Kate Welsh - The Texas Ranger's Heiress Wife

Brendan grinned.

‘I asked you a question. I’m waiting for an answer. And what are you grinning about, you fool?’

He took a step towards her, then another. She saw the intent in his hot gaze. He meant to kiss her. He’d always crossed from anger to arousal so easily, ending quarrels before their conclusion—one of them winning by default.

Now, before she could decide what she wanted, lightning-quick his mouth was on hers. She tried to resist the leather and lime smell of him.

But the battle was lost before it began.

I hope you enjoy reading about Brendan and Helena’s reconciliation and glimpsing their past as well as the rich history of the Old West. After all, they’ve been with us from the beginning in QUESTIONS OF HONOUR— already fighting like cat and dog and secretly heartbroken over the loss of the other. The danger to them and to their hearts sparked all the full-length books. What great catalysts they were! I couldn’t wait any longer to write their story, although it took a while to create the perfect setting.

The kind of land-grabbing scheme depicted in THE TEXAS RANGER’S HEIRESS WIFE is typical of stories told and retold from America’s westward growth—as is the work of the Texas Rangers. Whether truth or myth, these stories have become part of the lore of the West.

Hopefully I’ve lived up to our exciting history.

As a child, KATE WELSHoften lost herself in creating make-believe worlds and happily-ever-after tales. Many years later she turned back to creating happy endings when her husband challenged her to write down the stories in her head. A lover of all things romantic, Kate has been writing romance for over twenty years now. Kate loves hearing from readers, who can reach her on the internet at kate_welsh@verizon.net

Previous novels by the same author:

QUESTIONS OF HONOUR

HIS CALIFORNIAN COUNTESS * * Linked by character Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

A TEXAN’S HONOUR * * Linked by character Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

THE BRIDE WORE BRITCHES

(part of Weddings Under a Western Sky anthology)

* HIS CALIFORNIAN COUNTESS * * Linked by character Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk A TEXAN’S HONOUR * * Linked by character Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk THE BRIDE WORE BRITCHES (part of Weddings Under a Western Sky anthology) * Linked by character Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk Linked by character

Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

The

Texas Ranger’s

Heiress Wife

Kate Welsh

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Contents

Prologue

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

Chapter Twenty

Prologue

Cautiously, Brendan Kane approached the church, keeping his sister, Abby, behind him. It was soon apparent no one hid in the dark shadows around the building. Once this meeting was over, he’d be on the night train, headed west toward his dream and away from a hangman’s noose. Had he known Helena’s damned guardian was trying and succeeding in framing him for murder, he’d have left long ago. Then he’d have been away from the torture of watching Helena from afar, knowing she was to marry Joshua Wheaton.

Brendan and Abby crept to the church doors and slipped inside. Odd, he thought. More candles glowed than the little church used for benediction.

In the candlelight, he saw her. His Helena. He loved her so much he’d rejected her, for her own good and his own peace of mind. Brendan hissed a word that shouldn’t be spoken in a church. Helena Conwell was an American princess. In the eyes of her world he was nothing but Irish-born scum, a dirt-poor coal miner and now an outlaw to boot.

Dear God. How many nights had he closed his eyes and pictured her in this church exactly as she was—wearing a beautiful white gown? Now, though, she was really there, standing near the altar talking to Father Rafferty. She turned and put her hand on the old priest’s arm, then walked up the aisle toward him and Abby.

“What are you doing here?” Brendan growled.

Hurt entered those bluer-than-blue eyes he so loved. “I’m sorry you aren’t glad to see me. I suppose that makes this all the more necessary,” she said, as she pulled a pistol from the folds of her elegant dress and leveled it at him.

“Is this all an elaborate trick to snare Brendan in your guardian’s trap?” Abby demanded. “I trusted both you and Joshua with my brother’s life.”

Helena smiled up at Brendan, not sparing Abby a glance. “Oh, no. It’s my snare to catch myself a husband. Father Rafferty agreed to marry us, darling, and time is wasting. I’m sorry it has to be this way. I know it’s because of me they’ve gone after you, and I’m sorry. Franklin Gowery was never meant to know about us, but he does and so here we are.”

“Your guardian is a bit of a poor loser, isn’t he?” Brendan grinned. It was a grin he used often to infuriate adversaries and throw them off their stride. It worked a bit too well this time, for Helena looked as if she wanted to slap it off his face. “Ya won’t shoot me, lovey,” he told her, living dangerously as always when backed against a wall. Tonight seemed to be ripe for that.

Helena didn’t rise to his bait, though. “No, I probably wouldn’t.” She swung the gun left. Toward Abby. “But I might—just might—shoot your sister,” she said in the most scarily calm tone he’d ever heard.

He drew in a sharp breath. Had it all been too much for her? Had his rejection, compounded by her guardian’s insistence she marry Joshua, Brendan’s childhood friend, caused her mind to surrender to the strain? “Have ya lost your mind?” Brendan asked. He’d meant to sound demanding, hoping to snap her out of her reckless behavior, but even he heard concern leak into his tone. Question was, had Helena heard it?

He glanced at Ab. She stared at him, her eyes sparkling with delight and not worry as Helena held the gun steadily on her. She’d clearly seen his worry and his love for Helena. “I do believe she means it, Bren,” Abby said.