Joshua's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

today."
    Laura stomach suddenly fluttered with nerves. What was her mother going to say?
    Belinda reached out a hand. The movement of her arm was slow and slightly labored. Laura took her mother's hand and noticed it was warmer than a moment before.
    "You got one thing right in what you did, Laura."
    "What was that?"
    "Understanding the importance of marriage," Belinda said. The words sounded odd, strangely final in the confines of the quiet, dark room.
    Laura frowned. "What do you mean?"
    "I think it's time you settled down."
    Laura felt the blood drain from her face. "Settled down?"
    Belinda smiled at Laura's reaction. "That's right. I don't know the details of the man you were thinking to marry. But all I do know is that, whoever he was, he wasn't the right man for you," Belinda said, her voice starting to become firmer, more assured. Laura wondered where her mother was suddenly drawing all of this strength from.
    Laura lowered her head, averting her eyes from her mother. "He was horrible. I thought I knew him from our correspondence. But he was a vile man."
    "Letters are no way to get to know a man. Your father and I were sweet on each other for years before we got married."
    "You mean you both were friends before you became man and wife?"
    Belinda nodded. "That's right. We even went to the same school together when we were children. It just seemed right that, when the time came, when we were older, to promise to spend the rest of our life together," Belinda said. "It was fate," she concluded with a gentle smile.
    "But who would I marry, mama? There's no-one I can think of. No-one I've been sweet on," Laura said.
    Belinda's eyes narrowed and she fixed her daughter with a disbelieving look. "Really? No-one?"
    "Truly. There's just no-one." Laura shook her head.
    "Oh, I think there is," her mother said. "And you know who I'm talking about," she continued. "Don't you?"
    Laura frowned. "I don't," she stated. A uneasy feeling was rising in her middle. She had a sudden urge to call Mrs. Cole to come and help. Anything that would spare her from hearing what her mother had to say next.
    Belinda Thorne raised her head and looked at her daughter. "I'm talking about Joshua McKenzie," she said.
    Laura's mouth dropped open. "Joshua? What about him?" she managed to say eventually.
    Belinda sighed. "I'm saying I want you to marry Joshua McKenzie."

CHAPTER SIX

    "How could she be so foolish? Running off like that," exclaimed Eli.
    Joshua leaned against the wooden railing of the corral next to Eli, making sure he kept some distance between him and Laura's irate brother. Joshua looked up at the candlelight glow from the upstairs window in the house, and wondered what was going on up there. "Laura must have had her reasons," he said slowly to Eli.
    Eli smacked his hand hard against the wood. "Laura always did lack common sense," he declared.
    There had been no screaming, no yelling of recriminations from inside the house. He didn't know how poorly Belinda Thorne was by now. When he'd left her to go and collect Laura, Belinda had been distraught. But not sick. He feared she'd taken a turn for the worse while he'd been away.
    Joshua glanced at Eli. "I'd say Laura's always had a mind of her own. There's nothing wrong with that," he said.
    Eli gave Joshua a puzzled look. "Tell me what happened. My mama won't tell me a thing. Neither will Mrs. Cole. No-one's giving me the details. Spill it," he said harshly to Joshua.
    Eli peered into Joshua's eyes, waiting for a reply. Joshua sighed and looked out across the valley. How much should he tell Eli? If Eli's own mother didn't want him to know that Laura had run off to get married then, sure as heck, Joshua wasn't going to give him anything more than the bare minimum of facts.
    "Laura's been upset lately. Seems she's had a lot on her mind. She just wanted to get away for a while. Get a chance to think. Figure things out," Joshua explained, hoping that it was enough to satisfy Eli. By the look on the