Healing Montana Sky

by Debra Holland

  “Give me a bit of time to think on it.”

  Jacques toddled over to him, reaching up his arms. “Pa.”

  Going with a gut feeling that he could trust his wife’s judgment, Erik hung the Winchester on the rack above Antonia’s two rifles. He crouched to hug the boy. “You’ve grown since I’ve been away.”

  Jacques patted Erik’s face. Seemingly reassured, he pulled away and toddled to the bearskin, picking up a spoon near Camilla and plopping down on his behind.

  Erik rose and walked over to pick up his daughter from the bearskin. He kissed Camilla’s forehead, feeling the intensity of his love for her and knowing the Indian men must have the same feelings for their babies—and how such abiding love could drive a man to do anything to save his family.

  Needing to feel his daughter safe in his arms, Erik carried Camilla with him to the table. He seated himself next to Henri and ruffled the boy’s hair. “Glad to see you’re taking such good care of things here, son. I’m proud of you.”

  To his surprise, the affectionate tone and gesture seemed to make the braves relax. Erik realized they must have wondered how he was treating Jean-Claude’s family. Seeing their concern made him feel better disposed toward them. Not only were they not going to hurt his family, they’d been concerned that he was the hurtful one. That realization was enough to make him smile toward them.

  Antonia set a plate of scrambled eggs and ham in front of him, followed by another piled with several pieces of toast spread with jam and butter.

  Even with keeping Camilla entertained, Erik managed to ravenously devour his eggs and toast. One-handedly, he forked the food into his mouth.

  Once Erik finished, he relaxed, rubbing Camilla’s back. He looked across the table at the braves, speaking directly to them. “How stand you with horses? Do you have enough to trade for cattle and other livestock?” He glanced at Henri, nodding for the boy to translate.

  After he did, the Indians looked at one another, talking among themselves and seeming to come to an agreement, for they fell silent and faced Erik. Samoset, who seemed to be the ringleader, nodded.

  Erik outlined his plan for the Indians to trade their extra horses for cattle and other livestock, seeds, and plants. In addition, some of the white men working in shifts could travel to the reservation and teach them the best ways to farm.

  He’d need the agreement and cooperation of the sheriff and town leaders, but Erik knew in his gut that enough of them would get behind this arrangement, even if haters like the Cobbs objected. The support and involvement of the leadership would be enough to make an informal treaty work.

  The discussion and bargaining between the five of them, which sometimes turned heated, lasted all day. By the end of the discussion, the braves had agreed to ride to the reservation and speak with the tribe’s chief and elders, returning to the farm in a week’s time with the chief to negotiate with John Carter, Sheriff Granger, and other town leaders.

  Erik remembered that Jonah Barrett had close ties with the Blackfoot through his first wife. He should be involved as well.

  Since all three braves had extra mounts, they agreed those horses were to be sold, and the money divided among all those whose livestock they’d stolen.

  Erik had a strong feeling that offering reparations would be enough to allay the townsfolk’s need for justice. He planned to draw up a treaty stating what the five of them had worked out today, which could be amended at the joint meeting.

  Afterward, he and Antonia stood together with Henri and Schatzy on the porch, watching the Indians ride away. The three took supplies with them—Antonia’s dried fruits and vegetables, as well as portions of cheese and jerky she’d made.

  The boy and the dog wandered back into the house.

  Erik slipped his arm around Antonia’s waist and pulled her against his side. “Well, wife, are you satisfied?”

  She leaned her head on his shoulder. “If Jean-Claude were here—” her voice thickened “—he’d thank you for taking care of his friends. Their—” she hesitated, obviously searching for a word “—plight was a burden on his heart. Mine, too.” She sighed. “We be. . .will have much hard work ahead of us to make this right. But I feel here—” Antonia raised her head, turned toward him, and placed her hand on her chest “—things will be better.”

  Erik dropped a kiss on her lips. “No one in this town is afraid of hard work. Most all are God-fearing. I’m pretty sure they’ll help the Blackfoot.” He tilted his head toward the house. “Come,” he said in a suggestive tone. “Let’s put the children to bed so we can have some time to ourselves.”

  After the children were asleep, Erik and Antonia sat on the steps of the porch together, holding hands as they watched the fat moon rise into the swath of stars in the night sky. The breeze drifted the smell of grass their way and mingled with the scent of the flowers Antonia had planted.

  Erik stirred and looked at her, seeing only the shadows of her face. But he knew her familiar features, her beautiful eyes, and that was enough. “Tomorrow, I’ll ride to town and meet with Reverend Norton and Ant Gordon. They can take over from there—sending word to the others. I’ll also pay Banker Livingston a visit and make the payment on the barn. I’ll assure him I won’t be late again.” He tensed for her reaction.

  “I gave Jean-Claude’s money to Mr. Livingston, and he didn’t charge me arrears.”

  Shame balled in his stomach. “I’m so sorry. I should have told you, should have taken care of it before going for wood.”

  “At first, I was angry. But then, with what happened today, the loan didn’t seem to matter anymore. You’re home safe, and you solved the problem with the Blackfoot,” she said with pride.

  “We both did, and Henri, too.”

  “From now on, only honesty between us,” Antonia whispered.

  “I promise.” Erik lifted their joined hands. “The day we married, I never expected us to end up here, like this.” He pressed a kiss to her hand. “The best I hoped for was a businesslike relationship.”

  “We certainly have that.” Laughter lilted in her voice. “When we wed, I was just grateful for a home for my boys and a daughter to love. Never expected more.”

  “I couldn’t imagine ever loving a woman again as I did Daisy. But I was wrong.” He stared in the direction of the graveyard. “A part of you will always love Jean-Claude, and a part of my heart still belongs to Daisy.” He turned to her. “But all the rest is yours, my dearest Antonia. I realized as much today when I feared for your safety.”

  She smiled, tilting her face to his. “I knew I loved you when I fretted so over you being delayed.”

  “Perhaps. . .” Erik made a back-and-forth gesture between the two of them. “Our love is all the richer for having known Daisy and Jean-Claude. . .married them. . .brought their children into the world.”

  “We be not takin’ our feelings for granted.”

  “We know how fragile life is,” he agreed, touching her cheek. “I want to love you fully, Antonia. Appreciate our time. . .God willing our long time together. Become husband and wife in truth.”

  “I’ve longed for such.”

  “Then why didn’t you say so, wife?” he growled. “I’ve been ready to oblige you for ages.”

  She placed her hand over his heart. “Your body was ready. Sometimes, mine was also.” She patted his chest. “But we needed both.”

  Erik rose and brought her up with him. Circling her waist, he pulled Antonia close, enjoying how her breasts pressed against his chest. He felt the power of his love for her—their mutual readiness to go forward in a natural continuation of their relationship.

  Passion ignited flames that sizzled through his body, and he could barely form the words to commit to their joining. “Then, I say, wife, it’s time to begin our marriage—our real marriage—for as long as we both shall live.” He leaned down and touched his lips to hers.

  Mystic Montana Sky

  Book Six of the Montana Sky Series

  Sum
mer 2016

  Influential banker Caleb Cabot Livingston has already lost out on several opportunities for love, due to his snobbish East Coast ways. Feisty Maggie Baxter is married to an abusive miner and is nine months pregnant with their first child. On their way to Sweetwater Springs, the Baxters’ gypsy wagon collides with Caleb’s buggy, killing Maggie’s husband and sending her into early labor. Caleb is forced to deliver the baby girl, a harrowing and ultimately endearing experience. Little does Caleb know that the most difficult day of his life will lead to the special relationship he’s been searching for—but only if he can change. . . .

  From the Author

  Dear Readers,

  I hope you enjoyed Healing Montana Sky, book five in the Montana Sky series and one of eighteen (currently) Montana Sky stories, including the Mail-Order Brides of the West novels.

  If you are new to reading the series, you’ll find many of the characters in Healing Montana Sky have their own stories: Pamela and John Carter in Beneath Montana’s Sky; Nick and Elizabeth Sanders in Wild Montana Sky; Wyatt and Samantha Thompson in Starry Montana Sky; Harriet and Ant Gordon in Stormy Montana Sky; and Lina and Jonah Barrett in Mail-Order Brides of the West: Lina. The O’Donnells have a story in Montana Sky Christmas, and their trio of nieces find love in A Valentine’s Choice, Irish Blessing, and Easter Reunion (the latter two available in spring 2016).

  Still to come are Caleb Livingston’s story in Mystic Montana Sky in the summer of 2016 and Sheriff K.C. Granger’s story in Montana Sky Justice.

  In many of my stories, healing from grief is a theme. Grief is a complex emotion, and some losses of loved ones always stay with us. Antonia and Erik’s marriage of convenience after the deaths of their spouses was quite common in human history because both the man and woman were needed to deal with the laborious tasks of survival and raising a family.

  In writing Healing Montana Sky, I had to strike a delicate balance between portraying the grief Antonia and Erik suffered from and also giving them a chance to fall in love again. In my “other” life, I’m a psychotherapist and corporate crisis and grief counselor, and the author of The Essential Guide to Grief and Grieving. I drew on my years of grief counseling to write this story.

  Those who have lost spouses know that recovery takes several years. Often, the second year after the death is the hardest because the loss becomes more real. The second year is also when others think the bereaved spouse should be “moving on”—a painful message to receive. At least in our modern times, husbands and wives have resources, such as grief books and support groups, and the time to fully mourn their spouses before choosing if they want to move on to a new mate.

  I hope you enjoy the Montana Sky series, and I look forward to bringing you many more stories in the future.

  Debra Holland

  Acknowledgments

  In gratitude to:

  My grandmother, Martha Muth Junger, whose stories of her childhood made me want to write.

  Del Wardell, my second father. He and my mother have proven you can find love again after the deaths of beloved spouses.

  My Montlake Romance editor, Maria Gomez.

  My editors—Louella Nelson, Linda Carroll-Bradd, and Adela Brito—who always make my stories better.

  To Delle Jacobs and John Mitchell, my cover artists.

  My mother, Honey Holland, and Hedy and Larry Codner (my aunt and uncle) for being my beta readers.

  I needed a lot of help in researching Healing Montana Sky.

  Many thanks to:

  Lisa Oates, MD, for help with Daisy’s childbirth scene.

  Heidi Howard, for her help in connecting me with Betty Yoder.

  Betty Yoder, Amish owner of The Trading Post, in Salem, Kentucky, who recounted milking cows from her memories of her childhood in the 1930s. (Thank goodness, they have a community telephone.)

  Lisa Steele of Fresh Eggs Daily (.com) for information on chickens, henhouses, and feeding, as well as story suggestions.

  (Any livestock mistakes are my own.)

  To all my friends at Pioneer Hearts, a Facebook group for the authors and readers of Historical Western Romance, for answering my questions, making suggestions when I asked for help, and their eagerness to read more Montana Sky stories. I’m truly blessed to “know” you!

  About the Author

  Photo © 2013 Randall Hill

  Debra Holland is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Montana Sky Series, a collection of heartwarming historical Western romances. In 2013, Amazon selected Starry Montana Sky as one of their Top 50 Greatest Love Stories. Debra has received the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award and has been a three-time finalist for the award as well. She is also the author of the Gods’ Dream trilogy, a fantasy romance series, and The Essential Guide to Grief and Grieving, a nonfiction book. In addition, she is a contributing author to The Naked Truth about Self-Publishing. She resides in Southern California with her two dogs and two cats.

  You can contact Debra at:

  Website: drdebraholland.com

  Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Debra-Holland/395355780562473 and facebook.com/debra.holland.731

  Twitter: twitter.com/drdebraholland