“Why didn’t they kill you, too?”
“My guess is they didn’t want to add killing a railroad detective to their list of sins, or thought I was almost dead.”
“But they threw away a perfectly good rope!”
“Gee, thanks, Daisy. Please keep working on that knot while you argue.”
“My fingers are sore and this rope is tight.”
“I’m sorry, but my right leg is cramping something fierce.”
“Oh dear, I hope it isn’t broken.”
Angus was gritting his teeth, either in pain or from trying to keep from saying anything else.
“There! I got it!” Daisy lifted his legs high enough to unwrap the rope, stopping when they were free. “Now I’m going to pull you upright so I can unwrap the rest of you.”
“Ow, Ow...Oh Romans, that hurts the back of my leg!”
Daisy shook her head. After all this time away from home, Angus still swore like his father, going through the books of the Bible when he didn’t want to say the words he was really thinking.
“Hang on, I’m almost done,” Daisy tried to hurry without hurting his arms. The rope started clear up around his neck, but maybe the stiffness of the hemp kept his neck from snapping as he was thrown off the train.
“Now what?” Daisy hated to ask, but she was anxious to hear his answer.
“I catch my breath while you roll up that rope. We may be needing it before we find our way out of here.”
Daisy hoped Angus was all right because she didn’t relish finding her own way to a nearby town for help.
She eased back down to the ground and looked around the area. “At least it’s not raining or snowing…yet.”
“So far, this September has been warm in the mountains but that can quickly change.”
Angus rubbed the back of his leg, while still watching her.
“Were you traveling with someone on this train?”
“No. I was just on an outing to see the mountains.”
“Last I knew you were in Chicago.”
“I’ve been in Denver since February.”
“Really? Why?”
“Working.”
“Why didn’t I know this? I pass through Denver at least twice, almost every week!”
Daisy sighed. His parents gave her an address where to write, but she didn’t want Angus to meet her out of obligation.
“Why didn’t my folks write to tell me you were here? Did you tell them not to say anything?”
Being a railroad detective had only sharpened Angus’ always inquisitive mind.
“You’re always on the job, traveling some tracks between here and there so how was I to know where you were?”
Angus struggled to stand and Daisy stood up beside him, ready to catch him if he fell. But he’d grown in height and weight since she’d last seen him, so she really couldn’t help if he tumbled back to the ground. He arched and twisted his back and rolled his shoulders trying to get the kinks out of his body.
“Anything broken, sprained?” Daisy asked, worried since he hadn’t taken a step yet.
“Don’t think so. I’ll live to roll down a hill another day.”
Angus reached for Daisy’s hand. “Come on, let’s check the others, then head up the hill to find out where we’re at.”
Daisy took his hand and gave it a squeeze. How many times had they held hands in their youth? She never thought they’d hold hands again as adults, but she had always wished for it.
“Lead the way, Angus. I’m right beside you.” Angus paused searching her face, as if looking for a deeper meaning. Even after eight years apart, did he feel the connection between them, too?
Continue reading Angus’ Trust now by going to Amazon.
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Dear Reader:
Thank you so much for reading Elof’s Mission, a story in my new Grooms with Honor series. This book starts in Debra Holland’s Montana Sky Kindle World setting of Morgan’s Crossing, and then the characters travel to the fictional town of Clear Creek, Kansas—first used in my Brides with Grit series.
The series setting is based on the old cowtown of Ellsworth, Kansas—famous for its cattle drive history—and nearby Fort Harker. The fictional town of Clear Creek is based on the many little towns that sprang up as the railroad was built across Kansas, and is set in the current area of Kanopolis State Park. I live nearby and have hiked the park’s trails, where the landscape remains the same, making it easy to visualize what the area looked like in the 1880s.
For more information on all my series, please visit www.LindaHubalek.com, or ask your favorite retailer or library to order them for you. Although each book is a standalone, I recommend reading them in order to get full benefit of the story.
If you see any errors or typos, please email [email protected] about them. Even though this book has been read and professionally edited by several people, things can slip through which I want to correct for the next reader.
Please sign up for my newsletter at www.LindaHubalek.com to receive a free short story, and to hear about the release of future books, contests and more. And I love to connect with my readers, so please contact me through one of these social media sites.
Please help other readers discover my books by recommending them to family and friends, either by word of mouth or writing a review. I’d really appreciate it.
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Many thanks from the Kansas prairie!
Linda K. Hubalek
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Grooms with Honor Series (available and future books)
Nolan’s Vow (Nolan and Holly)
Elof’s Mission (Elof and Linnea)
Angus’ Trust (Angus and Daisy)
Fergus’ Honor (Fergus and Iris)
Gabe’s Pledge (Gabe and Iva Mae)
Mack’s Care (Mack and Pansy)
Cullen’s Love (Cullen and Rose)
Seth’s Promise (Seth and Lilly)
Tully’s Faith (Tully and Violet)
Brides with Grit Series
Rania Ropes a Rancher (Rania and Jacob) FREE
Millie Marries a Marshal (Millie and Adam)
Hilda Hogties a Horseman (Hilda and Noah)
Cora Captures a Cowboy (Cora and Dagmar)
Sarah Snares a Soldier (Sarah and Marcus)
Cate Corrals a Cattleman (Cate and Isaac)
Darcie Desires a Drover (Darcie and Reuben)
Tina Tracks a Trail Boss (Tina and Leif)
Lorna Loves a Lawyer (Lorna and Lyle)
Helen Heals a Hotelier (Helen and Ethan)
Also, read Lilly: Bride of Illinois, a spin-off book in the American Mail-Order Brides Series.
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Historical Fiction Books by Linda K. Hubalek
Trail of Thread Series
Trail of Thread
Thimble of Soil
Stitch of Courage
Strong Women: The Complete Trail of Thread Series
Butter in the Well Series
Butter in the Well
Prairie Bloomin’
Egg Gravy
Looking Back
Planting Dreams Series
Planting Dreams
Cultivating Hope
Harvesting Faith
Kansas Dreams: The Complete Planting Dreams Series
Kansas Quilter Series
Tying the Knot
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About the Author
Linda Hubalek grew up on the Kansas prairie, always wanting to be a farmer like her parents and ancestors. After earning a college degree in Agriculture, marriage took Linda away from Kansas as her husband worked in engineering jobs in several states.
Homesick for her home state and family, Linda researched her ancestors and wrote stories about them and the area’s history. This started her new career of writing historical fiction books about pioneer women who homesteaded in Kansas between 1854 to the early 1900s, especially her Swedish immigrant ancestors.
Linda is currently writing sweet historical western romances set in the 1800s, weaving historical facts with couples earning their own happily ever after.
Montana Sky: Elof's Mission (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Grooms with Honor Book 0) Page 11