A Bride To Herd Read online

  As he unloaded their bags and trunks placing each with the woman who indicated it was hers, one of them suddenly yawned. It was Adeline, Violet thought, but it became an epidemic and soon they were all yawning. Chance placed the last bag on the porch and then opened the door stepping aside to allow them to enter. “Come on inside and let’s get you all sorted.”

  They all filed in and were soon standing in the parlor of the house. It was very well decorated. Along one wall there were several oval frames with paintings and then photographs of couples in their wedding finery. The frames were on either side of a set of pocket doors. The room was decorated with doilies on the backs of chairs and the divan and covering the end tables. Tiffany lamps provided soft glows that bathed the parlor in color. Chance had moved into the center of the parlor and stood addressing them all. He was so rugged and handsome much more so than the men she knew back in Greenbough, next to Chance those men were mere boys. “Ladies y’all caught me off guard tonight. However, rest assured that I’ll get everything sorted tomorrow. For now, you must all be as tired as I am so let’s get you settled. We can all get a good night’s sleep and we’ll gather tomorrow to work everything out. Right after breakfast.”

  Which had been the exact wrong thing to say to nine women who had come west expecting to be matched with men looking for wives and finding the woman they had pinned their hopes on was dead. Chance was bombarded with questions ranging from did he know who the grooms were to how long would it be before they met their men. Even Myrakle tried to ask which bedroom she should settle in.

  Chance looked more and more lost with each question. He kept holding up his hands to try and stop the deluge of questions and repeating ‘I’ll answer all your questions in the morning.”

  Obviously none of the women were listening to him. Their own anxiety over the situation making it hard for them to not get the answers they needed right now. Violet was trying to think of a way to help get control of the situation when there came from the middle of the group a loud wordless yell “AAAAHHHHHHHHH!”

  Everyone turned to look at quiet, deaf Myrakle who had just screamed at the top of her lungs. Silence was achieved. The normally shy woman looked at Chance. “Can you show us the way to our rooms?”

  Chance smiled and nodded slightly at the woman. “Certainly.” He turned to the door at the other end of the parlor and opened it leading to a hallway and staircase. “This way ladies.”

  He pointed up the stairs “There are five bedrooms and ten of you. So, I suggest you work out who bunks with whom.”

  Jasmine and Mryakle grabbed each end of a trunk and started toward the stairs. Chance jumped in front of them. “I’ll get your bags upstairs; you ladies go pick your rooms.”

  Then he put his thumb and forefinger in his mouth and whistled. A grizzled older man came stumbling down the hall out of one of the rooms. “What in tarnation?”

  “I’ll explain later! Help me move our guests’ luggage upstairs.”

  The two worked well together, and as they hauled the luggage, the women started pairing up and heading up the stairs. Violet stepped over to young Cina Fairbanks who had also been a school teacher. “Why don’t we bunk together, the old maid school teacher and the young, fresh school teacher?”

  The younger woman giggled like the fresh young woman she was. “That sounds nice.” They head up and found a room, and soon enough they were both in bed and sleep finally claimed them. As she drifted off Violet said a prayer that Miss Viola’s plans would bear fruit and she would end up married to the handsome and forceful Chance Redburn.

  Three

  C hance sank onto the chair at the table in the kitchen as Beans shook his head. “What in tarnation have you gotten us into now Chance?”

  Chance sighed and looked into the twinkling eyes of the old cook. “Apparently Aunt Vi had a bunch of clients. Looks like at least nine.”

  “There’s ten gals here, why only nine clients?”

  “That woman in red with the big hat. Her name is Violet something I don’t remember, but she said Viola asked her to come help out as an assistant. There’s a guy who isn’t a client Aunt Vi thought the woman would be a match for, so she brought her out to learn the business while she worked on the man. I have no idea who he is. I reckon I need to go into her office and look for her records to figure out how to matchmake.”

  “You should have paid attention to all those stories she told you over the years.”

  I guess you’re right, but I swear Beans I just thought she was trying to get me to let her match me up with a wife.”

  The old man stroked his beard like he did when he was thinking. “Hmm.”

  Chance’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

  “You say there's a woman here Viola thought would be perfect for someone who wasn’t a client.”

  “That’s what the woman said. Why?”

  “You said it yerself boy. She did want to match ya up with a wife.”

  Chance froze. “You aren’t suggesting she brought that woman here for me.”

  “Don’t know. But knowing yer aunt, it wouldn’t surprise me none.”

  Chance felt the blood running out of his face. “I’m in no shape to be courting or marrying. I’ve done lost one business this year. I need to concentrate on learning to become a matchmaker and not disgracing Aunt Viola’s perfect record.”

  The old man nodded. “Then it might be a good thing your aunt brought in that assistant. I reckon if tonight was any indication you’re gonna need a woman’s touch to deal with them gals.”

  “Oh come on Beans, how hard can it be? After all we always had ample heifers matched with bulls. I’ll just go about it like I did cattle breeding. I just need to figure out who the clients were and then take a few measurements, and I’ll have em all married by end of next week.”

  The old cook shook his head. “I don’t think that’s how it works Chance. I think you should find the clients and then introduce them all to each other and see who is attracted to each other. That might work better.”

  “Trust me Beans. I can do this. Match ‘em up and move ‘em out just like breeding season.”

  “Don’t come crying to me when they stampede ya.”

  “How bad can they be they’re just women.”

  “Uh huh.” The old timer stood. “I’m gonna turn in. I’ve got to get up and cook for twelve instead of us two. Just like old times for me.”

  “Yeah you get some rest. I’m gonna go to Viola’s study and see if I can figure out who her clients are.”

  “Your clients Chance. Viola’s gone so they’re your clients now.”

  Chance nodded. “Right but I have no clue who they are so I need to look at her files.”

  Chance looked around the room that had been his aunt’s office. It was very un-office like. There was more frames in there with letters from happy clients on the wall and one wall held a book shelf with several bound ledgers all of which was also filled with correspondence of past matches and letters from the brides detailing their lives after their marriage. Testimonials as it were and letters of gratitude, all of which pointed to the fact that Viola knew what she was doing as a matchmaker.

  There was a sitting area by the front window with a small settee sometimes called a love seat and off to the side a small comfortable Queen Ann armchair. Probably where a chaperone would sit and observe a couple’s courting. Then in the far corner sat a small writing desk. There were no files that Chance could see out in the open. He walked over to the desk and looked for anything indicating the ten women who had arrived tonight and who they were intended for.

  He found only one file and it had the name of the young woman who had claimed to come to work for his aunt. The file was thick when he pulled it out of the desk drawer, and Chance dropped into the chair and opened it. On top was a letter written to a woman named Clara Beauregard. Curious Chance started to read.

  My dearest Clara,

  I feel the time has come to find that match we’ve been talking abo
ut. My nephew Chance is growing older and set in his ways. Nothing seems important to him except his ranch. I need a young woman who can capture his attention and show him that there is more to life than succeeding at business.

  You’ve stated several times that you have a young woman that you think would be a great match for a rough and ready western cowboy. If she is interested, I would like to correspond with her and find out if she would suit my Chance.

  I’ve sent a letter for her with this letter. If she is interested, please pass it along to her along with my address.

  Your friend out west,

  Viola

  Below that letter were several opened envelopes from Violet Montgomery to his Aunt. Chance read every one of them and realized that while the job offer was legitimate the real reason that Violet Montgomery with her chestnut hair and hazel eyes was in Bent was to trap him into marriage. So he didn’t have nine brides to place ,he had ten because there was no way in the world he was going to marry the lovely Miss Violet. He had nothing to offer a woman.

  Oh he’d pick her brain while she was here as it appeared from her letters that Viola had told her much about how the matchmaking business worked, but there was no way he was going to marry. He’d already lost one business this year along with his dream of being a cattle rancher. Now he needed to concentrate on not destroying Aunt Viola’s legacy by messing up these matches. He just wished he knew who Viola’s clients were.

  Not having any idea, he did the only thing he knew to do. He grabbed the last ledger and opened it to the first blank page and began to make a list of all the eligible men in town who might be looking for a bride. He would go see each of them in the next few days and find out which ones had asked Viola to find them a bride.

  He looked at his list and realized that just off the top of his head he had more than ten men. There was Evan Williams over at the Hair of the Dog, but Chance doubted that any of the young woman would be interested in marrying a saloon owner. However, the parson over at the church was single if Chance remembered correctly. Then there was Joseph Penella and his two brothers, it seemed to him that he remembered Viola saying their Pa had come to meet with her a while back. He put a star beside their names. He’d go talk to Mister Penella just to confirm that they were clients.

  The last name on his list made him laugh; in his brainstorming he’d put Beans’ name on his list of single men. While it was true the old cowboy was single Chance knew he didn’t want a wife. One thing Beans had said often and loudly was that women were nothing but trouble. They tried to take over his kitchen and then his life, and he was happy without their meddling in his affairs. But it was funny thinking about trying to find a match for the prickly old grub slinger. Chance could just see a big, well-proportioned woman with steel grey hair and eyes pulling the wiry old cook around by his ear. With that thought Chance stood and decided to turn in. Morning would be here soon and then he’d have to get started on the women. So he could get these matches made and move on to settling in.

  Violet woke to a harsh clanging sound. She sat straight up and then realized she wasn’t home in Greenbough she was in Bent, Colorado in the room she shared with Cina Fairbanks.

  “What is that infernal noise?” grumbled an equally sleepy Cina.

  “I think it’s a triangle. Knowing that Mister Redburn used to be a rancher I’m guessing it’s a call to breakfast.”

  Violet’s roommate groaned and reached for a watch lying on the bedside nightstand. “It’s five a.m. The sun isn’t even up yet.”

  “Yes well, I guess these two gentlemen aren’t used to sleeping in. I would expect that ranch work starts early.”

  “But we aren’t ranching.”

  “No but I bet if we want breakfast today, we should probably hurry up and dress.”

  Both women rolled out of bed and quickly dressed, tended to their toilet, and headed down to the dining room to see the other young women dragging in as well.

  “Why get us up so early?”

  That seemed to be the conversation of the day. Violet decided to help as that was part of what she’d been brought to do. “Remember ladies that Mister Redburn is new to matchmaking. He used to be a rancher, so he and his cook are still on ranch hours. I’ll talk to them and see if we can’t get up at a more reasonable time.”

  Just then the older man who helped move their bags up to the second-floor last night appeared with a pot of coffee that he sat on the table. “I got biscuits, cream gravy, fried salt pork, and beans fer breakfast ladies. Y’all come and eat up. There's coffee and I got more on the stove iffen ya need it.”

  The girls thanked him. “My name’s Clarence McGruder, but everyone calls me Beans. I ain’t used to cooking fer a bunch of pretty fillies like y’all, but I’ll sure do my best fer ya.”

  There was a chorus of “Thank you Mister McGruder” from the women.

  The old grizzled wrangler blushed like a schoolgirl and muttered. “Jest call me Beans ladies everyone does.”

  Then he turned to go bring out the rest of breakfast.

  The girls started the coffee pot around and realized quickly that there was not cream or sugar on the table. The girls all took a seat and took hands saying the blessing over the morning meal, and then they began to eat. All of a sudden Helena spit and all eyes turned to her as coffee ran down her front staining the bodice of her dress. “I’m so sorry but this coffee is…”

  “It’s awful!” Alice said.

  Violet lifted the cup to her lips and took a small sip. The women were right it was the worst thing she’d ever drank. It tasted bitter and burnt and even in the small sip she had taken there were grounds of the coffee in it.

  Mister McGruder entered just as Alice complained again. “What is going on in here? I can hear y’all caterwauling in the kitchen?”

  “I’m sorry but this coffee is awful!”

  Beans’ face turned red, but this time Violet was pretty sure it was anger not embarrassment. “Now Look Here! I been making coffee jest like this for thirty years and ain’t had a complaint.”

  “Well then those cowboys deserve a prize; this stuff will kill a rat!” Bertha yelled.

  Just then Chance came into the room from the hallway. “Beans what’s wrong? What’s all this noise about?”

  Once again just like last night every girl started talking at once; each one louder than the last. Violet could see that this was just upsetting their host and sure enough after trying to get them to calm down he finally blew. “NOW LISTEN HERE!”

  Dead silence followed his roar. “Beans has been working for me a very long time. I’ve never had one complaint about his cooking.”

  Violet decided she needed to step in and calm things down. “Mister Red-burn, that may be true, but you aren’t feeding a bunch of cowboys now with their cast iron stomachs used to eating fat back, salt pork and jerky. We are used to restaurant food and home cooking. That coffee may be what cowboys are used to and need, but it’s much too strong for our delicate senses.”

  Chance looked at her and sighed, “Alright.” He ran his fingers through his unruly blonde hair. “Alright I’ll discuss easing back on the coffee. Then he stopped speaking, and his head tilted to the side before he smiled and looked Violet in the eyes. Her heart hammered at his stare. He was so ruggedly handsome it almost took her breath away. “Since y’all are all here to marry. I believe we should work out a schedule for each of you to help with cooking and cleaning. Those are all skills you’ll need as wives. I don’t know if you have any experience with those things, but now would be a good time to learn if you don’t and iffen ya do it will be a big help for Beans. Besides I don’t know a better teacher than Beans when it comes to cooking for hungry men.”

  Violet hid her smile when she heard Bertha whisper “If you want to poison them.”

  Chance went on as if he’d not heard her even though his eyes flickered in her direction before settling back on Violet. “We used to have a rotation of the cowboys to help with the chuckwagon, and I
don’t see where that would be inappropriate here either.”

  Beans rushed up to Chance “I ain’t no teacher Chance.”

  Chance looked at Beans, “You’re the closest thing we’ve got to a culinary teacher. It never hurt any of the hands to learn a thing or two about cookin’. Besides these ladies need to know as much as they can about cooking for hungry men and cleaning after them as possible before I can match them up with an unsuspecting groom in this town.”

  That caused several of the girls to speak at once. “Unsuspecting groom?” “What are you saying?” “You don’t already have grooms for us?”

  Chance slumped. “Now, calm down all of you. I’m still trying to sort everything out. My aunt, God rest her soul, wasn’t very good at keeping records. I’m still trying to figure out what she had planned for each of you. The only thing I’ve found so far is well it’s a mistake, but I’ll figure it all out. I promise you. I’ll get you all married as soon as possible. I promise.”

  “As soon as possible? What kind of a business is this you’re running?”

  Violet bit her lip to keep from laughing. Chance really needed to learn how to deal with women. Else he was going to be without brides for those unsuspecting grooms before the day was out. She decided to take mercy on him.

  “Ladies, let’s remember that Mister Redburn is new at this. I’m sure he’ll get everything sorted in the next few days. Until then let’s make the most of the situation.” She turned to the cook. “Mister McGruder if you’d show me to the kitchen perhaps I can show you how delicate ladies such as ourselves like our coffee made?”

  She and Helena took the cook and headed into the kitchen. Once there she showed him how to use a cheesecloth to hold the grounds and how many to use for a pot of coffee. Helena looked in the icebox and the pantry finding sugar cubes and fresh cream. And before long breakfast was back on track. Violet decided she needed to speak with Chance after she ate and help the poor man figure out how to speak to his houseful of nervous women before he got himself lynched or worse.