The sheriff and the proxy bride

Mr. Clemens: Today we welcome Evan Irving, owner and editor of the Howard City Journal in Howard City, Wyoming.

Mr. Irving: Thank you for having me as your guest. I’m honored to meet you.

Mr. C: Always nice to meet another newspaper man and writer. However, I’m interested in learning about these people, Maeve and Luke Sullivan. Can you tell me how you met?

Mr. I: Luke and I met when he came to Howard City about three years ago. He hired on as a deputy sheriff. Everyone was impressed with his dedication to duty. He proved himself when the bank was held up and he helped our sheriff apprehend the robbers. When the sheriff decided to retire, Luke was the obvious choice to take over.

Mr. C: What about his wife?

Mr. I: She was a proxy bride arranged by his aunt and his mother, who are sisters. Luke had already sent for his mother, who worked as a cook at the Sunshine Boarding House. I can tell you, the food has made remarkable improvement since she’s been here. I digress.

After his uncle’s death in Boston, Luke and his mother wanted to bring the aunt here to live.  Now Luke’s dad isn’t dead, he’s an officer on a sailing ship dealing in imports and exports. He sends home most of his wages for the mother to save for their retirement. In a couple of years they plan to buy a nice cottage with a plot for a garden.

Mr. C: You’re digressing again.

Mr. I: Oh, yes, sorry. Maeve worked with the aunt in a laundry. She’d come from Ireland hoping for a better life. Did not find it. The aunt and Luke’s mother conspired to marry Maeve and Luke by proxy. Was he ever mad when he found out he had a bride on the way. Worse, Maeve’s fare was paid for by none other than his own mother from her retirement savings. He’s a good man, though, and consented to keep up his end.

Mr. C: They got their happy ever after, eh?

Mr. I: Eventually, you see both of them are strong people used to ruling their own lives. That made for some interesting conversations. Maeve helped him capture a wanted man so she received enough reward to repay her mother-in-law. Then, there were the threats.

Mr. C: Don’t stop there. What kind of threats, man?

Mr. I: The railway and the miners were about to have an explosive situation. I couldn’t see how it could be resolved without violence. Howard County and Howard City don’t have strong leadership. Solving the problem was up to Luke—although many of us were backing him. I suggest you read A BRIDE FOR LUKE to learn more.

Mr. C: Well, ahem, I don’t have a lot of time, you know, with all my correspondence and my own writing. I suppose I can make an effort this time. Thank you for coming, Mr. Irving.

Mr. I: My pleasure, Mr. Clemens.

A Bride for Luke

Each is struggling to build a better life . . .

Two strong-willed people are bound to clash . . .

Danger forces them to focus on what is at stake . . .

Maeve Kelly came to America for a better life but found only signs that said No Irish Need Apply. When the cousin with whom she is staying leaves Boston, Maeve is left desperate. Her job at the laundry doesn’t pay enough for her to survive alone. Her friend suggests a way out, Maeve resists but finally accepts. What else can she do?

Sheriff Luke Sullivan is proud of his accomplishments. Known for his strong principles, he is admired and well-respected in the community. When he learns his mother and aunt have schemed to get him a proxy bride he’s furious. If he’d wanted a wife he would have found one. He respects and loves his mother and finally agrees to the marriage. Before he and his bride can adjust to one another, Luke is caught in the middle of an explosive situation between striking miners and the railroad. 

Threats against Luke by each side have him fearing for the safety of his wife, mother, and aunt. He must resolve the strike to protect his family and many others. Will he succeed in time to save lives?

Universal Amazon Link: http://mybook.to/Maeve

Excerpt:

He pushed back from the table. “How can I keep you safe if you don’t follow orders? Do you understand?”

She put her hands on her hips. “Oh, so it’s orders you’re giving me, is it? Weel, Lucas Brady Sullivan, I take orders from no man. Do you understand?”

“Mae, you’re making something from nothing.” He tapped his chest. “I’m your husband. You promised to obey me when we wed.”

That brought her temper down a notch. She had promised and Father Patrick had lectured her on the husband being the head of the household. “Mayhap I did, but not high-handed orders.”

“And what would you consider obeying? You want a written invitation to remain home? Shall I show you the other wanted poster and suggest you avoid that man? You’ve no idea what these other men look like so how would you know if they were walking down the street or shopping in the Mercantile? How can you know who’s an upstanding citizen and who’s a stranger in town? You were in front of the Mercantile when Higgins accosted you.”  

She turned toward the sink, hands on her face to hide her shame. “Aye, ‘tis sorry I am. The worry of what’s going to happen has me in bits. I can’t get out of my mind the fact someone may shoot at you from an ambush.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t fret, honey. I’m doing my best to keep this situation from becoming violent. I can’t focus on my job if I’m worried about where you are and what you’re doing and who’s around you.”

She leaned her head against his broad chest. His strong heartbeat reassured her. “I see the way I was wrong. ‘Twas my mistake and ‘tis sorry I am.”

She looked up at him. “But, for us to have a peaceful marriage you’d best consider making requests instead of giving orders.”

About the Author

Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a tiny office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their three rescued indoor cats and dog as well as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds, and other critters.

The books she creates in her pink cave have made her a bestselling author and won awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances about the West, both historical and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her series include the Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade, Texas Time Travel, Texas Caprock Tales, Pearson Grove, and Loving A Rancher as well as numerous single titles and contributions to multi-author sets. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, reading her friends’ books, lunching with friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and taking the occasional nap. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, and Pinterest.

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