Libbie: Bride of Arizona (American Mail-Order Bride 48) by Linda Carroll-Bradd

Author:Linda Carroll-Bradd [Carroll-Bradd, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical, Romance, Fiction, Forever Love, Victorian Era, Western, Forty-Eight In Series, Saga, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, Short Story, American Mail-Order Bride, Bachelor, Single Woman, Marriage Of Convenience, Christian, Religious, Faith, Inspirational, Factory Burned, Pioneer, Arizona, Tomboyish, Travel, Across Country, Rancher, Eccentric
Goodreads: 27826539
Publisher: Inked Figments
Published: 2016-01-05T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

The moon hung low above the horizon when Dell caught the first sight of the barn’s silhouette. Tracking the rustlers’ trail had taken longer than either he or Nascha anticipated. When he’d placed Libbie into his father’s care, his intention had not been to leave his bride alone for so many hours. Unfortunately, plans often had to be modified. The Bar S’s future depended on maintaining a strong bloodline in coming generations of calves. Clancy was essential for that purpose.

Surprising the gang of rustlers at their campfire on the outskirts of Seligman had been to the trackers’ advantage. The bull was recovered with only a couple warning shots and no bloodshed. At this hour, all the animals were tired and the horses seemed content to move at the bull’s plodding pace.

Normally, Dell gave his entire focus to the task at hand. But several times during the afternoon and evening, he’d his thoughts straying to what Libbie might be doing. Had she been pleased by the look of his…their house? The way the setting sun lit up the back porch, inviting a person to linger in one of the wooden rockers until the last golden streak disappeared. From that position, he had a clear view of the corral and could watch the horses enjoy their last stretch of freedom for the day. As a person who grew up on a ranch, she’d appreciate that prospect. He thought of times to come when they would take their coffee on that very porch after enjoying a pleasant meal.

The thought of food made his stomach rumble. Since dinner at his parents’ house, he’d eaten only a couple strips of jerked beef. That meager sustenance has long since disappeared from his belly.

Finally, they crested the last rise and walked into the area behind the barn. But something didn’t look right. Where he should be able to look through the corral rails straight to the back of the house instead stood a solid wall. Of what? “Hey, what’s this?” He jerked his chin toward the corral.

Nascha reined in Strider and dismounted. “Thought you knew.”

The Navajo proved his value tonight by tracking the rustlers, but he often was a man of too few words. Dell mirrored the other man’s action, wincing when he put his weight on his tired legs. A few long steps brought them to the horse trough, and he waited while Sparkly drank his fill. “Knew what?”

The tall man walked beside his horse and gave a nonchalant shrug. “Not my story to tell.”

If that didn’t sound ominous. Dell couldn’t think of any task the hands would have completed that brought this change. With a click-cluck of his tongue to get Sparky moving, he trudged into the back of the barn and moved toward the tack room. Removing the saddle and brushing down the gelding’s coat were completed with as much efficiency as possible─the actions repeated so often his movements were performed by rote.

Then he headed for the house, hoping that maybe Libbie’d left on a light to ease his arrival or provide a welcoming light in the darkness.

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