Zack's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) (6 page)

When she'd seen him earlier that morning, standing by the side of the buggy, fixing the colorful pink and blue ribbons along the side, Lydia thought she'd never seen a man look so elegant, so self assured. The only thing that concerned her right now was how tired he looked. The dark rings under his eyes spoke of nights without sleep, and she was sure it wasn't just because a bunk house full of men would be a noisy place to try and settle.

Since asking her to marry her a week ago, he'd spent every night sleeping in the bunk house, with the ranch hands. He'd explained that there just wasn't enough room in the ranch house for all of them. He didn't want to ask Mrs. Brodie to give up her room. Neither did he even mention the possibility of him sleeping in the same room as Lydia. Not with the children crammed into the room across the hall. In any case, it wasn't unusual for Daisy to become troubled during the night and need to go to Lydia.

So, Zack had spent the last week sleeping in the draft ridden, cold wooden shack that was the employees accommodation block.

Only on a couple of those cold nights had Daisy come to Lydia. So, she had spent most of the nights on her own, with too much time to think, and too many memories that just plain disturbed her. On more than one occasion she'd thought about how pleasant it would have been to have Zack by her side, even if it would have been just to comfort her, to speak to her, to tell her not to worry. But Zack's sense of propriety was still as well developed as it had been all those years ago. He'd always been sensitive to the needs of others.

Lydia pulled the thick coat she was wearing over her wedding dress close up against her body. It was a chilly December morning. Zack had insisted Lydia wear the heavy woollen overcoat to protect her from the winter cold. With a similarly heavy woollen hat on her head, Lydia knew she didn't exactly look like someone on their way to church to get married. But there was no sense in taking chances with the wild Montana winters. They were long. That much she had remembered from previous years. But she'd forgotten just how cold they could be. San Francisco had spoiled her in more ways than she'd realized.

"Are you warm enough?" Zack asked as if reading Lydia's mind.

She pulled the collar around tight her neck. "Yes. But it's so darned cold. I don't know how you put up with this all winter, especially out on horseback," she said.

"You get used to. After a few years," he said lifting a teasing brow.

Lydia smiled. "I guess I'll just have to get used to it myself."

"You sure will. Especially if you are going to be Mrs. Lydia Buchanan," he said.

Lydia nodded and scooted across the seat to be a little closer to Zack. "That has a nice ring to it."

"It sure does," he said leaning in toward her.

From behind them they heard a voice. "Hey now, you two. You'll have to save that until after the church," Mrs. Brodie called out.

Zack turned and waved back at her. "It's cold. What do expect us to do?" he called out.

Mrs. Brodie smiled and shook her head.

Zack tugged on the reins. "I suppose we could speed up. Get to the church a bit quicker. What do you say?"

Lydia nodded. "I think that's a great idea," she agreed.

Zack flicked the reins and goaded the horses to pick up their pace. Within moments the buggy was moving so fast, the air blowing so strongly against her face, that Lydia couldn't resist the urge to hook her arm inside her husband-to-be's elbow, lean her smiling face close to his shoulder and hang on for dear life.

She'd heard about getting to the church on time, but this gave the expression a whole new meaning.

***

A short while later Zack was pulling the buggy up in front of the church. As he came around to her side Lydia slipped off the overcoat and flipped the hat off her head. Picking up the bonnet from the box between her feet she carefully placed it on her head, making sure the angle was just how she wanted.

Zack extended a gentlemanly hand to her, his eyes bright and wide. Lydia glanced down at him and took his hand, allowing him to gently hold her as she stepped down off the buggy.

"You look absolutely beautiful," Zack said, his voice cracking slightly, his eyes moist and filled with obvious pride.

Lydia felt the color change in her face in spite of herself. "Thank you, Zack. It's most kind of you to say so," she responded.

Lydia turned to try and see where her children were. Ned had parked up close behind. Gretchen was helping Mrs. Brodie step down. Daisy and Kate came running over to their mother.

"Mama! You look wonderful," yelled Kate enthusiastically. "Doesn't she, Daisy?"

Daisy's eyes were wide and her lips were tight. "Uhh Huh," she managed to grunt.

Lydia smiled. "Come here, Daisy," she said bending down and extending her arms.

Daisy ran over to her mother.

"Your buttons are loose on your collar," Lydia told Daisy.

The little girl leaned her head back and let her mother tie the top buttons of her daughter's pink outfit. It was a beautiful dress that made Daisy look like a little angel. Just gazing at Daisy made Lydia feel so glad that her children were here with her on such a special day.

"How do I look, mama?" Kate asked, obviously not wanting to feel left out.

Lydia glanced at Kate. Neat and perfect as always. That was Kate. Quiet and orderly. Lydia was sure that Kate would grow up to be smart and confident.

"You look wonderful, Kate. You all do."

There was a rumble of wheels and Lydia glanced up. She saw some buckboards arriving and pulling to a halt.

She recognized some of the ranch hands. Amongst them were two faces that Lydia already recognized. She hadn't seen those faces in a long while, years in fact. But she wouldn't ever forget them as they were Zack's closest friends, Joshua McKenzie and Aaron Stewart.

The two men came up to Lydia and Zack. Alongside them were two very pretty and elegant women. From what Zack had told Lydia these must be Joshua and Aaron's recent brides, Laura and Eva.

Introductions were made. Laura and Eva complimented Lydia on her beautiful wedding dress. Lydia sensed that the two women knew just how nervous she must be feeling. The circumstances of their own marriages had been difficult, but both women looked so happy with their new husbands. And Joshua and Aaron certainly looked proud of their lovely wives.

The door to the church opened and the minister appeared, dressed in his dark suit and clutching a bible in his right hand.

"If you would all like to make your way into my humble church, then we can begin the ceremony. I'm sure the happy couple are eager to start their new life," he said with a smile.

It took a few minutes for everyone to make their way into the small church. Zack followed them in with a last glance back at Lydia.

The minister came up to Lydia and extended an arm to her. "May I have the honor of leading you in?" he asked.

Lydia composed herself and hooked her arm inside his.

"Ready?" he asked her.

Lydia swallowed and felt her throat tighten, her heart beat faster, her legs go ever so slightly weak. But after a moment she simply nodded.

It felt like it took an age for Lydia and the minister to reach the altar. On either side the pews were full of admiring glances. Lydia saw her children on the front seat. Their eyes were wide, their smiles even wider, as they watched their mother make her way to the side of the man who was to become her husband.

Zack's gaze was fixed resolutely ahead. Lydia could see the lump on his throat rising and falling with unusual rapidity. He was as nervous as her. That was for sure. But he looked determined not to glance in her direction until instructed to do so by the minister.

Right there, in that moment, what she was about to do hit Lydia with all the force of a physical blow. She was about to become Zack's wife, take on all the responsibilities that such a role meant. She suddenly realized she hadn't really thought the whole thing through, hadn't considered all that this momentous decision would mean for her. For Zack.

But then she glanced at her children. Daisy and Kate had huge grins on their faces. Lydia's heart sang at that sight. Gretchen was just being Gretchen. In contrast to her two sisters she looked serious, focused, but not in any way unhappy about what was happening. Lydia knew Gretchen was happy for her mother. It was just that she'd refuse to show it, except perhaps in a quiet moment at some later time.

The minister's voice rose, and Lydia brought her full attention to the serious ceremony which was about to begin. She looked at Zack. His gaze was fixed intently on the minister, taking in every word that was being said. Lydia listened with equal intent to the minister, absorbing the words, feeling their meaning. Memories of Daniel came inevitably as she took in the familiar, deeply sacred phrases. Each flash of memory brought a twist of emotion to Lydia, but each time she focused on the minister, listening to his words.

Finally the moment came to say their vows to each other.

She turned to Zack. They faced each other and Lydia saw the emotion in Zack's eyes, a penetrating gaze that was filled with earnestness.

When she finally told Zack that she promised to honor him from this day forth and to become his wedded wife, Lydia felt an intense surge of emotion the likes of which she had never felt before.

Not even when she had married Daniel, she realized with astonishment. How could that be? How could it be that marrying Zack would feel so very different to the day she had wed Daniel?

And when Zack leaned in close to kiss his new bride, it was with a mixture of deepest affection as well as a consternation that had taken her completely by surprise, that Lydia accepted her new husband's gentle caress, kissing him for the first time in almost a decade.

CHAPTER SIX

Later, standing in the parlor, back at the ranch house, Zack could hardly believe how many people could be squeezed into such a small room. But somehow they were all fitting in.

If the wedding had been in the summer, they would have had the reception out in the yard, with tables laden with food and drink, a wooden floor laid out for dancing, and as much decoration hanging from the front of the house as possible.

But it was winter and it was Montana. So, the very modest reception was being held inside the house. It was warm enough and cozy, but Zack was disappointed he couldn't swing his new bride around him as they danced to the merry tunes played by the ranch hands who could play the fiddle.

Nevertheless, Mrs. Brodie had done an amazing job in laying out food for everyone. The fire was glowing and the room was warm. Cheeks were getting flushed with the heat as well as the fine food and drink on offer. Zack figured there were about twenty people crammed into the parlor. But he only had eyes for one person in the room.

Lydia.

Zack leaned back against the fireplace, fanning the heat away, gazing across the room at his new wife, who was busy chatting with Laura and Eva, the other two recently wed rancher wives in these parts.

Zack knew it wasn't just the fireplace that was making him feel a glow of satisfaction at the mere sight of his wife.

His wife!

What a thought that was. He'd never have believed there would come a time when he could look across a room in his own home and see Lydia smiling and talking as if this was the only place she belonged. And now, Zack could only shake his head imperceptibly, an expression of amazement, that she was here, on the other side of the room, having that same day agreed to spend her whole life with him as his beloved wife.

Leading her down the aisle and out into the cold air of the Montana winter had been the proudest moment of his life. It had felt so good to feel her hold onto him, see her glance up at him, take pleasure in the smile of sheer happiness on her face.

Mrs. Brodie hadn't been able to control her tears as she'd watched Zack lead his new wife out of the church. And Lydia's children had cried out with delight at the sight of their mother, looking beautiful, looking happy for the first time in a long while.

Outside the church the congratulations had gone on forever. Aaron and Joshua had each grasped his hand, shaking it so hard, obviously pleased for their friend's union with so beautiful and good a woman as Lydia.

And when Zack had taken the reins of the buggy and driven it away from the church, the cheers of delight from the well wishers had caught the attention of the townsfolk of Great Falls, who watched with smiles on their faces as Zack and Lydia started to head back to the ranch.

Zack glanced out the window at the buckboards and buggies out in the yard. He wondered where the children had gotten to.

Children.

He was their father now.

That thought made him pause and take another sip of the cordial. Zack was a family man, father to three children, husband to one beautiful wife. All because of a vow. All because of a promise.

It had been a promise made in haste, but there had never been a moment's regret at his having made it. He hadn't thought there would really be a time when he would be called upon to honor it; now that such a time had come; now that he could look across the room at his wife; now that he could ask himself where were the children who were his responsibility, he was glad that he'd made the promise.

So very glad.

Because, deep down, Zack had always wanted to be a family man. It was just that he'd never expected to become one almost overnight.

He loved those children, and he looked forward to getting to know them better, finding out what they loved, what excited them, what made them happy.

Lydia glanced over at him and she smiled. There was a quizzical look on her face, as if she was wondering why he was standing by the fire, on his own. Zack smiled back at her and raised his glass. Her brows knitted in good humor and something that Laura said drew Lydia's attention back to the conversation the three women were having.

Zack put his glass upon the small table by his side and decided to go and find the children. He knew they wouldn't be getting up to anything, but for now, he told himself it wouldn't do any harm just to check.