The Mail Order Bride Arrived In A Snowstorm, The Cowboy Said “I’ve Been Waiting In The Cold For You”

Chapter 7

“All curls and laughter,” Caleb said, his voice gone flat, stripped of color. “Margaret was the kindest woman I ever knew. And then the cholera came through our town one summer. They died within a week of each other. I couldn’t save them. I couldn’t do anything but watch them suffer.”

Grace felt the words land in her chest like stones. She had imagined many things — an accident, a fire, a sickness. But the bare, terrible simplicity of it undid her.

“After they were buried, I couldn’t stay there,” Caleb went on. “Everything reminded me of them. So I came here. Started over. I thought I’d just exist — do my job, get through the days. I didn’t expect to feel anything again.”

“Oh, Caleb.” Grace turned fully, taking his face in her hands. She saw the grief in his eyes, old but still present, and her heart ached for him. “I’m so sorry.”

“I need you to know that I don’t see you as a replacement,” he said urgently, his hands coming up to cover hers. “You’re not Margaret. What we have is different, but it’s real. I care for you, Grace. Deeply.”

“I know.” She kissed him gently. “I care for you too. Deeply.”

That night their lovemaking had a tenderness that went beyond physical pleasure — a quiet, reverent quality, as if they were building something out of the wreckage of their pasts. Grace felt as though they were truly joined, not just in body, but in spirit. Afterward, lying tangled together in the darkness, she whispered the words she had been carrying for weeks.

“I love you.”

She felt Caleb go still. Then his arms tightened around her almost painfully. “I love you, too,” he said, his voice rough. “I didn’t think I would ever say those words to anyone again. But I do. I love you, Grace.”

Tears slipped down her cheeks — happy tears. She had not expected to find love in an arranged marriage. She had hoped only for security and respect. But here, in this small Montana town, with this steady, kind man, she had found something far more precious.

Spring came slowly to Hollow Creek, the snow melting in fits and starts, revealing a landscape that was surprisingly beautiful. Grace fell in love with the mountains rising to the west, their peaks still snow-capped even as wildflowers bloomed in the valleys. She loved the huge sky, the way it seemed to go on forever — so different from the crowded, close streets of Boston.

Her work at the school expanded when Miss Avery married her rancher in April and moved to his spread twenty miles away. Grace took over teaching entirely. She loved the work, loved watching children’s faces light up when they mastered a new skill. Caleb built shelves for the schoolhouse and repaired the windows, and Grace felt a swell of pride watching him work.

Their life settled into a comfortable pattern. They had their disagreements, of course — Grace thought Caleb took too many risks in his work as marshal; Caleb thought Grace pushed herself too hard, teaching all day and then coming home to cook and clean. But they learned to talk through their conflicts, to compromise, to understand each other’s perspectives.

In May, Grace realized she had missed her monthly courses. She waited a week, then two, not wanting to say anything until she was certain. But when the signs became unmistakable, she knew she needed to tell Caleb.

She chose a quiet evening, the two of them sitting on the porch watching the sun set over the mountains.

“Caleb, I have something to tell you.”

He turned to her, immediately attentive. “What is it?”

“I’m with child.”

Caleb’s eyes widened, his face cycling through shock, wonder, and joy so quickly Grace almost laughed. “Truly?”

“Truly. I think I’m about two months along.”

Caleb stood and pulled her to her feet, wrapping her in his arms. “Grace. This is wonderful. Are you happy?”

“I am,” she said, and realized it was completely true. Six months ago, the thought of bearing a child would have terrified her. But now, with Caleb, in their home, she felt only joy and anticipation.

Caleb pulled back to look at her, his hand coming to rest gently on her still-flat stomach. “A baby. Our baby.”

But then Grace saw worry cloud his eyes, and she understood. “Caleb, this baby is ours. This will be different.”

“I know.” His hand trembled slightly against her. “I just can’t bear the thought of losing someone else I love.”

Grace covered his hand with hers. “We’ll be careful. Doc Marsh is a good physician. I’m young and healthy. And you won’t lose me — I’m too stubborn.”

Caleb managed to smile at that. “Yes, you are.”