Winning Over the Wrangler

by Linda Ford

  Brand had purchased land from Eddie, half an hour away to the northwest. Sybil had visited the place many times as Brand worked on their house, but she hadn’t been there in several days.

  If not for the joy of Brand’s company and the pleasure of seeing signs of spring around them, she would have found the drive endless, so eager was she to get there.

  Brand pulled the wagon to a halt at the break in the trees. “There it is. Our own place. I never thought I’d ever have the privilege of being able to settle down.” He pulled her close. “Nor did I imagine I would ever have a sweet wife like you.”

  She kissed him and rejoiced to feel how his arms no longer carried tension in them. It had taken Brand weeks to stop looking over his shoulder for his pa and brother. But now he was finally accepting that his ordeal was over.

  They continued onward. Brand pulled the wagon to the front of the new house, a log cabin with a window on either side of the welcoming door. It was three times the size of the one they’d spent the winter in, with three rooms—a big kitchen, a little sitting room and a bedroom.

  “We’ll add more rooms as we need them,” Brand had promised.

  For the many children they hoped to have. Sybil pictured little boys and girls tumbling from the doorway to greet them.

  Brand lifted her down. “Welcome home.” His voice deepened, indicating how much he reveled in this new stage of their lives.

  “Wait a minute. I have something to show you.” She retrieved the valise she’d brought from the ranch, and pulled out a book: Western Boys and Girls, by Sybil Bannerman.

  He stared at it a moment, then understanding dawned. He whooped and swung her in a wide circle.

  “I still think I should have sold it as Sybil Duggan.”

  “We had this argument.”

  “Yes, and I let you win.” He thought the Duggan name might pose a barrier to her success. She’d finally relented simply because she saw how much it upset him.

  “Do you still feel the same way?”

  “I do. The Duggan name will always be besmirched.”

  She pulled his face close and kissed him soundly. “I am honored to share your name.” She leaned back and studied his features. “Brand, do you think you can teach your children to be proud of their name?”

  He returned her look with equal seriousness. “In time people will forget about the Duggan gang.” He shrugged. “And I guess I’ll learn to put it behind me, too.”

  “How much time do you think you’ll need?”

  “I can’t say.”

  “Will six or seven months be long enough?”

  His eyes stilled. “Why?”

  She laughed deep in her throat. “Because in about that length of time there will be another Duggan, and I want him or her to be proud of who they are and who their father is.”

  He blinked. Stared. Swallowed hard. “Another Duggan?”

  She cradled her arms as if holding an infant. “A very small one.”

  He laughed and swept her off her feet again. “Whooee. What a day this is. A new book. A baby on the way.” He crossed the threshold. “And a new home.” He kissed her before he set her down inside the cabin.

  “A new life together as the Duggans. We will be known as a couple—a family—that loves deeply.” They’d likely be known for many more things—honesty, kindness, hospitality, and above all, joy.

  “Ma used to say God will always be with us,” Brand murmured. “He will always guide us to a safe place. Her words have come true this day and I thank Him.”

  “Me, too.” Clasping hands, standing forehead to forehead, they bowed, and each prayed in gratitude for God’s faithfulness and love. “Amen.”

  They stepped into the kitchen and the beginning of a shared life together. Brand stood behind Sybil and wrapped his arms about her. He pressed his palms to the place where their child lay in safety. “Welcome home.”

  She leaned against his chest, so content she didn’t want to move. The anticipation of shared joys blessed every thought and eased every breath.

  Life as a Duggan offered a wonderful future.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from WOLF CREEK HOMECOMING by Penny Richards.

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you enjoy another visit to the Eden Valley Ranch. It is one of my favorite places. Yes, it exists only in my imagination, but I see it when I visit ranches in the foothills, when I go to museums in that area or when I see pictures that match something I’ve made up. Even though the stories and characters, even the settings, are fictional, I hope you find reality in how these people lived and the problems they overcame. I pray God will encourage you as you read about Sybil and Brand.

  I love to hear from readers. Contact me through email at linda@lindaford.org. Feel free to check on updates and bits about my research at my website www.lindaford.org.

  God bless,

  Questions for Discussion

  Why does Brand feel he must isolate himself from other people? Do you think he is justified in doing so? Did he have alternatives?

  What has Brand’s past taught him about becoming friends with men? Women?

  What has made Sybil wary about becoming friends with others?

  Is there something in particular about Brand that makes Sybil realize he spells danger to her heart? What is there about him that gets past her barriers? What events pull them together?

  Brand and Sybil both have secrets. Why don’t they confess them to each other? Do you think they had good reasons for holding back?

  How would you have felt if you had discovered Brand’s secret the way Sybil did? Do you feel it excuses the way she judged him?

  Was Brand justified in reacting as he did when he found the notes Sybil had written about him?

  How do you feel about Sybil writing under a pseudonym? Of being afraid to publish her children’s stories? Are her concerns justified? Do they reflect the opinion common to that era?

  What lessons did Sybil and Brand each have to learn in order to be able to express their love for each other?

  How was their faith challenged? Did it grow throughout the story?

  Does their future together look rosy? Do you foresee problems? If so, how do you think they will handle them?

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Historical title.

  You find illumination in days gone by. Love Inspired Historical stories lift the spirit as heroines tackle the challenges of life in another era with hope, faith and a focus on family.

  Enjoy four new stories from Love Inspired Historical every month!

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  Prologue

  St. Louis, 1877

  “Hey there, Rachel Stone!”

  Weighted down with loneliness and bone tired, Rachel was mounting the steps of her boardinghouse when she heard the greeting. The familiar, husky voice stopped her in her tracks and caused her heart to stumble. There was no way it could be who it sounded like, she thought, turning. But it was. Her mouth fell open in surprise.

  Gabe Gentry, the handsome, younger Gentry son, was standing there. The same son who, if the rumors could be believed, had asked for his inheritance prior to his father’s death and left their hometown of Wolf Creek two years ago. If the gossipmongers were correct, he was busily running through the funds, chasing every good time he could find.

  But R
achel believed that gossip was just bits and pieces of the truth often distorted and exaggerated as the tattletales passed the story around. She had a hard time believing he was as bad as everyone claimed, since her own experiences with him had been good ones.

  He was attractive, friendly, fun loving and always pleasant, and she’d liked being around him. Of course, that might be because she had always had a bit of a “thing” for him, even though she was the elder by two years. Guilty or not, his reputation made him the kind of male who inhabited a young woman’s daydreams, and the kind parents prayed would give their daughters a wide berth.

  While she was woolgathering, he stopped less than two feet from her and reached out to tap her chin with a gentle finger. Her mouth snapped shut.

  “Cat got your tongue?” he asked, favoring her with a mischievous half smile.

  Rachel stared into his dark blue eyes, willing steadiness to her trembling voice. “Gabe?” she said at last. “What are you doing here, and how did you find me?” she asked, still trying to come to terms with the fact that the man who had been the subject of too many of her youthful fantasies was standing on her doorstep.

  He laughed, thrusting his hands into the pockets of his stylish trousers. “It really is a small world. Would you believe I ran into Buck Hargrove coming out of a restaurant last night? He’s here on some sort of railroad business, and while we were catching up on what’s been going on back home, he mentioned you were here studying to be a doctor. Since I don’t see too many folks from home traveling around the way I do, I thought I’d look you up.” He smiled, a rueful twist of his lips. “Never thought I’d admit it, but I’m a little homesick for Wolf Creek.”

  “You could go back for a visit sometime, you know.”

  Was it her imagination, or did a shadow cross his attractive face? “Yeah,” he said with a bright smile. “Maybe I’ll do that.”

  He seemed uncomfortable for a moment then rallied. “So are you really going to be a doctor?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “That’s unbelievable.”

  “Why is it unbelievable? I thought everyone knew I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps.”

  “Yeah, but saying something like that and actually doing it... Maybe it’s so incredible because everyone thinks of medicine as a man’s line of work.”

  She loved talking about her chosen field but felt strange trying to justify her decision standing in front of her rented rooms. “Would you like to come inside? Mrs. Abernathy usually has lemonade made, and I don’t think she’ll object if we sit in the parlor awhile.”

  He looked indecisive for just a second, but then smiled and said, “I’d like that very much.”

  Inside, Rachel fetched the beverage and some cookies, and they sat in the shabby parlor. Gabe looked out of place in his fine, tailor-made clothing, sitting among her landlady’s simple, worn furnishings.

  Settled in a threadbare armchair, a glass of lemonade in hand, she asked, “Where were we?”

  “You were about to tell me the woes of women entering medicine.”

  “Oh, yes. The annoying part is the arrogance of the male students and even some of the professors. They make no secret that they think it’s utter folly for a woman to even think of entering their elite ranks.”

  Her face took on a pompous expression. “Women are not mentally equipped to grasp the intricacies of the circulatory, lymphatic and muscular systems and they are far too delicate to deal with the sight of blood and innards,” she intoned.

  Gabe threw back his head and roared with laughter. “They actually said that?” he asked when he’d regained his composure.

  “Among other things.”

  “And how are you doing with the blood and guts?”

  “Actually very well. I have yet to faint at anything we’ve dealt with in the lab, which not all of them can say.”

  “They don’t know you grew up around that sort of thing. I remember that you rescued every injured critter you came across.”

  He remembered that? So did she. One time in particular came to mind. She’d been around fourteen and Gabe had helped carry home a dog that Luther Thomerson had beaten with his buggy whip.

  “So tell me your plans,” he urged, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. All of his attention was focused on her. “Will you set up practice here in St. Louis?”

  “Oh, no! I’d never be happy in a place so big and impersonal. I intend to help my father.”

  “And waste your skills on folks who probably can’t pay for them?” he scoffed. “You could make a lot of money in a big city.”

  “There’s more to life than money,” she told him, her expression earnest. “Those people need medical attention, too. My father gets a great deal of satisfaction helping those who need it.”

  “You can’t live on satisfaction.”

  Her passionate gaze sought his. “Perhaps not, but if we put God first, He’ll see to it we have what we need. I know it’s a cliché, but money really can’t buy happiness.” She placed a palm against her chest. “That comes from inside us. From knowing who we are, and what we stand for.”

  “You really believe that, don’t you?” he said, his eyes filled with wonder.

  “I know it’s true.”

  He laughed again. “Well, money may not buy happiness,” he quipped, clearly uncomfortable, “but it certainly does a fine job of mimicking it.” He pulled the gold watch from his pocket. “I should be going. I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”

  “Of course.” She stood, clasping her hands together, both sorry and relieved that he was going. As wonderful as it was to see him, he made her very uncomfortable. Rising, he set his glass on a nearby table. She followed him to the door and opened it, realizing that when he left he wouldn’t be back.

  They stepped out onto the stoop, and Rachel extended her hand. His fingers curled warmly, excitingly around hers. Urging a smile, she said, “Thank you for stopping by. Like you, I miss seeing people from home.”

  “I’ve enjoyed it, too.” He turned to go, but at the top of the steps, he came back, his eyes filled with indecision. “Would you like to have dinner tomorrow evening?”

  For a heartbeat, Rachel wasn’t certain she’d heard correctly. She knew she should say no, but for the life of her could not bring to mind a good reason why. It was doubtless that she would see him after tomorrow, and she would at least have one brilliant memory to see her through the lonely months ahead. “I’d love to.”

  He looked pleased, relieved. “About seven?”

  “Fine.”

  Before she realized what he meant to do, he brushed a kiss to her cheek and then ran lightly down the steps. Stunned by the unexpected gesture, she reached up and touched the place with her fingertips, wondering what it would be like to feel his lips touch hers.

  Copyright © 2014 by Penny Richards

  ISBN-13: 9781460327982

  WINNING OVER THE WRANGLER

  Copyright © 2014 by Linda Ford

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