Alma's Mail Order Husband (Texas Brides Book 1) Read Free Page B

lifted out a faded white gown with lace around the bodice and
ribbon ruffles on the front of the skirt. She hung it from a nail
in the rafter and smoothed it down. Amelia watched her, studying
the dress. “You’re right. It’s a beautiful dress. I’d forgotten
what it really looked like.”
    Alma measured it with her eye. “I think it
will be long enough, too. I’ll try it on, just to make sure.”
    “You’ll be stunning in it,” Amelia told her.
“I’m sorry for what I said about playing fast and loose. Now that I
look at it, I wouldn’t mind getting married in it myself.”
    Alma raised her eyebrows. “You’re not
thinking of getting married, too, are you?”
    Amelia shrugged. “I wasn’t thinking about it
at all until you brought it up. Now that you’re getting married, I
just might.”
    Alma burst into a happy grin. “You’d look
beautiful in this dress, too. I would love it if you got married,
too. I don’t want to be the only married one of the three of us,
and Allegra is pretty adamant that she isn’t going to get
married.”
    “No, I’m not.” Allegra came over from the
fireplace, drying her hands on a towel. “I’m certain of that.”
    “You might change your mind,” Amelia
suggested. “Forever’s a long time. You never know what might
happen.”
    Allegra shook her head. “No. You two can get
married. I’m staying free. I’ll keep working the ranch while you
two stay home and mind the children.”
    “You’ll work the ranch—along with our two
husbands?” Amelia asked. “That could be tricky. What if the men
won’t ride with you? What if they want you to stay home, too, while
they run the ranch?”
    A shadow crossed Allegra’s face, but she
shrugged it away. “I won’t let that happen. This is my ranch more
than theirs. I have more right to work it than they do. If they
can’t become used to that idea, then this isn’t the place for
them.”
    “Don’t you think Amelia and I would have
something to say about that?” Alma asked. “You’re not suggesting
you’d drive both of us and our husbands and children away, just so
you could work the ranch alone, are you?”
    Allegra stiffened. “I’m not suggesting
anything. I’m just saying that I’m not going to give up working the
ranch just because you two decided to get married. I hope you both
make certain your husbands understand that. Otherwise, we’re going
to have a problem here.”
    “Don’t worry,” Amelia replied. “I’m not
getting married. I’m still going to work the ranch with you. I just
never really thought about it until Alma decided to get married.
It’s not a half bad idea, anyway. But I’m not getting married,
either.”
    “And,” Alma added. “I’m not giving up working
the ranch just because I’m getting married. I told Jude he can
expect all three of us to keep working the same way we always have.
I think I can be pretty sure he won’t just walk in and start taking
over. All three of us will make certain that doesn’t happen. He
better wake up early in the morning and pack a lunch if he wants to
get the jump on us.”
    Allegra laughed. “Alright. Just so we all
understand each other. Now, quick! Change into the dress so we can
see it on you.”

 
Chapter
5
     
     
    Alma took down the dress and ducked behind a
curtain in the corner of the room that served as the sisters’
closet. Allegra sat down on the bed next to Amelia and kicked off
her boots. Then she unbuckled her gun belt. She refastened the
buckle and hung the belt on the bedpost. She did the same thing
with the plain leather belt holding up her pants. Then she ran her
fingers through her short hair.
    “I guess we’ll all be going into Eagle Pass
at the end of the month,” Allegra remarked. “We don’t get out to
town much. We’ll have to make an inventory of supplies to get when
we’re there. We might not get in again until next spring.”
    “What did you have in mind?” Amelia
asked.
    “The most important thing is