The Unconventional Bride: The Ladies Club of Laramie Read online

  The Unconventional Bride

  The Ladies Club of Laramie

  Everly West

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2019 Everly West

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover Design: Dar Albert

  Edited by Tina Winograd

  Release date: June 13, 2019

  This book and parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author and publisher, except as provided by the United States of America copyright law. The only exception is by a reviewer who may quote short excerpts in a review.

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  Gambling on the Wild Woman

  Jennie O’Brian is every mother’s nightmare. She’s a wild child who refuses to obey the rules of conventional society, like ladies don’t gamble. Until the night her full house beats the mine owner’s three of a kind. Did she win or lose when she drew his attention?

  Milton Wardell watches the bold young woman take everyone’s cash and reject the men who flirt outrageously. Could her spunk tame his motherless twin ruffians? With her mother’s help, he plots to ensnare her and bend her to his will.

  Is he the one to bridle her reckless ways? Or will the schemer soon find himself in a trap of his own making?

  Sweet Historical Romance

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  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Also By Everly West

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Laramie, Wyoming

  Why did men have all the fun? Jennie O'Brian enjoyed gambling and taking risks and breaking society’s rules. Much to the dismay of her mother who threatened to send her to a convent if she couldn't find a man to marry her.

  Sitting at a card table at the Grande Union Hotel's upscale gambling hall, a chandelier reflected in the ornate mirror hanging behind the bar. She was the only woman gambling in the exclusive club. The men either tried to flirt with her or ignore her, and she preferred the latter.

  "Would the lady like to cut the cards?" the dealer asked.

  A grin spread across her face. "No, the lady would not. Let the gentleman across the table do the honor."

  For the better part of the evening, the dark-haired man seated across the way stared at her with his emerald eyes. Dressed in an expensive business suit, he had the refined stature of a man with power and class.

  Gazing at him, a shiver of excitement went through her. Had he never seen a woman gamble before? His hand sneaked out and divided the cards.

  "Seven card stud," he said in a deep voice. "Deal the lady the first card."

  "Thank you."

  He nodded, a tendril of hair crossed his forehead. There was an air about him that spoke of wealth and sophistication, and he was just the sort of man she liked taking money from. The type she avoided because of her mother.

  "Good luck, gentlemen," she said.

  The first three cards were dealt, two down and one up, before she glanced at her hand. The king of hearts lay face up, the king of spades and a ten of clubs in her hand. A frown furrowed her brows on purpose as she studied the pair of kings.

  With a sigh, she tossed a silver dollar into the ante. The three other players at the table glared at her. Tonight, her luck had been exceptionally good, taking two of the gentlemen's money and even sending one home busted. Now the remaining men's eyes were centered on her like they knew she was bluffing, and at the moment, she was.

  "I'll raise you another dollar," the green-eyed man said, his expression unreadable.

  She put her tongue to her upper lip and let it slide across her mouth as she contemplated her bet. She tossed another dollar into the growing pile of money. So far, none of the men had dropped out.

  The dealer dealt the next cards up. Jennie resisted the urge to jump up and down but contained herself as a ten and four card landed face up beside her king. Two pairs -- kings and tens. One more card to go.

  "I'm out," one man sitting next to her said, laying his hand down.

  On the table, it appeared she had nothing and that was what she wanted them to think. It couldn't be possible that a girl could beat them at their own game. But she knew how to play poker. Had played the game with her grandfather until he died. By then, she had learned how to read card players and how to bluff.

  "Oh," she said. "I think I'll pass the bet to the gentleman across the table."

  His emerald eyes sparkled, and a trickle of interest sizzled up her spine. Not that her mother would ever give the man a chance. Oh, no, Jennie could never marry for love or attraction or any other reason than the fact her mother approved. And a gambling man would never meet her standards of wealth and power.

  "Two dollars," he said, and she narrowed her eyes.

  Either he had a great hand, or he was trying to fool everyone. When her turn came, she tossed in two silver dollars. If she lost this pot, she would be down for the night, but her instincts were telling her to go all in.

  "I'll raise you another dollar," she said quietly.

  Immediately another man dropped out, which left her and the gentleman with the dollar signs in his eyes.

  The dealer dealt the last card down. Looking at her hand, she gave a sad face like she'd just lost her best friend, when in reality the king of clubs stared back at her. Full house.

  As she looked up, she caught the man watching her every move. Laying another two dollars into the pile of money, she smiled and watched him contemplate the odds. Did he believe she had a winning hand or that she was bluffing?

  No, she wasn't bluffing.

  "You know you want to see my hand," she said, tempting him, wanting to take more of his cash.

  He gave her a look that clearly said he didn't believe her. "What if my hand beats yours?"

  With a shrug, she said, "Guess we'll never know unless you put in your money."

  The man's lips tightened, not certain. Finally, he reached for his stack of coins and placed his bet.

  "I call," he said firmly. "Show ‘em."

  "With pleasure." She laid down her cards. "Full house."

  With a splat, he threw his cards down. "Beats my three of a kind."

  A groan came from the men at the table. Tonight she cleaned their pockets of their hard earned cash.

  Trying to contain her giddiness, she pulled the pile of silver dollars toward her and realized she had been playing for hours. "Does anyone have the time?"

  "Ten to midnight," the man to her left said.

  Panic gripped her. Somehow she’d lost track of time. "Oh no."

  Almost midnight, she should have been home long before now. Her mother would have the hounds of hell searching for her, and she would find herself locked in a convent or married if caught.

  First, her mother forced Cora, Jennie's older sister, to marry the governor's son and now her mother set her sights on finding Jennie a suitable husband. A rich man worthy of her middle daughter. Why not just put her up on an auction block? The richest man with the most social connections -- sold to the highest bidder.

  Shoving the coins into her reticle, she stood. "Sorry, gentlemen, I enjoyed the evening, but I must get home."

  All it would take would be her mother finding her here, and she would be on
her knees praying for hours.

  "Why, Cinderella? You turn into a pumpkin at midnight?" the man with the twinkling emerald eyes asked.

  "If only it were that simple and my Prince Charming waited for me. Nothing but the threat of the convent is keeping me from staying. Good night, gentlemen."

  His brows rose in surprise as Jennie ran out the door of the gambling hall and down the steps to her horse. Crawling up on her mare, she pushed her dress out of the way, her exposed legs gleaming in the moonlight as she rode down the middle of Main Street, spurring the horse. Thank goodness, there was no one on the street to witness her daring behavior.

  A thrill went through her. She liked being scandalous. She liked flirting with danger, and she liked the fact no one but her fellow gamblers would understand her love of playing for money.

  * * *

  Milton Wardell stared at the gorgeous beauty who dashed through the gambling hall and out the door. Why did he feel like he wanted to know more about this woman, when in reality, he would never marry again?

  "Who was that woman?" he asked his fellow gamblers.

  "Jennie O'Brian, and no, don't get too interested in her. She's a wild child with a mother who is searching to tie her to some man," the dealer said as he dealt the next hand.

  What did someone have to do to be called a wild child? Especially a woman. Tonight, she appeared to be a nice woman. When a man tried to flirt with her, she would cut those sapphire eyes at him with a look loaded with buckshot. Then ignore the man.

  "How does she get to gamble in here?"

  The dealer laughed. "The boss wasn't going to let her, so she challenged him to a game one night. She beat him, fair and square, and won the right to play anytime she wants to. Only thing is if her mother ever learns the truth, I would hate to be in her shoes."

  Why would a woman take the chance of sullying her reputation by playing poker in a gambling hall with a bunch of men? Did she need the money?

  "Tonight, she was a very good player. Is she always like this?"

  "Pretty much every time she comes in here, she wins. I've seen her lose several hands. One night, she got burned badly in a game, but most of the time, she walks out with more cash than she came in with."

  Interesting that she consistently won. But where did she learn to play without revealing her emotions on her face? Most women couldn't keep their feelings hidden.

  The men chuckled and the player to his left said, "All you can do is stare at how beautiful and determined she is to win. And don't gaze at her face during the game or you'll lose almost every time. I'm expecting any day now for her mother to come crashing in here searching for her. The cat fight will be on."

  The woman defied her mother and society by gambling. Seemed like disaster waiting to happen.

  "She winked at me in church last Sunday as I walked by. Since my wife doesn't know I'm coming here, it’s best I keep my mouth shut."

  The other men nodded.

  "She's a saucy one. I pity the man she marries. His hands will be full trying to keep her out of trouble."

  Milton didn't want to marry the girl. Would someone accused of being a troublemaker be an outstanding nanny? Right now, he was on nanny number five, and he just hoped and prayed she stayed. In town, there weren't many women who would take on his little terrors.

  "So how many have lost to her?"

  All the men, but one made a disgruntled noise. Of the four players, three of them had lost money and now that included Milton.

  "Why not tell her mother, so you could keep her away from the tables?"

  The men busted out laughing. "Have you ever met her mother? That woman is a ball breaker. I don't blame the girl one bit for trying to sneak away from her. If she learns you're not married—watch out. Minnie O'Brian has not one, but two, eligible young women she's trying to marry off."

  A frown drew his brows together at the thought of his twin boys at home. As much as he loved his children, he wished to goodness his wife had never gotten pregnant. The memory of the painful birthing sent a shudder rippling through him. The doctor's voice telling him that Myra didn't make it, but the babies lived, still haunted him.

  In what was supposed to be a moment of joy, he'd lost the woman he loved. And since that day, he swore never to marry again.

  "Not me," he said. "Been married once and that was enough."

  Silence filled the table as they continued to gamble. When Milton lost the next hand, he threw down his cards. "I'm out. It's past midnight and time for this man to find his way home, so I can go to work tomorrow."

  "Goodnight," the players called as the dealer dealt the next hand.

  As he walked out of the gambling hall, he remembered the way Jennie O'Brian all but ran out the door, her skirts lifted to expose her trim ankle.

  A wild child. A beautiful young woman filled with so much vibrancy, he almost wanted to reach out and touch her to make certain she was real.

  His boys were in many ways like her. Full of life and mischief, loving to create trouble, they were also wild children. A shudder went through him. They needed a woman's touch.

  Stepping out onto the wooden sidewalk, he located his horse and climbed on the mare for the short journey home. Where he hoped peacefulness reigned.

  * * *

  When Jennie rode her horse into the barn, she noticed all the lights were out in the house. Could she be lucky once again tonight and sneak in without getting caught? All the way home, she prepared her excuse, just in case. Now if only her mother would accept her explanation, if she was still awake.

  Hurriedly, she undid the saddle and threw it up on the wall and gave the horse some oats and then ran across the yard to the house. If her mother ever learned of her love of gambling, her life would be as good as over.

  Quietly she removed her shoes before she gently turned the knob of the front door and entered the house. As she closed the door, an eerie feeling sizzled up her spine, and she knew her mother and father were both sitting in the living room in the dark waiting for her.

  "Do I need to get my shotgun and force this boy to marry you?" her father asked.

  Whirling around, she gasped. "Papa, what are you doing still up?"

  "Wondering what my daughter is doing out so late," he said, lighting the lantern. "Where have you been and who were you with?"

  Aargh, she hoped to avoid this confrontation, but now her tardiness was unavoidable, and she would be forced to lie or face Sister Beatrice at the nunnery.

  The glare her mother gave her let her know the trouble she was in. "Mother knew I went to Laura's house for the evening. We started playing cribbage and suddenly I realized it was almost midnight. I thought about spending the night, but that would only worry you, when I wasn't home in the morning. Look, I'm sorry, I know I should have come home sooner."

  Rising from her rocker, her mother approached her. Minnie O'Brian’s green eyes narrowed on her daughter. She sniffed her clothing. "You smell like smoke."

  "Yes, you know Laura's father likes his pipes. Honestly, Mother, you can ask Laura, and she'll tell you how long we played."

  "No men were there?"

  Not flinching, she met her gaze, because she understood a slight stutter would send her mother into full investigation mode.

  "Only her father. I'm still as virginal today as I was yesterday," she said and regretted the words the moment she said them.

  Why was everyone so worried about her blasted virginity. Jennie had yet to meet a man she would consider giving her body to. Sure, she dreamed of when her husband showed her the secrets of life, but there was plenty of time for that after her list of experiences was completed.

  "Don't get smart with me, young lady. I'm searching for you a husband. A fine, young man with wealth and connections, just like I did for your sister. A young woman should not be out roaming after dark."

  "What if I don't want to marry a wealthy man?" she said. "What if I wanted to marry a man I fall in love with."

  It was the wrong thi
ng to say as her mother's body tensed, and she pulled her shoulders back, her eyes widening. "John, did you hear our daughter wants to marry for love."

  They both started laughing.

  Frustration filled Jennie as she gazed at her parents. Why was it inconceivable to want to spend the rest of your life with a man you loved?

  "Love is an emotion that comes after you're married. Not before. And don't you forget it. You'll be married like my family did me. Your father and I will find a suitable, wealthy man and then after he courts you for a bit, an arrangement will be made. Plan on being wed before the summer is over."

  A groan escaped Jennie. So little time left to experience life before her mother pawned her off to a man. So little time to do all the things she wanted that society frowned upon for women. All the things her mother would never approve of. Like gamble, drink, smoke, dance, flirt, and maybe even skinny dip.

  Was it wrong to want to experience some fun before being forced into being a wife and mother and following the rules of society?

  "Summer. My last bit of freedom," she said with a sigh.

  A frown crossed her mother's face. "Why aren't you excited about marriage. It's the next step."

  "Because I'm not ready. Because I would like to enjoy life a little before you tied me to a man. Maybe, just maybe, I would like to have fun before I'm forced to become a stick in the mud like you," she said.

  Oops, she should never have said that.

  "Jennie O'Brian, you will not disrespect your mother," her father said.

  She was pushing her limits, but why did her mother believe at eighteen the time had come for her to marry?