Mail Order Bride: Mischief: Mail Order Brides: Berriton Brides, #1

By Ruth Michaels

This Mail Order Bride of the West story is a clean historical western cowboy romance.

It’s 1900 in Maryland, one family finds that love can strike in unexpected ways.

Sparks fly when a headstrong woman meets a strong man

Twenty-seven year old Katrina Berriton is the subject of a prank which has unexpected consequences.  Somehow she has ended up as a mail order bride and is left to deal with the aftermath.

Worse still her pa is delighted at the news and extends an invitation to the  would be groom, wealthy ranch owner Dalton Tanner.

Handsome rancher Dalton Tanner expects a marriage of convenience and a mother for his young daughter.  He seeks a woman to clean his house, cook his meals and to generally do his bidding.   Happily he accepts the invitation and is determined to take his mail order bride back with him to Montana.

The Groom has been misled, misinformed and sadly mistaken

Katrina’s strong will and outspoken opinions were things Dalton did not envisage when he replied to the advert describing a docile, subservient future bride. He has been misled, misinformed and worse of all, sadly mistaken.

Katrina is not ready to settle down with any man and feels that no one is strong enough to tame her. She has all but given up on men.

Sparks fly when these two strong personalities meet, each single minded in their resolve.

Has the woman who thinks she is just too hot to handle finally met her match?

Can the powerful attraction that grips them overcome the obstacles in their way?

Can they rise to the challenge of this mail order mischief and really find true love together?

Find out in this sweet clean western romance, the first of the Berriton Brides series (Book 1), Mail Order Bride: Mischief.

This is a story of mischief, chance, inner struggles, drama and love.

This first book in the Mail Order Brides series (Berriton Brides) can be read as a stand-alone novella, with no cliffhanger!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ruth Michaels
• Release date: Jul 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781516328949

Book preview

Prologue

Ellicott City, Maryland, July 1900

What? I don’t believe it! A mail order bride?

Katrina’s big brown eyes sparkled, she snapped her lips together tightly in an effort to contain amusement, she really did try to stop herself, but her mirth couldn’t be concealed; her pink lips curled upwards as the laughter spilt from them. She laughed so much her stomach hurt.

Why women do that I’ll never know. I shall remain single, I don’t want or need a man.

Haughtily she looked down at Jane, her friend Belinda’s tight lipped sister, in amazement. Honestly I would never let a thing like that happen to me. This conversation is well and truly over. She thought.

Must dash, she muttered to the air as she turned and strutted away.

Jane looked at Katrina’s retreating back, even her backside swayed tauntingly from side to side. Jane thought it was time to teach that particular woman a lesson.

A lesson she wouldn’t forget in a hurry.

She rushed over to the Newspaper Office.

I need to place an ad. And I don’t mind paying, not one little bit she thought with spiteful glee. She quickly wrote out an advert.

The Newspaper Editor Asa Grant looked down at the advert, his eyebrows arched in surprise he looked up sharply.

Miss, are you sure, I think Miss Berriton really needs to come in herself.

Jane arched her shapely eyebrows.

We both know Miss Berriton and we both know she would think it beneath her to come in here, don’t we, Mr Grant?

Well, when you put it like that ...

We also know that she believes everyone in this town is beneath her notice, I believe even you can testify to that?

Asa Grant could only stare; he remembered alright. A vivid picture of a beautiful, vibrant, sexy woman sprung into his mind without any coaxing. Katrina, her cute button nose, beautiful big brown eyes, lashes that fluttered enticingly at a man, a woman that should have a whole heap of appeal and yet her heart was as cold as ice. She could cut anyone down to size in a blink of an eye. He had met a few sharp shooters in his time, but her aim was perfect, her mouth a vicious weapon and he had been on the receiving end of her tongue and temper more than once, and he wasn’t the only one.

Yeah there were plenty in line who would like to see that she gets what’s coming to her. His mouth twisted in consideration. She’d probably become the butt of many jokes. This could be interesting. He thought for a moment and shook his head he was not the practical joker of his youth.  He paused.  He really shouldn't. It took only another moment.

His eyes joined in collaboration.

When you put it like that ... he took the advert and money and watched Jane’s mouth twist before a smirk crossed her face.

Sparks are going to fly and I for one will be interested in the outcome thought Asa.

But I can’t take the advert without a name. He coughed awkwardly, Just in case, someone should enquire.

Just put my sister’s name – Belinda Jones, after all, one good turn deserves another, she added for good measure, although she couldn’t imagine Katrina Berriton doing anyone a good turn.

Asa grinned before turning to give the clerk the ad. Things are going to get mighty interesting around here, he thought with glee.

Chapter 1 – The Perfect Woman

Dalton could hear the giggling outside and stopped to look through the window. It was a warm sunny July afternoon and his daughter Lucy was throwing the ball to the puppy who ran after it, grabbed it and raced back to her. They made a cute team.

She seemed so happy running around with the pup, he was glad Jim, his foreman, had brought it over; it was a great idea, the little duo had been inseparable for the past couple of days.

His mind reflected back to Lucy’s ma, it had been over two years since Gillian had died of the fever. She had been a fine, homely woman, pleasantly attractive and lived to please him. He considered himself made of sterner stuff than the guys who wore their hearts on their sleeves and were completely love struck.

He and Gillian had done fine without all that nonsense. He provided the necessities and she provided comfort in all areas of his life and did whatever he wanted done and quickly tackled tasks without a word of complaint. That was the type of woman for him, a woman who knew how to please him. Of course he had missed her when she’d passed on, Lucy hardly remembered her he thought sadly. His mind shifted again, when the time was right he would find someone else, a nice meek and mild woman of about twenty-five. He liked his life clean and tidy, he needed things to get done without losing his heart in the process.

Deep in thought he knew he just didn’t have time for a succession of housekeepers; a loving wife would do nicely. He would like a woman around for his Lucy. Sadie the last housekeeper didn’t really have time for her, but she’d had her work cut out looking after the house. She had left 5 days ago, he would go into town to see if he could get a cook as it was hard going. Sadie decided it was time for a life of her own and had answered a mail order bride ad. Now he had no one and, funnily enough, it looked like he would be doing the exact same thing. He gave a small ironic smile.

The house was starting to look messy and his ma would have a fit if she looked in the kitchen. He liked to cook a little at times, but a rancher didn’t have time to clean the mess and besides, three meals a day was just too time consuming – he really had to get himself another cook or a wife. His ma had tried to talk him into getting a wife. She had even circled the advert in the Matrimonial News.  He knew it was time, but he was still in two minds.

He could still hear his ma’s voice; when she got going it was time to give in, but his ma was the only woman he would give in to. Any nonsense from any other woman and he would stamp down hard, damn hard. As Jim said, never let a woman get the better of you.

His ma had stated again only yesterday. That little child needs a woman around, a mother figure. Make sure you get someone educated, she needs schooling. You don’t need another housekeeper, you need a wife. It was unfortunate that Gillian took sick, but it’s been a couple of years and time for another woman about the place."

He knew his ma was right, but he had fought against it. Struggled with himself to do the right thing by little Lucy. Didn’t have any time for love, just needed a woman for his home and to take care of his daughter. He’d told his ma he would give it serious thought and that was five days ago.

Damn! No, not now, he wasn’t ready for this. But ready or not he would have to face up to it, he thought as he saw the buckboard appear down the path at the side of the ranch.

He knew his ma well and she had come to force his hand.

Did the woman have such a strong connection with him that she appeared as soon as he started thinking about her? A minute later there was a quick rap at the door before a loud voice called out.

Dalton, Dalton!

I’m here, Ma, come inside.

It was another minute before she appeared. The kitchen’s a mess! The child needs a gentle hand rather than running around with that dog and you need someone to be there for you.

He knew his ma meant well, she spoke her mind in the direct manner she was known for.

Come to a decision yet? I hope so because I’m ready to hear what you have to say for yourself!

No need to ask what she meant.

I said I would think about it, and I’m still thinking!

His ma gave him that stern look which always