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

them at least some chance of a future. Daniel's sudden death had left them with no income and thus no money.
    Not even a dollar.
    Lydia frowned as she recalled the fear she'd felt at the prospect of city life with no visible means. She'd heard stories of unfortunate women who'd fallen on hard times, unable to make ends meet. The choices they'd had to make were not ones that Lydia had been prepared to consider for even a moment.
    And so there had been only one thing she'd had to fall back upon. Words that had been spoken to her nine years before, by a man she hadn't seen since. Words that had echoed inside her mind during many quiet moments in the intervening years. Words that she'd never considered to have been uttered with anything other than total sincerity.
    They had been spoken by Zack on the day when she'd last seen him, before her father had brought her to the train that would take himself and Lydia away from Helena to San Francisco.
    And, as she handed the last of the dresses from the trunk to little Daisy, Lydia could hear Zack's voice from all those years ago. She could see Zack's face as he clutched her for what he undoubtedly thought would be the last time. His eyes had been narrow, his gaze pleading.
    "If your life doesn't turn out the way you want it to. If you ever need to come back, Lydia, I give you my word, my promise. I will marry you."

    ****

    "How's the chicken?" Zack asked Gretchen. Lydia smiled as she saw Gretchen quickly glance toward her mother and reluctantly admit that it was, indeed, very tasty.
    They were all seated at the dining table, having what Lydia realized was the very first family dinner. She briefly considered that they might sitting at this very table for a very long time to come. She realized she didn't find that thought particularly displeasing.
    Zack smiled at Gretchen's comment. "I think Mrs. Brodie will be pleased to hear that. She was worried that you might not like it," he said.
    "I don't think there was any chance of that happening," Lydia said.
    They'd all finished the unpacking. Zack had brought up the remaining cases. All that was left to unpack were Lydia's things. Zack had taken the case containing them to a room across the hall from the girls' room. He'd started to explain that there weren't a whole lot of rooms on the upstairs of the ranch house and that there might be temporary problems fitting all the newcomers in. Lydia interrupted him, explaining that she understood, and that maybe they could talk about the sleeping arrangements later. After dinner.
    Zack had sighed in obvious relief.
    Now they were all at the dinner table which was laden with plates of cooked chicken, vegetable, glasses of cordial and fruit.
    Lydia glanced around the room as she lifted a fork to her mouth. Zack had done a wonderful job of making the children feel at home. The dining room was small, and perhaps hadn't seen as many guests as were squeezed into it at this moment.
    But they weren't guests, Lydia realized with a start.
    They were all residents. This was to be their home.
    Lydia glanced at Zack. Every once in a while he would make a little teasing joke with one of the girls, working hard to put them at their ease. The sound of giggling had been frequent since Mrs. Brodie had ladled out the first plates of soup.
    Lydia felt a rush of relief when she saw the efforts that Zack and his housekeeper were putting in to making them all feel that this was the only place where they belonged. And it was working. Lydia looked at the girls and felt a calmness settle on her.
    When Mrs. Brodie came in at the end of the meal with a huge sponge cake topped with icing the gasps of amazement from the girls made Lydia smile with pleasure. Portions were cut and put onto plates. In spite of Lydia's caution, the girls ate the cake quickly. Soon tiny lips were lined with creamy icing.
    Lydia glanced over at Zack and saw the visible pleasure he was taking at the simple pleasures of a family dinner. She realized this