Cupcakes for the Rancher: A Pair of Historical Romances

By Vanessa Carvo

Off To The Scruffy Silver Miner - A pregnant widow is taken by a crotchety old matchmaker to a silver miner in Nevada, but when she meets him she’s rather taken aback by his scruffy appearance and drunken habits. And, she doesn’t know how he’ll take the news of her pregnancy.

Waiting For a Kiss at Sunset - An English woman used to make her living by performing at music halls in Kansas city, and by taking on a sponsor or too. That is, until she decided to clean up her act and become a mail order bride to a Colorado silver miner. Once there, she vowed to win the love of his little son, and through that, the love of the miner himself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365434518

Book preview

Cupcakes for the Rancher: A Pair of Historical Romances

Cupcakes for the Rancher: A Pair of Historical Romances

By

Vanessa Carvo

Copyright 2016 Quietly Blessed & Loved Press

Off To The Scruffy Silver Miner

Synopsis: Off To The Scruffy Silver Miner - A pregnant widow is taken by a crotchety old matchmaker to a silver miner in Nevada, but when she meets him she’s rather taken aback by his scruffy appearance and drunken habits. And, she doesn’t know how he’ll take the news of her pregnancy.

With a deep breath, Adeline squared back her shoulders and lifted her skirts as she went up the stairs. There, in front of the door, she hesitated and her hand moved over her stomach in low, circular motions.

This was it. There was no going back now.

She knocked on the door and a servant girl answered, taking her inside and leading the way to a small, French tearoom. Large windows from the ceiling to the floor let the sunlight in.

She sat and the servant girl brought her tea, all the while never lifting her head to look at her. Once alone, Adeline took off her wool coat and left it next to her on the couch. She looked through its pockets until she found the letter that had brought her there.

She read it again, even though it knew what it said by heart. We are sorry to inform you… fell in the line of duty… She shook her head and folded the letter with as much caution as her trembling hands would allow.

That had been three months ago. The end of the wretched war had brought the end of her life, as she knew it.

And then, she found out she was running out of time.

Congratulations! You are expecting! Her doctor had been a cheery, wrinkled man a wide smile plastered all over his face, even when dread filled her up.

Pregnant.

Unwed and pregnant.

No one was going to care that she just buried her husband. Those were minor details and people had sharp tongues and vicious teeth. Rumors spread like fire. She could just as well go out in the streets and scream she was a whore, for all the good it would do her.

There was one way to fix this though.

Find a husband. She had to find a husband before she started showing.

And that was how she met Agatha Brown, the matchmaker. However, their very first meeting had been disappointing.

For Adeline at least.

A widow... I see. How old are you darling? she asked.

I… I am twenty six.

Don’t stutter. It’s unattractive. Mrs. Brown scribbled something down. We are getting a bit old, aren’t we?

Adeline had no answer. She wasn’t that old, was she? Sure, she wasn’t seventeen, but she wasn’t that old.

The woman went on, undeterred by the silence. You are pretty enough, what with your blond locks and all. She picked up her teacup and had a small sip. Anything specific you’d want in a husband?" the matchmaker asked, raising an eyebrow. She was just short of saying that Adeline shouldn’t really be making any requests.

Just a good man. And someone not too old, she said.

She didn’t get to be picky about things, but at least, she didn’t have to be shackled to someone three times her years. And now, Agatha Brown had requested to see her. Bad or good, Adeline had no idea the what kind of news she was receiving.

A wife?

What did you do? Emmet looked at the telegraph over and over again, trying to wrap his mind around it. His hands were smudged with dirt that rubbed off on the white paper.

Oh come on, Em. It was just for fun. To spice up your life a little, his friend said, elbowing him on the ribs.

But a matchmaker?

It’s not as bad as it sounds. Besides, if I left this to fate, you’d never get a woman, he said, getting a glare.

This is not a game, Georgie. Some woman thinks I’ll marry her. He waved the telegram in the air.

So? Why not? Georgie shrugged his shoulders. Maybe she’s fetching. Why don’t you have a look at her?

Emmet huffed and rubbed his forehead. Think about it, Em. It’s not such a bad idea. You need someone to fill up that big empty house of yours.

He did think about it. And, the more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of a woman all for himself.

If she ain’t pretty, she’s getting booted out of here, he told him.

Georgie just laughed. Isn’t it enough that she is a woman? Does she have to be pretty? How many more do you think will agree to meet you up, with your ugly mug and all?

He got a punch on the shoulder.

Fine, fine. Boot her if she’s ugly.

This is a bad plan. Such a bad plan. Emmet shook his head and looked at the lines on the telegram.

Well, tough luck. You have to give this girl a chance, because she’s on her way here.

A girl. For himself. A little wife to brighten up his home and his life. Something to, as Georgie put it, spice up his life. Something more than just taking rounds in the mines, having drinks with the guys at the saloon and coming back to an empty house.

Hey, what could he say?

Even he got a little lonely every now and then.

Adeline, darling! Such a pleasure to see you again. How are you holding up? For an old lady, Mrs. Brown stormed in the room like a little whirlwind. Her hair, red with white streaks in them, was tucked in a neat bun at the base of her head, her dress perfect in every detail and a fan always in her hand.

Just fine. You have news for me?

Ah yes. Great news, my dear. We have you a match, the elderly woman said. Adeline’s stomach dropped while her heart fluttered, half of her glad they had found someone so fast, half of her dreading it.

Isn’t it great? Mrs. Brown went on, the big fan in her hands working a mile a minute.

Just great. Wonderful.

She could blow this whole thing up with a sentence. She knew that. She could tell the truth about the pregnancy and just like that, the wedding would be called off, there would be no meeting, nothing. No man was going to marry a woman when she was pregnant, especially when the child was someone else’s.

She could tell Agatha everything. But she needed a husband. How was a woman to survive? Especially when she had a growing babe inside of her?

She just had to be smart and keep her mouth shut. She just had to get herself married as soon as possible.

Well, what kind of man is he? she asked.

Just as you requested, he is not very old. Just thirty two, she said. Thirty-two was not that old. Her husband had been thirty-five. She could work with thirty-two. He even has a small fortune in his name up in Nevada.

Adeline clenched her skirts, her whole body tensing up. In Ne… Nevada? she repeated.

No stuttering, darling, Mrs. Brown said. Of course up in Nevada. He is one of those miners, you see, she said.

Agatha felt like she needed a fan herself, because all of a sudden, she couldn’t breathe.

They are making fortunes up there, with all the silver they’re digging up. Mining is honest work. Virginia City will suit you just fine.

A dirty, foul-mouthed, loud and obnoxious miner? She’d never heard a good thing about them in her