New Beginnings Spring 20 Book Box Set

by Hope Sinclair

  “What are you doing here?” Grace asked cheerily, running toward Charles.

  “I told you I’ve always longed to travel,” Charles smiled.

  “Seriously,” Grace laughed. “Why are you… What are you…”

  Charles held his hand up in the air, gesturing for Grace to stop rambling. “When I first found out you lied to me, I was heartbroken,” Charles said softly. “I was upset—and angry. But, then, before I could even get my head straight, you were taken away and, eventually, sent back here.

  “And, as the days went on, I became more clearheaded, and I started to miss you. I didn’t miss a person named Grace Miller or Grace Morrison. I didn’t miss a mayor’s daughter or average citizen. I missed the woman I’d come to know—the one I talked about books and travel with, the one who I worked alongside on my land, who my daughter adores nearly as much as I do.

  “All things considered, I came to understand why you lied to me, and I forgave you for it. But, alas, there was nothing I could do about it. As I understood things, you were sent back to home to marry.”

  Charles stepped closer to Grace and looked her straight in the eyes. “But, then, a few weeks back, Rose got your letter,” he went on. “And, she told me that you and your fiancé were no longer together and hadn’t married…. The moment I heard that news, I started making arrangements to come out here and find you.

  “I love you Grace, and I want to learn everything there is to know about you, the least of which has anything to do with your real name and status. So, if you’ll have me, I’d like to start courting, with the intentions of getting married one day, soon, and sharing a wonderful life with our family and friends back in Montana.”

  Grace’s jaw had dropped and was hanging open. But, somehow, she managed to pull it shut and answer.

  “I love you too, Charles,” she said. “And, I think your plan is wonderful.”

  Later that same day, Charles Stevens formally began courting Grace Morrison. She introduced him to her father that evening, and he asked the old man for his blessing. Though Mr. Morrison wasn’t too keen on the idea of his daughter marrying a common farmer, he figured he might as well give them his blessing. She’d caused him a lot of problems after all, and her name was spoiled for marriage in New York.

  Three weeks later, Charles returned to Misty Mountain, and, after settling a few things in New York, Grace followed two weeks thereafter. The couple continued courting, and Grace spent most of her days at Charles’s farm and her nights at Rose’s homestead. She was incredibly happy, and very much in love.

  A month after Grace’s return, Charles got down on his knee and proposed to her—and, without pause, she accepted. Three weeks later, they were married in the church in Great Falls, and, one year later, they gave Bonnie a baby brother.

  The End

  5. THE SECRETIVE BRIDE

  Copyright © Hope Sinclair 2018

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher and writer except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a contemporary work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously.

  For queries, comments or feedback please use the following contact details:

  hopesinclair.cleanandwholesomeromance.com

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  Contents

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ONE

  Camilla Parker stared out the front window with a heavy heart and sighed. It was already well past sunset, and her husband had not yet returned from work for the day, which could only mean one thing.

  He must have stopped at the saloon… again, Camilla thought, shaking her head. She turned away from the window and quickly surveyed the room around her, to check that everything was clean and in place.

  When her husband, Leslie, drank too much whiskey, it put him in an awful mood, and he would lash out at her over the most insignificant things, such as dirt on the floors, dusty linens, or a book that was not returned to the shelf. He’d scream at her, call her names, and even take his hand to her if something did not sit well with him.

  Naturally, Camilla did not like this type of behavior on Leslie’s part. But, it was all relatively new, and unexpected, to her, and she did not know how to deal with it just yet.

  You see, Camilla and Leslie had only been married for about three months, and Leslie only recently let down his guard and let his true colors show. Other than making sure everything was in order, so that he did not have cause to scold her, Camilla did not know how to respond to, or prevent, his alcohol-induced outbursts. But, she felt pressed to do whatever she could, for, all things considered, she felt trapped—especially now.

  Camilla walked over to the mantle and dusted the edge of it with her sleeve, then she picked up the framed photograph displayed there and dusted it off as well.

  The photograph was of her and Leslie on their wedding day. As Camilla gazed down at her smiling face, she felt a great sadness swell inside of her. On the day that photo was taken, she was filled with such hope. But, over the months, that hope had been quashed.

  When Camilla and Leslie were wed, they were largely strangers. They’d met through a mail-order bride periodical called the Matrimonial Times a few months prior, and had communicated, and courted, through letters. In his letters, Leslie presented himself as a hard-working, God-fearing man who was romantic, reasonable, and sentimental, and Camilla fell head over heels in love with the man he put forth. So, she eagerly accepted his proposal, and left her impoverished life in Baltimore, Maryland, to move to Tombstone, Arizona, and become his wife.

  Camilla and Leslie were married but four days after Camilla arrived in Tombstone. And, at first, all seemed well. Indeed, Leslie was a bit detached and stern, but Camilla figured it was because of the novelty of the situation, and she was confident he’d soften in time.

  And, sure enough, in time, Leslie did change—but not for the better. Approximately three weeks after their wedding, once the couple was settled into married life, Camilla’s chaperone, Mrs. Norton, was relieved of her charge, and that’s when things took a sour turn.

  Without the old widow there to oversee their behavior, Leslie started acting in an unsavory way. He began visiting the saloon after work, frequently staying until the place shut down. He also took to treating Camilla with a heavy hand and manner.

  He implanted strict rules for the upkeep of his house; prohibited her from going to town alone without his permission; and did not allow her to socialize with other women, even the women in the church’s women’s group. And, if Camilla happened to break any of his rules, Leslie spoke to her, or acted upon her, in a very cruel way.

  Camilla set the photograph back down on the mantle, making sure it was perfectly straight. She sighed and shook her head again. Her marriage to Leslie was nothing like she thought it would be.

  He’d turned out to be very different than he’d lead her to believe, and, had she known his true nature, she wouldn’t have left her former life to start a new one with him. Back in Baltimore, she’d worked as a waitress and was barely able to make ends meet.

  She’d been raised in an orphanage and had no family, and all of her friends were married and starting families of their own. She was poor, lonely, and sad most of the time—but, in hindsight, she found it a better predicament than the one she was currently in.

  Camilla walked over to the sofa and swept her hands over the cushion before sitting down, leaning back, and stretching out her legs. She’d had a long day, and, now, she knew she was in for a long night. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
If the circumstances were different, she thought to herself, I’d leave Leslie and be done with him forever. But, alas, the circumstances were as they were, and Camilla resigned to the fact that she couldn’t leave Leslie, not now. She needed him, now more than ever, and she hoped that, when he learned why she needed him, he’d find reason and change his ways.

  Without even realizing, or intending, it, Camilla drifted off to sleep, and she slept for a good two hours or so before she was awoken by an unexpected noise.

  “Huh? What’s that?” Camilla asked aloud, jolted out of her slumber by the sound of firm knocking on the door. She cocked her head curiously to the side. She couldn’t figure out why Leslie would knock on the door to his own home.

  Perhaps he’s too drunk to turn the knob, Camilla mused. She stood up, straightened out the cushions, and, then, went to the door. But, as soon as she opened it, she stepped back in fright.

  TWO

  “Mrs. Parker?” the man standing in the doorway asked. He was tall, thick, and appeared very strong—and, if it hadn’t been for the silver star affixed to his vest, Camilla would have slammed the door shut and ran for cover.

  “Yes,” Camilla replied sheepishly, nodding her head.

  “I am Mrs. Parker.”

  “I apologize for coming around so late,” the man said. He looked Camilla straight in the eyes, and the intensity of his gaze sent shivers down her spine.

  “My name is Paul Connor,” the man went on. “I am the sheriff here in Sun Crest… and, I’ve come to speak with you regarding your husband, Leslie.”

  Camilla bit her lip, bowed her head, and swallowed her pride. Given Leslie’s temper and strict, aggressive nature, she wasn’t surprised to have the sheriff at her door. With all she’d experienced with Leslie over the past several weeks, she knew it was just a matter of time before he landed himself into serious trouble of some sort. And, apparently, now, that time had come, and Camilla prepared herself to find out exactly what type of trouble Leslie had landed himself in.

  “There was a fight at the saloon tonight,” Sheriff Connor explained. “Witnesses said your husband instigated it when a card game didn’t go his way. He accused one of his opponents of cheating, then reached out and seized the man’s winnings, claiming they were rightfully his.”

  Camilla closed her eyes and envisioned what the sheriff had just described. That’s just like him, she thought.

  Camilla opened her eyes again just in time to see Sheriff Connor slowly remove his hat. She wasn’t sure why, but something about the gesture unnerved her—and, she held her breath as he went on.

  “Things got very heated,” the sheriff continued. “So, the saloon owner told the men to take things outside. And, when they did, things got even more heated, and a shootout ensued.”

  Camilla’s heart fluttered in her chest. She expected that Leslie had done something unsavory. But, she never expected to hear he’d been involved in a shootout.

  “Dear God,” Camilla said, on the verge of tears. “Please tell me my husband didn’t kill someone.”

  The sheriff took a deep breath and stared down at the ground as he put his hat against his chest. “No, ma’am,” he said softly. “Your husband didn’t kill anyone… He was killed.”

  “What?!?” Camilla exclaimed. Suddenly, she felt short of breath, and everything around her appeared to be spinning.

  “Yes, Mrs. Parker,” Sheriff Connor confirmed. “Your husband Leslie was shot and killed during the shootout.”

  “What?!?” Camilla exclaimed again. She felt dizzy, and had to take hold of the doorframe to steady herself.

  The sheriff stepped forward and held out his arm to support Camilla. “If it’s any consolation,” he said as Camilla leaned into him, “he died instantly. So, he didn’t suffer.”

  Camilla looked up at the lawmen and nodded her head. Indeed, it was a consolation to know that Leslie hadn’t suffered. But, still, it was not consolation enough. Though Leslie was a cruel, stringent man who drank too much and too often came at her with hard words and heavy hands, Camilla never wished for him to die, let alone be killed. Yes, she’d wished that she could have left him; but, in all her thoughts of leaving him, she always left him alive. So, she was very sad to learn that he’d died, especially in such tragic way. It made her heart ache.

  “I stopped at Reverend Jones’s house before coming here tonight,” Sheriff Connor added, stepping back from Camilla a bit. “He said that he and his wife will come around tomorrow, to check on you and make arrangements for Leslie’s funeral and burial.”

  “Thank you,” Camilla replied, straightening her posture and trying to regain her composure.

  “But, in the meantime,” the sheriff added, “is there anyone else you’d like me to notify tonight?”

  Camilla looked at the sheriff curiously.

  “Perhaps you’d like me to go fetch one of your woman friends,” Sheriff Connor clarified. “I know this is terribly shocking news for you, and maybe it’d comfort you to have one of your friends here with you tonight.”

  “I don’t have any friends,” Camilla answered, bowing her head again.

  “Oh,” the sheriff said, somewhat surprised. “Well, I could go back to the reverend’s house. I’m sure, given the circumstances, his wife would come out to spend the night tonight. Or, if she’s not up to it, I know my wife wouldn’t mind.”

  “That’s okay,” Camilla responded, forcing herself to smile through her tears. “Don’t trouble Mrs. Jones, or your own wife. I’ll be fine.”

  “Are you sure?” Sheriff Connor asked, placing his hat back on his head. “It’s really no trouble. I know you haven’t lived here very long. But, rest assured, for the most part, the people of Sun Crest are a very supportive bunch. We consider it our Christian duty to help others in their time of need. So, our womenfolk wouldn’t be bothered to come sit with you tonight. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

  “Really,” Camilla replied, “I’ll be fine.”

  The sheriff stepped back, smiled, and nodded at Camilla. “Very well,” he said. “May God bless you and help you through your mourning… Good night.”

  Camilla watched as Sheriff Connor made his way to his horse, then she walked back into the house, shut the door behind her, and returned to the couch. She sat down, leaned back, and stretched out her legs—much like she’d done earlier, before learning of Leslie’s demise. She took a deep breath and gently ran her hand over her belly. “I’m not alone,” she said aloud.

  THREE

  The next morning, the Reverend and Mrs. Jones appeared at the Parker homestead at an early, though reasonable, hour. And, much to their surprise, Camilla was not only awake and waiting for them; she’d also prepared coffee, boiled eggs, biscuits, and a fresh fruit compote for them to share as they discussed Leslie’s final arrangements.

  “Ah, my poor child, you must have been so heartbroken you couldn’t sleep last night,” Mrs. Jones said kindly as she examined the spread of food Camilla had set out in the kitchen.

  Though it was not like her to lie, especially to members and family members of the clergy, Camilla lowered her eyes and nodded. The truth of the matter was, even though her heart ached, it had not been broken; and, she had been able to sleep. It was the early morning that gave her problems. This morning, like the prior four or five mornings, she’d woken up with a sick, nauseous feeling in her belly, a dire need to use the water closet, and a strong craving for sweets. Her “symptoms” had been why she had a long day the day before. She’d gone to see the doctor. But, at this particular moment, Camilla wasn’t ready to share such information with her guests.

  “My condolences to you, Camilla,” Reverend Jones said in a compassionate tone. He eyed the young woman before him, and was stirred by the change he saw in her. He’d been the one to perform her wedding ceremony, and he was able to discern that she was somehow different now. He couldn’t put his finger on the difference, but he knew it wasn’t just because of Leslie’s death.

&nb
sp; “Thank you,” Camilla replied with a flat grin. She poured coffee into her guests’ mugs, then poured herself some as well.

  After exchanging a few more niceties, the trio returned to the living room with their food, and the reverend got down to business. He explained the funeral services he offered through the church, referred Camilla to several Bible passages that were helpful for those enduring a loss, and told her about a number of practices and behaviors widows engaged in during their period of mourning.

  Camilla listened attentively to all that Reverend Jones had to say. But, when he said that word “widow,” it really threw her for a loop. Camilla was only 20 years old after all, and she’d been married just three months. She couldn’t believe that she was a “widow” already, and she was uncertain, and scared, about what that meant for her in her current condition.

  The reverend continued to advise Camilla for another hour or so, until all of Leslie’s final arrangements were made. Once he was sure Camilla was calm and needed no further support, he and his wife readied themselves to leave.

  But, just before Camilla walked her guests to the door, there was a knock on it. Reverend Jones and Mrs. Jones stood by patiently as Camilla went to answer the door and see who was calling.

  As soon as Camilla opened the door, a sincere smile flashed across her face. There, standing before her, was the only person, other than Leslie, who she really knew in Sun Crest; the only person, other than Leslie, who she’d been allowed to spend any time with, even though that time had been limited.

  “Mrs. Norton!” Camilla boomed. Tears flooded her eyes as she stepped forward to embrace the older woman.