LITMIR.BIZ

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      Vienna gave an absent nod. “What about agreeing to a possible marriage of convenience?” A confused sigh dropped from Vienna’s lips. “Am I being foolish about that, Maggy? We both know how unhappy my first marriage was.”

      “True.” Maggy’s gaze moved to the ranch’s iron archway as they walked beneath it. “But that doesn’t guarantee a repeat in another marriage. That’s conditional on the person you marry.”

      Her friend was right. After all, Maggy had found great happiness in her marriage to Edward. “Besides, it wouldn’t be as if it were a real marriage,” Vienna said in an attempt to reassure herself. “Not like you and Edward have, anyway.”

      “Still, you’ll have a friendship to base your relationship on, even if it is in name only.” An impish expression crossed her face and had Vienna bracing herself before Maggy added quietly, “And you never know, a marriage of convenience could turn into something more. After all, West McCall is kind, hardworking, handsome... Mrs. Harvey and I have been trying to find him someone to marry for more than a year now.”

      Vienna’s cheeks flamed with heat. She couldn’t disagree with Maggy’s assessment of her potential groom without lying. But what if someone overheard them? She glanced around and felt immense relief that no one—especially West—was walking nearby.

      “It wouldn’t be like that. This arrangement isn’t a setup for eventual romance.” She’d felt the fickleness of romantic love, for West in the past and then for Chance. Neither had yielded what she’d secretly hoped it would.

      Maggy’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “More unlikely things have happened.”

      “Are you sure you don’t mind taking care of Hattie for me,” Vienna asked next, deliberately changing the subject, “while West and I are in North Dakota?”

      Maggy shook her head. “Not at all. It’ll give you a chance to focus solely on learning what you can about dude ranching.”

      “I appreciate that.” She gave her friend’s arm a gentle squeeze. “I don’t know what Hattie and I would’ve done these past three years without you and Edward and everyone else here.”

      Returning Vienna’s squeeze, Maggy said in a slightly strained tone, “I don’t know what we would have done without you. And I’m not just talking about your excellent help in the kitchen, either.”

      Her honest appreciation of their friendship made Vienna smile. From the moment she’d met Maggy, she had been in awe of the other young woman’s strength and no-nonsense attitude. But Vienna wasn’t the only one who’d grown since coming to the Running W. Maggy was still as courageous and matter-of-fact as ever, but her marriage to Edward had softened some of her blunter edges. She more readily shared how she felt with those she cared about. And Vienna felt blessed to be counted in that number.

      “I’d still like to come visit often, me and Hattie. If that’s all right with you.”

      Maggy stopped walking and threw her a narrowed look. “If you don’t, I will be staking out your ranch.” As Vienna laughed, Maggy steered her around and tugged her toward the house. “We’d better head back now. Otherwise Edward will have to collect me in the wagon, and you know how much I would hate that.”

      “Oh, I most certainly do,” Vienna said with another laugh.

      Things might be rapidly changing around her, but she could draw comfort from the knowledge that she had God and dear friends to see her and her daughter through anything.

      * * *

      The new mare nuzzled West’s shirt as he led it out of the corral. “Nope, no carrots on me. You’ll get your treat in a minute, though.”

      “You were right,” Edward said, walking along beside them. He’d been watching West and the horse for the last while. “She doesn’t appear to be much trouble to break.”

      West smiled at the horse. “She may be a bit stubborn still, but she’s learning quickly.”

      “I believe it also helps that she has a talented trainer.”

      The compliment pleased him, and yet, it also brought a flicker of regret. This would likely be his last horse to train for some time. Because if things went well in North Dakota, West could very well be leaving the Running W for good.

      “You sure you don’t mind my taking the time off for this trip?”

      Edward shook his head, not a trace of hesitation in the gesture. “No.”

      “Can I ask why?”

      His employer led the way into the main barn. “You have a great opportunity before you, McCall, a chance to make your own way. I don’t fault you for a moment for wanting to take it.”

      “It may not happen,” he pointed out. “Vienna may decide after this trip to do something else with her ranch.”

      Opening the mare’s stall door, Edward stood back. “Perhaps. But even if you don’t end up setting out on your own this year,” he added with keen perceptiveness, “it will happen eventually.”

      He was right, and they both knew it. But more than that, West was grateful that Edward respected his dream.

      In some ways, their situations were alike. Edward Kent had also come from a wealthy family—though no one in the area, Edward included, knew West shared that similarity. The third son of an earl, Edward had left England for the United States eight years ago, eager to make a name for himself and establish a successful horse ranch—and the man had done both. However, unlike West’s family, Edward’s family hadn’t disowned him for following his dream to create a different life than the one he’d known growing up.

      “Thank you.” West didn’t feel the need to elaborate—Edward would understand that his gratitude extended well beyond the time off to go to North Dakota. The man had given him a job as foreman almost eight years ago, even though West hadn’t worked in that sort of leadership position before. And he would be forever thankful for the experience and the friends he’d made during that time.

      West led the mare into the stall, then backed away so one of the wranglers could brush the horse down. “She’ll be a great horse.”

      “She will,” Edward concurred. “Though we may need her trainer to return now and then to help break in some of the others. If he’s willing, that is.”

      He grinned—as much at his boss’s words as at Edward’s confidence that running a dude ranch was most definitely in West’s near future. “Of course, Boss.”

      “I’d pay you for the help.” When West started to shake his head, Edward interjected, “I mean it, McCall. You have a gift. Besides, this way I can be of some assistance with helping your dude ranch get up and running, while also getting top-notch help with training some of my horses.” He held out his hand to West. “What do you say?”

      “I’d say thanks again,” he replied, clasping the other man’s hand in a firm, friendly handshake.

       Ten days later

      The train whistle pierced the morning air, a signal to all the remaining passengers that it was time to board. Vienna clasped Hattie to her once more, then stood to hug Maggy. She’d never been away from her daughter for an entire day, let alone six. The prospect had her rapidly blinking back tears. This trip was for their future, she reminded herself. Both hers and Hattie’s.

      “She’ll be fine,” Maggy reassured Vienna, taking Hattie’s hand into her own. “We’ll make cookies with Mrs. Harvey and go exploring. It’ll be great fun, won’t it, Hattie?”

      The little girl eyed Maggy with slight hesitation. “Can I sneak some of the dough like Mommy lets me?”

      She’d been unusually quiet on the wagon ride to the station. That fact, along with Hattie’s pinched expression, nearly had Vienna calling off the trip, in spite of all the

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