darkest he had ever seen. Debris was flying across the yard. He scrambled into the cellar and pulled the door down over the opening. He slid the piece of lumber into the notch to secure it. “I’ve never seen it this bad,” he told his wife.

  The wooden door flapped louder as the wind lashed at it. With a loud rumbling, roaring sound, the door shook and rattled. Maddie put her arms around her son and held him close. He couldn’t hear what she was saying above the roar outside, but he knew she was praying for their safety.

  After less than two minutes, it grew quiet and the roaring ceased. Blaise waited another ten minutes, unbolted the door, and raised it. Tumbleweeds and tree limbs piled high around the entrance.

  Turning, he surveyed the damage. “The house is ruined, Maddie. The barn doesn’t appear to have much damage. No telling about the livestock. I hope the hands made it to safety.

  “Come on out, it’s all over, let’s see what we have left.”

  chapter Two

  Raid On The Lazy J

  After moving his family and cattle to Montana, Blaise Jamison had prospered. Beef was bringing a premium price, and his herd increased each year and now numbered over one thousand head. His land holdings were approaching three thousand acres.

  The largest buyer of his cattle was the US Army, and he filled the needs of the growing population of Helena as well. His wife Maddie, was active in the Helena Christian Church, while he and his twenty-two year old son, Case devoted their time to the ranch. They had a comfortable, pleasant life.

  This all changed late in 1865 when a raiding party of Red Cloud’s Oglala Sioux attacked the ranch, killing both Blaise, and his wife, Maddie, along with the ranch hand left to look after things. Thrown from his horse the day before, Blaise was unable to join Case and Luke in rounding up strays from the herd.

  Case and Luke Haskins had gone out the day before to round up strays that had separated from the main herd. Case spotted the smoke when they
came over the ridge near the river, and pointed it out to Luke.

  They spurred their horses and began driving the strays faster. After forcing them back into the main herd, they headed for the ranch at a gallop. As they came closer, they realized the smoke was coming from the barn.

  Wheeling to a stop, Case ran to the still smoldering barn, where he found his father on his back with two arrows protruding from his chest. His mother, Maddie was lying in the barn entrance beside him. She had been reloading her rifle when she took an arrow to the chest.

  Cradling his mother in his arms, he could see she was gone. Tears filled his eyes. The two persons most important to him were gone. “Help me get them into the house, Luke,” he said. They carried the bodies into the house and placed them on their bed. “Thanks,” Case told his friend and now employee.

  “I’ll be burying them on the hill, beneath the cottonwood tree. That was Mama’s favorite place. We used to sit and watch the sunset of an evening. I’d appreciate it if you’d help me dig the graves.”

  “Sure thing, Case. Do you want me to help get them ready?” Luke asked.

  “No. I’ll take care of that. Luke left Case alone with his parents and went to get the shovels and begin digging. Case removed the arrows from the bodies and put them aside. He then wrapped each of them in a blanket and canvas. He tied the wrapped bundles tightly with ropes, and went to get the lumber to make coffins for each body.

  After the coffins were complete, he hitched his horse to the wagon, and loaded the coffins, with a body in each. After nailing the tops on the homemade coffins, he flicked the reins, and rode up the hill to help Luke finish digging the graves.

  They lowered the coffins into the freshly dug graves. He opened his mother’s Bible and read from the Twenty-third Psalm, Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil… He bowed his head and recited The Lord’s Prayer.

  Using the lariats from their saddles, Case and Luke lowered the coffins into the grave, and covered them with dirt.

  * * *

  “Luke, I’m going into Helena in the morning, and let them know Red Cloud’s at it again. You’re welcome to come along if you like.”

  “I’ll stay here and keep an eye on things in case they come back,” Luke said.

  “You be careful, Luke. Don’t take any chances. You hightail it out of here if that happens. You’re the only friend I have left, and I don’t want anything happening to you.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” Luke said. “I’ll be all right.”

  Case went directly to the Sheriff’s office to let him know about the raid. “There’s been a lot of that lately. If them miners don’t stay off the Indian land, there’s going to be a lot more. I heard the Army’s going to reinforce the forts along the Bozeman. That’s just going to make Red Cloud madder. There’s going to be big trouble hereabouts. I’ll pass it on to the Army about the raid on your place.”

  Case’s next stop was at the Christian Church, where he told Jack and Letty Owens about the deaths of his parents. “Luke and I buried them on the hill in back of the house; I read over them and said a prayer,

  “I’m so sorry to hear this. Case and Maddie were nice people. Would you like to have a memorial to them after services this Sunday?”

  “If you think it’s appropriate, I’d like that. Folks liked them,” Case said.

  “They were an important part of our congregation. I think it would be a nice tribute,” Letty said.

  “Is there anything else we can do for you?” she asked.

  “No, I can’t think of anything. I’ve got to pick up some cartridges and a few things at the store, and then I want to get back, Luke’s there alone and they might come back for the cattle”

  Letty hugged him, and said, “Let us know if you need anything. Otherwise, we’ll see you on Sunday?”

  “I’ll be here,” Case said. “Thanks.”

  Silas Farmer, owner of the general store greeted him as he came into the store. “Morning, Case. What brings you into town today?”

  “The Indians hit the ranch yesterday. They killed Ma and Pa. Me and Luke was rounding up strays and found them when we got back. I need to pick up some cartridges and some nails. They burned the barn, and I’ll need to rebuild it.

  “I’m real sorry to hear this, Case,” Silas said. “I’ll pass the word to be on the lookout for them.”

  The following Sunday…

  “Today is a sad day for our church family as we mourn the loss of two loved ones, Blaise and Maddie Jamison. They were vital members of our family and they will be missed.” He read a scripture and Letty led the congregation in singing one of the traditional hymns.

  Unbeknownst to Case, after he left the church, several of the members got together and decided to have a barn raising to replace the burned out barn.

  The following Saturday, seven wagons driven by neighbors from the surrounding ranches, rolled into the driveway by the barn. The wagons were loaded with lumber, and tools with which to build. The wives had prepared food, and by dark, the new burned out portions of the barn were replaced. Case was humbled by the regard his family had been held by their friends and neighbors. He choked up when he tried to express his gratitude. To himself, he vowed he would be a good neighbor to these people in their times of need.

  chapter Three

  Life Goes On

  Life without his parents was not something Case had planned. When his mother was alive, the house was vibrant and alive. The aromas of freshly baked bread or pies filled the house. Dinner table conversations were lively and across many subjects.

  Now, he took his meals with the ranch hands, one of whom served as the cook. Very little conversation passed between them. In between meals, his life was atop a horse, wrangling cattle, with a trip into Helena every two or three weeks.

  In for supplies, his first stop was the general store. “Haven’t seen you for some time, how have you been?” asked Silas.

  “Working hard. We’re shorthanded right now, so the saddle is my home. I spent the past week rounding up strays. For some reason, the herd seems to be always looking for greener pastures.

  “Here’s the list the cook gave me. While you get it together, I’m going over to the café and have a bite cooked by someone that isn’t a cowboy, and with something besides beans. Then I’ll stop by to see Letty and Jack.”

  “Take your time,” Silas said. “I’ve got another order to work on. Tell the Owens’ I said hello. I haven’t seen them in several days either,” Silas said.

  “I’ll be back after a while,” Case said.

  He hadn’t seen Jack and Letty since the Saturday of the barn raising and was having some guilt feeling about it. “Case,” a concerned Letty said, “how have you been? We’ve missed you.”

  “I was just telling Silas, we’re a bit short-handed at the ranch right now and I’ve been working from sunup to sundown.”

  “You know that’s not good for you. You need to let your mind and body rest, just like the Bible says.

  “Yeah, well, whoever wrote that didn’t know anything about life on a ranch,” Case said.

  “Come on now,” Jack said. “Your father always found time to kick back or come to church. You should too.”

  “Keeping busy keeps my mind occupied, so I don’t get so lonely.”

  Letty said, “I want you to promise to come to church Sunday, and then take dinner with us.”

  “I don’t know, Letty. I have a lot to do.”

  “I’m not going to take no for an answer,” Letty said.

  “Listen to the lady, Case. You can’t win an argument with her. I never have and I’ve tried for years. “She might not always right, but she’s never wrong. In her own mind, that is.” He laughed to show he was joking

  “Listen to you. He’s going to think I boss you around,” she said.

  “It is what it is,” said Jack.

  “I promise, Letty. I’ll be at church this Sunday or next Sunday,” he offered.

 
“Why not both Sundays?” she countered.

  “What did I tell you? Give up, and we’ll see you Sunday,” Jack said,

  Sunday…

  Case was out of bed and at work before sunup. With all of his chores complete, after breakfast, he got dressed in his Sunday clothes and rode into town. He was going to keep his promise to Letty. He left his horse at the livery stable, asked him to give the horse some oats and water, and told him he would be back after church.

  He took note of the day as he walked. The sky was so blue and clear, he could see forever. Only in Montana do you get days like this. It was quiet on the streets; the miners were all sleeping off the liquor they had consumed the night before. The only traffic he saw was the few wagons headed to church. He nodded to several families as they passed. He touched the brim of his hat to acknowledge several of the wives.

  At the church, he was greeted warmly, with friends asking how he was, their concern obvious. He joined a group of men standing in front of the church, listening to the conversation but not joining in.

  “Have you seen any recent Indian signs, Case?” one of the men asked.

  Suddenly aware all of the men were looking at him, he realized the question was addressed to him. “Huh… no, I have not. Haven’t missed any cattle that I know of, so they must have moved on.”

  “I hope so,” said one of the men. “Red Cloud scares me,” the rancher said.

  Sounds of the piano came from inside the church, acting as a call to worship. As they went inside, they separated, to rejoin their families. Case sat on the end of a bench about midway back and close to the wall. He stood when the congregation stood; he bowed his head when they did. He held the hymnal, but did not sing. After the services, as he made his way to the door, he shook Jack’s hand, and said, “Tell Letty I’m going to have to beg off dinner. I can’t stay; I need to get back to the ranch.”