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The Prairie Doctor’s Bride
Kathryn Albright
Reunited…Natalya Montgomery had thought she was over Alexei Delandros, but working with him again rekindles old feelings and promises of the intense ardour they once shared. But if Natalya once held Alexei’s heart, now she only holds his contempt…For revenge!Natalya’s love almost destroyed Alexei, their lust having blinded him to the truth about her. But the formidable Greek won’t be fooled again! Natalya will pay for her betrayal in the most passionate way Alexei knows, and his vengeance will be all the more sweet…
Wedding bells in Oak Grove...
Raising her son alone, penniless Sylvia Marks has had enough of being the subject of town gossip. But when her son is seriously injured she’ll do anything to save him...even kidnap handsome Dr. Nelson Graham!
Nelson knows what he wants in a wife; she’s to be amiable, biddable and skilled in domestic chores. Gun-toting Sylvia Marks isn’t what he had in mind, but as the two are forced together he realizes she’s exactly what he needs!
“Climb in the back.”
Nelson took hold of the edge of the wagon and then paused. “You do realize that this is kidnapping?”
Sylvia shut out the twinge of guilt she felt. Tommy was all that mattered. “Can’t be helped.”
“I could shout. Call out for help.”
“Everyone is at the town hall. There’s no one around to hear you.”
“You’ve planned this well.” He swung himself into the wagon bed. “If I forced your hand they would hear a gunshot—”
“I don’t think you want to take that chance, now, do you, Doc? I been living off the land most my life. I don’t miss what I aim for.”
“I see your point.”
“Now, lay down on your back.”
“I hardly think that is neces—”
She threw a tarp over him. “I’m in charge here, in case you ain’t noticed. Now, no more shenanigans. I never heard someone talk so much during a kidnapping.”
“So this is a common occurrence?”
“Ya gotta come with me, Doc,” she said softly, mostly to herself. “I can’t give you no choice in the matter.”
Her heart hurt, tight with remorse. It wasn’t right, her using him this way—especially after he’d done her a good turn a few days back at the mercantile—but it couldn’t be helped. Tommy came first, despite how guilty she felt about forcing the doc.
She snapped the reins. “Get up, Berta!”
Author Note
My life before writing full-time entailed years as a professional nurse. I drew on that background in writing about Dr Graham and his medical practice in 1880. Medicine in the United States at that time was in its infancy. In Boston, where Dr Graham attended school, medical education consisted of going to lectures by part-time instructors and taking an exam at the end. All that was required to start that school was payment for the individual lectures and a high school diploma. Things have certainly changed!
I was fortunate to have in my life a ‘city’ grandmother and a ‘country’ grandmother. Sylvia Marks is the embodiment of my country grandmother in her can-do attitude, her generosity, love of family and common sense. I remember going with my grandmother as she delivered fresh eggs from her chickens to all her neighbours along the long country road where she lived, visiting with each for a moment to catch up on their lives and their families—no phones! She truly cared about and enjoyed people.
Sylvia Marks has had to work hard, homesteading a patch of Kansas dirt with her son, using nothing but common sense and optimism. When she encounters Dr Graham sparks fly. I hope you enjoy this story, in which opposites attract.
The Prairie Doctor’s Bride
Kathryn Albright
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
KATHRYN ALBRIGHT writes American-set historical romance for Mills & Boon. From her first breath she has had a passion for stories that celebrate the goodness in people. She combines her love of history and her love of stories to write novels of inspiration, endurance and hope. Visit her at kathrynalbright.com (http://kathrynalbright.com/) and on Facebook.
Books by Kathryn Albright
Mills & Boon Historical Romance
The Rebel and the Lady
Wild West Christmas
‘Dance with a Cowboy’
Western Spring Weddings
‘His Springtime Bride’
Mail-Order Brides of Oak Grove
‘Taming the Runaway Bride’
The Prairie Doctor’s Bride
Heroes of San Diego
The Angel and the Outlaw
The Gunslinger and the Heiress
Familiar Stranger in Clear Springs
Christmas Kiss from the Sheriff
Visit the Author Profile page at millsandboon.co.uk (http://millsandboon.co.uk).
Dedicated to my Grandma Gladys,
a heroine herself in all her optimism,
common sense, generosity and love of family.
And to my father, a man who inherited
the best of her traits.
Contents
Cover (#u184ecc61-0402-5539-aa66-3f9318c0447e)
Back Cover Text (#uce9e558c-3934-577e-b451-a7f485f28f5c)
Introduction (#udad7c27f-ed00-55be-8153-56b0763da373)
Author Note (#uafd89e6a-a90d-5ea4-8f72-ad66150c14d1)
Title Page (#ua282b877-97ec-5af4-a400-ba7eeec5e995)
About the Author (#ua451ab35-15ce-5bbb-bff2-d0d497f42ef3)
Chapter One (#u67a9745a-f811-571a-bd99-7fb47620c9fe)
Chapter Two (#u4c64ea2c-6567-5730-95f8-ae8fb8e7dcde)
Chapter Three (#ue26289a4-a1c7-5dba-a9ab-b2f81afc0de1)
Chapter Four (#u06324eb2-a150-525b-9e8e-fe0d7af8419d)
Chapter Five (#ub336af75-171c-5c56-b3dc-f5707b6e5f73)
Chapter Six (#u5e654e0b-61a3-55cb-95db-04642cfcb3a8)
Chapter Seven (#uc90f395a-1921-51d3-aec5-819ef86e81ba)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u2b605589-4784-5693-9046-c9e67cd2ee38)
Western Kansas 1879
Sylvia Marks stared at the gold-and-green sign swinging over the Oak Grove mercantile, then dropped her gaze to the corner of the large display window. The crack was still there—a casualty from her last visit before Christmas. Mr. or Mrs. Gallagher, the owners of the store, had stuffed old copies of the Oak Grove Gazette into the opening to keep out the cold. They wouldn’t be excited to see her back again—or Tommy.
The main street of town was deserted this early, even the livery stable doors were shut tight. She hoped the store would be empty of customers. It was why she had come as soon as the sun rose enough for her to see her way across the river. Most folks were still in bed—at least she hoped they were. It wasn’t herself she worried about. She had long ago grown tough enough to endure their stares and whispers. It was Tommy she worried for.
She glanced down at her son. She’d wrapped him up as best she could, but at seven years old, he was growing out of near everything he owned. Spring had better hustle along a little faster so that she could see to shearing Jeremy and Petunia. Besides selling the sheep’s wool, she would be able to knit Tommy a larger sweater and make them both new socks and stockings. As it was, snow melted from her worn boots and the wet seeped inside, working its way down through the frayed wool strands and settling against her skin. Guess it was one more thing to make her tough.
She took a deep breath—best to get this done. She took hold of her son’s hand and strode through the doors of the Oak Grove mercantile. She knew exactly what she had to get: two yards of cheesecloth for rendering her cheese, along with two cases of jars with lids so that she could bottle her honey come late spring. That, and some flour and oats.
“Be right with you!” a man called out from the back room.
Her gaze caught on a bowl filled with silk ribbons of every color at the close end of the counter. It looked like the storekeeper had been cutting them into lengths. Large scissors lay beside the bowl. She couldn’t keep herself from touching the length of dark blue silk that shimmered pretty as the night sky. Wouldn’t that feel nice in her hair? She’d always been a fool for pretty things, but in her life pretty always had to walk a step behind practical. A bit of twine worked just as well or better for tying back her hair.
Mable Gallagher stepped through the curtained doorway.
Sylvia grabbed her hand back from the ribbons immediately, feeling guilty even though she’d done nothing wrong.
Mrs. Gallagher’s brows drew together in a frown. “What do you want, Miss Marks?”
She didn’t sound happy about being pulled from whatever she was doing in the back, or perhaps it was more a matter of Sylvia’s way of doing business that the woman didn’t care for. Out of necessity, Sylvia bartered more than she bought outright. She had precious little coin for any extras...like the ribbon.
“Just got a few necessities I’m aimin’ to buy. Won’t take but a minute.”
“See that you hang on to that youngster of yours. I won’t have a repeat of last time.”
