Free Joshua's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) by Maya Stirling Page B

Bell. I feel so lucky to have Laura as my wife. I can't believe it's happened," he said.
    "It has happened and there she is," she said looking through the window. "She's your wife and she will be for a long time to come," she concluded.
    Joshua felt the reassuring touch of his long time housekeeper. She always understood him. With her by his side, he was sure that his resolve to win Laura over would never weaken.
    Joshua's attention was caught by a sudden cry from outside in the yard. He looked quickly toward the corral and saw that Curt had tripped and fallen backwards onto the soft sand. The agitated horse was now loose from the restraining rope and was rearing powerful legs above the prostrate foreman. Curt was trying frantically to move away from the horse, but the animal's bounding movements had him pinned to the ground. Curt looked like he didn't know which way to go. Joshua felt a jolt of panic as he saw his foreman in trouble.
    The next thing he saw made his heart stop.
    "No! Laura. Don't," he cried as he saw his young wife duck through the wooden rails and start to run across the inside of the corral to the aid of Joshua's foreman.
    Laura was headed straight for the horse.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

    She had to get to him!
    Curt was lying on the ground, his arms spreadeagled, his eyes wide, gazing up at the horse which threatened to trample him any moment now. Laura knew she didn't have much time. She raced across the corral.
    She knew what to do. This wasn't the first time she'd had to do this.
    Laura dashed across the sandy surface of the corral, hitching up her skirt so that she didn't trip. She skidded to a halt, her brown boots sinking into the sand by Curt's side. The foreman's head whirled around. "Mrs. McKenzie. What are you doing?"
    Laura didn't answer Curt. Instead, she concentrated on the huge body of the horse which was rearing up on powerful hind legs. The animal's eyes were wide with distress, and it's mouth was salivating heavily, teeth bared.
    Laura took up a position in front of the animal and spread her arms wide. The horse's hooves whirled dangerously in front of Laura's face. She took a step back.
    Curt slid to the side and made it onto his knees. "Mrs. McKenzie, please. Leave this to me."
    Curt tried to grab the loose rope which was tied around the horse's neck, but the animal reared and then lurched away from him, dragging the rope across the sand, out of Curt's desperate grasp.
    "You don't need that," Laura told him, waving the foreman away with a firm gesture of her hand.
    Curt frowned. "What are you going to do? This one's wild," he cried out above the screaming of the horse which had taken a few threatening steps toward the two of them.
    "He's just scared," Laura said sharply, taking a step toward the horse. She thought of all the times she had done this before, how her father had instructed her, how she was the only one in the family who could do this. How even Eli wasn't able to tame a wild, frightened horse the way Laura could.
    She spread her arms wide and started to speak in the way she'd always known would help her connect with the terrified animal. Her voice was deep and soft . Her firm yet gentle tone of voice cut through the high pitched whinnying of the horse. Laura took another step closer, putting all the reassurance she could into the sound of her voice. She could only imagine the look on Curt's face behind her. But she knew exactly what she was doing.
    The horse's legs waved wildly in front of her, it's head shifting from side to side, but Laura didn't flinch once.
    She took yet another step closer.
    Laura saw that the horse's movements had softened imperceptibly, now less agitated. But maybe Laura was the only one who could see the change.
    Suddenly from behind her she heard a voice. It was Joshua.
    "Laura. Get out of there. Now."
    She didn't even turn her head to look at her husband, so intent was her focus on calming the animal in front of her. Laura took another step closer. Now the