Counterfeit Cowboy

by Lacy Williams

  His Erin perched on the edge of her bed, in animated conversation with the girl and several others.

  Jesse hated to think of her as a child, mostly alone with only a nurse around. She was a person who thrived around others.

  And yet she hadn’t let those childhood injustices ruin her life.

  “Sir, your daughter has an amazing heart,” Jesse said softly, so she wouldn’t be able to hear them.

  O’Grady remained silent, and Jesse went on.

  “I know you may not ever come to like me, and that I’m not exactly what you had in mind for a son-in-law, but you should really consider getting behind your daughter’s work here. It would mean a lot to her.”

  O’Grady continued watching Erin’s interactions with the small girls. “I didn’t know... I didn’t realize,” he said. “She’s comforting these children like she should’ve been comforted during her childhood.”

  “She doesn’t hold it against you,” Jesse told the other man, sensing a softening in him. Erin was full of mercy, full of love, and O’Grady had to know that. It was up to him to choose what to do with it.

  Erin joined them a moment later, wiggling her eyebrows. “What are you two up to? I recognize at least one of those mischievous faces.”

  Jesse shrugged, content to let her father decide how he would react to this visit.

  “Your fiancé has been talking me in to a special wedding gift,” Shamus O’Grady said. It was the first time he’d acknowledged Jesse as Erin’s fiancé.

  “Jesse...” She smacked him on the arm playfully.

  “Hey—” he said with palms out.

  “I thought I might make a donation to the work you’re doing here.” O’Grady’s words drew Erin to him and away from Jesse but he was content to let her go. “Darling, I’m sorry I didn’t realize... If Jesse hadn’t pushed me to come today I might never have come. Never known what this ‘visiting’ really means to you.”

  “Oh, Papa!” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck.

  The older man looked at Jesse over her shoulder. “I suppose there are other things I could learn from your young man.”

  It was a sort of grudging acceptance, until Shamus held out his hand for Jesse to shake, one arm still wrapped around Erin.

  Blessing filled Jesse’s chest, making it a bit hard to breathe. “Thank you, sir,” he said through a full throat.

  “We’d better get home. Your brother’s train was supposed to arrive this afternoon and I’ll bet he and that wild wife of his have arrived.”

  “Jesse, you’ll love getting to know Danna.” Erin looped her arm through Jesse’s as they made their way to the waiting coach.

  And he realized he was in the company of family. At last.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt of Handpicked Husband by Winnie Griggs!

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for riding along with Erin and Jesse on their journey to finding true love. I got to do a lot of research about historical travel, but the thing that stuck with me the most was figuring out that the people who traveled back then were just like we are today—they were harried, the moms with small children were tired, people tried to bring way too much luggage. Writing this book brought back memories of Christmas trips to visit my in-laws where my husband and I were those annoying travelers bringing way too many gifts as carry-ons. If you ever have this travel experience, I hope you can find the patience to deal with people like us!

  Thanks for reading and please let me know what you thought of the book. You can reach me at lacyjwilliams@gmail.com or care of Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279.

  Lacy Williams

  Questions for Discussion

  What was your first impression of Jesse Baker? Did you like or dislike him? How did your impressions of him change throughout the book?

  What does Jesse fear most? What does he do about that fear?

  Erin makes a rash decision to leave home. Have you ever done something impulsive like this? Did you regret the decision or did it turn out for good?

  Erin was blessed with material wealth, but tried to always use it to help others. Have you ever been blessed in a financial way by someone else? Tell about the situation.

  Have you ever traveled over the Christmas holidays? What was your experience like?

  Jesse had lost someone important to him when his brother died. Have you ever lost someone important to you? How did you cope?

  Because of similar experiences, Jesse was able to be a mentor of sorts for Pete. Have you ever mentored or been mentored by someone? What was your experience?

  Erin is angry with her father and runs away to avoid the situation. Have you ever avoided an uncomfortable situation? How did you resolve it?

  Do you identify with any of the main characters in this story? In what way?

  At the beginning of this story, Erin feels trapped by her circumstances and Jesse has just been released from prison. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt stuck? What did you do about it?

  Jesse and Pete started out the story not being truthful about who they were. How did this affect them later on in the story? How do you think they felt about it when the truth was found out?

  Erin tried to share the true meaning of Christmas with Jesse and Pete. How do you define Christmas?

  Was there any part of the story you would change if you could? If so, what was it, and how would you change it?

  What do you think Jesse and Erin learned about love?

  What was your favorite part in this story?

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Historical story.

  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.

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  Chapter One

  Northeast Texas, 1894

  An ear-splitting shriek ricocheted through the forest, startling a raucous cloud of blackbirds from the roadside trees.

  “Easy, Trib.” Adam Barr patted the horse’s neck as the animal shied. What now?

  The buggy behind him slowed to a stop, but Adam ignored it, along with the uneasy questions from the three men seated inside. He’d promised to escort the men from Philadelphia to Texas, not be their nursemaid.

  The wailing continued and Adam fought the urge to tilt back his head and answer with a wild, full-throated howl. He’d gritted his teeth so often these past few days the muscles in his jaw hurt. Taking on this job when more important business waited for him in Philadelphia had him in a foul mood, as his companions could no doubt attest.

  After six years of biding his time—six years, two months and thirteen days to be exact—he’d thought he could finally pursue his goal without distraction.

  If this assignment had come from anyone but Judge Madison...

  Adam scanned the brush-skirted hardwoods lining the trail. Whatever the source of that eerie sound, it was headed their way.

  He eased his rifle from the scabbard. Anticipation stirred his blood. He might have to employ his “company manners” with his three charges, but this bellowing beast was another matter.

  No telling what manner of creature roamed this forsaken
backwoods. The wail was too high-pitched to belong to a bear. A large cat maybe?

  He urged Trib closer to the trees. There seemed to be a pattern to the sound, a certain mangled cadence. Almost as if—

  Well, what do you know?

  He leaned back. Not a wild animal after all. Too bad.

  “Do you think it’s a wolf?”

  Adam glanced over his shoulder. Chance’s expression, like his tone, held more eagerness than worry. Did the kid think it would be some kind of lark to face down a wolf? Of course, from what Judge Madison had told Adam, the twenty-one-year-old was on this expedition precisely because he was prone to seek out trouble.

  “Sounds more like an infernal wildcat.” Everett adjusted his shirt cuff with exaggerated care, doing a creditable job of appearing unconcerned. But his British accent was more pronounced now, something Adam noticed happened when anything rattled the dandified cynic.

  Mitchell, who controlled the skittish carriage horse with ease, refrained from comment. Nothing unusual in that. The loose-limbed bear of a man had spent most of the trip west with a sort of sleepy-eyed disinterest. What was different, however, was the subtle alertness that radiated from him now, as if he were a cavalryman waiting for the enemy to appear over the rise.

  Another strident note drew Adam’s focus back to the roadside. He didn’t bother to disabuse them of the notion that it might be a wild animal. It’d do the pampered trio good to have something to worry about besides the unorthodox plot they’d gotten themselves embroiled in.

  “Perhaps you should get the carriage moving,” Everett said. “I’m sure our escort can handle this better without us to distract him.”

  “We shouldn’t abandon Mr. Barr,” Chance shot back. “He might need—”

  “This is about common sense, Junior, not courage,” Everett interrupted. “Besides, I do believe Mr. Barr is more interested in getting rid of the lot of us than having us guard his back.”

  “I told you before—the name’s Chance, not Junior.”

  Adam’s jaw tightened. Everett was right. Even if it had been a grizzly headed this way, he’d rather face that than listen to more of this petty bickering. This assignment couldn’t be over soon enough to suit him.

  A heartbeat later, the source of the ear-grating racket stepped onto the roadside. As soon as the creature caught sight of them, the discordant warble ceased.

  “It’s a man!” Chance’s tone carried as much disappointment as surprise.

  “Not quite.” Adam didn’t blame the youth for the mistake. The party responsible for that unmelodic braying wore baggy overalls and an equally oversize shirt, both of which had seen better days. There was even a smudge of dirt on one cheek to match those on the clothing.

  But this was no man.

  From Adam’s closer vantage, he spied a frizzy brown braid long enough to brush the seat of the overalls. That, along with the slender neck and hint of curves below, proclaimed this person as most definitely female. He hesitated, though, to use the word lady. She appeared more a disheveled forest waif than a civilized being.

  The girl seemed as startled as the men in the carriage. But a flicker of something else—disbelief? wariness?—shadowed her surprise.

  Remembering he still cradled the rifle, Adam resheathed it and tipped his hat. No point scaring her more than they already had.

  Besides, she might be a good source of information.

  He dug deep for the polite pleasantries that had grown rusty with disuse. “Good afternoon, miss. My apologies if we startled you.”

  “Good heavens, it’s a girl.” Chance’s whispered-but-easily-heard comment only served to heighten the color in her cheeks as she broke eye contact with Adam.

  “Or what passes for one in this barbaric wilderness.” Everett didn’t bother to lower his voice. “Do you think she speaks English?”

  Adam narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Did the men think just because she looked like an uncivilized rube she didn’t have feelings?

  But before he could say anything, the girl snapped out of her slack-jawed immobility. Her lips compressed and her eyes flashed daggers. So, there was more wildcat than rabbit in her, was there?

  Instead of baring claws, however, she bent down to pluck a stem of grass. Straightening, she favored them with a broad, neighborly grin as she stuck the weed between her teeth.

  But something in her stance told Adam the claws were there, merely out of sight for now. He also noticed she didn’t step away from the protection of the trees.

  This girl was no fool. He mentally saluted her precaution, then leaned back in the saddle, ready to enjoy whatever performance she had in store for his companions.

  “Howdy, gents.” Her words were drawn out in a thick, rustic drawl. “I reckon I was a mite surprised at that, but no harm done. We don’t get many strangers out this way, especially fancy-lookin’ gents like you ’uns.”

  Her gaze flickered to Adam’s again. Some trick of the light lent a luminosity to her irises, made them appear to change from green to blue and back again. The image of a statue he’d admired in a museum years ago shimmered through his memory. The scales of the dragon had seemed to glow, had rippled with a fluidity of color that was mesmerizing.

  This girl’s eyes were just like that.

  She turned to the men behind him, and the spell was broken. Adam collected himself, annoyed at the fanciful turn his thoughts had taken. This trip must have worn on him more than he realized.

  Mitchell remembered his manners first. “Are you all right, miss?”

  She slid the stem of grass to the other corner of her mouth with bucolic nonchalance. As she did so, Adam saw her size up the speaker, no doubt weighing Mitchell’s intimidating size against his concerned gaze.

  She finally flashed a friendly grin. “Fit as a filly in a field of clover. Why’d you ask?”

  Let it go, Adam silently advised. But Mitchell apparently hadn’t figured out what was all too obvious to Adam.

  “It’s just, well, that screeching we heard. I thought maybe something had frightened you.”

  Adam watched for her reaction with interest. Would she dissolve into tears of mortification, or give Mitchell a blistering set-down for his innocent blunder?

  To his surprise, she did neither. Instead she winced and gave a rueful smile. “My kinder friends call what you just heard a ‘joyful noise.’”

  Adam tilted his hat back with one finger. A female who could laugh at herself? Now there was a novelty.

  Ruddy color crept into Mitchell’s face along with the belated light of understanding. “I beg your pardon. I didn’t mean any disrespect. I—”

  She smiled and raised a hand. “Don’t fret none, mister. No offense taken. Why do you think I wait ’til I’m out in the woods to really give it my all?”

  She looked around, including each of them in her gaze. “You fellas lost? There’s not much out this way but trees and critters. If you’re looking for the road to Bent Willow, you passed the turn about three miles back.”

  “Actually, we’re looking for Miss Regina Nash.” A flicker in her expression told Adam she knew the name. “I understand she’s staying somewhere out this way.” He’d hand it to the judge’s granddaughter, she’d taken great pains to make it as difficult for him to find her as possible. But she obviously didn’t know who she was dealing with if she thought a trek through the woods would deter him.

  The girl nodded, pulling the stem from her mouth and waving it in t
he direction they’d been traveling. “Her place is about a twenty-minute ride farther on. Can’t miss it.” She rolled the stem between her fingers, eyeing him speculatively. “I was by there a bit ago, though, and it didn’t seem like they was expecting company.”

  He swallowed a sour laugh. “No, I don’t imagine they are.” He watched her toss the blade of grass away, still intrigued by her in spite of himself.

  Goodness knows it didn’t have anything to do with her looks. In that grubby getup and with smudges on her face, and her hair indifferently tamed into a bushy braid, she lacked anything resembling sophistication or feminine wiles. No, it was more the glimpse of personality he’d seen in her eyes, and the complete lack of apology for her untidy appearance, even after the tactless comments from the men in the carriage. The girl seemed a product of her environment, completely lacking artifice or slyness.

  “Do you live nearby?” he heard himself ask. “Can we give you a ride?”

  Now why had he made such an offer? It wasn’t like him to act impulsively. Too late to retract the offer now, though.

  “No, thanks. I’m headed that’a way.” She waved toward the trail behind her.

  Adam nodded with more relief than disappointment. As interesting as this backwoods miss was, he didn’t have time for distractions right now. The sooner he found Regina Nash, the sooner he could be done with this mess.

  “Then I suppose we’ll be on our way.” He gathered the reins. “Good day.”

  “Nice talking to you fellas.” She hooked her thumbs under the straps of her overalls and rocked back on her heels. “Tell Miz Nash I said hello when you see her.”

  Adam raised a brow. “Who shall I say sends her greetings?”