for Discussion
Chapter One
Peppin, Texas
September 1888
Ellie O’Brien was not the type of girl to chase after men.
That might have to change.
After all, today was her twenty-first birthday. While that hadn’t stopped her from revisiting her mischievous youth by climbing to her favorite place in the whole world—the top of the waterfall that pooled into her family’s creek—it was pushing marriageable age. This wouldn’t have been a problem in most Western towns, where the scarcity of women allowed them to take their time picking husbands. The town of Peppin didn’t have that problem, though. Women were plentiful, and the competition between them, while friendly, was still fierce. Ellie had never attempted to jump into the fray before. Now, though it might be too late, she wanted to at least try.
But first, one more moment of being a child.
Her fingers teased the hairpins from her hair with a familiarity born of desperation, then tossed them to the dry ground below like the nuisances they were. She shook out her curly golden tresses, reveling in her newfound freedom as the wind made her hair bounce in disarray. Warm mud oozed between her bare toes as she stepped closer to the precipice. The water rushed past her feet, urging her to join its free fall away from the side of the waterfall and into the creek seven feet below. If she took that final step forward, there would be no going back.
Literally and figuratively. She bit her bottom lip as she peered over through the treetops at the rolling green hills that stretched beyond their property. Perhaps it was too romantic to hope that courtship would be as exhilarating as a sheer fall or as refreshing as the cool shock of cold water that followed—but a gal could hope.
It wasn’t as if she were only interested in the romance part of getting a husband. Oh, no. Ellie also wanted the adventure that would come with it. After all, her sister Kate had quite the adventure when she fell in love with Nathan Rutledge. Their courtship commenced with a shoot-out, continued with Kate’s abduction and was clinched with an arson fire. And then there was Lorelei, Ellie’s sister-in-law of nearly one year. She found love through a run-in with a con artist, a secret engagement and a bank robbery.
Ellie blew out a frustrated sigh then whispered to a God she knew was listening. “It isn’t as if I want to be abducted or almost killed or anything. I just know what a girl needs to do to get a little excitement around here—find love.”
And it worked both ways. There was nothing like a little excitement and danger to make people look at each other in new ways, see things about each other that they hadn’t noticed before. In that respect, she could use all the help she could get, living in a town where every eligible man saw her as a little sister.
She couldn’t exactly blame them. She’d been a consummate tomboy growing up. She didn’t regret one moment she’d spent climbing trees, riding horses, swimming in the creek—they’d all held far more appeal than giggling and flirting with boys like the girls too afraid of mussing their dresses to have any fun. At some point those giggling, flirting girls had started getting beaus who turned into suitors and then into husbands. But not Ellie. Even though she’d abandoned her hoydenish ways years ago, she hadn’t been able to shake the label of “tomboy” the town had given her or change the way the young men saw her—yet.
She was ready for the most important adventures of her life, like love, marriage, motherhood. She just needed someone to share them with. And if it took a little danger or excitement to make that happen...well, she was up for it.
“I’m ready to do my part, Lord. Is a little help too much to ask?”
She didn’t wait for an answer. She knew only God could join two hearts together—but that didn’t mean He couldn’t have help. When it came to her siblings, Ellie had helped Him along as much as possible. There was a reason she’d been dubbed the best matchmaker in Peppin. She was the best in town at spotting a match and pulling it off.
But who would help the matchmaker find a match?
No one. That’s who. She was going to have to do it on her own, and she was starting today. First things first: she had to figure out a way to climb down from the waterfall without messing up her day dress. Being adventurous was easier when I wore bloomers.
There was a simpler way to get down. She peered over the waterfall’s tabletop once more, knowing that if she didn’t have plans for the afternoon she would have taken that route. Suddenly, Kate’s voice shot through the air with startling volume. “Ellie, don’t!”
She jerked toward the sound, knocking herself off balance and sending her arms churning like a tilted windmill. She fell into the creek with a loud splash. The cool water enveloped her and swept her skirts up around her ears before Ellie pushed off the muddy bottom. She surfaced and searched for her cinnamon-haired sister. Kate’s sensible blue dress stood out against the riot of red, orange and yellow wildflowers that painted the banks of the creek.
Ellie swam toward the shore. “I wasn’t going to jump. You startled me!”
“Oh, no!” Kate placed one hand over her mouth and another on her hip as she shook her head. “I’m so sorry. What were you doing up there in the first place?”
Ellie shivered in the slight breeze as she stepped onto dry grass. “Reliving my youth.”
“You’d better not—after all you put me through.” Kate grabbed the picnic blanket from the ground to wrap it around Ellie’s shoulders.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was perfect.” She lifted her nose, ignoring a laugh from her sister as she gathered the blanket closer. “What are you doing here so early, anyway? I thought you said I had two hours to myself.”
“It’s been longer than two hours. We are supposed to meet Ms. Lettie and Lorelei at the café for your birthday lunch in thirty minutes.”
“I’m sorry. I must have lost track of time.”
“That’s all right. So did I.” Kate grabbed the picnic basket from the ground and began to lead the way to the farmhouse. “It can’t be helped now. You’ll have to change clothes and redo your hair.”
Ellie paused. “I hadn’t thought of that. Do you think it would make a difference?”
Kate tossed a confused look over her shoulder. “Of course it would. You can’t go into town drenched.”
She laughed. “I forgot you can’t read my mind. I meant do you think it would make a difference with men if I changed my hair or clothes?”
“What men? Why should it make a difference? Why would you want to...?” Kate shook her head. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m twenty-one. Isn’t it time I tried to catch a husband?” It was a little difficult to force the words out through her chattering teeth. “Do you think I even could?”
Kate rubbed her back to try to warm her. “You’re more likely to catch a cold if you don’t get changed. As for a husband, there’s no need to rush. Why? Are you interested
