A Bride for Noah

are a few tins of baked beans,” he said, and Elizabeth grinned. “You probably need to get a piece of bacon, but other than that, you’ve probably got everything else we’ll need,” he said, glancing in the box.
“Eggs?” she asked, not sure if he had chickens or not.
“There’s more than enough with the dozen or so chickens we have. I’ve been selling eggs to Elizabeth, I’ve had so many.”
After the purchases were added to his account, Noah began loading the items onto his wagon. “I don’t come into town often, so make sure you’ve got everything you need,” he told her. She assured him she did, but without having made any meals for him, Mary really had no idea.
It wasn’t long before they were on their way to her new home.
~*~
They hadn’t discussed his property, and as they passed under the archway to Broken Arrow Ranch, her surprise was obvious. She was brought up on a small farm, she told him, nothing of this proportion.
It took nearly twenty minutes from the archway to their ranch house, and her look of astonishment was priceless.
“I’m guessing your farm wasn’t this big?”
She shook her head. “Nothing like it. Pa has about thirty acres, and most of that was for the pigs. Even our house was tiny. We barely had room for the two of us.”
She glanced at him and he raised his eyebrows. “Are you serious?”
He was surprised when she nodded.
As they pulled into her new home, Noah glanced across at his bride. She sure was pretty, but was far too thin. If she starved herself like she’d done on the way to Halliwell, was it any wonder she was nothing but skin and bone. He hoped to soon remedy that.
He’d embarrassed her back at the train station, and for that he was truly sorry. Asking about the rest of her luggage was far from diplomatic, but he hadn’t stopped to think. Teddy had told him Mary’s situation wasn’t good, but he hadn’t really thought about what that meant. He should have asked so he knew what he would be dealing with.
Honestly though, was it even his business? That was in her past. What was important was their future. Determined to make her life easier, he lifted her down from the wagon and swooped her up into his arms. She was so light, he barely knew she was there. “Welcome to your new home,” he said, staring into her face.
She wriggled about in his arms. “What are you doing? Put me down,” she squealed. “Please?”
His new bride looked terrified. What had she been through in her past? “It’s traditional,” he said gently, trying to reassure her, then proceeded to open the door to their home and carried her across the threshold. Once inside he put her gently to the floor. She glanced about, a smile forming on her face.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything so lovely.”
Really? His ranch house was quite basic. Three bedrooms, a kitchen, and sitting room, and a small bathroom. She wandered through the cabin, glancing about as she went. She almost ran into the kitchen and the look of amazement on her face was almost his undoing. Exactly where had she come from?
Okay, he knew she’d lived in Angel’s Pass, the same place Teddy’s sister lived. She rushed over to the stove, and squatted down, opened the oven doors to look inside, her eyes wide with amazement. Exactly what had she expected?
Then she bolted to the sink, and turned on the faucet. “Running water? You have running water?” Her eyes filled with tears. “No more carting buckets from the well.”
His heart sank. This woman, this Mary Adams, whom he had married, had lived a dreadful life. He’d rescued her, just as she had rescued him.
“Let me show you the bathroom,” he said. “There’s running water there too.” That was enough for tears to flow down her cheeks, and he rushed to her side. He wiped her tears away, then pulled her to him. The last thing he’d expected was to have his new bride distressed within minutes of arriving at her new home.
The home she would stay in for twelve months. When he wrapped his arms around her, she molded into him, and he felt like they’d known each other forever. His heart thudded. He wasn’t sure how he would give her up after twelve short months. He already felt like they belonged together.
“I, I’m sorry,” she said, pushing herself away from him and swiping at her tears. Even with her eyes red and puffy she was beautiful. Far too skinny, but beautiful nonetheless.
She suddenly turned and walked away, continuing her exploration of his cabin. Their cabin. Before she reached the bathroom, she stopped in the doorway to the main bedroom. He watched as she stared into the room, then swallowed. What was she thinking? Perhaps she didn’t want to sleep with him? It pained him to think it, but he wouldn’t force her. Even if she was his wife.
“Pretty quilt,” she suddenly said, then scampered off toward the bathroom. “Ooooh,” she squealed. “This is lovely.” She ran over to the porcelain bath, and ran her hands over it. “I’m more used to a tin bath out on the porch. It gets pretty cold in the winter.”
What sort of monster makes a young woman bathe outside in the winter? He opened his mouth to ask, but changed his mind. She would tell him if she wanted to, and there was no way he’d force the information out of her.
“Towels are in the cupboard,” he said. “You’ll find soap in there too. You can have a bath any time you want.” He watched her expression change from distress to one of wonderment.
“Any time?” She ran over and hugged him. “I’m going to like it here,” she said as she