Journey of the Bride by Mary Fox

Complete Series: Volumes 1 and 2
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter One
     
     
     
    Wave upon wave of heat drifted up from the sand and washed over his face. Dust clouded the air from under the hooves of dozens of cattle, braying into the air as they trod along the edge of the fence line.
     
    Atop his bay gelding, Brandon slapped his lasso against his thigh and let out a loud, shrill whistle. “ Get ’ up! ” he yelled at the cattle, as if trying to urge them faster. They were moving at a good pace though, all things considered. Everything was going well — for now.
     
    The sudden drum of a horse ’ s hooves turned his attention back behind him, and he spun the gelding around to look at the oncoming rider.
     
    It was a man on a dazzling gray gelding. The horse looked too clean for the dusty lands it had just ridden across. The pasture was sparse in the way of grass now that the cattle had eaten most of it down to spare shoots. The rider too looked out of place in a smart black suit rather than jeans and plaid shirt. A large top hat completed the look of the man. Brandon knew the rider though.
     
    “ Paul, ” he said, a smile on his face and a gleam in his eye. It had been months since he ’ d seen his brother. “ You ’ re looking good. ”
     
    “ And you look like shit, ” Paul replied, the grin on his clean-shaven face revealing the good nature of his words. He gave Brandon a glance-over, taking in the dusty clothes and the dirty beard on his face. “ When was the last time you bathed? ”
     
    Brandon shrugged, turning his attention back to the cattle he was trying to move to a new pasture. Usually, he had the help of five other men. This was the first season he ’ d attempted such a feat alone. He had been so busy lately. He hadn ’ t even had a chance to go to town and post wanted ads for ranch hands for the summer. Winter had been easy. Now, he would have to figure out a time to go to town and find help because there was no way he could move the herd out to the sales in time on his own. That was suicide.
     
    His stomach growled, reminding him that it had been hours since he ’ d eaten, and even then it hadn ’ t been more than a few strips of dried meat left over from the winter.
     
    “ When was the last time you ate? ” Paul asked. There was a knowing tone in his voice.
     
    Damn. He knew Brandon way too well. Was it that obvious how much work Brandon was trying to do on his own?
     
    “ This morning, ” he answered. It was the truth. Paul had asked when he last ate, not what he ate.
     
    “ Who cooked breakfast with Ma now gone? ” Paul asked.
     
    Damn. Damn him. “ No one, ” Brandon replied. He tipped his hat down so he wouldn ’ t have to see the pity on his brother ’ s face.
     
    Paul had been gone for years. He ’ d disappeared from the ranch as soon as he turned eighteen so he could attend college. Brandon couldn ’ t blame him. Paul hated the ranch. He ’ d escaped it to get his license in law. Last time Brandon had heard of his brother, he ’ d opened his own law firm in the city.
     
    Before, it hadn ’ t been an issue. Pa had been able to handle the ranch on his own with the help of Brandon and the other ranch hands. However, with both Ma and Pa gone from the world — God rest their souls — the ranch had become more than Brandon could handle on his own, and most of the hands had been loyal to Pa, not Brandon. With Pa gone, they ’ d taken off to find work elsewhere.
     
    Brandon had let them. What else could he do? He couldn ’ t force them to work for him. He wasn ’ t even certain he could pay them. He knew Pa had money and that they weren ’ t hurting, but the will had specified that Paul had first rights to that money, not Brandon, which made sense with Paul being older by five years.
     
    If Brandon was honest, it didn ’ t bother him. He never cared for the family money, and Paul would be better at handling it. He was better at handling the ranch. He knew more