Uncharted Destiny (The Uncharted Series Book 7)

by Keely Brooke Keith

  “Don’t enjoy getting dirty, do you?” Isaac gave Chloe a slow stroke down her mane. “Then I’m not sure why you decided to spend your life with me.”

  So maybe it hadn’t been her decision exactly, but it looked that way at the time. When he’d chosen the horse out of all his payment options after he’d worked six months for the traders, Chloe took a quick liking to him. Every morning since, she came to his whistle. When he approached her, she reached her head toward him, ears forward. And the way she wanted to stay near him when he camped between villages made it seem like she’d picked him.

  “Wouldn’t make sense to anyone but us. Would it, girl?”

  Maybe it was just the fact that she was the first horse he’d owned that hadn’t actually been his father’s. And anything that belonged to his father would someday belong to his older brother, Nathan, which was rubbed in Isaac’s face every hour he spent at home in Southpoint.

  Well, thank God, it wasn’t his home anymore. Never was. The old house wasn’t his, nor the sprawling farm, nor the horses. The only things that ever truly belonged to Isaac were the clothes stuffed in his satchel and the bedroll hanging from his saddle. And now Chloe herself. She was his, and since she was only three years old, he figured they had a good long life together ahead of them. But no sense in thinking that far ahead.

  The mid-morning sun couldn’t find a break in the thick clouds. Its filtered light made it difficult to tell the time. He slid his gloved hand into the breast pocket of his riding coat and pulled out his grandfather’s pocket watch. It only belonged to him because his grandfather had given it directly to him before he died. Otherwise, the watch would have ended up in Nathan’s sticky hands.

  Didn’t make much difference since the watch was broken. He’d always been able to fix anything. So why couldn’t he fix this watch?

  Oh, well. It didn’t matter. He checked the sky to estimate the hour. It wasn’t lunch time yet, but his stomach was already growling. Probably just from knowing warm, delicious meals awaited him at the inn.

  Hopefully, Miss Sybil Roberts was still the inn’s cook. It had only been three months since he’d been there to interview for the farm manager position. Surely, Miss Roberts hadn’t been swept off her feet and away from Falls Creek in such a short time. Although if she had, it wouldn’t surprise him.

  She could cook like an angel and had the prettiest green eyes he’d ever seen. She’d blushed when he slipped into the inn’s kitchen once to tell her how much he liked her cooking. Not that he was a stranger to making women blush, but there was something special about Sybil Roberts. Of course, he’d have to keep that to himself. She was his new boss’s daughter, and he needed the job at Falls Creek to work out.

  He needed more than the job. He needed to improve the inn’s farm operations to such a degree that news of his success made its way back to his family in Southpoint without him saying a word. He needed to prove he deserved to run a farm and that was why he had the position, not simply because it was handed to him by birthright.

  Stupid tradition. Nathan didn’t deserve to inherit their family’s farm. That man didn’t care about the soil, the livestock, the cycles of seasons and crops and life that made a farm a productive world of its own.

  Isaac did and he would prove it with his new life at Falls Creek. He’d tried to prove it at another farm, but never could settle in there. Then he thought he’d be good at trading, but that didn’t work out either. Not much ever had.

  So maybe he couldn’t pass a test back in school or find a girl that made him want to commit for life, but he knew farming. He gave Chloe another click to encourage her up the next hill. “We’ll show them. Won’t we, girl?”

  As they crested the hill, the horse lifted her head at what awaited on the horizon. Isaac was already staring at the gleaming white house that stood out against the brown hills like winter wheat against a gray sky. He tightened up on the reins and Chloe slowed. “There it is. The Inn at Falls Creek. Our new home.”

  Chloe’s muscles vibrated beneath her skin.

  “You’re right. It is exciting.” Since she had the energy for it, he hastened her into a trot to close the distance between them and the inn. “Let’s go!”

  Despite being cold, tired, and hungry, when they crossed the stone bridge in front of the big white inn, the happy two-beat clop of his horse’s hooves matched the joyful rhythm of his heart. It no longer mattered that he hadn’t received a fond farewell from his family; he’d found his place and would make a life for himself here.

  “Smell that, girl?” He drew in a long breath. “Freedom.”

  He pulled back on the reins when they reached the property, and Chloe slowed to a stop. The high arched doors in the middle of the L-shaped stable block were closed. By mid-morning most barns and stables had at least one door open. Winter had begun, but it wasn’t too cold yet to air out the stables during the day.

  He scanned the other buildings on the property. No smoke rose from the bunkhouse’s chimney, nor from the little cottage where the elderly farm manager and his wife lived. The barn doors were closed too. Unsure where to go, he turned Chloe and rode her toward the front of the inn.

  He dismounted at the wide porch, but before he tied Chole to the corner rail, the front door opened. A stream of voices singing O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing flooded out of the house, accompanied by piano music.

  Solomon Cotter stepped out of the inn wearing pressed trousers and a waistcoat over a starched white shirt. “Isaac. Welcome back!”

  Isaac climbed the porch steps and thrust out his hand. “Thank you.” He almost added sir, but stopped himself, realizing the stable manager was neither his boss nor that much older—maybe thirty at most. “Did I arrive at a bad time?”

  Solo shook his head. “Sunday service.”

  Somehow with all that had happened at his family’s house he’d lost track of the days. He glanced down at his faded trousers and muddy boots. “I’m not fit for church like this.”

  Solo gave him a quick scan, raising one scarred eyebrow. “We don’t care too much about such things around here. It’s almost over anyway. Mr. Roberts forgot to prepare a sermon, so Leonard just read Scripture and now we’re singing hymns. Come on in. Everyone has been looking forward to your arrival.”

  Isaac wiped his boots and then stepped into the warmth of the inn. The air, heady with the inviting scent of roasting meat, welcomed him like an old friend.

  For the first time in Isaac’s life, there was no place else he’d rather be.

  * * *

  Sybil led the singing of her favorite hymn and played the upright piano that stood along the entry wall of the dining room. The older piano wasn’t made of gray leaf wood like the newer instruments she’d heard about, but it suited the inn just fine. She didn’t need to look at the tattered hymnal propped open above the keys. She’d played this song so many times she had it memorized. Her fingers danced across the keys, guiding the melody, as her family sang together, some gaily, some off pitch.

  She glanced back at them. Her father was singing loudly. Somehow Frederick still knew every word to every hymn they sang, even though his mind slipped on most other details these days.

  Little Zeke knew the lyrics too. He looked adorable in the dark trousers and waistcoat Claudia had made for him. Maybe someday Sybil would have a little boy of her own. She imagined a lad sitting beside her on the piano bench while she accompanied the Sunday singing in the inn’s dining hall. Or she might have a girl. Or both. It didn’t matter to her.

  Solo stepped back into the room after having left abruptly. He rejoined the singing and stood close to Eva as Zeke leaned against his leg. They already looked like a perfect family, but no wedding plans had been made.

  When Sybil began the last verse, another figure shadowed the doorway. Solo must have let someone in the door, perhaps a trader or weary traveler. She glanced up to see who it was, not missing a note. Her breath hitched.

  Isaac.

  Her fingers co
ntinued to play the melody from memory, while her heart bulged inside her. Her mouth went dry, and she was sure it was still open, but whether she was singing or humming or reciting the colors of the rainbow, she didn’t know.

  Isaac stepped into the room, tall and sturdy like the big gray leaf tree in the side yard that she’d climbed as a child. He took off his hat and tapped its brim against his wide palm. His hair still had light patches from the summer and a slight curl from his youth. Or maybe it was always that way and always would be. The mix of blond and brown looked like honey on toast. It was pressed against his scalp from hours under the hat, or perhaps he woke up like that this morning.

  Either way, it suited him how it joined his short brown and blond beard. Normally, she would think it could all use a trimming, but the wildness of it framing his strong face made her forget her fondness of all things tidy… and made her forget what she was doing.

  Her fingers fumbled in the last stanza, yanking her attention to the open hymnal. It was on the wrong page. Somehow she ended the song, ungracefully. Heat flushed her face while she looked at Leonard as his cue to conclude the service.

  The authority of a long, godly life filled the elderly man’s voice as he prayed. Sybil usually found Leonard’s prayers comforting but at present, nothing could relax her. She peeked one eye open as the prayer went on and on. Yes, she was grateful for the inn and the rain and Christ and their health, but she was also thankful for the striking man in the dining hall doorway. She hadn’t seen him in months, and now he stood mere feet from her piano. From her.

  Though it was warm in the house, he kept his riding coat on, maybe because he was cold from being out-of-doors for who knows how long, or maybe because he wasn’t in his Sunday best. It made him look like a man with work to do, as he would be soon, managing the inn’s farm.

  She had to remember that. He was here to work. Leonard and her father needed him.

  While Leonard was still praying, Isaac opened his gray-blue eyes and met Sybil’s gaze. Immediately, he smiled, closed-lipped, bringing light to his eyes and faint lines to their corners.

  Eva had once said Isaac’s smile could melt stone. Heavens, was she right!

  Sybil returned his smile then instantly closed her eyes again like a child not wanting to get caught. Oh dear, that was childish. Why had she done it? She was a grown woman and could handle smiling back at a man. A handsome, kind man who had once complimented her cooking and made her feel like more than a cook.

  And she’d dreamed of little else since that moment. Now what did he think of her?

  Her heart pounded away the seconds until Leonard said, “Amen.”

  She mustn’t look directly at Isaac and seem too eager. Eva had warned her about giving her heart away. She carefully slid the lid over the keys to close it, then set her hymnal in the piano bench’s hidden compartment. She looked out the window at the rain and smoothed the pleats of her skirt though they didn’t need it.

  There, not too eager at all.

  As she turned, ready to make a steady greeting, Eva welcomed Isaac to the inn and whisked him to her office, chattering about his room assignment and meal times and laundry days.

  Sybil tried not to stare down the hallway after them.

  Claudia put her hand to Sybil’s back and leaned in close. “You’ll get your turn, sweet girl.”

  “You used to say that to me when I was little and wanted to play with the others, but they wouldn’t give me a chance.”

  The older woman nodded once, a lifetime reflecting in her eyes. “And it was always so hard for you to wait.”

  “Still is.”

  Wisdom laced Claudia’s feather-light voice. “Anything worth having in this life is worth waiting for.”

  Sybil watched Isaac’s shadow linger in the hallway. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

  …

  The story continues in Uncharted Promises (Uncharted, #8). Tap here to download it on Kindle.

  A Note from the Author

  Thank you for reading my book! I’m so glad you went on this journey with me, especially if you’ve read the Uncharted series all the way from the beginning. What an adventure we had together!

  The story of the Land continues in Uncharted Promises (Uncharted, #8), and if you’re interested in the founders of the Land, check out the Uncharted Beginnings series, which begins with Aboard Providence.

  I plan to write more Uncharted stories soon. There is so much to explore, especially with the Roberts family at the Inn at Falls Creek. Be sure to sign up for my New Release Announcements on my website so you will always know when the next story is coming.

  I love hearing from readers. Feel free to email me at keely@keelykeith.com. I answer every message personally.

  Many blessings,

  Keely

  P.S. If you enjoyed this story, please consider leaving a review at your favorite online retailer.

  More Books By Keely Brooke Keith

  The Land Uncharted

  Book One in the Uncharted series

  A hidden land settled by peaceful people

  The first outsider in 160 years

  Lydia Colburn is a young physician dedicated to serving her village in the Land, an undetectable island in the South Atlantic Ocean. When Lt. Connor Bradshaw’s parachute carries him from the world war to Lydia's hidden land, his mission could expose her simple society.

  As Connor searches for a way to return to his squadron, his fascination with life in the Land makes him protective of Lydia and her peaceful homeland, and Lydia’s attraction to Connor stirs desires she never anticipated. But will they be able to keep the Land hidden?

  Uncharted Redemption

  Book Two in the Uncharted series

  Mandy Foster spends her days building musical instruments and her nights avoiding the discontent that plagues her after sundown. She’s learned how to guard her heart with skillfully played songs and flirtatious smiles.

  Levi Colburn is building his house outside the village—across the road from Mandy to be exact. Though he’s been in love with Mandy since childhood, she rejected him once and has been unattainable to every man in the village ever since.

  When Mandy’s life is in danger, it’s up to Levi to rescue her.

  But will she accept the tender care of the one man who truly loves her?

  If she does, her secret would be exposed.

  Uncharted Inheritance

  Book Three in the Uncharted series

  As Bethany Colburn completes her apprenticeship and dodges unwanted suitors, a mysterious man arrives in her village. He brings charm Bethany has never encountered and illness the Land has never known. She will need more than her heightened intuition to uncover the truth about life in the Land.

  Just when Everett Foster finds the courage to confess his love for Bethany, a stranger threatens his future with her—and their whole society. Everett must protect the Land, run a farm, and win back Bethany’s heart.

  Christmas with the Colburns

  Book Four in the Uncharted series

  It’s Christmastime in Good Springs, and Lydia Bradshaw is eager for the light at the end of her year—the Colburn family’s big holiday gathering. When she discovers none of her siblings are coming back to the village this year, she believes Christmas will be ruined. As Lydia faces a gloomy holiday in the Colburn house, an unexpected discovery brightens her favorite season. Will it be enough to rekindle the light of Christmas?

  Spend Christmas with the Colburns in this inspirational holiday novella. Holiday recipe included!

  Uncharted Hope

  Book Five in the Uncharted series

  Sophia Ashton’s new medical assistant job comes with the perks of living on the Colburn property, which include being surrounded by a loving family—something she’s never known. During the job’s trial period, a patient puts Sophia in a questionable position. Now she must prove her competence or lose her job and home.

  Nicholas Vestal is working on a sheep farm to earn a starter floc
k, but before his contract is up, he inherits a house in the village. While fixing up the old house, he pursues Sophia Ashton, believing she is the woman God wants him to marry. But when Sophia’s difficult past blocks Nicholas’s plan, he must find a way to her heart.

  Meanwhile, outside the Land...

  When plant biologist Bailey Colburn is offered a research job, she knows Justin Mercer is playing her somehow. Working for the former naval flight officer sounds better than her other options in post-war Norfolk, even though Justin says he once met her long lost relatives. But when Justin introduces Bailey to the mysterious gray leaf tree, his unbelievable claims change her world.

  Uncharted Journey

  Book Six in the Uncharted series

  Young widow Eva Vestal assumes loneliness is God’s permanent plan for her life. She keeps busy by raising her son and co-managing the Inn at Falls Creek with her elderly father, but her heart yearns for more.

  Solomon “Solo” Cotter has spent his life working with horses, but he secretly wants to write a book of the children’s stories his grandfather told him as a boy. He barters with Eva’s father for a 40-night stay at the inn, a needed respite from work to get his stories on paper.

  Once Eva discovers the barter, she believes Solo is taking advantage of her father’s failing memory. But when tragedy strikes and Solo works hard to save the inn, Eva sees his true nature. As her heart stirs with feelings for Solo, she wrestles with the guilt of loving someone new.