Proxy Bride

By Mildred Colvin

Proxy Bride is set in the 1880s Kansas on the Rocking R Ranch. Struggling to learn the ropes of the boss after his father’s unexpected death increases Wes’s longing for his best friend. A proxy wedding is the quickest way to bring her to him.

Melanie is a city girl, frightened by animals, especially growling dogs. Snakes aren’t a favorite, either. But even more troubling is the sight of her mother-in-law standing guard over the kitchen Wes says is hers. Indeed! Someone should have told his mother.
And someone needs to control the ranch hands when they let off steam on Saturday nights. Melanie’s nerves, and her marriage, are at the breaking point, especially when Wes rejects her offer to help.

Will these childhood best friends find marriage too hard to handle, or will they overcome their differences to work together on a seemingly impossible solution? Click the BUY NOW button and visit a trip back to 1880 and the Rocking R Ranch.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mildred Colvin
• Release date: Jul 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215079959

Mildred Colvin

Mildred Colvin is a wife, mother of three, and grandmother to three beautiful girls. She started writing when her children were young as they asked for stories. Not from a book. No! They were only satisfied when she made up stories. As the stories grew, she wrote some down and sent them off to magazines. Eight were published before her imagination turned toward love stories, which is what she enjoys reading.She has been writing Christian or clean and wholesome romance since 2001. Over the years several readers from pre-teens to older kids in their eighties and nineties have written expressing their interest in her books. She always loves to hear about one of her stories touching someone's heart. Her purpose in writing is to encourage, entertain, and bless someone else.She lives in the United States and sets her characters in the middle states from Texas to Nebraska and Iowa and reaching across Illinois to Colorado. She also has an Oregon Trail series, but the Great Plains states are her favorite setting.She is active in a very special critique group and has written and published over 60 books in both historical and contemporary themes, and plans to continue writing as long as God allows. He has been good in giving her many ideas for stories. Maybe more than she will be able to finish, but she enjoys each one.Please take a moment to visit her website at www.mildredcolvin.weebly.com, and sign up for her Romantic Reflections Newsletter to learn when new books are released. Also learn of promotions and free books through her newsletter.And take a look at her books. You might find something you don't want to put down.

Book preview

Proxy Bride

Mail-Order Matchmakers series

Book 2

Mildred Colvin

Historical Christian Romance

Proxy Bride

Copyright©2023 by Mildred Colvin

All Rights Reserved

Cover Photos ©Greg Kelton|Dreamstime.com

©Aruns911|Dreamstime.com

Smashwords edition

Scripture portions are taken from the

King James Version of the Bible.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to events is entirely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means without permission in writing from its author except for brief quotations in printed reviews.

Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

Contents

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Note from the Author

Excerpt of Coming Book 2

About the Author

Sweet Water Mail-Order Brides series

More Books by Mildred Colvin

Dedication

I owe so much to my first readers. Jim, thank you for taking time to read every book I write and looking for my many errors and typos. You are the best! Also a special thanks to Linda Cushman who catches things I haven’t even thought about. She has some wonderful Christian romance books listed at most online bookstores. I can heartily recommend them all.

Chapter 1

Cleveland, Ohio, June 1, 1880

"Do you, Melanie Carlene Keller, take this man, David Westin Ryland, the second, to be your wedded husband, do you promise..."

Melanie’s thoughts drifted from Reverend Fleck’s voice at her proxy wedding to one of the last memories she had of her soon-to-be husband, Wes Ryland. He was nine years old then, his face dirty, and his dark hair windblown.

He’d jumped from the old apple tree to land in front of her. Boo! Gotcha that time.

She’d jumped, but only inside. With both fists on her hips, she jutted her jaw forward. Wes Ryland, you couldn’t scare me if you tried.

Melanie suppressed a giggle. She’d loved him even then. But he and his parents had moved away the next day. She’d cried herself to sleep that night, and mourned for him for several weeks afterward. Then his first letter had arrived, and for a moment, all became right again. She still had his childish letters and wondered if he had hers. Oh, how she’d love to read them once more. To see what she’d said to the boy who would one day be her husband. If he still had her letters, maybe she could read them.

The minister’s voice intruded. ...forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him...

Wes’s father passed away six months ago, leaving his ranch with Wes. That’s when their correspondence, which began twelve years ago, became even more intense until he asked her to marry him. Only problem was, he couldn’t leave the ranch long enough to come back to Ohio for a wedding, and the new minister at their church hadn’t arrived yet. So here she stood beside his proxy, a friend of her father, Thomas Jones.

The minister cleared his throat. Oh my, everyone was looking at her. Heat burned her cheeks. Um, this must be where she agreed to the marriage. She flashed a wide grin at the agitated minister. I do.

Reverend Fleck let out an audible sigh, letting her know she’d guessed correctly. Thomas, as a proxy for Mr. Ryland, will you repeat after me? I, David Westin Ryland, take thee, Melanie Carlene Keller, to be my wedded wife.

Melanie wrinkled her nose as Thomas repeated Wes’s vows. They’d better not make her married to Thomas. He was old enough to be her father. Was Wes good looking? He’d never sent a photo. Said he didn’t have time to get it done. His father’s death had been a heavy blow, but things were settling down now.

Melanie, please repeat after me. I, Melanie Carlene Keller, take thee, David Westin Ryland, to be my wedded husband. The minister waited after each sentence while she vowed to love, honor, and obey Wes.

Obey? She stumbled on that word, but got it out when the minister frowned. Finally, they prayed the Lord’s Prayer, and Reverend Fleck smiled at her. I now pronounce you, Melanie and David, husband and wife. What, therefore, God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. May God go with you.

She was married. Melanie’s heart danced in anticipation. She spun around laughing and hugged her parents. Mom wiped a tear away. You don’t act sorry to be leaving us.

Of course I am. Melanie giggled. She couldn’t help it. This was the happiest she’d been since Wes left. Surely her mother couldn’t expect her to be sad. Wes promised we’d come home for Christmas. I’m excited about seeing Kansas. I’ve dreamed of this for twelve years, ever since he and his parents left. It’s an adventure I don’t want to miss.

That’s my girl. Always ready for excitement. Dad patted her back. We’ll be counting the days until Christmas. You let me know if Wes isn’t the boy we once knew. A lot of years have passed. If he’s changed...

I know, Dad. Melanie couldn’t stop smiling. His letters have been wonderful. Full of his ranch and life in Kansas. I imagine he’s grown up fine. Probably won’t even try to pop out and scare me anymore.

Dad chuckled with her, and Mom even smiled.

~*~

After an uneventful but tiring and dirty train ride, Melanie relaxed against the stagecoach seat as they rolled out of Topeka, Kansas. Almost home. Her lips curved, then drooped. She was so tired and adventured out. Her escorts, a couple her parents knew, made sure she got on the stagecoach before continuing their journey by train to see their daughter. After assuring them she’d be perfectly fine for the short distance remaining, Melanie thought about pinching herself. Mrs. Wes Ryland. No, a pinch might wake her from this wonderful dream. No one, except Wes, knew how long she’d loved him.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes as she remembered the day he’d left Ohio. Wes had pulled her away from the others who were saying their goodbyes. They went around the corner of the house out of sight before dropping hands. She didn’t know what he wanted, but welcomed the time alone with her very best friend.

He brushed a tear from her cheek and shook his hand as if to dry it. Girls cry a lot. Why don’t you talk your daddy into coming to visit my pop’s ranch?

It broke her heart that he was leaving and, with tears streaming down her face, she wasn’t sure what he’d said. I can’t come to your ranch, Wes, unless we get married.

Married? His eyebrows dipped in a fierce scowl. We can’t get married until we’re old.

The world grew brighter, and her tears even stopped. Are you asking me to marry you?

Well, sure, Goofy, that’s what I mean. Best friends can get married, don’t you think? Course we’ll have to wait ‘til we’re out of school, I guess. I’ll send for you when we’re old enough.

She forgave him for calling her a name because more than anything; she wanted to be with him always, and they’d have to marry for that to happen. Mom and Daddy would never let her go otherwise. She nodded. Sure, my mom and dad are best friends. We can get married, but you’d better not forget.

He shrugged. So you wanna shake hands or kiss or something to seal our promise?

She’d never felt so breathless and scared around Wes before, but more than anything she wanted him to kiss her. I think we have to kiss, so it will come true.

Okay. Wes leaned forward and pecked her cheek.

David Westin Ryland! She tried to sound as grown up as she could. That isn’t the right way. We gotta both kiss at the same time, and that means on the lips like a real promise.

He rolled his eyes and sighed as if she’d asked him to do something distasteful. Then he puckered his lips, closed his eyes, and leaned forward.

Even though she was only six months younger, Wes was almost a head taller, so she grabbed his shoulders, stretched up on her tippy toes, and pressed her lips to his. As they touched, she was sure she felt a shift inside she didn’t understand. Sort of like a solemn promise that she’d never forget. The kiss didn’t last long, but it was real, and it meant more than a child’s game to her.

She still remembered the stunned look in his eyes when he pulled back and stared at her. Surely their kiss and promise had meant something to him, too. Then his mother called, and he ran to the wagon. Next thing she knew he was gone, waving as they rolled down the street. But he was hers. Promised by their kiss, and kept alive through the memories in her heart.

Over the years, they’d written as fast as the mail could travel between Ohio and Kansas. Each time she got a letter from him, she read it over and over, making it last until the next one. Then, when they were sixteen, he mentioned being invited to a girl’s house for her fifteenth birthday party. Melanie was crushed and wrote a no-nonsense reply, reminding him of his commitment to her. She said she was being faithful to him, so he’d better not start liking some other girl unless he wanted her to find someone else to replace him in her heart.

When his answer finally came, she tore into his letter with trembling hands. Would he tell her to find someone else? Her heart would break if he did. But she scanned the letter, and a smile covered her face. He said she’d better not pay attention to any other fellows, because she was his girl, and he intended to keep their promise. The girl couldn’t hold a candle to her, anyway. He just went to the party with his new friend, Shane, and let him flirt with the girls. But Wes claimed he hadn’t even talked to any girls. There were plenty of fellows there to talk to.

Over the years, Wes wrote of changes in his life. He said the ranch was flourishing, and he was busy. His good friend, Shane Gray, was staying with them in the house and worked with him on the ranch, so he had an almost brother. They had attended a revival meeting at the church in town, and Wes went to the altar, but Shane didn’t. She thought a lot about that letter until one evening when she was at church. The minister asked anyone who wanted to make a commitment to serve the Lord to come forward for prayer. After she did, she found out why Wes sounded so different. She felt like a new person after that, and her desire to see Wes only grew. When she’d almost given up hope that he’d send for her, a letter arrived on her twenty-first birthday. He said he wished he could celebrate with her, then told of his father’s death, and that he wanted her with him now more than ever.

Several letters passed between them before they had everything figured out, but finally their proxy wedding was over, and she was on the way. A married woman who couldn’t describe her husband if she tried. But soon she’d see him!

The last lap of her journey ended when the horses slowed to enter West Springs, Kansas. Ah, home at last. Mrs. Westin Ryland. She thought about pinching herself, but no, a pinch might wake her from this wonderful dream. Only Wes knew how long she’d anticipated this day. Her family thought they’d fallen in love because of their letter writing, but she’d loved him from the first. Wes wanted a wife, but did he love her? Oh well, it didn’t matter. She’d make him fall in love. How hard could that be? Soon he’d realize what a good bargain he got.

The stage jolted to a stop, and Melanie sat up to look out the window. So this was West Springs, Kansas. She saw a dusty little town that started a few feet away from the stage stop with buildings running up both sides of the dirt road, but no one looked like Wes. Or what she imagined he’d look like at almost twenty-two. His birthday was coming soon, and the thought of celebrating with him this time thrilled her. The last birthday she’d spent with him was her ninth party at her parent’s house. Not long after that, he was gone. The door opened then, and the driver helped her out.

She took a deep breath and looked around. The small town was busy with men, women, and children hurrying along its main street. Wagons rolled past, and dogs darted out, barking at the wheels. The sight of dogs running free was intimidating, but none seemed to notice her, so she concentrated on looking for her husband. Where was Wes? Then she saw him. A young man with dark hair, leaning against the building next door straightened. He looked at her and without wavering, crossed the boardwalk and stepped off. He stopped beside her, his lips tilting into a teasing sort of smile. You must be Mrs. Melanie Ryland?

She nodded, all at once shy. Wes must like the sound of her new name, too. She smiled.

Do I get to kiss the bride? He was just as handsome as she’d expected. Tall and strong. He didn’t wait for her answer, but wrapped his arms around her and touched her lips with his. He leaned her back, setting off a warning inside. This wasn’t right!

Something was definitely wrong. Wes wouldn’t kiss her this way in public. It wasn’t at all proper, newlywed or not. Someone cleared his throat beside them. Melanie?

Melanie’s eyes popped open and there stood—

Wes!

She scrambled from the man who held her and turned to her husband, wishing she could run into the shelter of his arms. What must he think of her now? Oh, you scared me.

He flashed a quick grin her way. Good. Never could when we were kids.

Her heart slammed against her ribs and pounded out of control. Memory came to life in the adult form of the boy she’d always loved. How had she thought the other man was handsome? His appearance grew coarse next to her husband. Who was he, anyway?

Then who is this… She turned puzzled eyes toward the other man, who grinned at Wes.

Now I gotcha back.

Wes slipped his arm around Melanie and growled. Kiss my wife again, and you’ll be pickin’ yourself up from the ground.

The man laughed. "Can’t take your own