The Sun-Kissed Mail Order Bride

By Cia Leah

Mattie Krane was astonished when she learned from her father's lawyer that he had gambled away everything he owned before he died. Her father only left her enough money to live on for a few months. Used to living high society in Boston, she advertised as a mail order bride to a wealthy man in the west. On her way there, the stage broke down, and the man who offered to take her to her intended accosted her, and threw her out to fend for herself.

Razor Steel found the woman who left with Old Bart passed out in the middle of the road. He tended to her and offered to take her to Brenda Holmes and her son's ranch since he was going there anyway. He sorely regretted his decision when he found Mattie to be an opinionated, fiery redhead with a temper to match. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cia Leah
• Release date: Apr 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386123262

Cia Leah

Cia Leah is a multi-published author written in a variety of genres. Her favorite genre to read and write are westerns and historical romances. She successfully completed the Writer's Digest Short Story Course and a creative writing course. She is a member of Romance Divas and highly recommends it and the wealth of knowledge provided on the site for readers and writers. Semi-retired, she writes as time allows due to real life and thanks her readers for their support. At present time, she is writing western short stories, novelettes, and novellas.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Mattie Krane couldn’t believe the predicament she was in. Here she was stumbling along, dragging her suitcase and carrying her carpetbag, trying to find someone who would help her. How could she have been so foolish as to believe that man would take her to her intended husband when the stage broke down?

She shook her head, feeling her hat slip off her head, to fall onto the ground. She didn’t have the strength to pick it up, so kept putting one foot in front of the other. There had to be someone who lived out here in the middle of wherever she was at. The land was flat, sage brush blew in the wind, hitting her in the legs at times, and there was sand blowing in the hot wind that stung her eyes.

She was downright sweltering in the heat. It didn’t help that she had her petticoats under her dress that made it even worse. She didn’t dare take them off either for she’d sewn her money in the hem of it so no one would steal it from her, which is exactly what that awful man had in mind that said he’d help her.

Help me, my foot! She grated, wishing she wouldn’t have been so naïve. All was fine for a while as she rode beside him on his wagon, and then he’d pulled over and accosted her. She’d fought him off, biting, kicking, and gouging his eyes until he threw her off his wagon and yelled that she blinded him and took off leaving her stranded. Deserted in the middle of nowhere without food or water.

If I ever see that hooligan again, I’ll beat him with my parasol until he apologizes! She knew that the likelihood of that was slim. He probably hightailed it out of the state of Texas. Her father always told her that if anyone was going to find trouble, it was she. She knew he was right. It was a fault she acquired at a young age it seemed.

"Why did you have to go and die, father, not to mention only leaving me enough money to live on for a few months? She’d never forget his lawyer shaking his head as he handed her a check and said that’s all that was left. Her father had gambled away the house, the furniture, and most of his bank account. It was all gone in a blink of an eye.

She watched a snake slither across the road ahead of her. Oh, sweet Lord, make it go away! She stopped dead in her tracks and watched it as it made it to the other side and disappeared. She spun around, looking on both sides and behind her. Dusk was just beginning to fall and she was scared. What was she going to do? Snakes, wild animals, and she only knew what other creatures could be out here to attack her. She had nothing to start a fire with to keep them at bay. She was totally helpless.

She yanked her suitcase to the back of her knees and sat down. She was so hot, so thirsty, and the land around her was spinning like she was inebriated. Of course, she’d only been drunk one time in her life, but swore she’d never touch a drink again. Her stomach churned and she felt herself fall off the suitcase to the hard, dirt road. Her last thought was she’d probably die out here in the middle of nowhere never to be found unless someone came down the road. Please help me, Lord, she prayed, and blackness consumed her.

RAZOR STEEL RODE HIS horse Nightmare down the dirt road, gazing at the sunset. It was a beautiful one too with an array of colors that mesmerized a person. He was later getting to his destination than he wanted, which meant he’d have to camp out one more night before getting to Brenda Holmes ranch.

He shook his head as the sun slipped low and dusk descended cloaking the land with a stillness that soon would bring out the coyotes and whatever critters that