A Healing Love For The Broken Cowboy (Historical Western Romance)

by Cassidy Hanton

  The dirty man’s face just grew darker, his nostrils flared and the threat of violence became all too real, which made Isabelle shudder. The well-dressed man though, stood there calm and collected, neither flinching nor withering from the situation and the potential for bloodshed.

  “At the next stop,” he continued, “I will instruct the porter to throw you off this train unless you can produce a ticket.”

  “Imma gonna kill you,” dirty man said.

  “With what, your offensive aroma?” he chuckled. “I can see you didn’t go heeled today. And believe me when I say, I can pull this trigger a lot faster than you can pull a knife.”

  “Yeah? You sure about that?” dirty man spat. “You really wanna try me? Cuz I got a feelin’ I’d gut you like a fish, boy.”

  The man smiled. “Perhaps. But not today,” he said, pressing the barrel of the pistol harder against the man’s forehead, making him flinch. “Not today, you are going to go back to your proper car and produce the proper ticket when the conductor comes for it. Otherwise, I would have to imagine that you’ll be escorted off the train at the next stop.”

  The dirty man stared menacingly at him for a long moment, rage radiating from his every pore. Grudgingly, the dirty man turned around and walked away, turning to glare at Isabelle’s guardian angel menacingly. When the door at the far end of the car clicked closed, he finally holstered his weapon. He looked down at the seat most recently vacated and pulled the handkerchief from his pocket, wiping it down before he dropped down into it.

  Isabelle openly stared at him in silence for a long moment, unsure what to say. She was grateful but still trembling from the whole experience. It was unlike anything she’d experienced before. The man looked back at her, a bemused smile upon his lips.

  He took his hat off and set it in his lap as he crossed one knee over the other and sat primly upright. With his hat off, she saw the graying at his temples and for the first time, realized he was significantly older than she was. He just had such a boyish face that she didn’t realize it at first.

  “Th - thank you,” she finally managed to croak. “I don’t know what he was going to do, but you saved me.”

  His smile was charming and somehow, made him look even younger. “I am simply glad I was here to help,” he said. “I’m always happy to take out the trash.”

  “You’re pretty fast with that gun,” she noted.

  He chuckled softly. “I actually got lucky. I only carry a weapon when I have to leave town, which is not all that often. But I have certainly never needed to quick draw before,” he replied. “And I think that’s the first time I avoided it getting caught on the holster.”

  They shared a laugh together and Isabelle finally felt her heart starting to slow its frantic rhythm. She leaned back in her seat and smiled.

  “Well, you were so smooth, you looked like a seasoned gunfighter,” she said. “And I thank you for coming to my rescue.”

  He inclined his head, acknowledging her gratitude. He looked up again and held out his hand.

  “Silas Pearson,” he introduced himself.

  “Isabelle Logan,” she took his hand and shook it. “My friends call me Izzy − and I certainly think you’ve earned that right.”

  “Well then Izzy, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he said.

  “The pleasure is mine,” she said. “As is my gratitude. Please, let me buy you a beer or a glass of wine for your trouble.”

  He waved her off. “It was no trouble at all,” he said. “But a cold beer sounds splendid.”

  “Great,” Isabelle smiled. “I’ll go get one for you.”

  Chapter Seven

  “So where are you headed, Isabelle?”

  “A town called Stephill,” she said meekly. “It’s in Wyoming.”

  Silas gave her a gentle smile. “I know Stephill well. I live there, actually.”

  “You do?”

  He nodded. “Born and raised,” he said. “What brings you to Stephill?”

  Isabelle felt the excitement flowing through her. Other than what her brother had told her in his letters, she had no idea what to expect of Stephill. But here was a man who could fill in all of the blank spaces and give her some idea what her new home was to be like.

  “My brother moved here a little more than a year ago,” she said. “He wanted to get settled and build a home for us before he sent for me.”

  “He sounds like a very practical man.”

  Isabelle nodded. “That he is. Practical to the core,” she said. “He is a good man.”

  “I have no doubt,” he replied. “You seem like you come from a very good family.”

  A shadow crossed her face and Isabelle looked away for a moment. But she took a breath and let it out slowly.

  “My parents were strict but they were good to us,” she said. “I cannot imagine having better people for parents.”

  “Were?”

  She pursed her lips and nodded. “They passed away.”

  “I’m terribly sorry to hear that.”

  “Thank you,” she says. “It was a little while ago now but the wound from the loss still stings.”

  “I imagine it always will.”

  They lapsed into a companionable silence for a few moments as Isabelle tried to sort out the thoughts in her head. But then out of nowhere, they started to talk and their conversation flowed as normal and natural as anything.

  They talked about books and writers. They talked about their interpretations of different works they’ve read. They talked about works of art and their favorite artists. Isabelle grew excited by the conversation. Invigorated. She hung on his every word and he absorbed everything she said. The give and take between them was exhilarating.

  Silas shifted on the hard bench but looked at her with genuine interest. Tall and lean, well-dressed, charming, and very well-spoken. He seemed like an intelligent man who could speak on a wide variety of topics. It was the sort of conversation she had craved but had not had since Mark left for Stephill more than a year ago. She had enjoyed every moment of their time together since he sat down.

  “My brother says Stephill is a beautiful place,” Isabelle said.

  “It is. It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world as far as I am concerned,” he told her. “Mountain, open land, sunsets so amazing to see they’ll make you cry.”

  “I am very much looking forward to seeing a sunset,” she said. “I would also love to see this Yellowstone I have read so much about.”

  “Ahh yes, Yellowstone. I believe it to be one of the most beautiful natural settings in the world,” Silas said, a tone of pride in his voice. “Powerful geysers and harrowing waterfalls, soaring trees, and so many different animal species − creatures you will see nowhere else.”

  “I am going to make a point of seeing this majestic place.”

  “Perhaps I can accompany you.”

  Isabelle’s cheeks flushed immediately and she looked away, a small smile on her lips. Other than fending off the advances of the ham-handed drunks in the saloon, her experience with men was next to nothing. She certainly did not entertain romantic notions with anybody in Grimepass − there was nobody there she considered a proper suitor.

  “So what is it you do in Stephill, Mr. Pearson?”

  “Please, it’s Silas,” he says. “And my family runs one of the finest hotels in town. But for my part, I help put businessmen on a path to profit and prosperity.”

  Isabelle quirked an eyebrow at him. “That sounds vague and mysterious.”

  He laughed softly. “It sounds more vague and mysterious than it really is, I’m afraid,” he says. “I simply help businesses run more efficiently by cutting costs and maximizing profits. I essentially help trim the fat, so to speak.”

  Isabelle cocked her head. “That sounds very interesting.”

  He smiled. “That’s very kind of you to say, but I know most find it dry and boring,” he said. “I take no offense. I enjoy what I do.”

&nb
sp; Isabelle grinned and looked away for a moment. She had been trying to be kind but in truth, it sounded dreadfully boring to her. But she had been raised better than to make such a rude comment.

  “How does your family feel about you not following them into the hotel business?” she asked.

  “I have two brothers who can run the hotel just fine without me,” he replied. “I have a mind for numbers and truth be told, the hospitality business is not for me.”

  Isabelle laughed. “No?”

  He shook his head. “Too many demanding, entitled people,” he laughed. “I don’t have the right temperament for that.”

  “Have a bit of a temper, do you?”

  He shrugged. “It’s not too bad. Not like when I was younger,” he admitted. “But if pushed, I have been known to snap. Much to my shame.”

  “You’re human, Mr. Pearson,” she replied. “There is no shame in having a normal reaction to a troubling situation.”

  “You are very kind,” he said. “And it’s Silas. Please.”

  Looking through the window, Isabelle could see the faint silhouette of a town in the distance. Her heart lurched and she wondered if it was Stephill.

  “Is that it?” she asked. “Is that Stephill?”

  Silas looked over and nodded, a slow smile stretching across his lips. “It is.”

  Isabelle took in the sprawling expanse of buildings. High snowcapped peaks stood in the distance in stark relief against the azure blue of the sky. The town itself was surrounded by endless fields of green and a riot of colors as a wide array of wildflowers swayed in the gentle breeze. She smiled at the herd of buffalo grazing upon the plains and a group of men on horseback who were driving a large herd of cattle toward the town.

  “It is bigger than I thought it would be,” she mused.

  “Stephill is growing by the day. New businesses are opening, money is flowing in, more people are moving here,” he said. “If we keep growing at this rate, we’ll be the biggest and most prosperous town in Wyoming. That will only ensure we’ll be at the center of everything once the Wyoming territory is granted statehood.”

  “Do you think it will happen?” she asked. “Do you think Wyoming will be granted statehood?”

  “Absolutely. The wheels are already in motion,” he replied. “It’s only a matter of time now.”

  To be in the center of a growing town − in what could become a city as cosmopolitan as San Francisco or New York − appealed to Isabelle. Excited her. The chance to be at the forefront of a cultural shift in a town that’s growing into a city was thrilling to Isabelle, even though there could be a possibility that she might find a way to contribute to the changing culture of Stephill.

  Maybe she could find some way to help the town transition from a town that closely identifies as a frontier-type town to a city that embraces things like literature and art. She envisioned symphony halls and theaters.

  “You look like a woman with big plans,” Silas said. “And even bigger dreams.”

  She smiled. “I admit, my thinking can be a bit grandiose at times.”

  Silas’s smile was gentle and warm. “Only through grandiose thinking can great things be achieved.”

  “I like that,” Isabelle said. “I like that a lot.”

  “I see it as a truth.”

  Isabelle sat back in her seat, letting Silas’s words roll around in her mind. And the more she thought about it, the more she liked what he was seeing as a truth.

  The possibilities are endless. This town is a blank canvas and I can do anything.

  Isabelle and Silas talked like old friends for the rest of the trip into Stephill. And with every mile they draw closer, her excitement about this new chapter in her life was growing higher. For the first time in a very long time, Isabelle felt like her future was wide open and she could do anything.

  Chapter Eight

  Isabelle’s heart nearly burst from her chest and landed on the platform when she saw Mark walking toward her, a wide smile on his face. She bolted down the walkway and threw herself into his arms, driving the breath out of him with an “oomph.” But Isabelle held onto her brother as if her life depended on it.

  “It is wonderful to see you Isabelle,” Mark croaked. “But I think you’re breaking my ribs.”

  Isabelle laughed but let go of him. Mark took her hands in his, his smile as wide as her own.

  “I have missed you, Mark.”

  “I’ve missed you too, sis,” he replied. “I can’t wait for you to see our new home.”

  “I have to admit, I’m looking forward to it,” she beamed. “I’ve been so excited, I haven’t been able to sleep for days.”

  Isabelle felt a presence behind her and she turned to see Silas walking down the platform, a warm smile on his face.

  “Mark, I want to introduce you to somebody,” she said and turned to Silas when he stepped up beside her. “This is Silas Pearson. He saved me from a rough looking man with bad intentions.”

  Mark looked at Silas, concern on his face. But Silas shook his head and favored her with a smile.

  “I fear she gives me too much credit. It wasn’t as dramatic as it sounds,” Silas said. “I am just glad I was able to help.”

  Isabelle looked at him with wide eyes. “If anything, it was more dramatic than it sounded,” she argued. “I truly feel as if he saved my life.”

  “My sister can be quite dramatic at times,” Mark laughed and extended his hand to Silas. “All the same, I appreciate you helping keep her safe.”

  “It was my honor,” Silas said, shaking his hand. “Isabelle tells me you are running a brisk business here.”

  Mark nodded. “It’s growing by leaps and bounds.”

  “And what is your business, if I may be so bold as to ask?”

  “Apples mostly,” Mark replied. “All sorts of apple products − wines and ciders, among other things.”

  Silas stroked his chin and seemed to be pondering what Mark said. Isabelle shifted on her feet, wanting nothing more than to go and explore the town that was to be her new home rather than stand here talking business.

  Isabelle looked around at her surroundings for the first time. The road that cut through the center of town bustled with wagons, horses, and people. It was hard packed earth and the activity kicked up a lot of dust − much like the roads in Grimepass. But that was where the similarities to her former home ended.

  Unlike Grimepass, Stephill seemed to be vibrant and alive. The people she saw were well-dressed and many seemed to be at leisure. Their manner of dress was colorful and stylish. And the shops she could see from where she was standing were varied and inviting. And Isabelle wanted to explore them all. As if he sensed her impatience, Silas gave her a small smile.

  “I’m sure Isabelle is anxious to see Stephill,” he said. “But if you would be interested, I would like to talk to you about ways to improve the profitability of your business.”

  “Improve the profitability?”

  Silas nodded. “It’s just a matter of making your operation more efficient,” he told Mark. “We can discuss it another time if you’re open to it.”

  Mark nodded. “Of course. If it improves my bottom line, I’m all for it.”

  Silas chuckled and handed him a business card. “Please feel free to contact me anytime.”

  “I’ll do that. Thank you,” Mark said. “And thank you again for rendering assistance to my sister.”

  “It was my pleasure.”

  The men shook hands again before Silas turned back to Isabelle and took her hand gently. Raising it to his lips, he placed a soft kiss on it then stood up and gave her a smile.

  “I do hope to see you again soon,” he told her.

  “I would like that.”

  Isabelle watched Silas walk off, leaving her with her brother. She turned to Mark, who was grinning at her like an idiot.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Oh nothing,” he replied. “I was just thinking he seemed like a good man.”

/>   “He seems it.”

  “Obviously educated, articulate, handsome −”

  “And twice my age,” Isabelle laughed.

  Mark shrugged. “I wouldn’t say twice, more like −”

  “I think you should show me around town now,” Isabelle laughed. “I would like to see our new home.”

  Her brother grinned. “Fine, fine. Let me show you around,” he said as he picked up her bags. “But you are of an age where you should be thinking about matches. There are certainly better options here than there were at home.”