Hunter's Montana Bride (Montana Ranchers and Brides #8) by Maya Stirling Page B

head. "Nonsense. You get out there and welcome those fine ladies. You do know they're all members of the Ladies Society of Billings," Mrs. Roper said.
    "What's that?" Gretchen asked.
    "I forgot that you might not know about it. You being away and all," she said.
    Gretchen frowned at the reminder of her own absence.
    "The Ladies Society is a group of the finest women you'll find in these here parts. All of them have only one thing in mind. They do their best to help people out, especially anyone unfortunate or deserving. They arrange socials and even arrange the occasional wedding or two," Mrs. Roper explained.
    Gretchen glanced worryingly out the window. "They must be awfully busy," she said.
    "And they're all rancher wives. Which you, my dear, are about to find out, is the busiest life of all," Mrs. Roper declared. "Now go out there and welcome those fine ladies," she ordered.
    Admitting defeat, for the moment, Gretchen straightened the pleats of her dress and glanced at herself in the mirror. Seeing her hair was so obviously unkempt she glanced at Mrs. Roper in a silent plea. Not receiving any encouragement from the housekeeper, Gretchen fixed a few stray hairs back into place and started out toward the front yard. She suddenly wished Hunter were here by her side. It would have made things so much easier.
    As she stepped out the front door she steeled herself, remembering the many times her mother had taught her how to behave well in company.
    There was one man in the company of all the women, and Gretchen immediately recognized Trent McIntyre. He looked a little put out by the noise of the women and children. He was glancing nervously from carriage to carriage. Eventually he saw Gretchen, waved a welcoming hand and jumped down off the carriage seat. Gretchen waved back and watched Trent help his wife Chloe down off the carriage seat. She had a little one in her arms.
    Gretchen walked over toward the carriages. She saw Abby and her daughter jump down off the carriage. Abby was carrying a young baby of her own. Finally she saw Elise step down from her carriage, a young infant supported on her arm.
    Gretchen felt her jaw drop open. It was like an invasion of women and children. The noise was deafening.
    "Welcome you all," Gretchen tried to say.
    Chloe came rushing over to Gretchen. "Oh my dear. It is so nice to see you again. When Trent told me he'd seen you on the trail to the ranch, I didn't quite believe him. How are you, dear? You've been gone so long," she said.
    Gretchen smiled and took pleasure from the obvious delight that Chloe felt at seeing Gretchen safe and well. "I'm fine Chloe. It's so nice of... you all...to come today," Gretchen said scanning all the visitors with a still disbelieving sweep of her eyes.
    Gretchen heard Abby tell her daughter, who looked around eight years of age and was dressed in a pretty pink outfit, to wait for a second. Abby came rushing over to Gretchen. "My dear. We've all been so worried about you."
    Abby was from Boston and Gretchen immediately noted her distinct accent. Perhaps the experience of coming from back East and adapting to life made Abby more sensitive than usual to what a newlywed rancher's bride might be going through.
    Elise Cooper was the last to come up to Gretchen. "We've missed you so much. You must have oodles of things to tell us. Isn't that right, Chloe," Elise said glancing at Trent's wife who was suddenly occupied with the important business of preventing her child from bursting into tears.
    "It's lovely to see you Elise," Gretchen said.
    Abby, Chloe and Elise were all dressed in similarly colored light blue gowns. It struck Gretchen that it was almost like some kind of special outfit they wore when they went out on their business as representatives of the Ladies Society. The conversation amongst them had become almost a babble. Gretchen glanced over at Trent who just shook his head in good-humored patience.
    Children were gathered, carriages tied up and then they