Legacy of Honor

by Renae Brumbaugh Green

  Lyndel finished off the last of the bacon. Could they buy more? Mrs. Wesson’s niece now worked in Emma’s old position. How would they live?

  Someone knocked on the door, and she moved to answer it.

  It was Riley, hat in hand. He shifted back and forth on his boots. Emma invited him in, but she didn’t make eye contact. She couldn’t. She’d cry if she did.

  “Uh...I was hoping to talk with your father in private, if you don’t mind.”

  Emma stepped aside as Pa pushed his chair back. He shuffled from the table to the front door. “Certainly, son. Step into my office.” He led Riley back onto the porch—his “office” for as long as she could remember.

  What could he want with Pa?

  Probably something about the fire. She and Skye made quick work of the breakfast dishes while Lyndel went out back to care for the animals. When the kitchen was clean, Emma headed to her room. She and Skye could work on sewing, and she might not have to see Riley again. She knew she was taking the coward’s way by ducking and hiding, but she couldn’t help herself.

  She had just pulled the little girl onto her lap in the old rocking chair next to the window when Pa knocked, then cracked the door open. “Emma, Riley would like to see you.”

  Oh dear.

  Oh, God. I do love him. But I can’t marry a man who doesn’t really love me. I’m so afraid I’ll look at him, and my resolve will fail, and I’ll agree to marry him anyway. But I just can’t...is it too much to ask for him to love me?

  Help me say no, God.

  When she walked onto the porch, Riley sat with his head in his hands, like he’d done at the cabin. She took a deep breath and exhaled, louder than she’d intended, and shut the door behind her.

  He stood. “Please, sit down.”

  She eased down in the chair beside where he’d been sitting.

  He began pacing. Poor man was miserable. She might as well go ahead and tell him she didn’t hold him to any false obligations. She was about to do that when he spoke.

  “Emma, I...I need you to forgive me.”

  “Forgive you?”

  “Yes. Last night...I shouldn’t have—”

  “It’s all right. You were distraught.” She held up her hand to wave off the entire incident, but her gut felt like a stained garment, being pressed through the wringer for the fourth time. She knew he didn’t love her, but to have him say it out loud was almost more than she could bear.

  “No, it’s not all right. I...” He knelt in front of her, and took both her hands in his. She settled her gaze into his brown eyes, and the intensity there stole her breath. “Emma, I don’t recall when I fell in love with you. Looking back, it seems like it’s always been there. I just didn’t know it. But before all this happened—before the fire, before the funeral—I’d realized something. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. It has nothing to do with Skye, nothing to do with anything except that I adore you. I want us to grow old together. I promise, if you’ll do me the honor of becoming my wife, I’ll love you more every day I have breath.” He reached in his pocket. “Emma, will you marry me?”

  As he spoke, she felt the wringer move from her gut to her tear ducts, and suddenly her face was soaked, and she turned into a blubbery mess.

  He loved her. He really loved her! Everything was a blur, but she tried very hard to swallow back the emotion and focus on the man in front of her. She wanted to remember every detail of this moment.

  When she focused again, he held a ring between his thumb and forefinger. A ring?

  It was a beautiful ring, but even more beautiful was the man holding it. She nodded, but had a hard time finding her voice. Finally, in a sob she said, “Yes. Yes, Riley. I’ll marry you.”

  She threw her arms around his shoulders and sobbed some more, soaking his shirt and neck.

  He wrapped his sturdy arms around her. “Uhm...I wasn’t expecting you to cry.”

  She laughed then, and so did he. And then, in perhaps the sweetest moment of her life, he kissed her. It was a tender, watery, salty, tear-soaked kiss.

  It lasted but a moment, and then he pulled away from her and wiped her tears. “You’ve just made me the happiest man in the world.”

  “And I plan to keep on making you happy, every day for the rest of your life.”

  He kissed her again, only this time, the kiss lingered, both soft and strong, gentle and exciting, filling every part of her with fireworks. He deepened the kiss. She leaned into him, taking in his husky sweetness until—

  Someone tapped the glass on the window behind them, and Emma jerked back as the blush sank clear to her toes.

  Riley pulled her to her feet, and she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. It was time to go inside.

  They had an announcement to make.

  Epilogue

  September, 1883

  A brilliant blue sky shone down on the green, manicured lawn of The Big Skye Hotel and Spa. Emma sat on the shaded porch, a cool pitcher of lemonade next to her, watching Skye and Lyndel laugh over a game of croquet. To her left, Pa sat with his feet elevated, a blanket over his lap, listening to Riley give the financial report. Bills were paid. Profits were high.

  For this beautiful, sun-kissed moment, everything seemed right with the world. She leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and reminded herself of all that had transpired in the past year and a half. Reminded herself of all God had brought them through, and of how far they’d come.

  The hotel was flourishing.

  Thanks to the fact that Donnigan had never spent his own inheritance from his mother, but had tucked it in an envelope and saved it, Skye had her own inheritance, to use as she pleased someday. She’d never have to worry over money the way Emma had just a short time ago.

  Emma had even gotten her teacher’s license through correspondence. She’d probably never use it now, but Riley had insisted she follow her dreams. If only he understood...she was living her dream right now.

  She opened her eyes again and rested her hands on her growing belly. Come February, a baby would join their little family. Two years from the time Ma left them. She would’ve been so proud.

  Emma still missed Ma something fierce, but she could think of her without the deep ache now. She could remember her and smile. She knew this was what Ma wanted for her.

  To know peace.

  To know joy.

  To know the deep heritage of love Ma and Pa lived all those years.

  Her gaze landed on Riley, and she realized he’d been looking at her. They shared an intimate smile that spoke an entire conversation in one glance.

  And she thanked God for the great inheritance He’d left to her, full of every good thing she could imagine.

  Emma’s Squash Casserole

  2 pounds squash

  1 & 1/2 cups milk

  2 eggs

  Salt & pepper to taste

  3 tablespoons butter

  3 cups grated cheese

  1 cup chopped onion

  * * *

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil squash until tender; drain. Mix all together except one cup of cheese. (Use potato masher to mix.) Pour in pan; bake until firm, about one hour. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Put back into oven until cheese melts.

  Dear Reader,

  * * *

  I’ve been writing this book for more than a decade.

  In 2008, my dear friend and writing mentor, Chip Ricks, shared a book idea with me. Loosely based on her own family history, she wanted to write a story about two brothers—one who chose to live for Christ, the other who didn’t. She wanted to follow that family through the generations, to show the impact of that one choice, on the people who came behind.

  She just had one problem. Chip was a brilliant writer, but she wasn’t a fiction writer. “Will you help me write this book?”

  Now, Chip was in her 80s at the time. She was a mother, a grandmother to me in the faith. If she’d asked me to paint the moon pink, I’d have given it m
y best shot. For several years, Chip and I worked together on several versions of the book. We only ever got through the first few chapters, and we’d change our minds about the characters or the situations. Finally, one day she smiled at me. She said, “You know, Renae. This is your book. I know I whispered the idea to you, but I always wanted you to be the one to write it. I’m getting too old to work on this…please take it. It’s your story.”

  Soon after, she moved across the country to live with her daughter. We stayed connected via phone calls and Facebook, until eventually, she stopped responding. We lost touch. I continued to write the book—Chip’s book. Now my book. I’d work on it a while, then put it away for several months, even a few years at one point. In 2017, I finished what would become the first final draft. I fiddled with it more, here and there, but I hung onto it until I met Misty Beller, my publisher at Wild Heart.

  I submitted the book to her, and she accepted it, right away! Then the editor got hold of it. God bless Erin Taylor Young! She was brutal, in the best possible way. I spent weeks (months?) making the suggested changes, and each one made the book so much better. The day I turned in those final edits to my publisher, I opened up Facebook. There, on Chip’s FB page, was a note to all her friends.

  From one of her children.

  She’d gone to see her Heavenly Father.

  I sat there, frozen, looking at my screen, big fat tears tracking my cheeks. How was it possible that on the day the book was complete, I learned of her death? She was so instrumental in my walk of faith, and in my path as a writer. It was almost like the Holy Spirit wanted me to know…this particular journey was now complete.

  I hope you enjoy this book, book one in a trilogy, for it is very close to my heart. And I hope you learn from the actions of two brothers, so many years ago, that our choices have an impact on our own lives, and on the lives of those who follow us.

  * * *

  Renáe

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  About the Author

  This is the place where Renae Brumbaugh Green is supposed to provide impressive things for you to read. But since the most impressive thing about her is the fact that she almost won a car in one of those little fast-food scratch-off games one time, years ago, but she didn’t actually scratch off the car until she found the card in her desk drawer, long after the deadline had passed, there’s not much to say.

  * * *

  But if you really want to know about her writing stuff—she’s the author of many books, made the ECPA Bestseller list twice, and has contributed to many more books. She’s written hundreds of articles for national publications and has won awards for her humor.

  * * *

  She’s married to a real hunk, and she’s a mom to some amazing kids. She writes music, sings, and likes to perform on stage. She’s a sometimes schoolteacher, a part-time chicken farmer, and an all-the-time wannabe superhero. Her favorite color is blue, unless you’re talking about nail polish, in which case her favorite color is Bubblegum Pink.

  * * *

  To learn more about Renae, sign up for her newsletter or visit her website at www.RenaeBrumbaugh.com.

  Also by Renae Brumbaugh Green

  Lone Star Ranger (Texas Ranger Series, book 1)

  Ranger to the Rescue (Texas Ranger Series, book 2)

  Want more?

  If you love historical romance, check out the other Wild Heart books!

  Rocky Mountain Redemption by Lisa J. Flickinger

  * * *

  A Rocky Mountain logging camp may be just the place to find herself.

  * * *

  To escape the devastation caused by the breaking of her wedding engagement, Isabelle Franklin joins her aunt in the Rocky Mountains to feed a camp of lumberjacks cutting on the slopes of Cougar Ridge. If only she could out run the lingering nightmares.

  * * *

  Charles Bailey, camp foreman and Stony Creek's itinerant pastor, develops a reputation to match his new nickname — Preach. However, an inner battle ensues when the details of his rough history threaten to overcome the beliefs of his young faith.

  * * *

  Amid the hazards of camp life, the unlikely friendship growing between the two surprises Isabelle. She's drawn to Preach's brute strength and gentle nature as he leads the ragtag crew toiling for Pollitt's Lumber. But when the ghosts from her past return to haunt her, the choices she will make change the course of her life forever—and that of the man she's come to love.

  Katherine’s Arrangement by Blossom Turner

  * * *

  Marrying him is her only choice to save her family, but Josiah Richardson isn’t at all the man she expected.

  * * *

  Katherine William’s family was left destitute when their home was burned to the ground by Yankee soldiers, so the ready solution presented by the prominent Mr. Josiah Richardson seems almost too good to believe. He’ll provide a home, work for her pa, and a new beginning for her family...if only Katherine will accept his proposal. A marriage of convenience is the last thing she wants, but there doesn’t seem to be a better option for her family or herself. Setting aside her dreams of love, Katherine agrees to the arrangement.

  * * *

  The gentleman in Josiah Richardson can no more force his frightened bride into his bed, than he can force her into loving him, so he sets out to gently woo her. He works hard to befriend her, to earn her trust and win her love.

  * * *

  Katherine is pleasantly surprised to find herself drawn to the man she thought she would never love, until an unexpected friendship tears apart all they’ve worked for. Where once the promise of love had budded between Josiah and Katherine, now they wonder what to do with their so-called marriage. Is love strong enough to weave its healing power through two broken hearts?

  Waltz in the Wilderness by Kathleen Denly

  * * *

  She's desperate to find her missing father. His conscience demands he risk all to help.

  * * *

  Eliza Brooks is haunted by her role in her mother's death, so she'll do anything to find her missing pa—even if it means sneaking aboard a southbound ship. When those meant to protect her abandon and betray her instead, a family friend's unexpected assistance is a blessing she can't refuse.

  * * *

  Daniel Clarke came to California to make his fortune, and a stable job as a San Francisco carpenter has earned him more than most have scraped from the local goldfields. But it's been four years since he left Massachusetts and his fiancé is impatient for his return. Bound for home at last, Daniel Clarke finds his heart and plans challenged by a tenacious young woman with haunted eyes. Though every word he utters seems to offend her, he is determined to see her safely returned to her father. Even if that means risking his fragile engagement.

  * * *

  When disaster befalls them in the remote wilderness of the Southern California mountains, true feelings are revealed, and both must face heart-rending decisions. But how to decide when every choice before them leads to someone getting hurt?

  Copyright © 2020 by Renae Brumbaugh Green

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means - photocopied, shared electronically, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, or other - without the express permission of the publisher. Exceptions will be made for brief quotations used in critical reviews or articles promoting this work.

  * * *

  The characters and events in this fictional work are the product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, Kings James Versi
on.

  Cover design by: Carpe Librum Book Design