by Jenna Brandt
Struggling to remember what beat what, Margaret knew that four of anything was good, as well as sequenced numbers, especially if they were all the same color. But all her brother had was two pairs, both not being high numbers. She was quite sure that her brother did not possess a winning hand. She had to help him.
Margaret stared at her brother’s cards and raised her eyebrows as if she were pleased with what she saw. Then she asked with an innocent voice, “Rand, are two kings and three queens good?”
There were murmurs around the table followed by several curses and shouts of anger. Then Margaret watched as four piles of cards were dropped to the table. They had all folded.
Randall smirked as he raked in the money that his sister had just helped him win. He stood up and grinned at the other men at the table. “I think we will take our leave from you.”
Holding the newly acquired bag of American gold coins in his hand, Randall turned around and started to walk away. But before they could make their escape, a hand grabbed Randall’s arm to stop him.
“Not with my money, you’re not. You suckered us, boy, and that little gal of yours helped. I’m thinkin’ I’m goin’ to take my money back and then take out my anger on the both of ya.”
Margaret watched as Randall tensed for a fight. She had not expected these rough Americans to take defeat so poorly. Poker could have only one winner, and tonight was not their night.
But now, it seemed her brother had won at the most inopportune time with a group that did not seem to take to outsiders, especially ones that beat them “at their own game” and took their money.
“I am sorry that you lost, but I need this money just as much as you do, if not more. Now, I will be leaving with both my money and the lady.” Gradually, he pulled his arm free from the other man’s grasp and pulled at the bottom of his jacket. “If you will excuse us, we must be on our way.”
He turned and held out his arm for Margaret, but before she knew what was happening, she felt her brother fall away. She looked to the side and saw her brother grabbing his head. Someone must have hit him.
Randall quickly regained his balance and turned around, holding up his arms in defense. Margaret knew her brother was not about to go down without a fight. He would not want to be known for being taken down by a bunch of crazy Yanks.
He swung quick and hard, and the crack of his fist connecting with the other man’s jaw resounded throughout the overcrowded tavern. The man staggered back but quickly recovered, showing he most probably had been in drunken poker fights before.
Just as the loudmouthed Yank pulled back to take another swing, a voice interrupted the fight. “Bobby Budley, quit fightin’ with the new fella. He won that money fair an’ square an’ ya know it. Let ’em be.”
Bobby shuffled his feet, spit on the ground between them, and glared at Randall several seconds before stepping back. “Yer lucky that Johnny took a liken to ya, ’cause if he hadn’t….” He let the thought finish itself. Everyone knew what he meant.
Randall wiped his brow with relief and turned around to face the man who had most probably saved their lives.
A burly man with shaggy brown hair and brown eyes, who looked like he had seen better times, greeted him. He smiled, showing a mouth with several teeth missing and an ugly gash that jaunted across his cheek.
“Name’s Johnny Goodrich, an’ I heard that yer looking fer a guide to the Colorado terr’tory. Seems lot o’ people been wantin’ to go there to get in on the s’posed ‘Silver Rush.’ Ya foreigners goin’ fer that?”
“Yes, we need to go to Boulder, but not for the…,” Randall answered, pausing awkwardly at the unknown phrase, “‘Silver Rush.’ We have some land there. Are you interested in taking the position as our head scout?”
The old Yank scratched his straggly beard and said, “’Pends.”
“On what?”
“On how much ya payin’.”
“Enough to make you exceedingly happy.”
“How much might’n that be?”
“If you can get me a half dozen men, two wagons, oxen to pull the wagons, two additional horses and supplies, I will give you the winnings I just won.”
The other man snorted and kicked the dust on the ground.
“That ain’t enough to cover what me an’ the boys cost, let alone supplies too.”
“That, my fine fellow, is only a down payment. You will receive the rest when we all reach Boulder safely. And I can purchase the supplies, I suppose. Those winnings will be the down payment for ‘you and the boys.’ How does that sound?”
When Johnny frowned, Margaret started to worry until a smile crept across his face. “Now that sounds like a deal, partner. Be ready to move out in three days’ time.” He started to walk away, then turned back around. “Oh, an’ be prepared for a heckuva trip. I hear the Cheyenne are on the warpath and are killin’ up and down the Oregon Trail. It’s gonna be a doozy of a time.”
Margaret cautiously looked Johnny up and down, noting he did not look like one of the American cowboys she had heard about, but rather just the opposite. His round belly was an indication that he was extremely out of shape, which made her wonder how he had any chance of protecting them from highwaymen, much less Indians. But then, they did not have much choice in who to hire. They would have to take what they could get. She began to pray immediately. God, please place a hedge of protection around us. We need you to keep us shielded during the long journey ahead. Only you can guard and keep us safe.
Looking at her brother, Margaret saw her own worry reflected back in his matching violet eyes. Their faith in God would surely be tested in the months to come.
The American Conquest available now
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I am eternally grateful to Jesus, my lord and savior, who created me with this “writing bug” DNA.
In addition, many thanks go to:
My husband, Dustin, and three daughters, Katie, Julie, and Nikki, for loving me and supporting me during all my late-night writing marathons and coffee-infused mornings.
My mother, Connie, for being my first and most honest critic, now and always. As a little girl, sleeping under your desk during late-night deadlines for the local paper showed me what being a dedicated writer looked like.
My angels in heaven: my grandmother, who passed away in 2001, my infant son, Dylan, who was taken by SIDS three years ago, and my father, who left us this past year.
My good friend and fellow indie author, Alexia Purdy, who answered all my questions about this process and showed me the ropes. She also designed the stunning covers for The Window to the Heart Saga.
Hot Tree Editing and their beta readers for doing such an impeccable job preparing my writing for publication.
To my ARC Angels for taking the time to read my story and give valuable feedback.
To the Jenna Brandt Books Street Team, who have pounded the virtual streets on the internet, helping to spread the words about my books. Your dedication means a great deal.
About the Author
Jenna Brandt graduated with her BA in English from Bethany College. She is an ongoing contributor for The Mighty website, and her blog has been featured on Yahoo Parenting, The Grief Toolbox, ABC News and Good Morning America websites.
Writing is her passion, with her focus in the Christian historical genre. Her books span from the Victorian to Western eras with elements of romance, suspense and faith.
Jenna also enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her three young daughters and husband where they live in the Central Valley of California. Jenna is also active in her local church, including serving on the first impressions team and writing features for the church’s creative team.
A Note from the Author
I hope you have enjoyed The French Encounter and plan to continue on this journey with Margaret in the final book of the series. Your opinion and support matters, so I would greatly appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. Without dedicate
d readers, a storyteller is lost. Thank you for investing in Margaret’s story.
Also by Jenna Brandt
The Window to the Heart Saga
Trilogy
The English Proposal (Book 1)
The French Encounter (Book 2)
The American Conquest (Book 3)
Spin-offs
The Oregon Pursuit (Book 1)
The White Wedding (Book 2)
The Christmas Bride (Book 3)
The Viscount’s Wife (Book 4)
First Street Church Romance, WWI Trilogy
Love’s Mending Embrace (Book 1)
Love’s Unending Grace (Book 2)
Love’s Perfect Place (Book 3, releasing summer 2018)
The Lawkeepers Series
Lawfully Loved
Lawfully Adored
Lawfully Wanted
For more information about Jenna Brandt visit her on any of her websites.
www.JennaBrandt.com
www.facebook.com/JennaBrandtAuthor
www.twitter.com/JennaDBrandt
Signup for Jenna Brandt’s Newsletter
