Noelle Marchand - The Texan's Courtship Lessons

The Groom Apprentice

Courtship lessons are all Isabelle Bradley can offer when one of her sister’s former suitors suddenly comes calling. Unwilling to be someone’s backup choice, Isabelle will help the clumsy—yet handsome—blacksmith find and woo his true match. But it certainly won’t be her.

Rhett Granger’s awkwardness around women may be a joke to most of the town, but Rhett isn’t laughing. How can he find love when Isabelle, the only woman who doesn’t turn him into a tongue-tied fool, won’t accept his courtship? Perhaps her “lessons” can give them both the chance to learn about the surprises love can bring…

Bachelor List Matches: A hand-picked bride for every bachelor in small-town Texas.

“Courting lessons?” Rhett couldn’t contain the skepticism in his voice even as his heart sank at Isabelle’s suggestion.

Nothing proved a woman’s disinterest more than her trying to foist him off on one of her friends. It didn’t make a lick of sense in this instance, though, because Isabelle was interested. He’d seen it in her eyes during that first tug of attraction on the hotel porch. Why, then, was she so eager to pass him off to someone else?

A blush rose in her cheeks. “We, um, don’t have to call it anything official like that. I’ll just try to help you overcome whatever it is that makes you nervous.”

He shrugged. “There’s no point in accepting your offer. The lessons wouldn’t work, anyway.”

“You don’t know that.”

Oh, but he did. Ellie had tried to help him and failed. Lawson’s advice hadn’t worked, either. The Bachelor List had been wrong. God seemed to have turned a deaf ear to his prayers for this area of his life. Then again, perhaps the problem was that he’d been depending too much on other people. Maybe he ought to see if there wasn’t something he could do to help himself. Something like courting lessons, perhaps?

NOELLE MARCHAND is a native Houstonian living out her childhood dream of being a writer. She graduated summa cum laude from Houston Baptist University in 2012, earning a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and speech communications. She loves exploring new books and new cities. When she’s not scribbling out her latest manuscript, you may find her pursuing one of her other passions—music, dance, history and classic movies.

The Texan’s Courtship Lessons

Noelle Marchand

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

—Proverbs 3:5–6

This book is dedicated to my editor, Elizabeth Mazer.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text The Groom Apprentice Courtship lessons are all Isabelle Bradley can offer when one of her sister’s former suitors suddenly comes calling. Unwilling to be someone’s backup choice, Isabelle will help the clumsy—yet handsome—blacksmith find and woo his true match. But it certainly won’t be her. Rhett Granger’s awkwardness around women may be a joke to most of the town, but Rhett isn’t laughing. How can he find love when Isabelle, the only woman who doesn’t turn him into a tongue-tied fool, won’t accept his courtship? Perhaps her “lessons” can give them both the chance to learn about the surprises love can bring… Bachelor List Matches: A hand-picked bride for every bachelor in small-town Texas.

Introduction “Courting lessons?” Rhett couldn’t contain the skepticism in his voice even as his heart sank at Isabelle’s suggestion. Nothing proved a woman’s disinterest more than her trying to foist him off on one of her friends. It didn’t make a lick of sense in this instance, though, because Isabelle was interested. He’d seen it in her eyes during that first tug of attraction on the hotel porch. Why, then, was she so eager to pass him off to someone else? A blush rose in her cheeks. “We, um, don’t have to call it anything official like that. I’ll just try to help you overcome whatever it is that makes you nervous.” He shrugged. “There’s no point in accepting your offer. The lessons wouldn’t work, anyway.” “You don’t know that.” Oh, but he did. Ellie had tried to help him and failed. Lawson’s advice hadn’t worked, either. The Bachelor List had been wrong. God seemed to have turned a deaf ear to his prayers for this area of his life. Then again, perhaps the problem was that he’d been depending too much on other people. Maybe he ought to see if there wasn’t something he could do to help himself. Something like courting lessons, perhaps?

About the Author NOELLE MARCHAND is a native Houstonian living out her childhood dream of being a writer. She graduated summa cum laude from Houston Baptist University in 2012, earning a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and speech communications. She loves exploring new books and new cities. When she’s not scribbling out her latest manuscript, you may find her pursuing one of her other passions—music, dance, history and classic movies.

Title Page The Texan’s Courtship Lessons Noelle Marchand www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. —Proverbs 3:5–6

Dedication This book is dedicated to my editor, Elizabeth Mazer.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

December 31, 1888 Peppin, Texas

He’d found her.

Every false start, every mistake, all of the embarrassment of his previous failed attempts at courting and years of waiting faded away in that moment because he knew this was the woman his heart had been hoping for. It didn’t matter that she, like everyone else at the masquerade ball, was wearing a mask and he didn’t know her name or have any other clue concerning her identity. He was going to marry her... Probably. Maybe. If he didn’t mess things up like he usually did.

Rhett Granger kept his gaze riveted on the woman he was certain was his future wife as he crossed the crowded hotel ballroom toward her. She wore an emerald sheath dress belted at the waist with a braided golden rope. Heavy gold jewelry draped around her neck and delicate wrists while a low crown encircled straight black hair that looked to be a wig. Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, had more than her fair share of admirers hovering around, hanging on her every word. He’d be able to dispatch them with ease if he was half the swashbuckling buccaneer his tricornered hat, black leather pants and gray poet shirt portrayed him to be. He wasn’t, but he still managed to cross the room.