A Mail Order Bride for Thanksgiving (Love by Mail #5)(4)

“I’m not really sure I should be here,” Betty began, trying to tug her arm out of Claire’s grasp, but the other woman was having none of it.

“Nonsense, Mary Ann’s the best teacher, and you’ll have so much fun I’ll have to drag you back home. You’ll see!”

Betty sighed – Claire’s enthusiasm was endless.

“Oh, there she is.” Claire waved and dragged Betty over to Mary Ann, who was just showing another woman how to hold the reins. The woman wearing a cowboy hat and boots under her petticoat turned to them.

“Hey, so you’re the new arrival everyone’s been talking about,” she greeted.

“I am.” Betty nodded and grasped the woman’s glove-clad hands. “Nice to meet you Mary Ann, I’m Betty Williams. Claire says you teach women horse riding?”

Mary Ann nodded. “Most of my students are young women like us.” She turned to Claire, who was watching a female rider astride her horse. “Are you going to ride sidesaddle today, Claire?”

Claire grinned at Mary Ann. “I wanna try riding astride. By the way, John’s here, right?”

“J-John?” Betty whirled around. What was John doing here?

“He’s been helping me give riding lessons,” Mary Ann said, “He couldn’t wait to meet you, so he’s been in town a few days now. Not one to idle about that man. He insisted we find him something to do during his stay.” She looked over her shoulders and waved over the two men leaning against the fence.

Betty gulped as they approached. She eyed the broad-shouldered man with a badge walking besides John. The later had rolled up his white sleeves, exposing his sinewy brown skin.

“G’day, Miss Williams,” Mr. Turner said, “I’m Warren, Angel Creek’s sheriff. I heard you’ve just arrived yesterday to meet John River here.” He patted John’s shoulder. “I can tell you he’s a fine lad and an upstanding citizen. Great help with the horses too.”

“Are you here for a lesson, Betty?” John asked with a wide smile.

“No –”

“Yes.” Claire grabbed Betty’s hand before she could run for the hills.

“Betty and John can get to know each other, under my supervision of course.” She threw the sheriff a glare. He coughed, then turned his gaze towards the sky, but Betty still caught a brief grin cross his face.

“Well, then, let’s saddle up.” Mary Ann introduced Betty to a beige-colored stallion with a head of blonde hair. “This here’s Rusty. He’s gonna take good care of you.”

John took one look at her and said, “I think she’s gonna faint.”

Betty bit the insides of her cheeks, then cleared her throat. She wasn’t one to back away from a challenge. “I’m fine. I’ve just – never ridden a horse before.”

It wasn’t for fear of heights or wild animals, she was more worried about the horse than herself. Betty eyed the other women, their thin frames wavering slightly on the horses. She didn’t know which would be worse, struggling to get mounted on Rusty as everyone stared, or getting thrown off the horse right after she accomplished the feat. And all that with John just a few feet away, watching, probably deciding if he wanted her or not.

But before she could protest Claire and Mary Ann gave her a gentle push towards the snorting horse, and before she knew it, she stood right by the animal. Why are you even doing this? Betty grabbed the saddle as John hovered beside her. She tried not to look at him. He wasn’t what she had imagined after reading the letters.

She remembered the townspeople back home and the things they’d been saying about her and her lack of suitors. What would they say if they saw her match?

“You’re all set.” John grinned at her.

Betty looked down into his dark eyes sparkling with excitement. He seems so nice, so eager to impress her. Betty blushed at the intensity of his gaze. She took in a deep breath and looked at some of the other riders. That’s when it hit her. No one stared at John here, no one batted an eye when he passed by.

“Just grab the reins,” John said, “I’ll lead.”

She did as he asked and they circled the field, always just a few steps ahead of Claire.

“John,” Betty began, “in the letter, you said you came from Fernville.”

“Yup. And you were from… Sunny Springs?”

“Yes. You mentioned that you knew Mercy. How again?” Betty stopped, or to be precise, the horse had stopped and Betty couldn’t make him move again. She leaned forward and to see why the horse bowed its head. “What’s wrong, Rusty?”

“He’s grazing,” John said, patting the stallion. “There’s a bit of grass ‘round this rock.” He looked up at Betty. “To answer your question – Mercy helped my cousin, Faith, a few years ago. She and her family were passing through, and they needed somewhere to stay. Her husband was sick, and they had two children to take care of...”

“Mercy offered them a place for the night?” Betty certainly could imagine the ever-smiling Mercy extending an invitation to Faith’s family.

“Yup. The local inn wouldn’t take in Faith. She’s full-blood Indian, you see.”

“Oh.” Betty bit her lip. “It – it must’ve been hard for them.” What? Oh, you can come up with something better than that, Betty Williams!