Brighter than Gold (Western Rebels Book 1)

by Cynthia Wright

  “Oh, how good to hear from him,” Katie said happily.

  “You know,” mused Jack, “I predict that Sam won’t linger long in San Francisco once he returns from the Sandwich Islands. His reputation is growing even in his absence, and intuition tells me that he’ll soon travel east in pursuit of real fame and fortune.”

  “Yes, you’re probably right,” Katie agreed, “but in the meantime, we can enjoy him for as long as he does remain with us.”

  Before long, the guests began to depart, and Katie thanked each of them for their gifts and their friendship. Conrad and Ambrose left to escort their ladies home, and then Lim, who was the last to leave, said good-bye as well. As Katie closed the front door behind him, Jack gathered her into his strong embrace, and she contentedly pressed her face against his chest.

  “I love the way you smell,” she murmured.

  “I’m glad.” Jack laughed, caressing the curve of her belly.” How are you feeling?”

  “Wonderful. Happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life.” Katie turned her face up to him, and it shone with love and serenity. “I can’t wait to have our baby.”

  “Are you ready to open your gift from me?”

  “You shouldn’t buy me things! All I ever want or need is your love.”

  “Indulge me, Kathleen.”

  “Well, all right,” she teased. “Just this once.”

  They went up the wide stairway to their sun-washed bedroom, and Katie obediently sat down on the edge of the bed and closed her eyes. Jack disappeared into his dressing room, then returned with a small velvet box which he placed in her hands. When he pushed a tiny button, the lid sprang open.

  “You can look now.”

  Slowly, Katie opened her eyes and beheld an exquisite locket on a thin golden chain. The locket was oval, also made of gold, and edged with tiny diamonds. In the middle were the linked initials KMW.

  “Oh, Jack,” Katie whispered.

  “Turn it over, darling.”

  She did so and found the inscription: “I love you—Jack. June 21, 1865.”

  “It’s so beautiful. I adore it.” Her eyes glistened with tears.

  “There’s room inside for two pictures. I thought you might want to save a place for the baby.”

  Katie reached out to touch his face and shining hair, and then she kissed his mouth. The feel and taste of him were as familiar to her as her own body, yet she never tired of him. Each embrace seemed sweeter than the last. Gazing down, Katie gently ran her thumb over the surface of the locket, glimpsing a reflection of herself.

  “It’s a perfect present, because it’s a symbol,” she declared as Jack fastened the chain around her neck. “Gold may be more precious to some people than anything else in life, but we have something that’s much brighter than gold.” She held the locket against her heart. “It’s in here.”

  Jack pressed the middle of his own chest. “And here. I love you, Kathleen.”

  “I love you, Jack.”

  He kissed her, tasting the salt of her tears, and felt the baby move against him. “Happy birthday.”

  THE END

  ~ Thank You ~

  Thank you so much for reading BRIGHTER THAN GOLD! I am honored that you have chosen my book and I sincerely hope you enjoyed it.

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  Or BOTH! Welcome to my world…

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  If you enjoyed reading this book, please consider posting a REVIEW, which will help other readers make a choice. I am grateful for every review, no matter the length.

  You have just read Book 1 of the Western Rebels set which includes:

  BRIGHTER THAN GOLD

  IN A RENEGADE’S EMBRACE

  (formerly FIREBLOSSOM)

  THE DUKE AND THE COWGIRL

  (formerly WILDBLOSSOM)

  If you haven’t read my all-time bestseller, SILVER STORM (Rakes & Rebels, Book 1), I hope you’ll download your free copy and begin the unforgettable tale of André and Devon Raveneau. It’s set in 1781, during the Revolutionary War, and many readers tell me that alpha-hero Raveneau is their all-time favorite rogue!

  Just ahead, after the Author’s Note, you’ll find an excerpt from IN A RENEGADE’S EMBRACE, which takes place in 1876 in the rollicking goldrush town of Deadwood, South Dakota. It features Fox Matthews, a recent survivor of Little Bighorn. He’s in no mood for love, but when he meets proper Madeleine Avery, passion kindles in spite of the obstacles between them. IN A RENEGADE’S EMBRACE is a tale of cultures colliding and the bittersweet, tender journey of Fox and Maddie as they discover the secrets of their own hearts.

  Once again, my heartfelt thanks for your support, encouragement, and interest in my books. I welcome your comments and suggestions, and I hope that you’ll write to me at Cynthia@CynthiaWrightAuthor.com. I promise to reply!

  Warmest wishes,

  ~ Cynthia

  ~ Author’s Note ~

  When I was a little girl living in southern California, my father loved to take us on trips to the “goldrush towns” of the Sierra foothills, and Columbia was always my favorite stop. The town had become a state park in 1945 and was perfectly preserved. Walking down the streets was (and still is!) a time-travel experience. I never forgot the brick Wells Fargo building with its 1850’s interior and brass scales or the charming little frame houses. It was wonderful to go back years later to research BRIGHTER THAN GOLD. If you are ever near Sacramento, a side trip southwest to Columbia is well worth your time!

  I also wanted to mention that Samuel Clemens, like all the historical characters who appear in my novels, really was in the locations (on the same dates) where I placed him in BRIGHTER THAN GOLD. At that time, he divided his time between working as a reporter in San Francisco and adventuring and prospecting in Calaveras County. His famous story about the Jumping Frog “was published late in 1865 and the next year he embarked on a lecture tour.

  I was living in Sacramento when I wrote BRIGHTER THAN GOLD, so the opportunity to write about the early history of that city was a treat for me. I also was intrigued by the history of the Chinese in the gold towns. I found many obscure books on that subject and tried to impart a bit of their bittersweet story through the Chinese characters in BRIGHTER THAN GOLD.

  If you’d like to know more about the real people and places in BRIGHER THAN GOLD, take a look at the Pinterest board I have created!

  On the following page, you’ll find an excerpt from IN A RENEGADE’S EMBRACE, Book 2 in my Western Rebels series! It is set in 1876, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and is filled with fascinating history – and one of my most complex and charismatic heroes, Daniel “Fox” Matthews, who struggles with survivor’s guilt after the Battle of Little Bighorn.

  Sending you my sincere appreciation for your friendship and support of my books. I write for them for you! I hope you’ll join me soon for more romance, history, and adventure.

  Until then, happy reading!

  ~ Cynthia

  Cynthia Wright says: If you enjoyed BRIGHTER THAN GOLD, I know you’ll love IN A RENEGADE’S EMBRACE, set in Deadwood, SD during the summer of 1876. It’s filled with colorful history, real people, and—of course—a romance you’ll never forget! Please enjoy this excerpt:

  Excerpt from

  IN A RENEGADE’S EMBRACE

  The Western Novels, Book 2

  “An Eden in the clouds—

  how shall I describe it!

  As well try to paint the flavor of a peach

&nbs
p; or the odor of a rose.”

  – Samuel Barrows

  reporter and member of Black Hills Expedition of 1874.

  Chapter 1

  June 26, 1876

  Deadwood, Dakota Territory

  The long journey from Philadelphia to Deadwood had sorely tried Madeleine Avery’s sense of decorum, but now she, her brother, and her grandmother were nearly to their new home. Their wagon jounced up a precipitous road carved out of the mountains, and everyone in the wagon train said that Deadwood lay on the other side.

  Out West, people spoke the word Deadwood in the same tone reserved for Paradise. Everyone Maddie and her family had met during their days aboard trains, steamboat, and finally prairie schooner had been envious when the Averys had revealed their destination.

  “Remember that man in Sioux City, Maddie?” Benjamin Avery, wide-eyed and grimy at nine years of age, scrambled back into the wagon to stare first at his sister and then at his grandmother. “He said that there’s so much gold in Deadwood, the streets are covered with it! I’ll bet that when we reach the top of this mountain and look down, we’ll be able to see the town shining in the trees!”

  “Well, it’s a lovely thought but I rather doubt that will be the case,” Maddie replied with a weary smile.

  The Black Hills themselves were a wooded wonderland, lush with wildflowers and washed by cool streams. The sun-spangled air was pungent with the scent of pine. It wasn’t difficult to imagine the Hills’ most famous town boasting streets of gold. Summoning a bright tone for Benjamin’s sake, Maddie continued, “I’ll own that I’m excited to arrive, too. I can hardly wait to see the house Father has built for us. These past months have been so difficult...” She paused, tears welling in her eyes as she looked to her grandmother. “I dearly long to fix up our new home, to plant a garden, and take care of everyone.”

  Susan Hampshire O’Hara gave her granddaughter a tender smile. She, too, was still grieving the recent death of her daughter, Colleen, Maddie’s mother. “Dearest, have you not noticed? This isn’t Philadelphia. Unless I miss my guess, Deadwood will be even more uncivilized than the towns we’ve passed through on the plains. Gold towns create an atmosphere that is hardly conducive to gentle pastimes like raising flowers and baking cream puffs.”

  Her brow furrowing slightly, Madeleine braced herself as the wagon dropped suddenly into a deep rut. Her gaze traveled back to one of the several trunks she’d brought—in spite of letters from her father admonishing her to pack lightly. It had been much too difficult to abandon her favorite books, many of which bore the faint inscription “Colleen O’Hara Avery.” They would comfort her in strange surroundings, as would the various keepsakes she had chosen from their home.

  The most astonishing adjunct to the Avery entourage had been added at the last minute: Susan O’Hara herself. The eighty-three-year-old matron would never have believed that she could leave Philadelphia, where she had been born to privilege and lived most of her life, to come to a godforsaken place like Deadwood. However, when it came time to bid Maddie and Benjamin good-bye, she’d been unable to remain behind. It was as if she could hear her daughter’s voice, speaking to her from heaven. Colleen had loved Stephen Avery but she had played both parents’ roles much of the time while he chased around the country during gold or silver booms. There was no telling what kind of father or home life awaited the Avery children in Deadwood. At the last moment, Susan had felt compelled to go with them.

  How very peculiar life was, Susan decided as she observed her beautiful granddaughter. Like Colleen, who had comported herself as a lady nearly from infancy, well-mannered Madeleine seemed bound and determined to enjoy fine things and cultivate a gentlewoman’s sensibilities—often at the expense having fun.

  Susan O’Hara had her doubts about how deep Madeleine’s refined streak really ran. After all, the child was the image of Patrick, her dear departed rogue of a husband. At twenty, Maddie was had a woman’s beauty, with luxuriant hair the color of marmalade, sparkling emerald-green eyes, a mouth both wide and rosily sensuous, and milky skin with dustings of freckles. Maddie tried to tone down her looks by twisting her mass of waves into a prim chignon and disguising her curves with high collars and restrictive corsets. Still, Susan liked to think that there were smoldering embers deep within her granddaughter that would one day ignite. She hoped she’d live to see it.

  “Look!” shouted Benjamin, as their wagon heaved over the crest of the hill. “There’s Deadwood!”

  Madeleine helped her grandmother come forward so that they could share this first view of their new home. The sight that met their eyes caused them both to gasp involuntarily.

  “Perhaps,” murmured Susan, “there’s been some mistake. That couldn’t possibly be—”

  “That’s Deadwood, ma’am,” interrupted their driver, Hugo. He spit out a stream of tobacco juice. “It’s too late to turn back now!”

  Below them, tucked into a twisting gulch crowned by cliffs of white rock and studded with burned stumps, lay a muddy, makeshift town. Deadwood seemed to consist almost entirely of half-built frame buildings, log cabins, and hundreds of tents. Maddie could hear the echoing shouts and laughter of men who appeared to be moving over every inch of the gulch. Miners.

  “Goodness,” she whispered.

  “Doesn’t it look tremendous?” Benjamin demanded.

  “Quite,” Susan ran a soft, wrinkled hand over his unruly curls. “Just the sort of place a little boy dreams of living.”

  “Do you suppose there are any other women there?” Maddie asked.

  “Oh, sure,” Hugo assured her, winking. “Where there’s gold, there’s always plenty of women... if you know what I mean.”

  “How delightful,” Susan said as they started down the rocky, rutted road. “This promises to be quite an adventure!”

  * * *

  Stephen Avery, slim and erect in a stiff-bosomed white shirt, plaid vest, and gray trousers, stood outside the new frame building that housed the grocery store. The day was growing warmer by the minute; the stench of waste rose from the bog that was Main Street.

  Watching the handful of rickety wagons creak down the side of Deadwood Gulch, Stephen tried not to worry what his daughter would think of him for bringing her and Benjamin here. She was so much like her mother. He’d never have dreamed of uprooting Colleen from her beloved Philadelphia and the tranquil, refined life she had there. What had possessed him to do so to Madeleine?

  A thin rivulet of sweat trickled out from under the band of Stephen’s bowler. He removed it, smoothed down his wavy black hair, and leaned forward to peer at the wagons as they approached Deadwood’s Chinatown. The north end of the gulch was wide enough only for Main Street and Whitewood Creek, and the exotic-looking shop facades always startled people who were seeing their first Chinatown. The strong scent of incense pervaded the air. Stephen was watching anxiously when he saw first Benjamin, then Maddie climb out from under their wagon’s soiled cover to sit beside the driver. Their innocent faces looked this way and that, taking in the ramshackle Chinese grocery, laundries, joss house, and restaurants. Even more startling, however, was the area of town that came next—the “badlands,” a virtual hotbed of vice and corruption. Filthy miners, painted whores, and rowdy gamblers lounged in doorways and on the occasional balcony, laughing, shooting guns into the air, and drinking as they watched the newest crop of pilgrims roll into Deadwood.

  Again, Stephen silently expressed his gratitude that Colleen could not comment on his decision to bring their children to this bawdy, smelly, uncivilized town. As the covered wagon bearing his offspring drew closer, he earnestly and uncharacteristically prayed that they would be happy in Deadwood. Were they not his children, too? Perhaps they might even thrive on the contrasts between this new life and the past....

  Pulled by a team of tired mules, its wheels clotted with mud, the Avery wagon groaned to a halt.

  “Hello, Father.”

  Stephen’s heart hurt, as it always did after a se
paration, when he saw Madeleine. Even after weeks of travel, she appeared fresh and ladylike from the roots of her shining hair to the tips of her kid leather-shod toes.

  “My dearest daughter, how happy and relieved I am to see you both safely arrived!”

  The driver had no qualms about climbing down into the stinking mire, which oozed halfway up his boots. “Ma’am, unless you want to step in this muck, you’ll have to let me hand you over to the grocery steps.”

  With a game smile that masked her exhaustion and horror, Madeleine glanced down to make certain the lawn tucker that shielded her bosom was securely in place, then lifted her skirts and allowed Hugo to catch her in his arms. He smelled like something that had not met soap and water for many weeks. Somehow she kept smiling until she was set beside her father on the brand-new pine steps.

  “Father, how did you know we would be coming today?” she asked as they embraced.

  “Nearly everyone in town has known you were coming, my dear,” Stephen replied, reaching out to swing Benjamin over to join them. “A fellow who recently arrived by horseback brought word of the travelers he’d seen coming into the Hills from Pierre.”

  “Did the fellow mention me?” called a female voice from the depths of the wagon.

  Stephen’s head snapped back slightly while his craggy face registered disbelief. “You’ll laugh, children, but for a moment I thought that sounded like—”