Brent set down his coffee cup. “That’s generous of you, Jess. You’ve always demonstrated to me what a fine man you are. Now for the important part.”
He looked at Serena. “I need to talk to your uncle.”
He addressed Uncle Willard. “Since you filled in for her father for several years, I want to assure you my intentions are honorable. Jess knows I want to marry Serena and approves. I hope I have your approval, too.”
Uncle Willard’s eyes misted over. “Nothing would make me happier—unless you planned to live in Hopeful.”
“Sorry, but you understand we’ll have to live where the mine is. I’ve drawn up plans for a house in Sabbath but haven’t started on it. Wanted to wait until Serena saw them and made changes. My folks have room for us to stay with them or I can rent a house for us if that doesn’t please Serena.”
She laid her hand on his. “I look forward to meeting your parents.”
He cradled her hand in both of his. “How soon will you marry me?”
She looked at her uncle then her father. “I’m ready today. We must give my aunt and uncle time to get used to the idea.”
Her aunt almost entered the kitchen but stopped in the doorway. “You say that knowing what I did? D-Does that mean you forgive me?”
Serena hadn’t thought she could forgive her aunt. When she saw her aunt’s face, her heart melted. Aunt Esther had been selfish, but in her way she had intended to protect Mama and her.
She went to her aunt and embraced her. “Of course, my dear aunt. As Papa said, family is family and we should move on.”
Her aunt sobbed against Serena’s shoulder. “I didn’t want to lose you. You’re like our daughter.”
“I’m marrying Brent. You wanted me to marry so that should make you happy.”
Aunt Esther wiped at her tears. “I wanted you to marry someone in Hopeful. But, I knew when I saw the two of you together that you were right for one another. Watching you was like seeing Anna and Jess again.”
Papa buttered another biscuit. “A fine recommendation. Anna and I loved one another and were happy together.”
Serena led her aunt to the table. “Sit and eat. I cooked a huge breakfast for us.”
Papa smiled at her. “Including potatoes the way I like them. Glad you remembered the way your mama made them.”
Brent laid his palms down on the table. “There’s one more thing we have to arrange. You need help in the store, Willard. People you can trust so you and Esther can take trips to visit us. Travel wherever you wish.”
Hope blossomed in her aunt’s eyes.
Willard nodded. “Reckon you’re right, especially with Serena leaving. I’ll look for someone right away.”
Sunday afternoon, Serena dressed in her green alpaca wool dress. Brent had asked her to wear that dress and she’d agreed. He was sentimental and that was what she had worn for their sleigh ride and dinner at the hotel.
Aunt Esther fussed with her skirt’s fold. “You look good in this color because it matches your eyes.” She handed a strand of pearls to Serena. “These belonged to your grandmother. Now they’re yours. The earbobs too.”
“Oh, my goodness, thank you. I didn’t even know you had them.” Serena fastened the single strand of matched pearls around her neck. They were the perfect length. The earbobs were what looked like a diamond with a pearl attached to the lower edge.
“They’ve been in a case that I’ll give you. Our family wasn’t wealthy, but Anna’s and my mother came from money before she married our father.”
Her uncle rapped on the door. “Preacher Jones is here. You two coming out anytime soon? Brent looks like he’ll pass out if he has to wait more than a couple of minutes.”
“We’ll be right there, Uncle Willard.” She knew that in marriage there would be good times and bad times. As long as she had Brent, she could face whatever happened.
Serena opened the door and stepped into the next chapter of her life.
Epilogue
Christmas Eve of the following year
Serena hurried to adjust an ornament on the Christmas tree. She wanted everything to be perfect.
Brent kissed her cheek. “They’re coming up the walk now. Come with me to greet them.”
“Yes, we should welcome them together.”
He opened the door and her aunt and uncle came inside. Her aunt’s face was flushed but glowing. Her uncle looked younger than he had in years.
Serena hugged each of them. “Did you have a good trip?”
Uncle Willard helped her aunt remove her coat. “We did. The Collins place is now a stage stop with rooms to rent. We stayed there overnight and caught the morning stage as it came through.”
Her aunt frowned. “Nice people but the ride was hard on my posterior.”
Her uncle peered around her aunt to view her behind. “Looks fine to me.”
Aunt Esther’s eyes widened and she blushed. “Willard Casey, you mind your manners.”
In response, Uncle Willard laughed. So did Serena and Brent. Still blushing, her aunt joined in.
Then, Brent gestured to the parlor. “Come in and make yourselves comfortable. My folks will be here in a couple of hours. They wanted to give you a chance to rest and visit before they arrive. I’ll take your luggage up to your room.” He grabbed a suitcase and headed for the staircase.
Aunt Esther linked her arm with Serena’s. “I want to see this entire fancy house. It’s big enough to be a hotel.”
Uncle Willard carried a suitcase up the stairs behind Brent. “I want to see the mine if you have time to give us a tour.”
Serena said, “I’m glad you’ve finally found someone to take care of the store while you are away.”
Her uncle set down the luggage. “We were lucky to find a couple who’re retired but want a little work occasionally. He used to own a hardware business in Denver so he has no trouble keeping up with our sales and merchandise.”
Aunt Esther laid her purse and hat on the bed. “They aren’t that old but retired early. Now they’re at loose ends. We’ve had them over for dominoes and cards several times and they’ve invited us to their place.”
Serena clasped her aunt’s hands in hers. “That’s wonderful. I’m glad you’re socializing more. I’ve made friends here, a lot of them through Brent’s mom. There are several couples about our age.”
She gave her aunt a tour of the upstairs then they went to the first floor and continued the exploration. Uncle Willard tagged along, which meant Brent did also. In the kitchen, Mrs. Griggs and her helper were busy preparing dinner.
Aunt Esther whispered, “Two helpers in the kitchen. My, my, Serena. What an extravagance. I’m not criticizing, you understand. I’m happy for you to have such a wonderful place to live.”
“Usually it’s just Mrs. Griggs helping and a woman comes three days a week to help clean. Mrs. Griggs is really the housekeeper. The place is far too large for me to keep on my own—or so Brent says. What do you think of our home so far?”
“It’s wonderful. Brent is right and you need help here. I’m surprised Jess doesn’t live with you.”
“I’ve tried to convince him to. Papa says newlyweds need their privacy.” Serena chuckled. “I suspect Papa’s the one who wants privacy.”
Later that day when dinner was over, they gathered in the great room with the fireplace blazing. Several locals who were without family with whom to celebrate had joined them, including Nick Llewellyn, foreman at the mine.
Serena leaned her head on Brent’s shoulder. “This is the nicest Christmas I’ve ever experienced, nicer than I could have imagined.”
“The same for me.” He whispered, “Are you sure you want to save our news until tomorrow?”
She whispered in his ear, “Yes, knowing they’re going to be grandparents and a great-aunt and great-uncle in May will be a nice Christmas gift.”
“I love you, Serena Adams. You’ve made me the happiest man alive.”
“I love you, Brent Adams. We
were made for one another.”
“I’m giving you an option on me for fifty years. If I don’t work out to your satisfaction, you don’t have to renew.”
She stuck out her hand for him to shake. “Deal. That means you’d better be on your toes for the next fifty years. I’m going to be tough.”
He grinned, his eyes alight with mischief. “Sure you are.”
About Caroline Clemmons
Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was born in town instead of on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a tiny office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their rescued dog and three rescued indoor cats as well as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds, and a collection of wild critters who stop by to visit.
The books she creates in her pink cave have made her a bestselling author who has won awards. She writes both sweet and sensual romances about the West, both historical and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her romance series include the Kincaids,
McClintocks, Stone Mountain TX, Bride Brigade,
Texas Time Travel, Texas Caprock Tales, Pearson Grove, and Loving A Rancher as well as numerous single titles and contributions to multi-author sets.
When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, reading books written by her friends, eating out, browsing antique malls, exploring family genealogy, checking Facebook, and taking the occasional nap. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
Join her and other readers at Caroline’s Cuties, a Facebook readers group for special excerpts, exchanging ideas, contests, giveaways, recipes, and talking to like-minded people about books at https://www.facebook.com/groups/27708205301
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Winter Wish
Christmas Wishes Series
By
Caroline Clemmons
Copyright © 2019 by Caroline Clemmons
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, events, or locales is purely coincidental.
Wish Upon a
Well
Susan Horsnell
International Best-Selling Author
Author of Amazon No 1 Best Sellers in 2018:
Matt – Book 1 in The Carter Brothers Series
Clay – Book 3 in The Carter Brothers Series
Amazon No 1 Best Seller in February 2019
Andrew’s Outback Love – Book 1 in The Outback Australia Series
Amazon No 1 Best Seller in July 2019
Ruby’s Outback Love – Book 2 in The Outback Australia Series
Amazon No 1 Best Seller in May 2019
Eight Letters
WISH UPON A WELL
Copyright © 2019 by Susan Horsnell
The right of Susan Horsnell to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000
All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical or mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the author.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
Written by Susan Horsnell
Edited by Margaret Tanner and Word Pro Writer.
Line Edit by Robyn Corcoran
Proofread by Leanne Rogers.
Background
Hopeful is a fictional town founded in 1858. My story is set in 1875. Allenville is also a fictional town, 5 miles from Hopeful.
A gold rush, based on historical fact, brought many seeking their fortune into the area and the town of Hopeful was founded.
The Pike's Peak Gold Rush (later known as the Colorado Gold Rush) was the boom in gold prospecting and mining in the Pike's Peak Country of western Kansas Territory and southwestern Nebraska Territory of the United States that began in July 1858 and lasted until roughly the creation of the Colorado Territory on February 28, 1861.
Many people already lived in the area, farming and ranching before gold was discovered. Their nearest town at the time being Allenville, which provided shopping and the children’s schooling.
The Long family had owned their ranch, Mykita, under dubious circumstances, since 1831. It had been won in a card game at the Allenville Saloon by William Long. Although it was said he had cheated, it had never been proven and he had long since passed, leaving his son now in charge.
Note to Reader:
This book is purely fictional, a product of the author’s imagination and is written for the reader’s enjoyment. It is not intended to be used for Historical education.
The characters, town and businesses are fictional and should be regarded as such.
About the Author
I live in sunny Queensland, Australia and retired after 37 years of Nursing.
My husband of 45 years, together with our elderly Jack Russell Terrier and extremely opinionated 26-year-old Cockatiel, enjoy exploring the country with our caravan.
When we are at home, we spend our time renovating our home.
I write a variety of stories including Western Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, Male/Male, Menage and Shapeshifter.
Each book has a strong focus on story line with romantic interest building throughout.
I explore real life issues from kids on the streets to motorcycle war and put my own twist on each one.
Author Links
Blog: http://susanhorsnell.com
Web: http://www.susanhorsnellromanceauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanhorsnellromanceauthor/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/susan-horsnell
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2t5INNB
Chapter One
ABIGAIL
HOPEFUL
Colorado
1875
I busied myself making a fresh pot of coffee to serve the men who had just entered the Fork and Talk Diner.
The building was a two story wooden structure with three thick wooden posts fixed at the outer edge of the wide boardwalk. A hitching rail enabled customers to tie up their mounts while they dined. The front door had a handsome brass handle and the window was secured by wooden shutters.
On the upper level, three doors opened onto a balcony which was made from floor boards. The railing was constructed from criss-cross patterned wood.
An iron shingle hung from the balcony. The diner name was in shiny yellow paint and surrounded by patterned scrolls.
The door opened onto a large square dining area, the kitchen was through a doorway off to the right.
The dining area consisted of round tables with scroll backed wooden chairs. Whitewashed walls held charcoal drawings of gold miners, rather apt considering the town had grown from a minor gold rush.
One pictured a man crouched down, he appeared to be studying a pan for gold. Another depicted a man standing, pan hanging at his side. His eyes were fixed on the flowing river before him. The last had
a man asleep on the ground, gold pan beside him. There was also a painting of Ulysses S. Grant, the President of the United States.
Floors throughout were scuffed, due to the many boot wearing customers, mama and me.
In the kitchen stood mama’s pride and joy – a large cast iron, coal fired cooker with two ovens. I adored the lion paw legs which added to its character. The top was a single piece of flat metal and the level of heat directed at pots and pans was dependant on where they were placed. The left side emitted the lowest heat - right side the highest.
There was no shortage of counter tops in both wood and metal. Two metal sinks, copper pots and pans hung on hooks from the ceiling.
The diner was owned by mama and for the past six years, I had been her only employee. The place demanded long hours every day of the week and often left us exhausted, but neither of us would have done anything else.
Mama had inherited the establishment from her Uncle Tobias who had built it the year the town had been founded. We had run it together ever since he’d passed. Ownership was timely, coming shortly after papa was killed by a runaway wagon.
He’d been crossing the street from the saloon when, according to witnesses, he’d turned to see four horses thundering toward him. He’d been imbibing heavily, didn’t have his wits about him and failed to jump out of the way before he was hit. He hadn’t died instantly and the following few days with him clinging to life had caused a great deal of grief for mama.
Although we were now comfortable, thanks to the diner, our family had struggled when papa was alive. Most people in town whispered behind our backs that he’d always been a good for nuthin’ who spent too much time in the saloon and drank far too much. They also muttered; Bess deserved better. Regardless of what was said, mama and I had both loved him dearly.
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