The Christmas Vow
Page 26
Thane barely nodded his head in acknowledgement of the statement and focused his gaze out the coach window. He’d suggested riding to Bolton horseback but Weston quickly assured him they needed to travel by coach. At least it was a private coach and Thane had one side all to himself. It gave him the ability to stretch out his long legs. He still felt cramped from the days of confinement on the ship due to his illness.
The few times he’d felt well enough to venture from his room on the ship, he’d joined a group of men who conversed about everything from the first electric chair execution that took place a few weeks prior in New York to the admittance of Idaho and Wyoming to the union earlier that summer.
Discussion of a new ship in the popular White Star Line, reputed for its speed and attention to detail, stirred his interest. Unfortunately, it wasn’t due to sail out of Liverpool for three weeks. By then, Thane planned to be home at his ranch.
“May I inquire, sir, have you ever met any Indians?” Weston asked from his seat across the coach, hungry for more news from the American West. The previous evening, his guest had offered several stories appropriate for genteel ears since Margaret sat with them, enraptured by the tales Thane shared.
“A few. We don’t have too many in the Baker City area, but there’s a reservation near Pendleton, north of where I live. The Indians are just trying to survive, like a lot of the rest of us.”
“Have you witnessed any of them performing something called the ghost dance? I read in the newspaper that many of the tribes are engaging in the ritual at the urging of a man named Wovoka.”
“No, I haven’t seen any ghost dancers. While many of the tribes believe it will bring a return of their old ways, the dance mostly has a bunch of white folks in a panic, worried about uprisings.”
“Surely you jest.”
Thane glanced at his traveling companion and shook his head. “Nope. Personally, I think they ought to leave the Indians alone and let them do their dances. It’s bad enough we’ve shoved them off their lands onto reservations; we shouldn’t forbid them from honoring their traditions.”
Weston continued asking questions about life in the west and on a ranch. While working through the basket of food Mrs. Weston provided, the men maintained a lively conversation that stayed far away from discussions of Henry or his passing.
The afternoon moved toward evening as the coach slowed and turned down a lane, rolling to a stop in front of a large stone home resembling a miniature castle with gables, turrets, and multiple chimneys gracing the roofline. Ivy and climbing roses trailed over the arch around the doorway while a profusion of blooming flowers and green lawn completed the pastoral scene.
“We made jolly good time,” Weston said, smiling at the coachman as he opened the door to the conveyance. “Welcome to Breckenridge Cottage.”
As he stepped onto the cobblestoned path leading to the front door, Henry’s cottage looked nothing like Thane imagined. It was vastly different from the small, humble cabin he called home.
Curious, he followed Weston down the walk to the door. Thane took a deep breath, inhaling the cloying aroma of the flowers.
Rain began to fall as they stepped beneath the overhang covering the door. Between the dreary skies and perpetual dampness, he couldn’t wait to return to the somewhat arid conditions of eastern Oregon.
Though he expected Weston to produce a key and open the door, Thane hid his surprise when the man knocked and turned to him with a smile.
“I thought this was Henry’s place?” Thane asked, confused.
“Indeed, it is.”
“And someone lives here?”
“They most certainly do. I planned to discuss further those details with you today on our journey, but you made your preference clear on that topic. I rather enjoyed our conversations about your life in the west. Regardless, by deferring to your wishes, you shall meet the occupants without forewarning.”
“Forewarning? Now, wait just a dang minute, Weston. I’ve got…”
The door opening forced Thane to clamp his mouth shut, although he continued to glare at his traveling companion.
“Weston! How nice to see you.”
The feminine voice floating out to Thane caused him to shift his gaze from the solicitor to the beautiful woman standing in the doorway, smiling in greeting. Light from inside the house highlighted her auburn hair and created a soft glow around her shoulders. Ladylike and elegant in appearance, Thane wondered if she had royal blood pumping through her delicate veins.
“My dear, I do so hope you received my correspondence explaining our arrival.”
“Indeed, I did, kind sir. Please come in.” She stepped back to allow her guests entry. “You’re just in time for a spot of tea.”
“Wonderful. I’m glad we arrived when we did,” Weston said, removing his hat and coat and hanging them on the mahogany hall tree in the entry.
Thane removed his Stetson and jacket, leaving them beside Weston’s things before turning to the woman.
Weston thumped him on the back as he made introductions. “Thane Jordan, I’d very much like you to meet Jemma Bryan, Henry’s sister-in-law.”
Thane clenched his jaw and curtly tipped his head to the woman. Her smile slowly melted as his annoyance pounded between them with a palpable force.
Weston stood rooted in place when Thane pinned him with an angry glare. “Henry was married?”
Crumpets and Cowpies
Baker City Brides, Book 1
Available on Amazon
Pendleton Petticoats Series
Set in the western town of Pendleton, Oregon, right at the turn of the 20th century, each book in this series bears the name of the heroine, all brave yet very different.
Aundy (Book 1) Aundy Thorsen, a stubborn mail-order bride, finds the courage to carry on when she's widowed before ever truly becoming a wife, but opening her heart to love again may be more than she can bear.
Caterina (Book 2) — Running from a man intent on marrying her, Caterina Campanelli starts a new life in Pendleton, completely unprepared for the passionate feelings stirred in her by the town's incredibly handsome deputy sheriff.
Ilsa (Book 3) — Desperate to escape her wicked aunt and an unthinkable future, Ilsa Thorsen finds herself on her sister's ranch in Pendleton. Not only are the dust and smells more than she can bear, but Tony Campanelli seems bent on making her his special project.
Marnie (Book 4) — Beyond all hope for a happy future, Marnie Jones struggles to deal with her roiling emotions when U.S. Marshal Lars Thorsen rides into town, tearing down the walls she’s erected around her heart.
Lacy (Book 5) — Bound by tradition and responsibilities, Lacy has to choose between the ties that bind her to the past and the unexpected love that will carry her into the future.
Bertie (Book 6) — The next adventure in the Pendleton Petticoat Series — coming in 2016!
The Christmas Cowboy (Rodeo Romance, Book 1) — Flying from city to city in her job as a busy corporate trainer for a successful direct sales company, Kenzie Beckett doesn’t have time for a man. And most certainly not for the handsome cowboy she keeps running into at the airport. Burned twice, she doesn’t trust anyone wearing boots and Wranglers, especially someone as charming and handsome as Tate Morgan.
Among the top saddle bronc riders in the rodeo circuit, easy-going Tate Morgan can handle the toughest horse out there, but trying to handle the beautiful Kenzie Beckett is a completely different story. As the holiday season approaches, this Christmas Cowboy is going to need more than a little mistletoe to win her heart.
Wrestlin’ Christmas (Rodeo Romance, Book 2) — Sidelined with a major injury, steer wrestler Cort McGraw struggles to come to terms with the end of his career. Shanghaied by his sister and best friend, he finds himself on a run-down ranch with a worrisome, albeit gorgeous widow, and her silent, solemn son.
Five minutes after Cort McGraw lands on her doorstep, K.C. Peters fights to keep a promise she made to herself to stay away from s
ingle, eligible men. When her neighbor said he knew just the person to help work her ranch for the winter, she never expected the handsome, brawny former rodeo star to fill the position.
Ready to send him packing, her little boy has other plans...
Capturing Christmas (Rodeo Romance, Book 3) — Life is hectic on a good day for rodeo stock contractor Kash Kressley. Between dodging flying hooves and babying cranky bulls, he barely has time to sleep. The last thing Kash needs is the entanglement of a sweet romance, especially with a woman as full of fire and sass as the redheaded photographer he meets at a rodeo.
Confident and spirited rodeo photographer Celia McGraw is determined to capture the best images possible. Fearless and feisty, she’s the last person to back down from a challenge, even when it puts her in danger. However, her biggest risk isn’t in the rodeo arena, but the way her heart responds to one incredibly handsome stock contractor.
Don’t miss out on The Cowboy’s Christmas Plan,
Book 1 in the Grass Valley Cowboys Series!
Grass Valley Cowboys Series
Meet the Thompson family of the Triple T Ranch in Grass Valley, Oregon.
Three handsome brothers, their rowdy friends, and the women who fall for them are at the heart of this contemporary western romance series.
Book 1 – The Cowboy’s Christmas Plan
Book 2 – The Cowboy’s Spring Romance
Book 3 – The Cowboy’s Summer Love
Book 4 – The Cowboy’s Autumn Fall
Book 5 – The Cowboy’s New Heart
The Women of Tenacity Series
Welcome to Tenacity!
Tenacious, sassy women tangle with the wild, rugged men who love them in this contemporary western romance series.
The paperback version offers a short story introduction, A Prelude, followed by the three full-length novels set in the fictional town of Tenacity, Oregon.
Book 1 – Heart of Clay
Book 2 – Country Boy vs. City Girl
Book 3 – Not His Type
The Christmas Crusade — Levi Clarke is on a crusade to create a merry Christmas for the patrons of Center for Hope community center. He’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen, even if it means seeking a sponsorship from Kat Kingsley, the woman too stubborn to realize she’s still in love with him.
(If you enjoyed reading The Coffee Girl, this sweet novella continues the story.)
The Coffee Girl — On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Brenna Smith has a few goals in mind:
* Introduce herself to the hunky construction guy she runs into every morning at the coffee shop.
* Slap the smug smirk off the face of her detestable boss right before she quits.
* Open a bistro.
* Find the man who haunts her dreams.
Handsome and charming Brock McCrae owns a successful construction company and enjoys time spent with friends. However, he still has a few items on his to-do list:
*Find a place to call home.
*Get a dog.
*Work up the courage to ask the quirky woman he knows only as the Coffee Girl out on a date.
Will the two of them connect over more than a cup of java?
Learnin’ The Ropes — Mechanic Ty Lewis is out of options. Homeless and desperate to find work, he accepts a job in the tiny community of Riley, Oregon. Resolved to embrace a new adventure with an elusive boss, he leaves behind everything he’s ever known in Portland to live in the middle of nowhere.
Lexi Ryan, known to her ranch hands and neighbors as Lex Jr., abandons her corporate career to keep the Rockin’ R Ranch running smoothly after the untimely death of her father. It doesn’t take long to discover her father did many crazy things during the last few months before he died, like hiding half a million dollars that Lexi can’t find.
Ty and Lexi are both in for a few surprises as he arrives at the ranch and begins learnin’ the ropes.
Love at the 20-Yard Line — Haven Haggarty is woefully inept when it comes to men and matters of the heart. Successful in her job as an image consultant with an up-and-coming company, she wishes she could enjoy as much triumph in her dating efforts. When she falls hard for a handsome wide receiver, Haven realizes she needs to tackle her fears or miss the opportunity to experience once-in-a-lifetime love.
Brody Jackson lives and breathes football. As a wide receiver for a popular arena team, he’s determined to make it back to the NFL. Cocky and confident, he doesn’t have the time or energy to be bothered with a serious relationship until he’s blindsided by a sweet, naive girl who breaks through his defenses. He has to decide if he’ll let go of his dreams or fumble his chance to win Haven’s heart.
The QR Code Killer — Murder. Mayhem. Suspense. Romance.
Zeus is a crazed killer who uses QR Codes to taunt the cop hot on his trail.
Mad Dog Weber, a tough-as-nails member of the Seattle police force, is willing to do whatever it takes to bring Zeus down. Despite her best intentions, Maddie (Mad Dog) falls in love with her dad's hired hand, putting them both in danger.
Erik Moore is running from his past and trying to avoid the future when he finds himself falling in love with his employer’s daughter. Unknowingly, he puts himself right in the path of the QR Code Killer as he struggles to keep Maddie safe.
From the waterfront of Seattle to the rolling hills of wheat and vineyards of the Walla Walla Valley, suspense and romance fly around every twist and turn.
Fifty Dates with Captain Cavedweller — When a hopeless romantic with a bit of a sarcastic attitude falls in love with an introvert who dreams of living in a man cave, they plan to live happily ever after. The only problem is that life seems to get in the way.
Waking up one day to discover they’d gone from perpetual honeymooners to a boring, predictable couple, author Shanna Hatfield and her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller, set out on a yearlong adventure to add a little zing to their relationship.
This G-rated journey through fifty of their dates provides an insightful, humorous look at the effort they made to infuse their marriage with laughter, love, and gratitude while reconnecting on a new, heartfelt level.
Farm Girl — What happens when a farmer who’s been wishing for a boy ends up with a girlie-girl?
Come along on the humorous and sometimes agonizing adventures from a childhood spent on a farm in the Eastern Oregon desert where one family raised hay, wheat, cattle and a farm girl.
“Great read! I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times!”
Amazon Reviewer
Savvy Entertaining Series
Discover seasonal ideas for decorating, entertaining, party themes, home décor, recipes and more from Savvy Entertaining’s blogger!
Books by Shanna Hatfield
FICTION
HISTORICAL
Dacey - Bride of North Carolina
Baker City Brides
Crumpets and Cowpies
Thimbles and Thistles
Pendleton Petticoats
Aundy
Caterina
Ilsa
Marnie
Lacy
Hardman Holidays
The Christmas Bargain
The Christmas Token
The Christmas Calamity
The Christmas Vow
CONTEMPORARY
Love at the 20-Yard Line
The Coffee Girl
The Christmas Crusade
Learnin’ the Ropes
QR Code Killer
Rodeo Romance
The Christmas Cowboy
Wrestlin’ Christmas
Capturing Christmas
Grass Valley Cowboys
The Cowboy’s Christmas Plan
The Cowboy’s Spring Romance
The Cowboy’s Summer Love
The Cowboy’s Autumn Fall
The Cowboy’s New Heart
The Women of Tenacity
A Prelude (Short Story)
Heart of Clay
Country Boy vs. City Girl<
br />
Not His Type
NON-FICTION
Farm Girl
Fifty Dates with Captain Cavedweller
Recipes of Love
Savvy Entertaining Series
Savvy Holiday Entertaining
Savvy Spring Entertaining
Savvy Summer Entertaining
Savvy Autumn Entertaining
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield spent ten years as a newspaper journalist before moving into the field of marketing and public relations. Self-publishing the romantic stories she dreams up in her head is a perfect outlet for her love of writing, reading, and creativity. She and her husband, lovingly referred to as Captain Cavedweller, reside in the Pacific Northwest.
Shanna loves to hear from readers. Connect with her online:
Blog: shannahatfield.com
Facebook: Shanna Hatfield’s Page
Shanna Hatfield’s Hopeless Romantics Group
Pinterest: Shanna Hatfield
Email: shanna@shannahatfield.com
If you’d like to know more about the characters in any of her books,
visit the Book Characters page on her website
or check out her Book Boards on Pinterest.