Bertie (Pendleton Petticoats Book 6) Page 27

  “You make a lovely bride,” he said, nuzzling her neck. She reluctantly pushed him away, glancing around to see who giggled at them. Sadie and Noah peeked at them from behind a nearby table.

  Bertie caught the girl’s eye and gave her an admonishing look. “Just you wait, Sadie. Some day you’ll fall in love and you’ll completely understand.”

  “Oh, I ain’t never falling in love, Bertie. I’m going to travel the world and get my name in the history books. Ain’t no feller worth givin’ up on my dreams.” Sadie smiled then turned Noah back to the party and headed toward the cake table.

  “At least she knows what she wants,” Bertie murmured as Riley brushed her lips.

  He kissed her nose, her cheek, her neck. “I know what I want.”

  His husky voice made goose bumps erupt over Bertie’s arms and along her back. “What’s that, handsome husband of mine?”

  “You, Roberta Elizabeth. Only you. Forever you.” He teased her lips again. “All of you.”

  Bertie sighed in sheer bliss. “Riley, you shouldn’t say such things, at least not here.”

  Riley nuzzled her neck again and Bertie leaned into him, enjoying every touch, every kiss. “Perhaps not, but it’s true. For even a minute, I don’t want you to question how much I love you, Bertie. There isn’t a thing in this world I wouldn’t do to make you feel my love.”

  “I know, Riley. There isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do to prove my love for you. Starting right now.” Bertie led him by the hand around the edge of the room and through the back of Caterina’s restaurant.

  “What are you doing, sweetheart? You can’t leave your own wedding reception.”

  “Yes, I can.” Bertie opened the back door and tugged on Riley’s hand, pulling him outside. “If we hurry, we can be home before they even miss us.”

  Riley lifted her into his arms and carried her out to the buggy Garrett had let him borrow for the day. He set Bertie on the seat and kissed her quite thoroughly before climbing in beside her. “I think I’m in for an adventure far grander than I ever imagined with you, Mrs. Walsh.”

  “Love is always a grand adventure, Riley. The very best kind of adventure and I can’t wait to get started on ours with you.”

  Brownies

  As a big fan of chocolate and brownies, I was excited to find a recipe for them in a 1906 cookbook. It took me all of five seconds to decide to include them in this story.

  Here is a slightly modernized version of the recipe.

  Brownies

  1 cup sugar

  1/2 cup melted butter

  2 eggs

  1/2 cup cocoa powder

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  1/2 cup flour

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  Spray an eight-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray.

  Cream together sugar and butter. Blend in eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla. Mix cocoa powder and flour in separate bowl. Stir into egg mixture until combined. (You can add in nuts or chips if you like).

  Spread the brownie mixture evenly in the pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Test the center with a toothpick. When it comes out clean, the brownies are ready to remove from the oven. Do not overbake!

  Set the pan on a rack to cool. Once cooled, cut into squares and serve.

  Makes approximately sixteen brownies.

  Author’s Note

  Randomly, I hold contests to give readers the chance to name a character. One such contest last year gave the winner the option to choose an animal character and name it. Special thanks to Cissie P. for selecting a mule named Steve when she won the contest.

  When she told me her chosen name and animal, I wondered how and when I’d work it into a book. Then I began writing Riley and Bertie’s romance. Steve the mule was perfect for this story and I had fun creating his slightly quirky character.

  So thank you, Cissie, for giving me a little challenge and for your patience in waiting for Bertie to release.

  A few little tidbits about the story:

  * My mother shared her love of reading with me. Even at a young age, I loved books — the smell of them, the feel of the pages in old books. Among the collection of books located on the shelves in our family room was one of the Bobbsey Twins adventures. I was also fascinated with the idea of a family having not one but two sets of fraternal twins. How amazing would that be? It was fun to incorporate a mention of that book into this story.

  * A lifetime ago, I used to play the piano. One day at the music store, I happened upon a thick volume of sheet music entitled Favorite Songs of the 1890s. Still in high school at the time, I splurged and bought the book with what was probably my allowance for six weeks. I fell in love with so many of the songs. One of my favorites was Coax Me. The lyrics are fun and flirty.

  * Growing up on a farm, I’ve long held a fascination for John Deere tractors. In this story, Garrett and Aundy are quite taken with his new tractor. If you’d like to learn more about the tractor that inspired the one in this story, look up a Hart-Parr tractor from the turn of the century. Hart-Parr Gasoline Engine Company coined the phrase “tractor” in 1906. The fascinating history of their contributions to the field of agriculture can be read in this article.

  For those of you who are quite put out with me that Nik has not yet had his own story, it is coming. As you may have surmised from this book, he still has a little growing up to do before he’s ready to fall in love.

  And those who have asked (and pleaded, and begged, and outright demanded), are you excited that Aundy and Garrett will welcome a long-awaited child? What do you think the baby should be? A boy or a girl? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

  If you enjoyed this story, please look for Millie, book 7 in the Pendleton Petticoats series.

  Thank you for reading Bertie.

  If you enjoyed this story and are willing to write a review, I’d be very appreciative. Reviews are so important to authors and they are important to readers, too. Thank you for considering it!

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  Pendleton Petticoats Series

  Set in the western town of Pendleton, Oregon, at the turn of the 20th century, each book in this series bears the name of the heroine, all brave yet very different.

  Dacey (prequel to the PP Series) — A conniving mother, a reluctant groom and a desperate bride make for a lively adventure full of sweet romance in this prelude to the beginning of the series.

  Aundy (Book 1) — Aundy Thorsen, a stubborn mail-order bride, finds the courage to carry on when she's widowed before ever truly becoming a wife, but opening her heart to love again may be more than she can bear.

  Caterina (Book 2) — Running from a man intent on marrying her, Caterina Campanelli starts a new life in Pendleton, completely unprepared for the passionate feelings stirred in her by the town's incredibly handsome deputy sheriff.

  Ilsa (Book 3) — Desperate to escape her wicked aunt and an unthinkable future, Ilsa Thorsen finds herself on her sister's ranch in Pendleton. Not only are the dust and smells more than she can bear, but Tony Campanelli seems bent on making her his special project.

  Marnie (Book 4) — Beyond all hope for a happy future, Marnie Jones struggles to deal with her roiling emotions when U.S. Marshal Lars Thorsen rides into town, tearing down the walls she’s erected around her heart.

  Lacy (Book 5) — Bound by tradition and responsibilities, Lacy has to choose between the ties that bind her to the past and the unexpected love that will carry her into the future.

  Bertie (Book 6) — Haunted by the trauma of her past, Bertie Hawkins must open her heart to love if she has any hope for the future.

  Millie (Book 7) — Determined to bring prohibition to town, the last thing Millie Matlock expects is to fall for the charming owner of the Second Chance Saloon.

  Millie (Pendleton Petticoats, Book 7) — A
childhood traumatized by the effects of alcohol in her home left Millie Matlock convinced she doesn’t need a man in her life. No longer able to stand by and watch drunken men terrorize the women in town, Millie forms a local committee of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. Little did she know the one man who could turn her head owns one of the most successful saloons in Pendleton.

  Desperate to keep the WCTU from closing his saloon and the others in town, Gideon McBride agrees to a crazy plan hatched by the saloon owners. His objective is to woo the leader of the local temperance union, keeping her so distracted the committee disbands. However, he didn’t count on the beautiful, effervescent Millie working her way into his cynical heart.

  Coming June 2016!

  Turn the page for an excerpt…

  Chapter One

  1908

  Pendleton, Oregon

  “Here she comes.” Bartender Abel Johnson set down the glass he’d been polishing and pointed outside the Second Chance Saloon.

  Gideon McBride looked up from the ledger in front of him, staring at the group of women approaching the saloon.

  The she Abel referred to was none other than Millie Matlock. Most everyone in town either knew or knew of the women who managed Pendleton’s telephone office.

  Every Tuesday evening, she and her temperance cronies marched through town singing songs meant to pour down guilt on those who imbibed and passing out pamphlets supposed to inspire repentance from the abhorrent sins of liquor.

  In the months since she’d launched her campaign to terrorize the saloons and the men who occupied them, Gideon had done his best to ignore her efforts. Thus far, she’d proven to be an irritating, persistent, effervescent pain in his hindquarters.

  Of the thirty-two saloons in Pendleton, he didn’t know why she seemed to spend so much time in front of his, spouting claptrap about the evils of the men who peddled beverages crafted by Lucifer’s hand.

  “You’d think the snow and cold would keep them at home, where they belong,” Gideon commented, setting his pen on the end of the bar where he’d been balancing his books.

  “I heard those women have pledged not to stop until every last saloon is run out of town.” Abel returned to polishing glasses. “My wife thinks they’ll succeed.”

  Gideon chuckled and shook his head. “A handful of busybodies don’t scare me. Who is gonna stand outside in this freezing weather and listen to what they have to say?”

  Abel shrugged. “No one with a lick of sense.”

  “That’s right.” A frown creased Gideon’s brow as the women stopped directly in front of his saloon. The January weather was far too cold to have his batwing doors up. He’d removed them after the first frost and relied on the heavy wooden doors to keep out the frigid air — as well as unwanted patrons.

  The door cracked opened and the sound of singing trickled inside. When the door didn’t swing inward and no one entered, Gideon lost his patience with the group.

  He’d put up with them harassing his regular customers, hanging signs on his windows, and attempting to drive him out of business. Miss Matlock spent hours Christmas night verbally lambasting every man who dared set foot in the saloon.

  Now, she’d opened his door just enough a cold breeze blew in while heat flowed out. He might be a lot of things, but he sure wasn’t dumb enough to pay to heat the outdoors while they caterwauled outside.

  As of that moment, he was through looking the other way. “That’s it!” Gideon popped his fist on the shiny surface of the mahogany bar.

  Caught off guard, Abel almost dropped the glass in his hand. “What are you planning to do, boss?”

  “Kill them with kindness,” Gideon said. He disappeared into the kitchen behind the bar and returned with a coffee pot. “Grab a handful of mugs, Abel.”

  The bartender did as he asked and followed him to the door.

  The women launched into another song. As their voices harmonized on Oh, Turn from the Wine Glass Away, the words they sang floated through the Second Chance.

  Oh, turn from the wine glass away,

  Nor look on the wine when it's red;

  At last, like a serpent at play,

  It stings, and the poison will spread…

  Gideon yanked open the door, startling the women so thoroughly, their song ended mid-chorus.

  A smile that would have charmed a matronly spinster right out of her corset filled his face, highlighting the dimples in his cheeks. “Ladies, it’s far too cold for you to stand out here tonight. Please, come in and have a cup of hot coffee. If you’d like to sing for us, we’d be happy to listen.”

  He held the coffee pot out toward Millie Matlock with an entreating look. “Maybe you’d even take a few requests.”

  Her gaze narrowed. “Thank you for that generous offer, sir, but we prefer to remain outdoors.”

  The smile on his face never wavered as he took a mug from Abel and poured it full of the steaming, fragrant coffee. “I insist on at least providing a hot drink for you ladies. You’ll freeze out here on a night this cold.” He offered the cup to Millie.

  Rather than accept it, she tilted her chin upward, ever so slightly, and glared at him. “No thank you, sir.”

  “Are you sure?” Gideon moved closer to Millie and leaned forward, blowing the steam so it wafted around her face.

  “Positive,” she said, stiffening her already straight posture. “That won’t be necessary.”

  Gideon handed the mug to Abel and took Millie’s elbow in his hand, escorting her inside the saloon before she could protest.

  No proper lady would ever set foot inside a saloon and he knew it. The startled, horrified look on her face gave him an immense feeling of satisfaction. A dozen sets of eyes stared at them from around the card tables. A few men smirked, two laughed outright, and the rest wisely returned their attention to their cards.

  With as much decorum as she could muster, Millie yanked her arm away from Gideon. “How dare you?”

  He summoned an innocent, boyish grin. “I don’t want you ladies to take a chill out there. My offer stands. Any evening you’d like to sing to us, please walk right in.”

  Indignant and furious, Millie spun around and returned to the sidewalk outside. Quickly, she motioned to her friends. “Come along, ladies. It’s time to go.”

  The women rushed down the street, but before Millie took more than a few steps, Gideon grabbed her arm.

  Eyes as cool and frosty as the ice he’d broken out of his horse’s water bucket earlier traveled from his fingers on the sleeve of her coat up to his face. Unsettled by the pale blue orbs, Gideon’s thoughts scrambled.

  Imperiously, she held his gaze. “Would you please remove your hand from my person?”

  “I merely wished to make your acquaintance, miss. After all, you’ve stopped by my business establishment every Tuesday for the past three months.” Gideon dropped his hand, snatching his composure back together. “I’m Gideon McBride, owner of the Second Chance.”

  As though she’d just stepped in something vile, she backed away from him and lifted her nose in the air. “I’m well aware of who you are, Mr. McBride. Your den of debauchery will need more than a second chance to save it or you from everlasting condemnation. Good evening.”

  Insulted yet intrigued by the woman, he watched her march down the sidewalk and cross the street to where the group prepared to sing in front of another saloon.

  Although Gideon had seen Millie Matlock around town numerous times, watched her bully his customers, and knew exactly who she was, it was the first time he’d been close to her.

  From a distance, she seemed much older and more formidable than she did only a few feet away. If memory served him correctly, she’d been the manager of the telephone office for several years, so she had to be older than her youthful appearance implied.

  Average height for a woman, the plume on her dark woolen hat had slapped his cheek when she spun on her heel and stalked out the door. Porcelain skin made him want to reach out and tr
ace his fingers along her heart-shaped face. Lips the color of luscious berries stirred his curiosity if they’d taste every bit as sweet. Rich black hair left him longing to remove her hat and hairpins and burying his hands in the thick tresses. The lingering hint of her soft floral fragrance caused him to breathe deeply, inhaling her scent and a lungful of arctic air that caused him to cough.

  “You okay, boss?” Abel asked as he stepped inside and firmly closed the door.

  “Dandy,” Gideon mumbled, returning to the kitchen and setting the coffee pot back on the stove.

  Abel followed, handing him the cup of rapidly cooling coffee.

  Gideon accepted it and took a long drink before returning to his spot at the end of the bar while Abel helped the handful of customers who’d braved the blowing snow to drink and play cards at Second Chance.

  Thoughts of Miss Millie Matlock kept Gideon from accomplishing any work the rest of the evening. In spite of her beautiful face and proper deportment, she’d left him more rattled than if she’d screeched at him like an enraged fishwife.

  Frustrated by the way she’d piqued his interested, he had no intention of getting to know her better. If the woman planned to run him out of business, she’d better think again. He’d fight her with every last ounce of his strength…

  Coming June 2016!

  Baker City Brides Series

  Determined women, strong men and a town known as the Denver of the Blue Mountains during its days of gold in the 1890s.

  Crumpets and Cowpies (Baker City Brides, Book 1) — Rancher Thane Jordan reluctantly travels to England to settle his brother’s estate only to find he’s inherited much more than he could possibly have imagined.