A Christmas Groom for Maddie: A Pinkerton Matchmaker Companion Tale by Julia Ridgmont

Author:Julia Ridgmont [Ridgmont, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B08R8HPCD1
Publisher: Laura L. Walker
Published: 2020-12-22T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Once Winston was shown to Bruce’s room for the night, Maddie walked into the large family room over to where a seven-foot pine rose. She and Father had decorated their tree with Miss Gabbitry a few nights ago. As they strung popcorn onto string, Maddie listened to Miss Gabbitry tell stories of her days as a child living in Texas with nine other brothers and sisters.

Ten children in all. Gulp. If Maddie had felt overlooked in her own family, she couldn’t imagine how in the world Miss Gabbitry had dealt with having twice as many siblings.

“Your childhood must have been full of adventure,” remarked Maddie.

“Oh, yes. My daddy was a cattle rancher and every year, he’d round up the boys and about ten other men, and they drove those Longhorns up to Kansas. Mama and us girls would pray for their safety the entire time. We never knew what might strike one of them down—lightning, snake bite, rustlers. They faced a number of dangers out there. One of Daddy’s cowhands died from exposure to the elements. Another was caught in a raging river and carried away. They never heard from him again. Still, another turned out to be an outlaw—they didn’t know it, and Daddy caught him trying to steal out of the coffee can where they kept their earnings and then sent him on his way with his Winchester pointed at him the entire time.”

“Goodness!” Maddie exclaimed. “Such a different way of life from everything I’ve known.”

“Sadly, that way of life is disappearing. Of course, it’s wonderful that more people are settling the West. But the way of Texan ranchers are suffering right now. My brother back in Austin shares news with me every so often. This has been a tough year for him.”

“Do you think he’ll move somewhere else?”

Miss Gabbitry shook her head. “Nope. Texas is his home, where he was born and bred. He’ll likely stay there until he dies. It’s in his blood.”

Maddie thought on that a moment and asked, “Do you mind if I ask why you left Texas?”

Miss Gabbitry was quiet for a moment, which made Maddie regret asking. But then she began talking. “I had made an arrangement to be a mail-order bride, but it didn’t work out. The man I was supposed to marry wasn’t fully honest with me. You see, he was a gambler and drinker. I’d already made it known that I wasn’t going to put up with such things, and he promised that he was reformed.”

“But he wasn’t?” Maddie asked, transfixed on Miss Gabbitry’s somber face.

She shook her head. “At first he tried to hide it from me, but I could see where his loyalties lie. He’d rather have been in that saloon at all hours of the day than working a real job and earning a real wage. I had already told Mama what a good man he was, and that I’d be all right. Well, half of that was true. Anyway, I wasn’t going back to Texas after coming all this way out here, so I decided to stick it out and find decent work.

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