Brazos Bride Read Free

Please return to town with John so we may discuss a solution to your water problem and to a problem of my own. Please come! Urgency and discretion are essential.
    Hope Montoya
     
    Urgency essential ? That damn sure described his need for water, but what kind of problem could she have?
    Micah lowered the letter and looked at his brothers. A glimmer of light blossomed in his heart, but he didn’t dare relax his guard. Disappointment had pummeled him too many times.
    “ She wants me to meet her at the Hendersons’ right away and discuss a plan to get water for the cattle. Maybe she’s convinced her uncle to honor her father’s agreement after all.”
    Joel stomped on his shovel and dug into the muck. “Lord, I hope so. Get going and see what she has to say.”
    Zach looked up and winked at Micah.
    Accustomed to their eldest brother giving orders, Micah let Joel’s advice slide off him. Micah looked down at his mud-caked clothes, took in his body’s reek. “Don’t reckon the lady would approve of me tromping in looking and smelling like I do.”
    John shook his head. “Neither Theresa nor Mama would appreciate you showing up in the parlor like that. Best knock off at least some of that mud.”
    “ Yeah, I’ll go to the cabin before I ride into town.” Micah set his spade against a scrub oak. His weary muscles protested the extra weight of the mire hugging his boots. He beat at his denim britches and stomped a few clods off his feet, then climbed onto his horse. He reined in near his brothers. ”You two coming?”
    Joel shook his head. “You’re the one who’s been mooning after her. Besides, she didn’t invite us. I’ll stay here and keep at this. Slim and Bert’ll be back from Zach’s place soon with the water barrels. No, wait.” Joel paused in his digging and turned to Zach. “You ought to go along in case this is one of her uncle’s tricks.”
    Zach rubbed his chin while he thought it over, slapped Joel on the back. "Hate to interrupt this much fun, but it couldn't hurt to cover Micah’s back. Some of his good neighbors might take him being alone as a gift." He leaned his shovel near Micah’s and mounted his horse.
    Micah and Zach rode off, with John trailing them. Back at the cabin, Micah peeled off his shirt and dunked his head, shoulders, and arms into the horse trough. Zach did the same. After a hasty change of clothes, they followed John into town.
    In his mind Micah went over the words of her note. Urgency and discretion are essential . Again he wondered what new problem had arisen that forced Hope to contact him. Not anything financial. She’d inherited one of the largest ranches in North Texas and the fat cattle that grazed there. Probably had a bank full of cash, too. He tried to think of something else serious enough to trouble her.
    The Good Lord knew he had a desperate need for water. Even with his brothers’ help, how much longer could they hold out? Seeing his cattle die daily from thirst when the river lay only a quarter of a mile across Montoya land ate holes in his heart.
    Shaking his head, he concentrated on weaving his way through other riders and wagons on Radford Crossing’s main street. The town was growing, and boasted boardwalks in front of the few stores. The Mercantile looked busy with two wagons being loaded with supplies. As they passed the saloon, Micah heard someone pounding out a cheerful tune on the piano.
    No one called a friendly greeting to him and Zach, or even smiled. Sheriff Ryan, who stood talking to another man, watched with narrowed eyes as the two Stone brothers rode by. No doubt the sheriff still believed Micah guilty of Alfredo Montoya’s murder, regardless of the trial’s verdict.
    Micah ignored the glares of several people they passed. Instead, he wondered what it’d be like seeing Hope again. Did she believe he’d killed her father? Had she listened to all the talk against him? By the time they arrived at the house where John and his wife Theresa