Short Straw Bride

Short Straw Bride
Dallas Schulze

ONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE TO MARRYThe McLain brothers were fed up and tired - tired of the hunger in their cowboy-sized stomachs, tired of dingy curtains and dirty dishes. Tired of worrying about who to leave the ranch to when they were gone.Luke could imagine the perfect wife - biddable, tidy and willing - and when he saw Eleanor Williams in church one Sunday, he thought she'd do just fine. But little did he knew that the practical Eleanor had a mind of her own - and other ideas about marriage!

Table of Contents

Cover (#ud48b7060-6f04-54d0-abfd-2da7c17df422)

Praise (#uf977eb6c-3c33-53a5-9cf1-e7240ad87127)

Excerpt (#u48ca1acd-e6b8-5ea4-9a04-d035225f7004)

Dear Reader (#u49ab44f0-3219-57e0-8a99-9692b5eb799f)

Title Page (#ubfe53752-97cd-5322-8896-c38ac2e29002)

About The Author (#u4df8d88a-02d5-5bdd-9cf9-d4f5842dc46d)

Chapter One (#u9fdf1c80-3215-5dfa-9eeb-6922f1bf4b94)

Chapter Two (#u85fc5ed3-c6bf-52dc-b19e-23c8f387d4ef)

Chapter Three (#udd76cc73-8221-5368-9b8f-163550fcc72d)

Chapter Four (#u3306f737-77e2-5f79-9656-17b5dd8989cd)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Praise for Dallas Schulze whom Booklovers calls “A talent to be reckoned with.”

Gunfighter’s Bride

“…a delightful historical…A nonstop read that truly satisfies.”

—Romantic Times

“…a highly entertaining and emotional read.”

—Rendezvous

Temptation’s Price

“Ms. Schulze gifts her fans with this wonderful historical…”

—Romantic Times

“So you think Ellen Williams is the one?”

“Eleanor,” Luke corrected automatically. “And I won’t know till I’ve had a chance to talk to her a bit more.”

“I don’t know, Luke. Marrying’s a serious business.” The laughter died out of Daniel’s eyes, which were the same clear gray as his brother’s. “Maybe this ain’t such a good idea after all. Maybe we ought to just forget the whole idea and try another housekeeper.”

Luke opened his mouth to agree that it had been a dumb idea from the start and that they should put it behind them. And found himself remembering Eleanor’s big brown eyes, the shy smile in them, and heard her voice saying that she’d lived in Black Dog six years, four months and twelve days.

“I said I was going to find a wife and that’s what I’m going to do,” he heard himself say stubbornly. For some reason, the idea of having a wife just didn’t seem as bad as it once had.

Dear Reader,

This month, we are very pleased with the long-awaited return of Dallas Schulze to Harlequin Historicals with her terrific new Western, Short Straw Bride. This award-winning author, who has written numerous contemporary novels for Silhouette and Harlequin, will make her MIRA debut in early 1997. Meanwhile, don’t miss this heartwarming tale of two people who many for practical reasons, and wind up falling head over heels in love.

Reader’s Choice Award winner Laurie Grant is also back with her new medieval novel My Lady Midnight. This intriguing story features a Norman widow who becomes a political pawn when she is forced to go undercover as a governess in the home of the baron she believes responsible for the death of her best friend.

Miranda Jarrett’s new Sparhawk book, Gift of the Heart, is a touching story set in the wilds of the New York frontier where a woman, abandoned by her no-good husband, discovers happiness in the arms of a fugitive haunted by his past. And Beauty and the Beast, by Taylor Ryan, is a Regency tale about a troubled nobleman who is badgered into health by an interfering young neighbor.

We hope you’ll keep a lookout for all four titles wherever Harlequin Historicals are sold.

Sincerely,

Tracy Farrell

Senior Editor

Please address questions and book requests to:

Harlequin Reader Service