A Bride for Logan by Barbara Goss (free children's online books TXT) 📗

Logan shifted so he faced Rachel. “Can I confide in you?”

“You may,” she answered.

“I was gambling and lost a lot of money—a few times—and my father was furious. He changed his will to stipulate that unless I married within a year, my sister, Prudence, would inherit everything. It awakened me to the fact that if I didn’t change my ways, I’d lose the ranch I loved.

“I stopped gambling, buckled down to help my father on the ranch, and worked hard to prove myself. He told me he was proud of me and that he’d change the will, but he died before that happened.

“That left me a month to find a bride or lose everything.”

“What did you do?” she asked.

“I didn’t know what to do. I sulked for two weeks before Alan suggested he contact his aunt’s cousin in Colorado who owned a saloon. He figured a saloon woman would jump at the chance to marry a well-to-do rancher, and it would solve my problem. Emma and I married by proxy, and I didn’t meet her until she stepped off the stagecoach several weeks later.

“Emma and I never consummated our marriage, and we agreed to annul it after six months. I got my inheritance and things went well.”

Logan told her about Dallas and how he’d later found out that Emma had only been a saloon woman for about an hour before she was fired.

“Since then, I’ve slowly fallen in love with her.”

“So, what’s the problem?” Rachel asked.

“She doesn’t feel the same about me.”

“Are you sure? She seems devoted.”

“It’s all an act. I made her promise to act the part and not to tell anyone.”

“Now I see your problem.”

“I need advice from a woman.”

“Phew—I don’t know. This is a difficult situation. Are you positive she doesn’t return your love?”

“She’s fond of me but that’s all.”

“Have you thought about telling her how you feel?”

“Yes, but I couldn’t stand a rejection, so I tried another tactic. I told her not to come into my room to spend time with me for appearances. I told her not to come unless she truly wanted to be with me.”

“What did she say or do then?”

“She left the room and hasn’t been back all day.”

He watched Rachel sit back and close her eyes. He wondered if she’d answer him.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

 “Yes,” she said, opening her eyes. “I was just trying to put myself in Emma place.”

“And?”

“I think you should court her. Pull her away from Alan. You can start by taking her flowers. Shall I prepare a bouquet?”

“Do you think she’d laugh if I did that?”

“I guarantee she’ll be pleased.”

“What else?”

“Take her for drives in the buggy or into town for a meal—you know, just court her.”

Logan felt excited about the prospect. It might work. He wasn’t happy about the bouquet bit, but he’d do it anyway.

“Thank you, Mrs. Bradley. I wonder why I never thought to do that.”

“Come—let’s go out back and put that bouquet together.”

Rachel bent to pick flowers from the bed. As she picked, she asked Logan, “Why are you so fearful of rejection?”

“I don’t know…maybe it stems from being rejected by my mother.”

Rachel straightened. “Logan, you don’t know that.”

“What else could a child think when his mother abandoned him?”

“Her reason most likely had nothing to do with you. You said she ran off with your father’s best friend. If she truly loved this man, it might have been a heart-wrenching choice for her.”

“She chose him over me and my sister.”

Rachel sighed. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

Logan took the flowers she handed him. The woman really looked sorry. Her eyes teared up and he thought she was about to cry.

“Well, it did,” he said. “I don’t want it to happen again.”

Rachel squeezed his arm. “It won’t. I have a feeling things will work out for you two.”

Logan walked into the kitchen where Emma and Alan were still playing cards. Emma looked up and saw him with the flowers.

“Oh, Logan! They’re lovely.”

He offered her the flowers.

“Are they for me?” She took them and inhaled deeply. “Ah, they’re wonderful. Thank you.”

“If I offended you earlier, I’m sorry.”

He watched her smile fade. “I’ll put them in water.”

“Emma,” he called after her. When she turned, he said, “We’re leaving tomorrow.”

“All right.” She continued to the sink pump. He watched her put the flowers in a vase and arrange them.

“I’ll put these in the bedroom,” she said.

Logan felt better about things, and he played a few hands of poker with Alan. He looked up from his hand and saw a man standing in the doorway. Before he could respond, Rachel ran into his arms.

“Tim!” she cried. “Thank God you’re home.”

The man named Tim swung his wife around in circles. It was evident to everyone they were in love.

“I have guests. I’d like you to meet Logan and Alan.”

Tim gave them a curious look and smiled. “I’m pleased to meet you.” Logan knew the puzzled look was because he'd come home to find strangers there.

Emma walked into the room and was introduced to Tim.

“Emma became stranded out here in the country and I took her in," Rachel told him. "Her husband, Logan, and his friend, Alan, came to rescue her. They’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

They had all sat down to breakfast when Tim said, “A home-cooked meal! This looks delicious, Rachel.”

Logan dropped his fork and stared at the woman whose face had turned beet red. Rachel? That had been his mother’s name. Oh no!

He stood. “We’ll be leaving now. Come on, Emma.”

“Don’t go, Logan,” Rachel cried. “I’d like to talk to you first, to explain.”

“Don’t you ever talk