Zack's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) by Maya Stirling
Authors: Maya Stirling
Tags: Romance, historical 1800s
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worried about Gretchen so much. Being the oldest sister Gretchen had always been the one to assert herself, the one to boss her sisters around. To control her daughter's feisty temperament had had taken all the patience Lydia could find within herself.
And, Lydia had wondered on more than one occasion just where Gretchen had gotten that explosive zest for life. With a sigh she once again admitted that it probably came from Lydia herself. There was no getting away from the fact that the only reason Lydia had had the strength to survive the recent tragedy had been the forcefulness of character her father has so firmly instilled in her.
Daisy came racing into the parlor followed a few feet behind by Kate. Both of the girls' faces were flushed with their exertions. Their boots clattered noisily on the wooden floorboards.
Lydia put down the book she had been trying to concentrate on. "Really girls," she commanded. "Enough is enough. You'll end up scaring Mrs. Brodie if you keep up that racket."
Daisy slid to a halt and Kate ran into her back, wrapping her arms around her sister to steady herself.
"Sorry, mama. We were just playing. You told us we couldn't go outside."
"I know I did. And I still don't want you to go out. It's too cold, and neither of you is used to this cold weather."
"Are we going to have snow, mama?" Kate asked, her eyes wide with expectation.
Lydia frowned slightly. "Your father said so," she said, noticing how easily those words tripped off her tongue. "And he should know. He's lived here a very long time."
"Does that mean we're going to have snow on Christmas day?" Daisy asked breathlessly.
"That would be lovely wouldn't it?" Lydia said , smiling at her daughter. "We never had that in the city, did we?"
Both girls shook their heads in unison.
"What's it like?" Kate asked.
"Snow?" Lydia responded. "It's very cold, but there's lots of fun you can have with it," she added.
"Really?" Kate asked. "Can we make a snowman? My friend Elizabeth, back in the city, told me that she used to make them back East. She said you could use a carrot for a nose."
Daisy burst into a fit of laughter.
"That's right. If you can get a hold of a carrot, of course."
"Don't we have any carrots?" Kate asked.
"Maybe Mrs. Brodie's got some. I'll ask her next time I see her. But you're going to need snow if you want to make a snowman," Lydia said to her smiling children who now looked positively ecstatic at the prospect of having so much fun. If there was snow.
"Can you make it snow, mama?"
Lydia's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Me? I can do a lot of things, Daisy, but I'm afraid I can't make it snow."
"Can papa make it snow?" Kate asked. "Seeing as how this is his place."
Lydia gestured to her two daughters that they should come to her. They skipped over to her and threw themselves into their mother's arms. "You two are just so adorable," Lydia said, hugging them close. She held them tight, savoring the closeness of them, the scent of their freshly washed hair, the softness of their petite dresses. Lydia was overcome by a sense of how blessed she was with these two wonderful children. They were the true legacy of her beloved Daniel. In her arms she held the precious gift he had left her with. At no time in the last few weeks had she ever felt that these children were a burden to her, something that she could consider letting down for even a moment. Her commitment to her children was absolute.
Lydia kissed both of them on the cheek. "As far as your new father being able to make it snow, I suppose you could ask him that when he comes home from work."
"When's he coming home?" Kate asked.
Lydia held back the impulse to frown. Instead, she smiled at Kate. "I believe he said he'll be back for lunch," she answered. "So, maybe you two could go and wash those hands. Make yourself look pretty for him," she said.
The two girls nodded, looked at each other and exchanged a brief knowing look. Then Daisy raced off again, screaming
And, Lydia had wondered on more than one occasion just where Gretchen had gotten that explosive zest for life. With a sigh she once again admitted that it probably came from Lydia herself. There was no getting away from the fact that the only reason Lydia had had the strength to survive the recent tragedy had been the forcefulness of character her father has so firmly instilled in her.
Daisy came racing into the parlor followed a few feet behind by Kate. Both of the girls' faces were flushed with their exertions. Their boots clattered noisily on the wooden floorboards.
Lydia put down the book she had been trying to concentrate on. "Really girls," she commanded. "Enough is enough. You'll end up scaring Mrs. Brodie if you keep up that racket."
Daisy slid to a halt and Kate ran into her back, wrapping her arms around her sister to steady herself.
"Sorry, mama. We were just playing. You told us we couldn't go outside."
"I know I did. And I still don't want you to go out. It's too cold, and neither of you is used to this cold weather."
"Are we going to have snow, mama?" Kate asked, her eyes wide with expectation.
Lydia frowned slightly. "Your father said so," she said, noticing how easily those words tripped off her tongue. "And he should know. He's lived here a very long time."
"Does that mean we're going to have snow on Christmas day?" Daisy asked breathlessly.
"That would be lovely wouldn't it?" Lydia said , smiling at her daughter. "We never had that in the city, did we?"
Both girls shook their heads in unison.
"What's it like?" Kate asked.
"Snow?" Lydia responded. "It's very cold, but there's lots of fun you can have with it," she added.
"Really?" Kate asked. "Can we make a snowman? My friend Elizabeth, back in the city, told me that she used to make them back East. She said you could use a carrot for a nose."
Daisy burst into a fit of laughter.
"That's right. If you can get a hold of a carrot, of course."
"Don't we have any carrots?" Kate asked.
"Maybe Mrs. Brodie's got some. I'll ask her next time I see her. But you're going to need snow if you want to make a snowman," Lydia said to her smiling children who now looked positively ecstatic at the prospect of having so much fun. If there was snow.
"Can you make it snow, mama?"
Lydia's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Me? I can do a lot of things, Daisy, but I'm afraid I can't make it snow."
"Can papa make it snow?" Kate asked. "Seeing as how this is his place."
Lydia gestured to her two daughters that they should come to her. They skipped over to her and threw themselves into their mother's arms. "You two are just so adorable," Lydia said, hugging them close. She held them tight, savoring the closeness of them, the scent of their freshly washed hair, the softness of their petite dresses. Lydia was overcome by a sense of how blessed she was with these two wonderful children. They were the true legacy of her beloved Daniel. In her arms she held the precious gift he had left her with. At no time in the last few weeks had she ever felt that these children were a burden to her, something that she could consider letting down for even a moment. Her commitment to her children was absolute.
Lydia kissed both of them on the cheek. "As far as your new father being able to make it snow, I suppose you could ask him that when he comes home from work."
"When's he coming home?" Kate asked.
Lydia held back the impulse to frown. Instead, she smiled at Kate. "I believe he said he'll be back for lunch," she answered. "So, maybe you two could go and wash those hands. Make yourself look pretty for him," she said.
The two girls nodded, looked at each other and exchanged a brief knowing look. Then Daisy raced off again, screaming
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