Uncharted Destiny (The Uncharted Series Book 7)

by Keely Brooke Keith

  “I wanted it to be ready for whenever Sybil decides to plant her herb garden.”

  “Unfortunately, my sister doesn’t have much time for tending plants these days. Cooking is plenty of work for her.” Eva’s grin mellowed into business-like politeness. “Actually, Bailey, that is what I need to talk to you about.”

  Bailey leaned on the broom. “Sorry, I don’t cook.”

  Eva laughed one sharp note. “I’ll take your word for it.” She lowered her chin, intensifying her professional gaze. “Sybil needs herbs for the kitchen, the inn would benefit from a winter garden, and I heard about Mr. Van Buskirk’s recommendation to plant more gray leaf trees in the Land’s western parts.”

  How had Eva heard about Tim’s theory already? Bailey lifted an eyebrow at her.

  Eva responded with a half grin. “Revel was telling Connor and the others at dinner.”

  Bailey had missed that meal too, but she’d more than made up for it at breakfast this morning. “Great, then I’m glad the greenhouse is ready for you. These soil pots will need fresh compost mixed in before you plant, and I recommend you start the herb seeds in—”

  “I don’t need gardening instructions, Bailey.”

  Before she could balk at Eva’s flat tone, the woman’s grin bloomed into a sweet smile. “I need a gardener.”

  “I’m sure the guys who run the farm would know—”

  “Not as well as you, which is why I’m offering you the job.”

  A slight but distinct trill buzzed inside Bailey’s chest. “A job? Here at the inn?”

  Eva spread both hands and glanced around the greenhouse. “This would be yours to manage, and our vegetable patch, of course. You would do all the work yourself, to your own standards. I would put it all in your capable hands. The job would be a year-round position. It comes with a private room upstairs and all of Sybil’s cooking you can eat. However,” she held up a warning finger, “Falls Creek is a secluded place. You might not feel loneliness now since you came here with friends and are only staying temporarily, but many people don’t like being so far from the villages. They find it unsettling. My own mother left here for that reason.”

  “Revel told me.”

  “I’m sure he did.” Eva waved a hand as if swatting away the thought. “I’m only mentioning it so you know I’ll understand if you decline my offer.”

  The thought of being secluded at the beautiful country inn wasn’t unsettling to Bailey; it was comforting. The Inn at Falls Creek could provide the perfect place for her to heal from her past—growing up in foster care; the water poisoning, plague, and world war; her traumatic arrival on the shores of Good Springs; and discovering Tim was her father only for him to die days later.

  Then again, she’d come to the Land to meet the Colburns—her distant but blood relatives. John and Lydia were waiting for her in Good Springs, and she was just getting to know the rest of the family. She couldn’t make the decision to leave Good Springs without talking it over with John. “I’m super grateful for the offer, Eva, but I need to think about it. Is that okay?”

  Eva’s eyes widened briefly, then she smiled and used Bailey’s term. “Of course it is… okay.”

  “Thanks,” she said, as she resumed sweeping the dirt pile closer to the door. Part of her wanted to jump up and down squealing a giddy acceptance of Eva’s offer. The sensible part let her keep her cool. “I have to go back to Good Springs for now, but I’ll write to you soon with my decision.”

  Eva nodded and walked to the door. “Excellent. Do come say goodbye to everyone before you go.”

  “I will.”

  After Eva left, Bailey finished sweeping the floor then slowly backed out of the greenhouse, trying to memorize every inch of possibility. She might conjure the memory in the days to come and plan how she would arrange her crop. Or she might remember the place fondly as somewhere she visited once but would never see again.

  She glanced across the yard at the stable block. Revel was leading Gee out of the building’s high arched doorway, already saddled. Her heart swelled with great admiration for the strong and caring friend he had been to her. Maybe someday she would be able to open her heart to love him in a new way.

  Sophia walked out the inn’s side door with a bag in each hand. The group would be ready to leave soon. Bailey had one last stop before she went into the inn to get her backpack and say goodbye to Revel’s family.

  Brown grass squished underfoot, still soft from yesterday’s rain as she strode toward the inn’s tall gray leaf tree. She stopped at the iron bench, not wanting to walk across the graves. Tim’s soul had gone on to Paradise, so it seemed foolish to say goodbye to him now.

  The mound of dirt was still raised unnaturally over his grave, but it would settle through the years like the other graves had. Instead of looking at the dirt, she cast her gaze up to the sky and whispered, “I’m going back to Good Springs. I’m sorry you never got to meet John Colburn in person. And I know you wouldn’t want me to be sorry about that either. Okay, fine, I’m not sorry. I’m glad you got to meet the guys and see this beautiful place, if only for a short time.”

  She glanced back at the greenhouse. “There’s a good chance I’ll be coming back to live and work here. I’m not totally sure yet. I need time to decide. Something tells me job offers don’t quickly expire here like they do at home. Home. Can’t believe I said that. The Land is my home now. You made sure of that. Thank you. I’ll see you again one day, but until then, I’ll be okay in the Land. I know I will.”

  * * *

  Bailey forked fresh hay into Gee’s clean stall in the Colburn family’s barn, then walked inside it with the horse she thought of as her own. She took off Gee’s rope and hung it on the wall outside the stall gate. The gentle giant sniffed the golden hay and nudged Bailey with her big horsey nose as if inviting her to stay for dinner.

  After a two-week adventure together, they had an unspoken connection that revealed more about her horse’s mood than any equine book could have. “I can’t stay, girl. Lydia is throwing a big welcome home dinner, Colburn style. I’ll come see you before bedtime.” She stroked Gee’s velvety neck. “It’s good to be back, isn’t it?”

  Gee snorted a soft goodbye as Bailey left the barn with her muddy boots and happy heart. Two wagons had arrived while she was mucking Gee’s stall. The flatbed wagon hitched to a pair of bay horses belonged to Everett. He and Bethany had probably given a ride to Nicholas, Sophia’s boyfriend who lived and worked at the Fosters’ farm. Bailey had never seen the second wagon before now, but it looked newly built. It was probably Levi’s, which meant Mandy and their baby, William, were already in the house.

  As the sun sank low to the west, she slowed her pace toward the big brick home and scanned the Colburns’ property. A salty ocean breeze cut through the gray leaf forest, filling the air with Good Springs’ unmistakable scent; soft light brightened Lydia’s medical cottage; the stately house cast its long shadow over the willow trees on the manicured back lawn, and its open kitchen door awaited guests who were always, always welcome here.

  Sophia was walking from the cottage to the house, wearing a plum full-skirted dress, which reminded Bailey that she needed to change before dinner too. The friendly chatter of ladies’ voices spilled out of the open kitchen door, and the aromas of freshly baked bread and Lydia’s chicken casserole met Bailey before she crossed the threshold.

  Bethany and Mandy were standing by the table, uncovering the steaming dishes of food they’d brought, while Lydia worked at the stove and Sophia played with Andrew, all of them seeming to talk at once.

  After a quick wash at the sink, Bailey hurried through the crowded living room to go change her clothes. The guys were also thoroughly engaged in conversation but in the casual tones of men who’d only been home one day and had spent most of it working. John was sitting in his armchair by the fireplace, holding Levi’s baby boy, while the other men stood around, talking. Revel gave her a secret grin as she rushed past.


  Once closed inside her borrowed bedroom, Bailey turned the glass-knobbed handle and clicked the lock. If any family in the world was worth making herself presentable for, it was the Colburns.

  She stood in front of an oval mirror, which hung on the wall beside a chest-of-drawers. A wire basket of combs and hair pins sat on the doily-topped dresser. Her hair was in desperate need of a trim, so there wasn’t much she could do with it at the moment. After a quick finger combing, she clipped her bangs back with a dainty silver pin. Not her best style, but maybe the family would appreciate her effort.

  She found the two new pairs of pants and several blouses Lydia had hung in the wardrobe for her while she was gone. The tailormade new clothes didn’t feel like a costume, as she’d once feared but were comfortable, comforting even since they were a gracious gift.

  Revel alone was waiting for her in the living room. His hazel eyes brightened when he saw her. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thanks.” She didn’t want him looking her over too much, so she kept walking toward the kitchen. “Are you ready to eat?”

  “Wait a minute.” He tugged on her elbow to stop her forward momentum. “Have you decided yet?”

  “About what?” She knew exactly what.

  He kept his deep voice quiet. “About the job Eva offered you.”

  “Mostly.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means you’ll have to wait and find out along with everyone else.” She smiled as he followed her into the kitchen.

  Everyone was clustered around the table, though no one had taken a seat yet. John looked around the room and when he spotted her, he opened his hand to the table. “Come, everyone. It is time to find your place.”

  John sat at the far end of the table, which probably for generations had been called the head of the table. Connor sat at John’s right with Andrew’s highchair on one side and Lydia on the other. Bethany sat beside Lydia with her feet curled beneath her like a dancer, and Everett kissed his young wife after he took his seat.

  On the opposite side of the table, Levi sat next to John with his back to the stone fireplace and one hand on Mandy’s chair while she held William in the crook of her arm. Nicholas and Sophia sat at the other end of the table, and Revel pulled out a chair for Bailey.

  Bailey did her best to convey her appreciation for Revel’s gentlemanly manners with a grin as she sat between him and Sophia. He had said her friendship was enough for now, and no matter how attentive he was, she was going to hold him to that.

  After John said the blessing, dishes were passed around the table. Bailey filled her plate as the warmth of dinner with friends and family filled her heart. She’d barely finished her last bite when John stood, his fingertips skimming the table’s edge.

  He smiled broadly. “It does a father’s heart good to have his table surrounded by children too old to be called children and grandchildren too young to properly use a spoon.” His smile slowly receded as his loving gaze fell on each of them who had gone on the journey. “I cannot tell you how fervently I prayed for your safe return. We prayed,” he corrected himself, looking at Lydia, Mandy, and Bethany. “God brought you all back safely to us and I will thank Him all of my days.

  “However, not everyone survived the ordeal. Bailey, we are sorry for your loss. When one mourns, we all mourn.” He gazed at her with his crystal blue eyes as he acknowledged Tim’s death. Sophia gently touched her arm in support. Their compassion comforted her more than they would know.

  John turned his attention to Connor. “Excellent job leading them across the Land.”

  Baby Andrew interjected a happy squawk, and everyone laughed.

  John passed a hand over the baby’s head and continued. “Levi, Everett, Revel, I am proud of you. Sophia, I heard your help on the journey was invaluable. I am grateful to all of you, I am told Mr. Van Buskirk was grateful, and I know Bailey is too.”

  He smiled again, lifting the mood in the room. “Welcome home, family!” Before he sat, he looked at Bailey. “Now, I believe Bailey has made some decisions about her future in the Land. Would you like to tell them your plans, or shall I?”

  Her full stomach fluttered, not from anxious nerves but with happy excitement. “I will.” Since everyone’s attention was already on her, she didn’t stand to talk like John had. She glanced from one person at the table to the next. “When I was at the inn, Eva offered me a job managing their greenhouse, and…” Her gaze landed on Lydia. She’d once offered to help the doctor with her gray leaf research, which had weighed heavily on this decision.

  “And?” Connor prodded. “What’s it going to be, Jeans?”

  She met his confident grin with her own. “And I’ve accepted. I’ll be moving to Falls Creek in about a month.”

  A chorus of congratulations came from around the table. The family’s genuine happiness for her amplified her own.

  Then she said to Lydia, “Since Connor is setting up the communication system across the Land, I’ll be able to exchange research notes with you and Sophia through the couriers.”

  Lydia smiled. “That sounds wonderful.”

  Connor reached across the table for a fist bump, and everyone chuckled at them.

  John gave her an approving nod. “Bailey, you will always have a place in my home. Please be sure you visit us.”

  Her grateful heart filled with the warmth of belonging. “I will.”

  As multiple smaller conversations started around the table, Revel leaned close to her. “By the way, I’ll be seeing you often at Falls Creek.”

  Though no one was listening to them, she whispered. “I thought you tried to avoid the inn.”

  “Well, you aren’t the only one who accepted a new job.”

  Had something changed his mind about taking over the inn for his father and accepting his inheritance? She studied his face for any sign of distress but found none. “The inn?”

  He shook his head. “Connor offered me the Riverside–to–Falls Creek courier run.” He glanced across the table at Connor, who was busy wiping baby Andrew’s chin. “I will be stationed in Riverside and riding to the inn twice a week, starting next month.”

  “Because I’ll be there?”

  “Partially.” He grinned. “Mostly.”

  Either that was the sweetest thing she’d ever heard or he was making a hasty decision he would one day regret. No one liked to be second guessed, but she had to ask anyway. “So even though you hate the inn, you’re planning to go there twice a week merely because I will be there?”

  His grin grew. “Yes, ma’am.”

  She ignored what he called her and returned his easy grin. “Do you think our friendship would survive even then?”

  He nodded. “Yes, even then.”

  # # #

  The Uncharted story continues in Uncharted Promises (Uncharted, #8). Tap here to download it on Kindle. Continue reading for a sample chapter.

  Bonus Chapter One of Uncharted Promises

  Sybil struck a match and held its flame to the wick of the wall sconce inside the kitchen doorway. Winter’s solstice had brought an early sunset to The Inn at Falls Creek, but the long night’s darkness and the Antarctic wind that sliced through the Land would be forgotten with the warmth of a delicious meal. That was the power of a cook.

  A good cook, anyhow.

  With a combination of grains and broth she could lift the spirit of a road-weary traveler. With the right balance of heat and salt she could open the hearts of those who sat across the table from one another, making them more willing to converse, to understand, to forgive. And Sybil, like all great cooks, knew the ultimate power of the cook was in her use of spices and herbs—the secret blends and perfected pinches that brought the taste buds to life, somehow encouraging women to fall in love and men to commit.

  As the lamp’s flame grew, Sybil crossed the kitchen to light each mirrored sconce, even though she could cook dinner for seven—or twenty-seven—in the dark if she had to. And she’d had to more than
once during the coldest of winters when the traders stopped traveling across the Land and the lamp oil supplies ran low. Of course, wood from the gray leaf tree burned longer than any other, and so there was always the glow of the oven’s firebox when she needed it.

  Flour and stray fragments of potato and carrot peels covered the stone countertop. She would clean it soon enough; first, she had to check on her creation. She lifted the lid off a tall stock pot and stirred the stew inside it with a worn wooden ladle—the one her mother had always used.

  Steam rose into the lamp-lit kitchen, filling her sacred space with its divine heat. She breathed in the tangy aroma on a full inhale. Venison and vegetables. Her father’s favorite. Maybe it would help him feel better tonight. It might even awaken his failing memory.

  As she set the lid back on the pot, her older sister dashed into the kitchen, bringing a quake of industrious energy with her. “Is dinner ready yet?” Eva asked, snatching a mitt from the countertop. She opened the oven door without giving Sybil the chance to answer. “Are the rolls done?”

  “Almost.” Sybil hefted a stack of bowls down from one of the many shelves that lined the long room. She counted out seven and put the rest back. “All I have left to do is fetch the rice pudding that’s cooling in the cellar and dish it up.”

  Eva scrunched her petite nose, bringing a sour look to her noble face. “Rice pudding?”

  “You’re the one who accepted a dozen twenty-pound bags of rice for trade last week. Didn’t you expect me to cook it?”

  The perfect tip of her wrinkled nose twitched. “Yes. But rice pudding? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

  “It’s a dessert Sophia Ashton told me about. She gave me the recipe when she was here with the others from Good Springs last month. I sampled it and it’s delicious.”

  Eva released the disgust from her expression. “Fine. Let’s just hurry up, please.”