Aaron's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) Read Online Free

and elegance, fine features and trim figure of any of the finest ladies in Montana only added to Aaron's absolute confidence that she'd need none of his help.
    So why was she asking him to come and call?
    It couldn't be because she wanted to sell up. Eva would never do that. Aaron had heard her many a time say that the Gillespie spread was permanent. She was committed to maintaining it. Eva would never trade it in for cash. She wasn't that kind of person.
    Aaron pushed the horse to pick up speed. After a while he reached the rise and paused. The trail wound down into the valley and across a flat plain to where the ranch house lay nestled at the base of a high ridge. It was a decent sized spread. Gabriel Gillespie had done a fine job building it up from nothing. With some help from his only child, Eva, of course.
    For his part Aaron had no ambitions to make his own spread bigger than it was. He'd spent the last few years making the best he could of his own moderate sized range. It had cost him every dollar he had, and every minute of the day and night. But, he'd forged a living from the land and from the herds he'd tended with so much sweat and effort. It had been hard and tough, but completely worth it. He was satisfied with what he had. There was no need for him to even think about buying out Eva Gillespie.
    Aaron smiled as he thought about how Eva would react to him even making such an offer. One thing was for sure. He'd need to stand well back if he would be foolish enough to even consider making such a foolhardy suggestion to her face.
    Aaron started down the trail. He could see the white ranch house in the distance. The solitary figures of some ranch hands were busy on different parts of the ranch. Aaron figured the funeral of Gabriel Gillespie must be over if men were already back at work.
    He rode the horse under the wooden entrance sign that proclaimed the Gillespie name in letters carved deep into the board. Aaron guided the horse into the yard in front of the house. As he was slowing down he heard raised voices. He looked toward the front door of the ranch house and pulled his horse to an immediate halt.
    Eva Gillespie was standing at the front door. She was dressed in black and her blonde hair was pulled back into a neat bun. Her pretty, oval features were scrunched up into an expression that Aaron had seen on more than one occasion.
    Indignation.
    There was a man facing her, a wide brimmed hat tipped casually back on his head. Aaron couldn't see the man's face, but he recognized the tall, lanky figure as Jude Arabin, the foreman of the Gillespie ranch.
    One thing was clear. Eva and Jude were having words. And they weren't friendly ones. Aaron could see that, and he wondered what he should do. It was obviously a private conversation between employer and employee, but from the look of it, Aaron got the distinct impression that there was more to it than mere ranch business.
    Aaron got down off his horse and quickly tied it to the hitching rail. He edged his way around so that he kept the body of the horse between him and the two figures at the door. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but it sure as heck looked serious.
    Then, suddenly, out of the blue Eva did something that made Aaron's jaw literally drop open. Eva let out an outraged groan, twisted her body, swung her arm and smacked her hand flat against Arabin's left cheek. The sound of flesh on face carried all the way to where Aaron stood. It sounded painful.
    Aaron took a step forward and paused. Jude let out a yell, staggered back, shook his head and started to rub his face. Aaron could see Eva's flashing eyes. He was pleased he hadn't been on the receiving end of that hand.
    But it was when Aaron saw what Jude did next, that the decision was made, and in that moment there was only thing Aaron had on his mind. And that was to protect Eva Gillespie.

    ***

    Eva's hand lashed out and slapped the side of Jude's face with a resounding, noisy and strangely