He grunted in pain. “Get down,” he told her. “Get away!”
The attacker drew his bludgeon back and turned it around as if to use it as a sword. “Thieves, robbers!” he spat. “Stealing our property from under our noses. You won’t get away with it.” He lunged forward and jabbed at Joseph with his makeshift weapon.
Victoria reached into her skirt pocket for her pistol but the man kicked her sideways with his booted foot. She stumbled against a boulder as pain shot through her wounded thigh. The gun slid out of her reach.
Joseph grabbed for the man, but he stepped aside and stabbed at Joseph again, knocking him to his knees. Wooly raised the rock again, high above his head. Joseph lunged upward and caught the man’s arms, shoving him away.
A loud war cry came at them from the shadows behind Wooly. Gray emerged, head low, shoulders hunched, and rammed the man from behind with a hoarse grunt.
Wooly stumbled. The rock fell to the ground with a clatter.
Victoria screamed as the wild-haired slaver fell forward, chest first, onto the lethal point of his own weapon. Joseph grabbed her hard against his chest and turned her away, shielding her eyes with his shoulder.
Gray gasped loudly, then moaned. He stumbled back into the shadows and retched.
For a long moment, all Victoria could do was cling to Joseph with her face pressed against him, needing the power of his arms around her as she listened to poor Gray burst into sobs behind a rock formation.
“Captain.” Gray was trembling.
“It’s okay, son.” Joseph’s voice rumbled in Victoria’s ear. “You did the right thing.”
Victoria pulled from Joseph’s embrace and dropped to her knees beside the attacker, but she could tell before checking that he was already dead, his eyes open wide as he stared into the darkness.
Joseph drew her to her feet. “He’s gone?”
She nodded, wordless.
“He tried to kill you, Captain,” Gray said. “I heard him. He had to be following you for a long way. I thought I saw his shadow a couple of times in your lantern light.” His voice broke. “I didn’t...I wasn’t thinking to kill him.”
Joseph’s arm tightened around Victoria. “Gray, why were you following us?”
“I...well...I kept thinking about that man, thinking he could’ve followed you back inside, or if he’d get out and tell others and they’d catch up with us.” He swallowed hard. “I couldn’t let anybody hurt the doc.”
Victoria turned to their young hero and recognized that expression. She’d felt the same way the day she’d shot Matthew’s killer. “It’s going to be okay, Gray. You saved lives today. You helped save a lot of lives. That’s what you need to think about.”
The boy’s face turned red and his eyes brightened suspiciously. His jaw worked in silence as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words. She held her arms out to him. He stepped up to her and hugged her tightly, laying his head on her shoulder. She kissed him on the top of his head and released him. “You don’t need to eavesdrop anymore, Gray. Go on ahead and help the others.”
He looked up at her with a forced, watery-eyed grin. “So you can go ahead with your sparking.”
“Gray,” Joseph warned.
Gray sighed and walked on ahead, head bowed, dragging his steps.
“It’s going to take him some time to recover,” Joseph said. He leaned over the body and studied it. “I think this man has his tomb right here.”
“I feel badly for his family.” She turned to follow Gray.
“So do I, but we have other families under our care. Your limp is worse.”
“We’ll be at the boats soon.”
Before she could take another step, he handed her the lantern, picked her up in his arms as if she was no heavier than the new Frasier baby and held her closely to his chest.
She caught the scent of wild mint and felt the flexing of his muscles, and she relaxed as, once again, time folded in on itself. She laid her head against his shoulder. “Joseph?”
“Hmm?”
“You remember when I was delirious?”
“I’ll never forget it.”
“I told you that I loved you.”
“Yes?”
“I do remember. I still mean it.”
His steps slowed. “Are you sure you’re not delirious?”
“I just witnessed a life leave this world less than an hour after I helped a life enter it. I’ve realized how precious life is. How precious time is.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever tire of hearing those words.”
“That I delivered a baby?”
“That you love me.”
“Good, because I don’t think I’m going to get tired of telling you.”
“You are the only love of my life, Victoria. There’s never been another. I don’t know that I could live without knowing you’re always lighting up your corner of the world.”
“Then I suppose we should stay in the same corner together.”
His arms tightened. “Are you proposing marriage to me?”
“No, sir. I wouldn’t do that.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to ask the question that’s been on my heart for over ten years. Victoria Fenway, will you marry me?”
“When?”
“What?”
“How soon?”
He chuckled. “There’ll be a parson waiting for us when we get to Kansas.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
They were sealing the pact with a kiss when a shout reached them from ahead. “We’re here!” It was Gray again. “The boats are loaded and all’s quiet. McDonald’s here!”
“McDonald?”
“Made good time.” It was the deep voice of the scout. “We’ve got us a full wagon train waiting for us north of Neosho. Everything’s set and I’ve got a lead on a trail nobody else knows about. Good thing I went to Elk River.”
They heard celebrating and laughter at the mouth of the cavern, and as they stepped out into the cool night air and onto the boats lined up along Shoal Creek, Victoria felt a stronger sense of hope for the future than she’d felt in many months. This was perfect.
Chapter Nineteen
Matthew Joseph Frasier was three weeks old when he rode into his new home, the Kansas Territory village that had been named Rickard in a town-hall meeting two weeks earlier. He made his presence known with the strongest set of lungs the citizens of Rickard had ever heard.
Of course, the village was young yet, having been founded by the man who carried that same name, Captain Joseph Rickard. Five wagon trains had been led by the captain to this hidden valley blessed with an abundance of trees on the southeastern side of the state, where hills and valleys and creeks and rivers nourished the newcomers. They were far enough away from the border wars that, for now, they felt safe enough to build and settle.
And build they did. The first sign anyone saw upon entering town was engraved with the town name. Folks here were proud of their founder and of the fact that they had the good sense to follow him to their haven of rest. They were a people strong in their convictions.
Joseph rode ahead of the twenty-six-wagon train beside his scout, McDonald, who kept his head down as the crowds on either side of the road raised flags and shouted and cheered the newcomers.
Victoria and Heidi rode in the Ladue wagon, and as always, Pudding brayed his heart out from behind the wagon while Heidi threatened to cook some donkey stew someday soon.
To Victoria’s amazement, Joseph and McDonald led the train to a brand-new building with an engraved sign for the Rickard Clinic. Victoria could not suppress a smile.
She jumped down from the wagon and walked to stand by her fiancé. “Just how sure were you that I would agree to marry you?”
“I needed motivation to get you here. You didn’t know I had more tricks up my sleeve if the proposal didn’t work out.”
“Captain,” said a man who had obviously come from working in the field to greet them, “there�
�s more. Follow us.”
The man, whom Joseph introduced as Parson Freemont, led them on around the town square where a wood-carved mansion stood in all its glory.
Victoria gasped at the beauty of the handiwork.
“We all built this for our new mayor,” the parson said, gesturing with muscular arms toward the townsfolk who surrounded them. “And who would be more appropriate to serve as the new town mayor than the man who has proven his ability to handle every difficulty any of the townsfolk threw his way?”
To Victoria’s delight, in front of everyone who had come out to celebrate the arrival of their new mayor, Joseph drew her to his side and introduced her as his bride to be. Everyone cheered.
“Captain!” called Heidi, loudly enough for everyone to hear. “That there’s a parson? It’s not just his name, like Deacon Fritz?”
“He’s a real parson.”
“Can he marry folks?”
Laughter grew as the travelers disembarked from their wagons and stretched their weary limbs to huddle around their beloved friends.
“I sure can,” said Parson Freemont.
“Then what’re we waiting for?” called Audy Reich. “These two young’uns have been courtin’ on and off for over ten years. We need us some children to grow this town into a nice, big city.”
The parson’s white teeth split his coffee-black face. “Seeing as how we have us a great crowd of witnesses right here, and seeing as how you don’t seem to mind a minister with some mud on his boots and black on his skin,” he said, raising his mud-caked work shoes, “then I don’t see why we can’t do exactly that.”
It lasted ten minutes, if that. Parson Freemont must have studied the vows well because he never had to look at a book. His deep, black eyes were filled with tears of joy by the time he had Joseph and Victoria clasp hands. He placed his big, work-worn palm over theirs, prayed to the Almighty for their lives to be filled with joy and with tears dripping down his face, he pronounced them man and wife.
The crowd cheered. Joseph pulled Victoria into his arms as if he couldn’t bear to let her go even a few inches away from him. “Well, my love, we’ve proven our devotion to each other through grief and loss. Now it’s time to prove it with a family, and with a long, happy life together.”
Their travel these past three weeks had forced them to be apart for most of the time, and she cherished her time with him now. She knew she would always cherish his touch, his nearness, the expression in his eyes.
“Joseph,” she whispered.
“Yes, my love?”
“Will you always look at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m the most important person in your life.”
“That, you can depend on.” He captured her chin with his fingers and raised her face to kiss her. And kiss her. And kiss her. They ignored the good-hearted teasing that surrounded them. At that moment, all that mattered was the two of them. All else could take care of itself for the next day or two. Maybe even a week. They had a mansion to explore, and their own love to explore and enjoy.
Victoria had a strong hunch that they would figure out how to explore that to the best of their ability.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from The Dutiful Daughter by Jo Ann Brown.
Dear Reader,
When I visited the privately owned park of Jolly Mill and studied its history, I knew I wanted to share it with you in the story. The mill you read about in these pages still exists. The village was once called the Village of Jollification, and locals believe that name rose in favor when the mill was a distillery for alcoholic beverages. More than a hundred and fifty years ago, Jolly Mill was a popular resting place for wagon trains traveling to the new frontier. If you find yourself in the southwestern corner of Missouri, you might want to find Jolly Mill and visit the park. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
Hannah Alexander
Questions for Discussion
Keeping Faith begins with Dr. Victoria Fenway working with her young assistant while secretly watching for her husband’s murderer to sneak up on them. Have you ever had to continue living your life as if nothing was wrong when you felt as if calamity could strike at any time? How did that feel?
Out of concern for the emotional well-being of those around her, Victoria battles her heartache in silence and conceals most of the truth about her past love for Joseph. Do you think that was the best thing for her to do? If you were her, would you share the past with new friends?
Have you ever shared secrets with a friend and then found out they couldn’t be trusted? If so, what did you do about it?
Joseph battles feelings of betrayal as well as guilt over the history he shares with Victoria. Should he have approached her sooner, when her husband was still alive, about why she had not replied to his many letters? Why?
The only reason Joseph allows the troublemaking Johnston brothers to continue traveling with the wagon train is because their father had once saved his life. Do you think he believed the boys could grow up to be good men like their father, or was he simply afraid they were so clumsy they could get killed if he’d sent them back home alone?
Did you ever act out as a teenager? How did that turn out for you? Have you seen young adults who were once wild grow into responsible adults?
Victoria works at a profession in a time in history when women aren’t accepted as physicians, and even men don’t often make enough to live on. Why, then, do you think she’s taken Heidi on as an apprentice? Shouldn’t she just encourage Heidi to find a good man to marry and have children?
When Victoria leaps between an attacking panther and Heidi to save Heidi’s life, she is badly injured. She would likely have remained safe if Heidi hadn’t disobeyed her orders to stay with the wagon train. How much trouble would you have forgiving someone whose willful disobedience nearly killed you?
Have you ever suffered from the poor judgment of others? How did you find the strength to forgive? Or have you been able to forgive?
Joseph is torn between responsibility and love when Victoria disappears into the forest in the middle of the night to travel to a village she knows is dangerous. He ends up splitting the wagon train in half and going after the woman he loves, while appointing someone else to lead the other half of travelers. Is he betraying those who have placed their trust in him? Why do you feel this way?
Have you ever broken a promise because of someone you loved?
Victoria knows she is entering a dangerous place when she leaves the wagon train to rescue people in need. Do you think she would do this if she was safely ensconced in a happy, stable marriage with Joseph? What would you do if you made a promise, and then the situation changed drastically?
nsas Territory with many abolitionists in an effort to ensure freedom when Kansas becomes a state. They know there will be great turmoil, and possibly a war. Would you have gone to Kansas, or would you have continued on West to avoid the conflict?
If you were Heidi, which boy do you think would be best suited for you as a husband—William Reich, Buster Johnston or Gray Johnston? What would be the merits of each?
Victoria marries the love of her life less than a year after her husband’s death. Do you think this will cause contention in the ranks of the new community Joseph has built? Would you wait for a more suitable time?
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Historical title.
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
Meriweather Hall, Sanctuary Bay, North Yorkshire
September 1816
“He is here? Now?” Sophia Meriweather stared at Ogden, the family’s butler, in dismay.
Ogden nodded, his silvery hair catching the light from the book-room window. Even though he had been in service in the house since her father was a boy, the butler was not bent with age. His black livery was perfect, as always, but she noticed the slightest quiver in his fingers. And why not? Everything was going to change from this moment forward.
That was not quite true. Everything had changed when Sophia’s father took his last breath without a male heir. Without a brother or even a nephew. Only a distant cousin several times removed who had never visited Meriweather Hall on its promontory overlooking Sanctuary Bay. A distant cousin named Edmund Herriott who now possessed the title of Lord Meriweather and held claim to the estate and all it contained.
Including the previous lord’s older daughter.
Not that she was property, but it was assumed by her mother and sister and by the residents of the nearby village that Sophia Meriweather would do her final, most important duty to her father and marry the new baron and give him a male heir to keep an unbroken line at the estate.
Sophia slowly rose from the rosewood desk in the book-room. If she did not marry the new lord, she and her mother and sister would be relegated to the dower cottage where nobody had lived for more than thirty years. Her fingers curled on the edge of the desk. Papa had assured her that once the war was over, they would travel to the places on the Continent that he had visited on his grand tour before the French Revolution and Napoleon’s wars.
But her father was dead, and she was expected to marry a man she had never met.
Sophia raised her chin. She had promised Papa before he died that she would take care of Mama, her sister, Catherine, and Meriweather Hall. That was a promise she must keep. Therefore she would present Meriweather Hall in its best light and at its most welcoming. It did not matter that the new baron had not had the forethought to send a messenger ahead to alert them to his arrival so early in the day. Learning to live with how the new Lord Meriweather handled his household was something they must do.
Hannah Alexander Page 24