Stetsons, Spring and Wedding Rings: Rocky Mountain Courtship / Courting Miss Perfect / Courted by the Cowboy

Stetsons, Spring and Wedding Rings: Rocky Mountain Courtship / Courting Miss Perfect / Courted by the Cowboy
Judith Stacy

Stacey Kayne

Jillian Hart

Rocky Mountain Courtship by Jillian Hart Joseph Brooks suspects his mother of bringing a pretty young woman to town as a mail-order bride. Clara Woodrow’s insistent that she’s not that lady – but Joseph is determined to have no other!Courting Miss Perfect by Judith StacyFleeing a humiliating incident in Virginia, Brynn O’Keefe is horrified when handsome Travis Hollister tells the locals she is his sweetheart – and even more astonished when she begins to like the very idea of it! Courted by the Cowboy by Stacey KayneConstance Pauley becomes enamoured with the man who once saved her life – then finds out the very same dashing Kyle Darby inadvertently caused her injuries all those years ago! Can she forgive him enough to become his bride?

Acclaim for the authors of STETSONS, SPRING AND WEDDING RINGS

JILLIAN HART

‘Finely drawn characters and sweet tenderness tinged with poignancy draw readers into a familiar story that beautifully captures the feel of an Americana romance. Readers can enjoy sharp dialogue and adorable child characterisations while shedding a tear or two.’ —RT Book Reviews on HIGH PLAINS WIFE

‘Ms Hart creates a world of tantalising warmth and tenderness, a toasty haven in which the reader will find pure enjoyment.’ —RT Book Reviews on MONTANA MAN

JUDITH STACY

‘A fine writer with both polished style and heartwarming sensitivity.’—bestselling author Pamela Morsi

‘The characters and the story’s touching sentiments have a wonderfully warm appeal.’ —RT Book Reviews on THE HIRED HUSBAND

STACEY KAYNE

‘Well written…a delight to devour. Highly romantic, with just the right touch of humour, MUSTANG WILD is one for the keeper shelf. Stacey Kayne has penned a treasure.’ —Cataromance on MUSTANG WILD

‘Kayne’s latest is fast-paced, action-packed and filled with sexual tension…The heroine is an innocent, stubborn spitfire who can’t cook but knows a good man when she finds one. She’ll keep him, and you’ll want to keep this one for a good night’s read.’ —RT Book Reviews on BRIDE OF SHADOW CANYON

JILLIAN HART grew up on her family’s homestead, where she raised cattle, rode horses and scribbled stories in her spare time. After earning an English degree from Whitman College she worked in advertising, before selling her first novel to Harlequin® Historical. When she’s not hard at work on her next story Jillian can be found chatting over lunch with a friend, stopping for a café mocha with a book in hand, and spending quiet evenings at home with her family. Visit her website at www.jillianhart.net (http://www.jillianhart.net)

JUDITH STACY fell in love with the West while watching TV Westerns as a child in her rural Virginia home—one of the first in the community to have a television. This Wild West setting, with its strong men and resourceful women, remains one of her favourites. Judith is married to her high school sweetheart. They have two daughters and live in Southern California. Look in on Judith’s website at www.judithstacy.com (http://www.judithstacy.com)

STACEY KAYNE has always been a daydreamer. If the comments in her elementary school report cards are any indication, it’s a craft she mastered early on. Having a passion for history and a flair for storytelling, she strives to weave fact and fiction into a wild ride that can capture the heart. Stacey lives on a ranch near the Sierra Nevada, with her high school sweetheart turned husband of eighteen years and their two sons. Visit her website at www.staceykayne.com (http://www.staceykayne.com)

Stetsons, Spring and Wedding Rings

Jillian Hart, Judith Stacy, Stacey Kayne

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Rocky Mountain Courtship

Dear Reader

You may remember the Brooks brothers of Moose, Montana Territory, from my last anthology story, ROCKY MOUNTAIN BRIDE, in the Western Weddings collection. This time Clara Woodrow arrives in town, hoping to find employment with the Brooks family, and is mistaken for a mail-order bride by youngest brother Joseph. Clara is immediately taken by the handsome Brooks brother, but is his profession of love and his tender courtship sincere?

I hope you enjoy accompanying Clara as she discovers true love. Oldest brother Gabe’s story is next!

Thank you so much for choosing ROCKY MOUNTAIN COURTSHIP.

Happy reading

Jillian

Chapter One

Montana Territory, 1882

The January snow beat with a fury against Joseph Brooks as he reined his trusty bay to a stop in front of the train depot. Gosh, it was coming down so hard he couldn’t see past Don Quixote’s nose. The stallion picked his way to the hitching post and Joseph swung down, swiping the snow from his eyes. How was he gonna see his new bride in all of this? He would bump into her before he ever set sight on her.

Don Quixote blew out his breath, as if he were warning his master to be cautious. Joseph looped one rein around the log post and rubbed his buddy’s nose. “Don’t you worry. Sure, I’m a sight overeager, but I sure would like a girl of my own. Watching my brother so danged happy is about to do me in.”

Don Quixote stomped his front hoof, as if he had an opinion about why brother Nate was so happy these days. Joseph gave his hat a good tug. The stallion wasn’t wrong. Sure, his brother was happy; he’d married the most beautiful woman in Mountain County and he went to bed with her every night. Not to be disrespectful, but at twenty-two, Joseph sure would have liked to be able to do the same with his own gorgeous wife.

And soon he would. He plowed through the deep snow on the platform steps and felt the rumble of the train through the soles of his boots. Hadn’t his ma and pa been real busy writing and receiving letters the last few weeks? That’s exactly the way it had gone when they had found his sister-in-law Savannah. Ma and Pa had been the ones to bring her out to marry Nate. Nate hadn’t known a thing of it. He thought he was picking up a package for the folks—that was until Savannah stepped foot off the westbound train.

And guess what? His ma had sent him to town to pick up a package. As he tromped closer he could see the faint splash of the train’s red boiler through the snowfall. The westbound train. He wouldn’t be surprised at all if an unbelievably lovely woman stepped off that train and into his arms. With no marriageable females his age in these parts, a person could understand why he was so eager.

“That you, Joe?” A voice called out from one of the package cars.

Joseph squinted. He could just make out a form in the shadowed compartment. “Howdy, Roberts. It’s good to see the train is still running.”

“So far.” The baggage man swung into sight with a box under his arm. “You never know what’s up ahead of us. The summit might be snowed over and we’ll be backing down the grade to spend the night here.”

“I hope you get through.” It was a problem whenever the snow fell so hard: the trains stopped coming until the tracks could be cleared. He thought of the “package” likely to get off the train. Good thing she hadn’t been stranded somewhere. He might not know anything about her, but he knew one thing. Ma wanted pretty grandchildren, so she was likely to pick out an awful pretty gal.

No complaint there. Joseph knocked snow from his hat brim. “Good luck to you, Roberts—”

“Don’t forget this.” He gave the box he carried a toss.

Joseph caught it. A package. How about that?

“For your ma,” the baggage handler explained. “Give her my respects.”

“Sure thing.” Joseph hiked the box under his arm. How about that for a coincidence? He hardly gave it much thought because he saw a slim shadow up ahead of him. The snow veiled her, but she was a petite, delicate lady with one of those fashionable ruffled skirts. She wore a bonnet that hid most of her profile from him. He knew it was her. Joy lit him up down deep.

Now, most fellas didn’t go about letting their ma pick out a wife for them, but he had bought one of those heart-in-hand magazines not long ago and read all the advertisements from women looking for a new life. He had scratched his head, not knowing where to start. Looked like now he wouldn’t have to puzzle it out.

“Howdy, miss?” He used his most polite voice. “Are you looking for the Brooks family?”

“Why, yes I am.” She turned toward him in one slow swirl. He made out the sweet oval shape of her face, a delicate chin and a rosebud mouth before the snow gusted between them, leaving her once again veiled to his sight. If she was half as pretty as her voice, then he was one lucky man.

His heart rocketed around his chest. He fumbled for his hat brim, but his fingers felt stupid and he had to reach for it twice. He swept it off, using what manners he had. “I’m Joseph Brooks. I’ve come to take you in to town.”

“Joseph.” She said his name with a smile.

He liked how that sounded. His blood warmed just thinking of hearing his name on her voice in the dark of night. His chest filled with satisfaction. Gee, but this kept getting better and better.

“I read about you in your mother’s letters.”