Romancing the Wilderness: American Wilderness Series Boxed Bundle Books 1 - 3

by Dorothy Wiley

  Was she ready yet?

  He observed her for a few moments before approaching her. She stood off by herself, almost in the corner of the room, twisting her hands and shifting her slight weight from side to side. Her big eyes, so blue they appeared violet, darted from person to person around the room and then widened when she caught sight of him.

  Mister Wolfe had told William recently that Kelly worried him because she showed signs of fretfulness and seemed to be growing increasingly ill at ease. Wolfe was hoping that William could help him figure out what might be wrong. William had not revealed the probable reason for her nervousness. Nor would he, ever.

  Unable to hold himself back any longer, he swiftly crossed the crowded room to make his way to her. “Thank you for coming to my swearing-in ceremony, Kelly,” he said when he reached her. He put his hand on her shoulder in a possessive gesture, and let it rest there a moment.

  “Mister Wolfe gave me the afternoon off. He knows how close I am to your family,” Kelly said, a slight tremor in her voice, “and he escorted me here.” Her eyes darted around the room. “There he is over there.” She pointed to the portly balding fellow, a land speculator and one of Boonesborough’s wealthiest and most respected citizens. William knew him well.

  As she pointed, William noticed her hand trembling ever so slightly. He had never seen that before.

  “Then I must thank him for that kindness later,” he said. “And I hope you will join me afterward for the cake and coffee social. I’m supposed to meet even more of Boonesborough’s fine citizenry. I’ll never remember all their names.”

  “Of course. It’s not every day that a man is officially sworn in as the sheriff of a town. Even though you’ve been serving as sheriff for these past few weeks, this is quite an honor, William.”

  “I am honored. I just hope I’ll be able to live up to everyone’s expectations, especially those of Judge Webb,” he said, raising his brows.

  Kelly grinned slightly and it delighted William’s heart. He wished he could see her smile more often. It felt like warm sunshine on his face.

  “The Judge undoubtedly thinks a lot of you since he appointed you acting sheriff until you could be elected. When you defended your brothers against those vile murderers, you must have impressed him.”

  “Still, I want to prove he made the right decision,” William said. In the short time he’d been in Kentucky, he’d grown fond of the gruff old Judge.

  “Judge Webb does seem to be a bit rough around the edges,” she said, as they both looked around the room for the Judge. “There he is, standing next to Daniel Boone.”

  The judge wore a serious grey wool jacket and grey breeches. Both matched his smoke-colored hair and his peppery no-nonsense personality. Colonel Boone, however, wore a longer black jacket, accented with gold buttons down the lapels, with black leather breeches and tall boots made of fine leather. His dark clothing set off his snow-white hair.

  “Let’s join them,” William suggested. “Judge Webb, Colonel Boone, may I introduce our family friend Kelly McGuffin.”

  After both men greeted Kelly, William asked Judge Webb, “What’s the secret to how a good sheriff enforces the law.”

  “It’s no damn mystery. It’s this,” Webb said, holding up his pistol as if the answer were obvious.

  William laughed and said, “And I guess if I asked how a good judge dispenses the law you’d hold up a sturdy noose.”

  Webb turned to Boone. “The boy learns fast.”

  “Boonesborough just needs someone with enough strength of character to enforce the laws and take care of the legal business of the county,” Boone said, “especially since the militia are often away on duty.”

  “It’s grand that you were able to return to Boonesborough for William’s swearing-in,” Kelly told the Colonel.

  “It is my distinct pleasure to be here,” Boone said, a glint in his blue-grey eyes, “and it is especially pleasant to be in the presence of such a beautiful woman.”

  A shadow of alarm touched Kelly’s face. She glanced up at Boone, her eyes widened in surprise and her cheeks and neck flushed, then she transferred her gaze to William. His eyes clung to hers, analyzing her reaction. She said nothing and lowered her thick lashes. Clearly, she wasn’t used to receiving compliments or attention.

  “If you two will excuse us,” Webb said, “the Colonel and I have some matters to discuss.”

  “Certainly,” William said, taking Kelly by the arm and guiding her toward a quiet corner of the packed room. William suddenly wondered if living in Boonesborough among so many people might be contributing to her unease. “How are you enjoying living in Boonesborough and your new position as tutor to Mister Wolfe’s children?” he asked.

  She chewed on her lower lip before answering. “Truthfully, being in town makes me feel like I’m trapped in a cage built for men. I miss the freedom I felt living in the woods. But I love working as a tutor. The children are quite a handful, especially those mischievous boys. But the housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson, keeps them in line. Mister Wolfe’s mother Patricia helps a lot too. She’s exceedingly strict. I adore the twin girls. I’ve become like a big sister to all of them. They’re like the brothers and sisters I never had.”

  Well, although she hadn’t grown used to living in town, at least the children weren’t making her nervous. “What about Mister Wolfe? Is he the gentleman we all thought he would be?”

  “Definitely so. He’s been quite proper and cordial and he pays me well. And his home is extremely nice, luxurious compared to my old dugout cabin. I have my own bedroom and a four-poster bed upstairs next to the room his girls sleep in.”

  It appeared all was well with her employment. That left only one thing that he could think of. A far more difficult issue to deal with.

  She took a few steps back toward a wall where it was quieter. “Since you asked me a question, may I ask one of you?”

  “Of course,” William said, trying to flash his most charming smile.

  Kelly stared up at him and took a quick breath before she said, “Before your brother Stephen and Jane moved with their girls to live near Sam and Catherine, I asked Jane to tell me what you were like in New Hampshire. She said you’ve always been a bit of a ladies man. I didn’t really know what that meant, but she explained it to me. She said you like many ladies, but never just one. Do…” She hesitated and then swallowed before she asked, “Do you think you could ever like just one?”

  So she’d been talking to Jane. He wondered what else Jane had told Kelly. He wasn’t exactly proud of the life he’d led back home in New Hampshire. He’d been sheriff of their small town near Durham. But if he were honest, he took the job for exactly the reasons his brothers all suspected—to keep himself out of jail. Intolerant of ill-bred men and also inclined to drink and gamble on occasion, he’d too often found himself embroiled in a brawl. Ironically, he loved studying law too, and someday he would become a lawyer. Until then though, he would serve as sheriff again.

  He narrowed his eyes as he regarded Kelly, the most intriguing young woman he had ever known. She tended to be straightforward, often too honest, perhaps because of her youth, or perhaps because of her isolated life away from polite society. But he liked that about her. You always knew what she was thinking. The women in New Hampshire operated under a tight code of conduct that left little room for openness and frankness. Kelly was a refreshing and sometimes startling change.

  “Could I ever be happy with just one woman?” Stalling, he repeated her question, both amazed and amused by it. But he could see the earnestness in her face and decided to give her as much of an answer as he was willing to give her now. “I haven’t exactly been seeking female companionship lately. I’ve been so tied up with my new duties and trying to help my brothers get settled. Maybe someday I’ll settle down.”

  A soft curve touched her pink lips before her eyes abruptly glimmered with slight moisture. Then she turned toward the spellbound group still listening to the stories of Dan
iel Boone. She dabbed a knuckle under her eyes as she ambled closer to where Boone stood.

  He folded his arms across his chest, thinking. Were those sudden tears another sign of her concealed trauma? Or was there another reason? And why did she ask that question? Women were always challenging to figure out and Kelly was even more so.

  William knew he should return to socializing and make his way around the room again, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Kelly, mesmerized by her gentle beauty. Her long blonde hair, the silvery gold color of fresh corn, hung down her back nearly to her waist. Her body was seductive and slender, but not as thin as it was, after living half-starved for so many years. And her pretty face, somehow both wholesome and sensuous, appealed to him as no other woman ever had.

  Today she wore the beautiful emerald green gown she’d dressed in when Sam and Catherine married, and a short wool cape. She looked every bit a genteel lady. Catherine, a follower of fashion, had designed and ordered the garment and had it made especially for Kelly. William noticed that the gown showed off her smooth bosom and graceful long arms and the gown’s belt accentuated her trim waist.

  She was positively perfect.

  The first time he’d seen her face though, had been far different. Her tear-reddened eyes, swollen and beaten; her lips cracked and dripping blood; and her ravaged appearance all broke his heart.

  Yet, he’d been captivated by her from that very first moment. Despite her injuries, her face remained full of strength and her proud eyes shined with her bold spirit. He saw something special about her beneath her battered and ragged appearance that day. And on their trip here, she never cried or pitied herself and her steadfast courage never faltered. Once she arrived in Boonesborough, determined and indomitable, she set about building a new life for herself.

  William was glad he had shot the man who climbed off Kelly’s naked body and Stephen had shot the man’s brother. They’d caught the despicable men in the act of making a woman bleed as she can only bleed once. And the two rapists had also murdered Mister Adams, Catherine’s late husband, just a couple of days before. That’s when William’s family had first met Catherine. Driving the team of horses pulling her wagon on the Wilderness Trail, they’d found her alone, and looking for help. Sam had ridden up to her first and, after learning of the murder of Catherine’s husband, invited her to continue on to Kentucky with all of them. Soon afterward, William and Stephen set out to track the men who had killed her husband.

  The tracks led them directly to Kelly’s cabin, hidden in the foothills of the Shenandoah Mountains of northern Virginia. The two men, needing to hideout, had convinced her to let them stay a few days in exchange for a horse. Unfortunately, Kelly had agreed.

  After finding them violating Kelly, he and Stephen had shot the two murderers, William refused to leave Kelly alone in the desolate hills. For her protection, he brought her back with them to join their family’s group, just as Catherine had. From there, she traveled on to Boonesborough with all of them, ready to begin a new life here away from her abusive father.

  In this room full of burly, frontier-hardened men and a few stout women, Kelly appeared delicate and vulnerable. But, he believed a woman of great strength lay hidden beneath her slight frame and gentle nature. He vowed to help that woman emerge.

  He strolled over and stood next to her. He soon sensed her uneasiness as she listened to Colonel Boone, now in his sixties. Her body became rigid and she clasped her hands tightly in front of her. What was making her so uncomfortable? He had hoped she could relax and enjoy herself.

  It was a rare treat to see Kentucky through the aging blue eyes of one of the state’s first and bravest citizens. And Boone did not disappoint.

  “It took a certain kind of man, and woman, to make it over the Wilderness Trail back then,” Boone said. “To quote my friend, that courageous and enterprising founder of our precious Kentucky, Judge Richard Henderson, ‘Some to endure, and many to fail, some to conquer, and many to quail, toiling over the Wilderness Trail.’”

  William and his brothers had neither quailed nor failed on their long and difficult journey to Kentucky. And he wasn’t about to fail as sheriff either.

  Remembering that Colonel Boone had been a sheriff once himself, William believed he could learn from those with more time than he in the difficult position. Back home, he had been the sheriff in Barrington for nearly three years, but still had a lot to learn. Things were different here on the frontier. Here, unwritten laws were as important, or more so, than written law. Pioneers were bound by accepted customs and respected rules that centered on hospitality, fair play, loyalty, and respect for the land. And here, a handshake was more binding than a contract.

  “Do you have any advice for a brand new sheriff?” William called out, with only a trace of humor in his voice.

  Boone chuckled and his clear eyes sparkled. “Good judgment is born of experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.”

  Everyone laughed including William.

  Boone continued, “But if you want a little advice from an old man about life in general, I’d say this. Live a bold and honorable life, then when you think back on it when you’re my age, you’ll enjoy it all over again.”

  “Here. Here!” called Judge Webb.

  William wondered what kind of life he would lead. He would always be honorable. That’s the kind of man he was. Would he be bold too?

  Bold enough to love just one woman? Bold enough to marry her?

  As he observed Kelly’s beautiful profile out of the corner of his eye, he thought that just might be possible.

  Chapter 2

  Kelly felt far more secure when William was nearby. She’d seen firsthand that he possessed great strength beneath his gentleness. Yet, inexplicably, standing near him now also made her uneasy. Keenly aware of his scrutiny, she tried to keep her features deceptively composed. Though he didn’t say anything, his countenance spoke for him. His face revealed true concern.

  And something more.

  She looked up at William, wondering just what she’d seen. An easy smile played on his handsome face, totally disarming her. She thought him easily the most good-looking and well-dressed man in the room, and it gladdened her heart to have him stand next to her. Although he always wore stylish new clothes, he was never especially particular about how he wore them. His cravat, tied at his neck, hung too loosely when compared to the other men in the room. Two waistcoat buttons were still free of their buttonholes and the back of his blue coat suffered from a sprinkling of horse hairs.

  She started to reach up and tidy him and then abruptly stilled her hand, unable to touch his person. But she wanted to. Didn’t she? She was puzzled and more than a little nervous. What was happening to her? This was William—her hero from the moment he stormed into her cabin. He was the one who had saved her and then looked after her. Before he came into her life, no one ever cared whether she was hungry or lonely.

  Later he’d become her closest friend too.

  But William had many friends. When they had first arrived in Boonesborough, he seemed to readily make friends even out of perfect strangers. His warm quick smile, dazzling against his tanned skin, endeared everyone he met. And his honest manner made men trust him.

  The most handsome of the four brothers, his bright sea blue eyes always seemed to twinkle. Their sparkle reflected his natural ability to entertain others with humor or music. He wore his wavy hair shorter than most men and it was blond, like hers, only a shade or two darker. His well-muscled body moved with an easy grace and a sense of authority. He stood out among other men like a bright vein of gold.

  Surprisingly, despite his good looks, he had never married. But she’d seen several unmarried ladies in Boonesborough glancing his way more than a time or two. She couldn’t blame them. She turned and glanced up at William. He stood taller than all the other men in the room except his oldest brother Sam and their half-brother Bear. But those two were both giants among men.

  Smart, shre
wd, and brave, the town nearly unanimously elected William sheriff after he succeeded in revealing the unruly buffalo hunters for the murdering outlaws and traitors they were. An outlet for his tendency to take up for the wronged or the weak, the duties of sheriff seemed to suit him perfectly.

  She considered him for a moment then, confused, frowned in bafflement. Never had her emotions been so perplexing. She tried to mull through the haze of her feelings and desires. His nearness to her made her feel strange, but good at the same time. Her mind told her to beware. He was a man after all. But her body was telling her something else entirely. Excitement seemed to make her heart race and a brief shiver rippled through her. She looked at him again. The tremor inside her turned into something far stronger. Just as she was about to figure out what she was feeling, Mister Wolfe strode up beside her.

  “Will you be ready to go in a few minutes, Miss Kelly?” Wolfe quietly asked her. “Unfortunately, I need to return to some pressing work matters.”

  “Certainly, Mister Wolfe,” Kelly said. “Just let me say hello to Bear and Captain Sam and bid William goodbye. We’ve all been occupied with listening to Daniel Boone and I’ve hardly had a moment to speak with them.”

  “Of course, take your time,” Wolfe responded. “I wanted more coffee and another piece of that apple cake anyway.”

  She watched him waddle off and wondered if that would be his second or third piece of cake.

  She and William ambled over toward Captain Sam and Bear and the two joined them at once.

  “I need to leave soon, but I wanted to say hello to both of you before I left. How are Catherine and Little John?” she asked Sam. She looked up to Sam like a big brother and she was happy for him when he’d married Catherine and finally had a chance for real happiness.

  “Very well. At the moment, they are enjoying their visit with Stephen, Jane, and their girls. Jane is getting close to her time, and wanted Catherine there for the birth.”

  “Is Jane still convinced it’s going to be a boy?” Kelly asked.