Free Amandas's Mail Order Cowboy: The Story of A Mail Order Bride and Her Mail Order Husband (Mail Order Brides Book 14) by Susan Leigh Carlton Page A

front of her nightgown. “Does this thing have buttons?” he asked. She giggled and helped him to unbutton the top three buttons. When he slid his hand inside, she gasped.
    “I feel so wicked, with all of the other people so close,”
    “Never mind them,” he whispered. “This is just us.” They made love as the train sped through the night and the mountains of Pennsylvania.
    “That was good,” Amanda said.
    “For me too,” he replied.
    The clackety-clack of the steel wheels against the rails lulled them to sleep, with dreams of their new life.
    Before daylight…
    Amanda heard Abby stirring. “Abby,” she whispered, “Come get in bed with us.” She pulled the covers back and pulled her onto the bed. She wrapped her arms around the little girl and they both drifted back to sleep.

chapter Seventeen
    Cheyenne
    The fourth day of the trip…
    “We just entered Wyoming,” Rance said. “We’ll be in Cheyenne in about an hour.”
    Rance lifted Abby from the train to the station platform. He then took Amanda’s hand as she stepped from the train onto the platform.
    “Clay should have sent someone to meet us. I wired him our arrival time.”
    He looked around. “There,” he said. “He came himself.” He put his fingers to his mouth and let out an ear piercing whistle, then waved his arm. Across the platform, a man began making his way toward them.
    “Good to see you back, buddy,” the man said.
    “It’s good to be back. Amanda, this is my best friend and foreman, Clay McAllister. We’ve known each other since we were five years old. Clay this is Amanda. We were married last Sunday.”
    “Welcome to Wyoming, Amanda. I’m glad you came back with him. He would have been impossible if you’d turned him down.” He picked Abby up and swung her around. How are you, Punkin? I’m so glad to see you. I’ve been lonely while you’ve been gone. Did you miss me?”
    She nodded her head.
    “The buckboard is right over there, Rance. I’ll help you with the things.”
    Amanda turned in a small circle. It’s beautiful, Rance,” she said.
    “It is, but you haven’t seen the prettiest part. That’s the Lazy K. It will take us about forty-five minutes to get there.”
    Clay had brought his horse along, tied to the buckboard. They loaded the trunk and valises into the buckboard. Rance lifted Abby up and in. Then he gave Abby a boost. He climbed up, took the reins and gave them a flick. The two horses pulled the wagon away from the platform. Amanda slid close to Rance and hooked her arm into the crook of his elbow. “I can’t believe I’m actually here,” she said.
    “What was the housekeeper’s name again?” she asked.
    “Consuela,” he said. “She’s the one kept telling me I needed a wife and Abby needed a mother. She was right on both counts, too.”
    “The sky is so blue, and everything is so pristine,” Amanda said.
    “It is. Now that I’ve seen a large part of the country, I’m more convinced than ever. There’s no place like it.”
Her hand tightened on his arm. “Those are Indians, aren’t they?”
    Rance looked. “They’re Oglala Sioux. I wonder why they’re in town.” He whistled, and Clay moved closer to the wagon. “Why are the Sioux in town,” he asked.
    “I think the Army is returning some of the roamers to the reservation,” Clay said.
    “What are roamers?” Amanda asked.
    “All of the tribe is supposed to stay on the reservation, but some of them sneak away and live off reservation.” He lowered his voice, “They were the ones who caused the trouble back when Abby’s family was killed,” he said.
    “Are they safe?” Amanda asked.
    “I don’t know. I’m not going to invite them to dinner. The tall one there? That’s Red Cloud. He’s the chief.”
    When they turned off the road onto a trail that led to the hills. Rance said, “We’re on Lazy K land now. Another ten-fifteen minutes, and we’ll be home.”
    The trail was lined with cottonwood trees. Rance