The Brides of Chance Collection Part 34

"There's more. I...I, well, we'll never have to worry about money, t.i.tus."

"I've never been worried about it." He grinned and kissed her. "But I have the feeling you have more news."

"According to Mr. Worthington, I'm apparently quite wealthy. Please say I can share it with you."

"My brothers are pretty determined to make the ranch a success on their own. But I'm sure if we get in a bind, they'd agree to take a little help. At any rate, the money will be there for our children."

"Yes, our children."

His gaze captured hers, revealing all the love she could ever have imagined possible. When he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers, his arms tightened about her. Locked in his embrace, Alisa returned his kiss, knowing that G.o.d had truly taken the horror of the past few months and turned it into something good.

Epilogue.

Alisa's eyes misted with tears as she and t.i.tus waved good-bye to the group at the doorway. Her father and Mrs. Perryman and all of the children, including Jonesy, were on hand to wish them well.

t.i.tus grabbed the reins, then hesitated. "We could stay one more day if you want."

Alisa smiled at her new husband and leaned her head against his shoulder. They had been married for a little over a week, staying at one of San Francisco's finest hotels during most of that time. She'd met with Mr. Chadwick, the lawyer handling her grandmother's estate, and had settled everything so that Mrs. Perryman would never have to worry again. Best of all, with the new home, they could accommodate up to ten more children. Alisa had loved every moment of her time with them all, and a seed had been planted for a loving relations.h.i.+p with her father, but she was eager to begin her life as Mrs. t.i.tus Chance in their own home. She squeezed his arm. "No. It's time to go home."

"I agree," he said, taking his attention off the road for a moment to kiss her soundly. "It was generous of your father to insist you take a few things of your grandmother's."

Alisa twisted in the seat and eyed the pile of furniture she was taking back. Two beds, one for her and t.i.tus to share and one for Miriam and Gideon-a belated wedding present. Poor Miriam's back was beginning to hurt her from the uncomfortable straw mattress she'd had to endure. Then there was the pie safe she'd fallen in love with from the moment she entered the kitchen, and the Turkish rug from the library. Some chairs. She loved the idea of being able to contribute to the home somehow.

"Did you mention the furniture we're bringing back when you telegraphed the family?"

t.i.tus grinned. "Nope. Just told them I was bringing home my bride and to move my things back into the cabin."

Alisa's cheeks warmed, but she snuggled closer to her husband. "Good. Then it will be like Christmas all over again."

"That reminds me." t.i.tus stopped the wagon and reached into his pocket, producing the box he'd offered her at Christmas. "Merry Christmas."

"Oh, t.i.tus." She opened the box, and a soft gasp escaped at the sight of the lovely cameo pin inside. "It's beautiful. I love it."

Despite the fact that they were stopped on a crowded street, t.i.tus pulled her close. "You're beautiful, and I love you." He lowered his face to hers and kissed her. As they resumed their journey, Alisa's heart sang with thankfulness to G.o.d. Though she'd been raised an orphan, He hadn't left her fatherless forever. He'd sent her to a large, loving family and, more important, to a man who would love and cherish her for the rest of her life. She knew she'd never be alone again.

TAKING A CHANCE.

by Kelly Eileen Hake.

Chapter 1.

Reliable, California, early spring 1872.

Stop your squawking, Dan. You know she's staying-just like the last two." Bryce brought up a good point, Paul reflected. The family did have a history of keeping unexpected females. Wonder who'll get hitched to this one.

"Dibs!" Apparently Logan's thoughts followed along the same line. All six brothers turned toward the window where the woman in question could be seen from a distance.

It was no mystery why Logan claimed her. No one could mistake the curves beneath her travel-worn clothes. Glorious hair, darker than midnight, gleamed as the soft waves captured the last rays of the setting sun-along with the interest of every man within a square mile. Paul almost wished she didn't have her back turned, so he could see her face. Almost.

"She's taller than you, Logan," Bryce contested. That wasn't exactly true, though her slender build did bring her closer to heaven than any other woman Paul had seen. That presented a welcome change. Paul always felt a little awkward around bitsy Miriam, and Alisa wasn't much better. He didn't see how Gideon, the only one of his brothers to top him in size, managed being married to the pretty pipsqueak. Even Logan, the youngest and smallest of them all, knocked her over the first time they met.

"Why's she here, Gideon?" Paul's question stopped the beginnings of a squabble. The heavy sigh that came before the response wasn't encouraging.

"She's in a fix." The enigmatic comment set off a new round of exclamations.

"With the law?" Logan bolted upright. "What'd she do?"

"And she knows Miriam?" t.i.tus couldn't quite keep the incredulity from his tone.

"I'll bet she's expecting. I told you if we kept taking in strays we'd end up regretting it." This from Daniel, who hadn't quite gotten over the bitterness of losing his own wife, Hannah. Personally, Paul didn't see how anyone with a set of eyes could think that slim waistline concealed a baby.

"You hush. Even I know the difference 'tween ladies and strays." Bryce, who boasted the least social graces of them all, took a stand. At last the clamor subsided, and they all stared expectantly at Gideon. He'd explain. Then they'd vote on whether or not the mysterious woman would stay.

Delilah Chadwick kept her back to the house, trying not to reveal how anxious she felt. I don't have anywhere else to go if the men don't let me stay.

"Don't worry, Delilah," Miriam said in a rea.s.suring tone. "They're good men who'll make the right decision."

"Maybe the right decision is to say no. I don't want to be a burden, but I don't see how I can contribute to a place like this...." Who could want more than the beauty of the surrounding land? Blue sky stretched on forever over the rich, solid earth beneath her feet. The well-crafted house and barn built near it promised a cozy haven-and a garden. She'd always wanted a garden.

But Papa chased other dreams. He'd gambled his way from town to town all the way across the country until they'd finally ended up in California. He'd always said they'd get some land of their own as soon as he won a big enough pot, but then he'd turn around and "invest" his winnings in another game. She'd come along to take care of him, but she'd failed miserably. Oh, Papa. I miss you so much.

Miriam's voice interrupted her reverie. "But there's plenty to do around here, I'll tell you that much! With the baby coming, I need more help than Alisa can provide. Cooking for and cleaning up after six men isn't as easy as you'd think!"

Delilah knew she could feel herself turning red. "Miriam, I-I can't cook. We never had a stove...and when we were on the go, we just ate hardtack and jerky." This would never work! If she could offer them nothing, she'd be sent packing. That's just how the world worked.

"That's all right. You'll learn soon enough. I'll enjoy teaching you. Besides, I wasn't finished yet." Miriam began ticking off ch.o.r.es. "There's still the was.h.i.+ng and mending- enough to keep a small army busy-so your needle will be appreciated. Then there're the girls and the weeds in the garden, which both grow far too quickly if you ask me! Of course, we can't forget the livestock. Every day there are eggs to gather, chickens to feed, pigs to slop, and cows to milk-"

"All right! All right! I get your point. I'm a quick learner and a hard worker. You'll just have to teach me everything." Well, not everything. She already did laundry and mending. As a matter of fact, she handled a needle well. Maybe she'd finally have the chance to make a real quilt.

"Will they really let me stay, Miriam? They've been in there for a while."

"Oh, they're just being Chance men. Like I said, they'll make the right decision. And if they don't, they're in for it. They've always been staunchly democratic about making major decisions. They voted the same way about letting me and Alisa stay. But they're going to have to factor in the Chance women now. We've already weighed in on the subject. Right, Alisa?" Miriam tacked on as the only other Chance woman rejoined them. Alisa had just made a quick trip to check on Dan's girls, who were playing with their dollhouse in a cabin.

Alisa laughed. "That's right. If need be, we'll have our say, too." She sobered a bit and turned to Delilah. "How are you holding up?"

Delilah offered a halfhearted smile. "I've been better."

"I'm so sorry you lost your father."

Delilah tried to tamp down the tears that sprang to her eyes. She still couldn't believe they'd buried Papa earlier that week. But now he was gone, and she was all alone. There hadn't been very many options since she only owned her clothes and sketch pads. Very little money and some worthless stock Papa had won the night before were stashed in the false bottom of her valise, but they wouldn't get her very far, and only one profession opened to unclaimed women on the frontier.

The pot he'd had the winning hand for last night went to fund the burial, such as it was. She and the sheriff stood side by side, the only ones at the grave site. The circuit preacher hadn't been in town, but that was all right, since Papa didn't hold with much religion. It seemed sort of fitting, because since Mama's death, it had been only her and Papa wherever they went-and occasionally the law when one of his games got too heated.

Some of the more spiteful townspeople had muttered that it was only fitting a gambler should meet such an end: shot in a saloon for cheating. Delilah knew Papa didn't cheat. While her father couldn't stop gambling away everything they owned, Delilah came to understand a long time ago that he couldn't really help it. He made promises he never kept, but he'd always meant to. He was a man of integrity in his own way, and he never cheated. Maybe if he had, he'd've won more.... The nasty thought crept by before she could stop it. She hadn't really been herself since she found out they'd let his murderer get away. Was there no justice?

Not for Papa, but maybe for me. The men began coming out of the house to issue her verdict. Six behemoths, but she had Miriam's word that they were all "good men." She believed it about Gideon, since her cousin had married him, but she maintained reservations about the rest. They all stood fairly tall, each boasting dark hair and startling blue eyes. As they came closer, she tried to gauge what their answers would be.

She'd already met Gideon but couldn't read his expression. As for the others, one gawked at her past all reason, one gave his attention to an ecstatic dog at his side, and another looked politely curious. None of these gave any indication of a warm welcome. The brother with flowers in his pocket absolutely radiated hostility. The incongruity would have struck her as funny if she weren't so anxious. As things stood, his glare made the possibility that she'd be turned away far too likely.

That left only one man, but he was different. She'd endured men gawking, scowling, leering, or being disinterested before, but this man's gaze stayed steady. It wasn't openly a.s.sessing like the others, but his scrutiny somehow made her feel as though he could take her measure better than any of them. His glance didn't feel judgmental but was disconcerting, nevertheless. She wasn't sure what to make of him, which left her completely in the dark as to whether or not he'd have voted for her to stay. That meant she knew the opinion of only one brother, and that wasn't encouraging.

"Well?" Miriam's tone sounded as both a question and a warning.

All of them except the scowler grinned as Gideon p.r.o.nounced, "She stays."

Paul watched as Delilah let out the breath she probably didn't even know she'd been holding. The stunning creature's smile managed to be both gracious and grateful as she thanked them for their kindness. Delilah was a lovely temptress, indeed, but her eyes truly captivated him.

From a distance he'd thought them brown, but upon closer inspection, they were no mere brown. Amber. Golden, pure, sparkling amber is what came to mind. Not that a gal possessed any power over her eye color, but the beauty of it snagged him just the same. He got the impression eyes like that should be full of joy and mirth, reflecting the beauty around them, but hers seemed deeper with some hurt that didn't let her smile reach them. He wondered what she'd look like when she put those heavy cares on the Lord.

He'd watched her since the moment he'd stepped out of the door, seen her size up each of his brothers. Obviously she'd heard something of them from Miriam and was trying to label him and his brothers. Had it been his imagination, or had her glance lingered a bit on him?

He realized Gideon still spoke. "You haven't met most of us yet, so I'd better introduce my brothers. This one here is-"

"t.i.tus, right?" Her soft interruption stunned them.

"Miriam, did you already point out who's who?" Logan demanded.

Miriam laughed. "None but Gideon!"

Delilah spoke again. "Miriam and I have been writing to each other for years. From the letters I managed to receive, I've pieced together some things for myself. Even so, t.i.tus gave himself away since he went straight to Alisa."

Logan nodded. "All right, which one am I?"

"You must be Logan, who I'm told is the most sociable and outgoing." Paul noted she showed the tact not to mention to the infatuated youth that he stood the shortest.

"That's pretty good, Miss Delilah. Now do him." Logan jerked a thumb in Bryce's direction.

"Well, I've been told one of you has a special way with animals, so since the dogs followed him, I'd have to name him as Bryce." She looked around for confirmation, and when they nodded, she turned to Dan. "You have to be Dan. The flowers in your pocket are a dead giveaway you're a father." Again, she demonstrated enough prudence not to point out the ever-present scowl. The moment those spectacular eyes trained on Paul, a bolt of heat shot through him.

"So you must be Paul."

"She pegged every last one of us, Gideon. Even old Gus White down at the general store can't keep the older four of you straight, and he's seen us more'n once."

Dan's voice put a damper on things. "All right, so we know she's stayin', but where is she stayin'? Gideon and Miriam got the old bunk room, and the two rooms connecting the old ranch house and my place each have a bachelor or two in 'em. t.i.tus and Alisa are newlyweds with the latest cabin. Where's she gonna fit?" Obviously, he had worked himself into a temper.

Alisa tried to avert the coming storm with a gentle request. "The girls have their own room now, and so do you. Maybe for a while Delilah could share the old cabin with the girls and you could use their room?"

The scowl softened only slightly, but that was something. "I figured you all were fixin' to kick me outta my own house. I won't leave my girls, you hear?"

"I won't take anyone's home from them. A man deserves his own place, and so do couples." Her voice caught as she went on. "And parents should never be separated from their children. If it's all right, I'll just bed down in the barn."

She'd hardly finished speaking her piece before the menfolk gave their collective opinion of that harebrained scheme. Miriam and Alisa didn't manage to get a word in edgewise.

Surprisingly, Bryce spoke up first. "That's fine enough for me when one of the animals is ailin', Miss Delilah, but it ain't fittin' for you."

"That'd be an insult to our hospitality," t.i.tus protested.

Gideon gave a flat, "No."

"Don't you listen to old Dan when he's sour." Logan shot Dan a heated look. "That's just his way."

Even Dan seemed taken aback. "I didn't mean that, miss. What kind of example would that be to my girls?"

Apparently, Delilah nursed a stubborn streak. "I've done it before, and I don't want to be a burden."

Miriam opened her mouth, but Paul beat her to the punch. "We appreciate how you don't want to put anybody out, miss, but you need to be close at hand. It's the only way you'll be able to help Miriam while she's in her condition. I'll bunk with Dan, and you'll take my room-it's closest to Miriam's."

She looked at him intently, and he had to remind himself to steadily meet her gaze instead of getting lost in it. After what seemed an eternity, she slowly nodded.

"Well, if that's settled, I'll just take your things on in." Dan reached out a hand.

"Oh, it's no problem." She hefted the large bag at her feet. "I've got my valise right here."

"I'll take you, Miss Delilah," Logan offered gallantly.

"This is all I brought, gentlemen. If you'll just show me the way..."

"Well, you beat me!" Alisa exclaimed.

"Not me," Miriam confessed. "I'm afraid I brought along half of the islands with me!"

While the women took her to the house, Paul pondered what he already knew about their pretty guest.

"From the letters I managed to receive...I'll bed down in the barn....I've done it before....This is all I brought...." Her father was a gambler. The poor thing must have been dragged all over creation. What kind of man moved his daughter from place to place, not providing a decent roof over her head and making it so almost everything she owned could fit into one bag?

Chapter 2.