“Is there more?” Evan asked.
“Yes.” Jessie scanned a few lines then let out a squeal.
I have made plans with my aunt to travel abroad in April. She has a keen interest in touring Italy and the Mediterranean coast. Luke insisted I go. He is determined to pull me out of the shadows of those I love. So, I will go even though I loath to be separated from Luke for so long. I agree that this trip will be good for me, and good for us in the end. I need to grow in independence and find my place in the world apart from serving as another’s companion.
While I am gone, Luke plans to travel to the Southwest. He’s off in search of more wildlife and wild landscapes. I think this will be our habit for some years to come. It’s rather exciting to imagine, and I have found I rather like imagining.
One of the things that occupies my imagination the most, is that of our wedding this June. Father insists on a large garden wedding here in the city. Luke and I would prefer one smaller, but I am his only daughter, and I am resigned to be dutiful one last time before becoming a married woman. For I am uncertain Luke would approve of me as a dutiful wife. He seems to like my contrary nature. Isn’t that extraordinary?
You may find this even more amusing. We plan to spend our honeymoon in Montana. Luke has met an artist who lives on a smaller ranch there and he has a cabin he uses for a studio he is loaning us for the month of July. Doesn’t that sound romantic, Jessie?
Jessie looked up with a pleased grin. “I’m not sure about that. But it might be an adventure, they won’t soon forget.”
One final note from father. He’s been praising your guest ranch to his friends and telling them about the fishing and hunting opportunities. He’s also been proclaiming the cooking to be the best to be had west of the Mississippi.
Jessie whooped before reading further.
Father’s friend from the New York Assembly has planned a trip west to see the Yellowstone and Idaho’s central mountains as far as the River of No Return. He’s quite the hunter and adventurer. I’m certain you’ll find his stories fascinating. You may look for him later in October. He’s an influential man here, and we think his visit might be of great assistance to you in spreading the word about what you have to offer visitors.
Luke sends his love as do I. We will never forget you all, and how you helped us find our own adventure.
Warmest regards,
Dawn Fairburn
“My,” Lena murmured. “My. My.”
“Excuse me,” a man’s voice bellowed from the corner of the house. “I was looking for the proprietors of this ranch, a Mr. and Mrs. Hartmann.”
Lena scooped Rowena to her feet and rose to stand beside Evan. She looked up at him, waiting for Evan to speak first.
Evan shrugged and grinned, keeping his mouth firmly closed. He nudged her a step forward.
Lena cleared her throat and took a step down from the porch as the man stepped up to meet her. She gestured to her husband, a step behind her. “This is my husband, Mr. Hartmann, and I am Mrs. Hartmann. How may we help you?”
He doffed his hat to Lena. “I was told you offer a guide service into the Sawtooths. It’s a mountain range I’ve only heard of. Ranched in Montana for a few years, but never made it through these mountains. Would that be you?”
Evan nodded. “Yes sir, that would be me.”
“And you could make accommodations for me here? I understand the food is topnotch.”
Lena glanced at a beaming Jessie as she answered, “Yes, we most definitely have a room available.”
“Bully!” The man pushed his spectacles up on his nose. His face spread wide in a smile and he stuck out his hand. “I didn’t introduce myself. Roosevelt’s the name. But please call me Theodore.”
The End
Thank you for joining me on this journey through the Sawtooth Range. I hope you enjoyed your visit to the Hartmann Guest Ranch as much as I enjoyed creating the story. I love to hear from readers, so if you’d like to connect stop into my website and receive the free short story, Harvest Promise.
www.samanthastclaire.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Samantha St. Claire is the pen name of an author passionate about American history and the people whose legacies are woven into the fabric of a nation. She writes these characters to life in her novels of the western frontier, their trials and triumphs. Coming from a family of pioneers, she honestly claims her roots as a Daughter of the American Revolution and descendant of a Scottish Laird.
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Did you love A Portrait of Dawn? Then you should read Comes the Winter by Samantha St. Claire!
This is her last chance and she won't allow man or nature to rob her of what she's worked so hard to claim.In the fall of 1886, Alena Sommer leaves behind a life fraught with disappointments and loss only to arrive in Sawtooth City and find the man she'd pledged to marry has been killed. To return east is unthinkable; to stay is ill-advised, but she resolves to remain and manage the man's lodging house despite the warnings of winter's deadly storms. More than her stubborn nature influences her decision. From her first glimpse of this mountain valley she falls captive to its wild beauty and begins to sink her roots into its rich earth. Sharing her love of literature with her lodgers before a warming fire, she builds a family of lonesome souls, where dreams awaken.However, one man stands apart, disturbing her peace with ominous warnings to leave before winter comes. Evan Hartmann knows from personal loss that winter snows bring to these mountains both unimaginable beauty and death. He is also a man conflicted, because as much as he'd like for Lena to leave the mountains, his heart longs for her to stay."Rich descriptions and entertaining characters bring to life the beauty and struggle of life in the 19th-century West. This cozy tale grounded in the everyday will surely delight historical romance fans." – Publishers Weekly Starred ReviewLush landscapes, relatable characters, and compelling stories of courageous women are the hallmarks of Samantha St. Claire's historical fiction.Be inspired. Fall in love. Discover your next favorite author with COMES THE WINTER.
Also by Samantha St. Claire
The Sawtooth Range
Kat's Law
High Valley Promise
Comes the Winter
Redeeming Lies
A Portrait of Dawn
A Hartmann Ranch Christmas (Coming Soon)
A Portrait of Dawn Page 25