Free Cinders' Bride: Mail Order Brides of Texas by Kathleen Ball

you for the material. I’ve never had a new dress before. Mama and I always made due by fixing up old dresses for ourselves.” She paused and touched the skirt of her gray dress. “We never had a choice of color.”
    Cinders nodded. “I’m sorry I called your dress ugly.”
    “It is. I wouldn’t want you to lie to me. You seem honest and forthright. I like that about you.”
    He smiled. “We’re almost home.”
    Her heart warmed at his words. She had a home now, and she was better off than most, plus her husband wasn’t a cruel man. In fact, he was a man a lot like her father. An honest, hard-working man providing for his ranch hands. There was a lot to admire about Cinders.
    “Angus?”
    He laughed. “No, my name isn’t Angus.”
    “I’ll guess it right one of these days.”
    “We have the rest of our lives for you to figure it out.”
    The rest of their lives. Now she liked the sound of that .
    “Slowly reach under the seat and grab my rifle, dear. Try to hide the fact that you have it and slowly hand it to me, then hang on. I’m going to have to drive like the devil is chasing us.”
    His words startled her but she did as he'd asked then held on tight. They were going so fast she felt as though she would fly out of the wagon at any moment.
    “Get on the floor, grab the rifle from me, and shoot into the air.”
    Her pulse raced as she dropped down and sat at his feet. She grabbed the rifle. “How?”
    “It’s cocked— just shoot straight up,” He yelled above the stomping of hooves hitting the ground hard and the loud creaking of the wagon as it swayed and hit bumps.
    She aimed for the sky, closed her eyes and pulled the trigger. The kick of the rifle sent her sprawling on her back with her skirts raised above her knees. Dazed, she watched as Cinders slapped the reins trying to get more speed from the horses.
    The next thing she knew they were surrounded by Cinders’ men. All had their guns drawn, and the wagon began to slow. Cinders reached down and took the rifle from her as she quickly righted her dress. He had her grab his forearm and hoisted her back onto the seat.
    Her heart pounded out of control as she sat down. The wind whipped her loose hair everywhere. “What?”
    “Indians. You scared them away with the rifle.”
    “Indians? Of course I know about Indians. I just never, oh Lord, we could have been killed.”
    “Hang on. You’re as white as a ghost. We’re just about home and then we’re safe. I’m glad you were with me.”
    Shannon nodded wishing she could feel good about his words, but what just happened had her mind whirling. She hadn’t lived ignorantly. She knew there were problems between the settlers and the Indians. Even on the trip out here, she heard mention of Indian attacks on settlers and the notion scared her.
    Her breathing didn’t return to normal until Cinders parked the wagon in front of the house. After he jumped down, he rounded the wagon, then spanned her waist with his strong hands and lifted her down until she was leaning against his hard body. His arms comforted her and finally she stopped shaking. Closing her eyes as she laid her head on his chest, she smelled something odd and instantly knew it was blood. Stepping away, she examined him until she saw blood on his shoulder.
    Gasping, she took a closer look and grabbed his hand. “You’ve been wounded.”
    “It’s nothing.”
    “It’s bleeding like it’s something and the hole in your shirt doesn’t look like nothing. Let me take a look.” He rolled his eyes at the men who had gathered around them. She wanted to roll her eyes back at him but tugged his hand instead, leading him inside. “Now sit down and take off that shirt.”
    She busied herself pouring water into a bowl and then grabbing a clean rag. Next, she got her sewing supplies just in case she needed them and when she turned around, she almost forgot to breathe. His bare, muscular chest with a sprinkling of light hair stunned her.