Texas Prairie Brides

Grace Montgomery works as a maid at the Double A Ranch in the far north Texas panhandle. Her life would be happy if not for Florence Abbot, the daughter of Acton Abbot, the wealthy ranch owner. Does Florence really take a special delight in tormenting Grace, or does it only appear that way? The haughty and spoiled prairie princess drives Grace to distraction with her constant complaints and demands. Grace's only friend is Abigail Doering, who rents a cottage on the ranch and gives piano lessons to the pampered Florence and other students from the nearby town of Borger. Grace's life flies into a whirlwind of chaos, however, when she arranges to marry a mail-order husband. Florence can't stand the idea of Grace getting married when she doesn't even have any prospects. The sons of other wealthy ranchers, whom her father considers worthy matches for her, won't have anything to do with her. They all know her reputation for being demanding and impossible to please. The worst part, though, comes when Florence finds out that Grace's mail-order groom is none other than Bad Bill Bailey, the notorious gunslinger, and accused murderer. Did old Mr. Abbot really give him the job of horse breaker on the ranch, to move in and marry Grace? Florence sets her mind to foil their wedding plans, and to see Bill Bailey put away for good.

Abigail Doering begins her new life as Mrs. Abigail Ewing, mail-order bride to Grant Ewing of the Texas Rangers. After getting married on the spur of the moment in Borger, Texas, Grant and Abigail come home to Abigail's cottage on the Double A Ranch. Grace and Bill Bailey have decided to stay on, too, at least until Bill finishes breaking in the mustangs running free near the ranch. Once that job is finished, Grace and Bill will set off for the northern Rocky Mountains to start a new life on the Frontier. Grant and Abigail set up house in the hopes of escaping the kind of chaotic drama Grace and Bill faced. But their hopes and expectations soon fall to pieces when spoiled and conceited Florence Abbot gets up to her old tricks. Not content with making peace with Grace and Bill after Bill saved her life, she turns her critical eye on Abigail. She finds every excuse to needle Abigail and meddle with her new marriage. Her constant interference demands all the newlyweds' patience and love to deepen their connection to each other without falling into Florence's traps.

Book three of The Texas Prairie Brides series concludes the saga of Florence Abbot's journey to love and happiness. Mr. Acton Abbot isn't happy at all about his beloved daughter's decision to get a mail-order husband. He always hoped she would marry the son of another cattle baron. What if her new husband is some uncouth cattle puncher - or worse? In spite of all his warm feelings for Bill Bailey and Grant Ewing, he dreads the day his new son-in-law arrives on the ranch to steal his precious Florence away. But Mr. Abbot gets a pleasant surprise when Foster Gregory shows up. The son of a steel tycoon from Back East, he appears on the surface to be everything Mr. Abbot ever dreamed of. Bill and Grant don't think much of him, though. He's got a long way to go before he's ready to take over the ranch. They can hardly disguise their contempt when he first approaches them to ask them to show him the ropes. Only after he loses some of his big-city shine do they start to understand he's sincere about learning the way of life on the frontier. Florence, on the other hand, falls instantly and madly in love with her new husband. He sweeps her off her feet, and she finds herself being transformed into someone she never thought possible. Where will her marriage take her? Will Foster take over the Double A Ranch, leaving Florence in her old place as queen of the castle? Or will they wind up getting drawn away into an unknown world of limitless horizons and unfathomable possibilities?