SOLVED. Hist-Romance: American frontier. Could be from 80s or early 90s. I read it sometime btwn 1991-95. Cowboy meets woman on cattle drive/wagon train. She follows him home to his ranch/hacienda. Eventually is his housekeeper/cook. **Spoilers Ahead** [s]

[Keri]

If I remember correctly the book starts with the cowboy and the lady meeting on a cattle drive or wagon train senario. I think she might have been hired on as help on the drive. They start to fall in love. The rest of the hired hands keep his secret as they sense a developing affair.

They get home to his ranch and she discovers he is aleady married. The wife was pawned off on him by her father so it wasnt a love match. Something to do with him owning the ranch, I think.

The wife gets pregnant and the heroine realizes she is pregnant also. The babies are due just barely a few of weeks apart. So the heroine ends up taking care of the wife and basically running the household while carrying his baby too. The wife doesn't know the rancher is the father of heroines baby.

The wife gives birth. Then the heroine gives birth to unexpected twins. Then the wife attemps to kill her baby. While the rancher is figuring out what to do with the crazy wife, the heroine is nursing all 3 babies. His mother is there to help, instantly recognizes the twins as her grandsons and gives the rancher what for.

Eventually the crazy wife is dealt with. I don't remember how that was resolved. The rancher gets his act together and the couple gets a HEA.

Its possible the ranchers name was Hart or something similar to that. The only character name I can remember for sure is one of the hands named "Last Caully(?)" Late in the book she asked him how he got his name. He replied because after # of kids, his mother said he was the last one she was having.

[Rosa]

Widow's Fire?

[Keri]

Rosa thank you!!!!! I have been searching for years and Widow's Fire is definitely it.

[Rosa]

Wonderful, you're very welcome!
I hope Last Cauley gets a mate at some point.