Bride School: Genevieve (The Brides of Diamond Springs Ranch 1) Read online

  BOOK ONE: THE BRIDES

  OF DIAMOND SPRINGS RANCH

  By Bella Bowen

  AMAZON KDP EDITION

  PUBLISHED BY

  Bella Bowen

  www.bellabowen.weebly.com

  Book One: The Brides of Diamond Springs Ranch © 2014 B.Bowen

  All rights reserved

  Amazon KDP Edition License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. The ebook contained herein constitutes a copyrighted work and may not be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, or stored in or introduced into an information storage and retrieval system in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the copyright owner, except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This ebook is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To Didi…

  For reminding me daily

  that this career

  was meant to be fun.

  And to my readers…

  For giving me

  purpose.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Sage River, Wyoming Territory, 1870

  Hangman’s Tower loomed over Genevieve’s head as she stepped down from her conveyance. The scaffolding was grey and depressing, aged with more than a decade of harsh sun and hard Wyoming weather. But at least she wouldn’t have to suffer the sight of it much longer.

  The sheriff handed her down, but with so many looking on he had little choice if he wished to appear civilized. She turned and gave him a regal nod in thanks, then walked forward without his assistance.

  Ten paces to the steps.

  She ignored the whispers of the crowd but she was unable to forget the fact that he would be standing in that mob somewhere. Imagining the look on his face distracted her from her footing, but a wobble in the wood brought her attention back where it belonged.

  She refused to appear foolish. No, not now. Not in her moment of triumph.

  Hushed murmurs spread before her like a wind across a field of wheat. She was tempted to smooth her skirts, to stall for only a moment while she composed herself, but that bit of fidgeting would give away her nerves. And she refused to appear nervous.

  A deep breath was all she would allow herself.

  In the town of Sage River, Wyoming, there was only one place to stand if one wished to have the attention of the populace, and that spot was squarely over the trapdoor of the town’s well-built but rarely used Hangman’s Tower. So that is where she’d stand. The sheriff promised it was locked tight. Too bad he wasn’t a man she could trust.

  She stepped purposefully to the ominous spot, and the voices of the crowd bubbled a bit, then stilled.

  “A woman called this meetin’?” a man in a red shirt hollered, then laughed.

  Gen smiled sweetly at him and continued to do so until his smile fell away. His eyes popped briefly, and he whisked the hat from his head and crushed it in front of him. Twenty others followed suit. It was a start.

  The sheriff put a foot onto the platform, already so certain she couldn’t handle his crowd, but she caught his eye and shook her head ever so slightly. He removed his foot. She gave him a smile then, and just like the fellow in the crowd, he pulled his hat off his head. She rewarded him with a nod.

  She turned back to her audience. “Ladies and Gentlemen of Sage River, my name is Genevieve Carnegie. Some of you may remember me as David Zollinger’s widow, may he rest in peace.”

  There were some gasps. But it had been a long time. Most wouldn’t have remembered David’s quiet bride who rarely left the ranch. In addition, there was little about her that hadn’t changed—which meant he wouldn’t have recognized her if he’d caught a glimpse of her in the past week—but for all she knew, ten years might have changed him too.

  She didn’t want to miss his reaction, and knowing the people would lead her right to him, she watched the heads turn and search for him the moment she’d said the name Zollinger. All she had to do was follow the noses. He was out there somewhere, and his jaw should hit the dirt right about…

  Off to her right, next to the stockyard’s first corral. There you are. The tall one surrounded by five men. His chin nearly dropped to the top button on his shirt. Other than his look of surprise, he hadn’t changed at all.

  Her heart sped, convinced she was eighteen again. She ignored it, hoping it would calm if she simply looked away from him, but she couldn’t manage to turn her head.

  I’ll just look a little more, then.

  He snapped his mouth shut, narrowed his eyes, and then when he appreciated that all attention was on him, he forced a smile and started forward.

  Gen looked away, finally, and smiled at the people before her. “I thank you all for coming. I have a great deal of business I’d like to offer some of you before I send any notices to Denver.”

  That got everyone’s attention away from him.

  “I am embarrassed to shout such delicate matters in a public setting, but the truth is, my second and late husband, Mr. Bartholomew Carnegie, left me a vast amount of money.” She dipped her head a moment to emphasize her embarrassment. “But I could see no better place to spend…to share my good fortune than back here at Sage River.”

  A general cheer went ‘round the town square, but they were cautious in their merriment. Their hearts were not yet won. They needed convincing.

  After a week of hiding in the hotel, meeting secretly with the women of the town, and waiting for the pieces of her elaborate puzzle to fall into place, it was time to set the rest in motion.

  “Mrs. Willot!” she called out. The flutter of a lace handkerchief showed Gen where the woman stood. “I understand your husband is a carpenter by trade, and a fine one at that?”

  The man standing beside her looked at Mrs. Willot as if he didn’t recognize his own wife. She grinned back and him and shouted, “He is the best carpenter north of Denver, Mrs. Carnegie.”

  Gen grinned. “I’m pleased to hear it.” To the man she said, “Mr. Willot?” He nodded and took a step forward, thanks to a push at his shoulder from his wife. “I believe Sage River needs a town hall, more than it needs a Hangman’s Tower. And if everyone agrees to sacrifice this space for it, I’ll pay for the building. I’ll pay double your fee for organizing it, of course. And if the town approves, can you raise it in a week?”

  While Gen watched, the burly man grew three inches at least. “Yes, ma’am. If the mill has enough wood for it.” He turned to a man about ten feet away. “What do you say, Norbert?”

  All eyes turned to the man with a bandana tied around his hat and another tied around his neck. “Can you give me three days, Willy?”

  The conversation continued to include a dozen men and a quick vote was taken by the crowd at large. She had no idea if the man who declared the town’s approval had any authority to do so, but a general and heartfelt celebration ensued.

  She tried to get everyone’s attention a
gain, to get to the next thing on the list, but failed. Eventually, she had little choice but to reach into her lavishly beaded bag that hung from her wrist on a cord and pull out her little Queen Anne gun. She slid the flint into place, pointed it up, and fired.

  She wasn’t sure if the sheriff fell off the steps or jumped. But if she hadn’t been pointing her gun at the sky, most might have thought she’d shot the man. At the very least, she had everyone’s attention. They all waited, patient and bug-eyed, for her to blow a little heat off the gun and replace it in her reticule.

  “Thank you, gentlemen,” she gave her most practiced, sweetest smile. “A whistle might have sufficed, but not at all ladylike.” She took a deep breath and started again. “Of course, once the ladies start arriving, Anderson’s store may need a bit of expanding. We’ll need a large section for fabrics and notions alone.”

  Another gasp. “Ladies?” An older woman croaked. “Just what sort of ladies?”

  The crowd hushed and leaned forward. The other women who hadn’t yet heard her plans for Sage River were preparing to object. Their bonnets nodded, conferred with other bonnets, then nodded in unison. The men, on the other hand, were a bit too hopeful, even the ones standing next to their wives. A few got an elbow in the ribs for the looks on their faces.

  “Forgive me,” Gen said innocently. “I’ve gotten ahead of myself.”

  She cleared her throat and forced herself not to look his way again, determined to wait until the right moment.

  “In my good fortune, I have found a way to aid the ranchers of the Wyoming territory especially, by starting up a finishing school, of sorts, for the perfect western bride. I’ll be using my first late husband’s ranch, of course. Diamond Springs.”

  Don’t look yet.

  “Fine young women will come here to be schooled in our rather unique way of living, and men who can afford such brides will be coming from all over the West.”

  She took a deep breath and aimed a smile at him, briefly, then looked back to her people. Because they were her people. She was bringing a flood of good women and rich men to their little town and that meant progress. And progress meant money for everyone. She’d bought their loyalty as surely as if she’d thrown gold coins from her carriage as she drove through town. But she was also buying their continued prosperity. For how could a wealthy woman like her live in a place filled with poverty and suffering?

  A familiar laugh from the past came from the right. He and his men had moved forward, finally concerned enough to participate in the conversation.

  “I only see one thing wrong with my former sister-in-law’s plans,” he said.

  His smile devastated her at such close range, but she took a deep breath and let the pinch of her corset keep her from doing anything so foolish as to swoon. His dark eyes flickered over her briefly, then he addressed the crowd as well.

  The audience sobered.

  “She doesn’t own my late brother’s ranch.” Devlin shrugged. “I do.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Gen kept her smile. The crowd turned to her in unison, holding on to a thread of hope, waiting for her to deliver a solution.

  “Well, Devlin,” she said, trying not to choke on the name. “I’ve always been told that possession is nine-tenths of the law.” She turned to the sheriff who had regained his station at the top of the steps.

  He grinned. “Yes, ma’am. I’m afraid to say, in this territory, it’s closer to ten tenths of the law.”

  She allowed her face to drop. The crowd sighed.

  She took a few deep breaths, then looked up, raising the brim of her hat as she did so, revealing a genuine smile she’d been practicing for that very instant. For two years, the length of her forced period of mourning, she’d been imagining that moment. She’d imagined Devlin’s confused face, though not nearly as handsome as he was. And the reality of it nearly lived up to her imagination. If he could have looked just a little more heartbroken, it would have been perfect.

  He’d called her his former sister-in-law. Former. So he’d tried to wipe away any memory of her, she realized. He had no relative by the name of Genevieve Zollinger? Of course he had. She’d just added the name of Carnegie to the end, that was all.

  But his dismissal of their relationship was fine by her. After all, she’d come to Sage River to ruin him, not for a family reunion.

  She savored the widening of his eyes when he saw her satisfied smile. The folks encircling Devlin Zollinger held their breaths along with him, and she drew the moment out like a piece of salt water taffy, waiting for that instant when the rope of taffy might break, and fall, and stick to everything around.

  Then she scooped it up and shoved it down his throat.

  “That’s wonderful news, Sheriff Toller. Because, as of...” She reached into her reticule and dug out a pocket watch. She peered closely at it, then frowned at the sheriff, who came forward to compare his watch with hers. Both watches read a quarter past ten.

  “Because, as of ten o’clock this morning, the Diamond Springs ranch...shall we say...fell into my possession.”

  Devlin’s men laughed and slapped him on the back, but he stood stiffly in spite of the crooked smile on his face. Gen had the distinct feeling he was still holding his breath, afraid to imagine it might be true.

  She grinned wide, staring into his lovely, frightened eyes, and nodded. Her hat bobbed dramatically. Once.

  The people of Sage River gossiped in hushed tones amongst themselves. The sheriff took an unsteady step away from her as if she might be touched in the head. He tripped over a large stump that looked to have been placed on the scaffolding a very long time ago. For multiple hangings, no doubt.

  “If you have Zollinger’s ranch,” a woman stepped forward, “then what is the town hall for?”

  Gen winked at the woman for her impeccable timing. “Well, with all those brides, and all those potential grooms coming to court them, we’ll need a place for them to dance, don’t you think? After all, men are no longer allowed to set foot on Diamond Springs, so they’ll need somewhere to do their courtin’.”

  The crowd cheered, their hope restored. But Gen expected them to be true believers in a minute or two.

  She looked at her watch again. Those in the crowd who owned watches, pulled them out as well, though they had no idea what all the waiting was for.

  It got quiet.

  Devlin stood alone; his men had no doubt gone to check on the ranch. But Gen was sure someone would be coming…

  Horses. Lots of them. Headed through town. Not slowing.

  The noise grew louder and Gen feared that perhaps the beasts would come around the corner with no riders at all. But that proved not to be the case. A small army of cowboys finally brought their mounts to a halt at the back of the crowd. A man at the head stood in his stirrups and searched the crowd while Devlin made his way to him. Dev’s other men returned still on foot. They’d hadn’t had a chance to get to their horses.

  “We were attacked!” The mounted man said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

  “Attacked?” Gen hollered doubtfully. “Are you certain?”

  He looked at the scaffolding and his mouth popped open and shut like a fish.

  “Well?” The sheriff stepped forward to the edge of the platform. “Were you attacked or not?”

  Finally, the man shrugged and hung his head. He mumbled something to Devlin.

  “What did he say?” The crowd wanted to know. “What was that?”

  Someone nearer the horses stood on his toes and addressed the rest. “He said, we lost the ranch—to a bunch of women!”

  The mob laughed. Then, one by one, they turned back to Gen, their mouths and eyes wide with awe.

  And just like that, the town of Sage River was hers. She wouldn’t be surprised if they renamed the whole settlement by the end of the month.

  Carnegie, Wyoming had a nice ring to it.

  On the other hand, maybe it wouldn’t take nearly that long.

  CHAPTER T
HREE

  Gen turned and made for the steps, but folks started shouting questions at her. She had planned to leave them curious for a while, but once she got herself back on her ranch, she didn’t plan on leaving much. So she thought she may as well give them something to chew on.

  With all the timing of an experienced politician, which she’d learned from her second husband, she came back and took her station on the trap door, hoping Devlin didn’t get the notion to release the silly thing just to see her land on her derriere.

  “The first batch of brides should arrive near the end of the month,” she told them. “Newspapers will carry the notices two weeks later. I expect some weddings will start taking place about September. Mr. Anderson and anyone else who will see an increase in business, and therefore a need to increase their supplies, may apply to me for an advance.

  “Never fear, people. I will not see anyone suffer unduly because of my new enterprise.”

  She shot Devlin a look that clearly meant he was not included in that sentiment.

  The crowd moved aside as he made a bee line for the bottom steps and the sheriff. He ignored her completely. Or at least he tried to. He narrowed his eyes at her fleetingly, then looked at the sheriff, then took a second look at her before he started berating the lawman.

  Gen thought she’d feel quite smug at that point, but she didn’t. All she could think about was the fact that he’d had a hard time looking away from her.

  Just as he always had.

  She needed to keep two hundred people from seeing her blush, so she turned on her heel and headed for the stairs and hoped her former brother-in-law would give her a wide berth. He didn’t glance up, but must have sensed her standing at the head of the steps because he grabbed the sheriff’s arm and led him away.