Our Christmas Bride: Treasure Falls Brides, #6

CHAPTER 1

The stagecoach bounced along the road, past the pine trees and the mountains in the distance, carrying Carrie Sanders home. She was returning as an abject failure, but she no longer cared.

She was tired of hiding her life and family ways and trying to fit in with those fancy girls in her finishing school. She was done and heading home to Treasure Falls. Time to begin life. The life she longed for.

Her brothers be damned. They didn’t rule her. For too long, she’d let her brothers control her and that was in the past. At eighteen, she could do what she wanted, and she’d been homesick for the past two years.

Enough. Time to go home, take a stand, and find her place in their community. It was what their parents would’ve wanted her to do even though there would be a shitstorm on the horizon.

The stage rounded the last curve and she took a deep breath of the mountain air. It felt so good to be back in Montana – the colder air, open spaces, and the mountaintops already sporting a white coat promising winter was on the way.

She had escaped the stifling city life with women who lifted their noses into the air as they passed her by. According to those fine women, she was an abomination.

She was the product of a two-husband family, only thing was both her two fathers and her mother had died in the mining accident. So she knew firsthand the importance of having two husbands.

In Treasure Falls, as the founder of the town, her family was one of the most respected, but she had never concerned herself with being upper-crust society. What did that mean? That your family had a little more money?

All that mattered was the sense of belonging she missed. Treasure Falls was home and it was time to leave the snobs behind in Denver where they belonged. Time for this abomination to return to where she felt loved and wanted.

Who knew that having two husbands was such a banned or taboo subject? She had certainly created a stir when she told them that her mother had two husbands. Her aunt had two husbands, and even her brothers were married to a woman they shared with another man.

By the girls’ overreactions, you would have thought her family were sexual deviants holding wild orgies and not the family life they enjoyed. Not the pledge to protect one another and stand beside each other.

They didn’t understand what happened to a woman alone with a family to raise when her husband died.

In the city, the dangers were not as evident as they were here. Bear attacks, mining collapses, cougar attacks, Treasure Falls had it all, even blizzards. Here, the chances of becoming a young widow were high. With an additional husband, the family would be protected. This way a woman would not be without someone to take care of her and the children.

And her family had sacrificed a lot for this little town. Including the lives of her two fathers and her mother. The memory of that stressful time hung like a cloud over her until her brothers sent her away to that fancy finishing school with the intent that she would marry into high society.

High society be damned too. She didn’t like those uppity men or snooty women. That was not the life for her.

Wouldn’t her brothers be shocked when they learned she had traveled all this way by herself?

No one knew she was returning. No one would be waiting at the stage depot. Her arrival would be a huge surprise to everyone.

The last few months had been filled with exciting adventures that had her changing the course of her life. Had her returning to her roots.

Treasure Falls, the driver called as he pulled the horses to a stop.

Home, she was home and couldn’t wait to see her aunt Grace and Doc Owen.

She sat patiently inside the coach for the driver to put the stool down and open the door. When the handle turned, she jumped up, eager to get out of this rattletrap she’d spent days bouncing inside of.

Stepping out of the stage, she gazed about at the town she loved. The place that held all her fond memories of her mother and fathers and even her brothers before they became her caretakers.

Before they decided to rule her life.

Though it had only been a couple years, the town had grown. It appeared they now had a small cafe.

She laughed, feeling relieved to be back. Thank you, she said to the driver. Have a safe trip home.

Yes, ma’am, he said. What do you want me to do with your trunk?

There was no way she could carry the thing. And she hated going off and leaving it just sitting, but what choice did she have?

Leave it, she said. I’ll have someone take it home for me.

All right, he told her.

The luggage would be safe sitting there for ten minutes. It would take her five minutes to walk to Aunt Grace’s home, and after they said hello, she was certain a servant could come fetch it for her.

Leaves blew along the street as she walked toward the house where she had grown up. The same house that once belonged to her parents before they were killed. Now the doctor and her aunt lived in the big home.

A cold wind howled out of the north and she huddled into her coat. She was fortunate to have made it home. Another week and the trails would be impassable. But once the headmistress kicked her out, she didn’t tarry. She’d taken the first stage home.

It was something she should have done months ago. At the first signs of her receiving the society snub, she should have packed her bags and told those rich bitches she was going searching for her two husbands. Wouldn’t that have set them off in a tizzy?

With a giggle, she hurried up the street, remembering playing along this avenue as a child. Things were about to get interesting.

After running up the steps to the house, she knocked on the large wooden door. The house looked the same, only a little more weather-worn. Montana winters were hard on the wooden structures.

Her aunt opened the door, her sapphire eyes growing large, and she couldn’t get the door opened fast enough.

Carrie, she cried, what are you doing here?

I’ve come home, she said as her aunt threw open the door and wrapped her arms around her. That fancy school didn’t want a girl who believed in more than one husband.

Her aunt hugged her tightly, and it brought tears to her eyes. She was tired of feeling like an outcast. Here in her aunt’s arms, she felt reassured that she’d made the right decision.

This was home.

Oh, darling, I’m so happy to see you. It was long past time for you to come home. Where are you staying?

Carrie giggled as her aunt stepped back. I don’t know. No one knows I’m here but you.

You didn’t tell your brothers? she asked, shocked.

No, I knew they would try to convince me to stay and I couldn’t for one more minute.

You’re right, her aunt said. Stay here with us. You can have your old bedroom back. We’d love to have you. You know your brothers have all married.

Oh, yes, she said. That’s why I didn’t know where I was going to sleep. Nothing is the same since the accident.

No, it’s not, her aunt agreed sadly.

The thought of staying in her old bedroom brought warmth to her chest. Tears welled in her eyes. I’ve been so homesick.

Well, then, it’s fitting you stay here with us. Where is your trunk?

Down at the station, she said. I couldn’t carry it.

Of course not, her aunt said. I’ll get Henry to fetch it for you.

Just then she remembered her mother’s jewelry was in the trunk and it wasn’t locked. I need to get back to my luggage. Tell Henry to meet me at the station.

The heirloom jewelry was the only thing she had of her mother and she wasn’t about to let someone take those few precious pieces. They weren’t worth a lot, but their sentimental value was worth millions.

I’ll fix a warm pot of tea and have it waiting for you. You go and I’ll send Henry.

Carrie stared at her aunt, tears filling her eyes. The elder had grown older, her hair almost completely gray. She wondered how her mother would have looked at this age. So many times, Carrie yearned to hear her parents’ voices.

I’ve missed you so much, she said.

Her aunt reached out and hugged her again. Darling, it’s so good to have you home. Now get back there and gather your things. Then we can catch up when you return. You can tell me all about how this finishing school decided you no longer needed to be there.

Carrie chuckled. It was quite the story. People who didn’t know about Treasure Falls’s way of life had no idea what a great family town it was. Their loss.

One thing she’d learned in the past two years, her fists could get her into trouble. Because no one spoke badly of her family and their beliefs. No one. She protected those she loved.

And now she was home. It was only a matter of time before her brothers learned she was here and then the explosions would commence.

Didn’t matter, she wasn’t going back, and since today was the last stage coming into Treasure Falls, they couldn’t make her return.

CHAPTER 2

Levi Daly and Jasper Vanderbilt were returning to Treasure Falls, rich. They’d left poor and the gold fields of Alaska had given them the rewards they’d gone searching for. Now they were returning like conquering heroes with a ranch already bought and paid for. A home that neither man had ever had before.

Sure, they’d grown up in Treasure Falls, but Levi’s family lived in town and Jasper’s family barely survived.

Next spring, they would purchase cattle to build their herd, but in the meantime, winter was fast approaching and they were ready to find themselves a wife and settle her in between them. A hot pussy to keep them warm this winter before the first flakes of snow arrived and before the women in town learned they had more money than they could spend in one lifetime.

You heard about them bringing mail-order brides in this summer, Jasper said. Damn, I wish we could have grabbed one of those women before they were all snatched up.

Levi smiled. Yes, he’d heard about them, but there was one woman his mind had refused to forget. One woman who haunted his dreams at night. One woman who could get his cock hard at just the thought of her.

The only problem—Jasper. Whenever her name was mentioned, his friend acted like a burr was up his saddle. The man would bristle at the sound of her name, roll his eyes, and groan.

Who