Prologue

Ogden, Utah, 1867

Cinnamon let out a mewl of complaint as Amanda Bradley scooped up the cat when he tried to purr around her feet.

“Shh,” Amanda whispered. “Try not to make a sound.”

Amanda heard footsteps approaching her, causing her to lean further behind the corner of the wall. Even her faithful, golden-brown tabby friend stayed still as they both listened to the conversation taking place between her stepfather and fiancé.

“You won’t regret this deal, Bill,” Walter said. “I’m just glad that I can help expand your paper mill business.”

“And I’m finally glad to see you getting married,” her stepfather said. “There’s been a lot of talk about when it would finally happen, especially since you became mayor.”

Amanda shook her head in disbelief, listening to the conversation. She’d always suspected that there was a little more to this engagement than her stepfather had led on.

“I knew it,” Amanda said aloud, stepping out from behind the corner as her cat jumped out of her arms. “You were just trying to sell me off.”

“You’re supposed to be in bed,” her stepfather chastised, his face twisted into a scowl. “And look at you. I taught you better than that.”

Amanda blushed. She had been in bed, but then she’d heard Walter come to visit and was curious about why. She always had the feeling that Walter and her stepfather were up to no good. As a result, when she’d heard Walter coming by in the middle of the night, she was determined to find out why.

She’d only intended to listen, though, and not let anyone see her with her hair down, let alone practically naked in her nightdress.

“I don’t care,” she said. “I will not be some pawn just to improve your business. I’m calling off the wedding.”

If her mother had taught her one thing, it was to always stand up for herself. Even on her deathbed, her mother had made her promise to bow down to no man and not make the same mistakes she did.

“Don’t you have any manners?” Walter asked, grabbing her arm roughly.

“Unhand me,” she demanded, trying and failing to pull herself away.

Amanda was determined to be strong and not let either of them push her around.

Do it for Mother, she reminded herself.

“You owe your father and me an apology,” he said, tugging her closer to him. His fingers dug into her skin, causing her to gasp in pain.

“I will never apologize for defending my future,” she said, jutting out her chin.

Amanda didn’t even have time to react. Walter temporarily let her go to strike her hard across the cheek, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the ground. She touched her sore cheek, looked at Walter with contempt, then shuffled on her knees to face her stepfather.

“He struck me,” she said to him, trying her best to hold back tears. “Do you even care?”

“No,” he said, his scowl still in place. “It’s about time someone taught you some valuable lessons.”

There were many things Amanda wanted to say at that moment to her stepfather, like how it was his fault mother had died and how she would never forgive him for it. But she didn’t have the opportunity; Walter made sure of that.

“I’m sorry that had to happen,” Walter said. “Believe me when I say it hurts me a lot more than it hurts you to do that. Your father is right, though. Someone needs to teach you some valuable lessons. One of them is obeying the men around you. I will do whatever is necessary to ensure that.”

Hearing that made her even more furious, heat pooling in her stomach. It was something she’d heard her stepfather say to her mother far too frequently.

“I will never obey you,” Amanda spat as she failed to hide her tears. They spilled down her cheeks, her entire body quivering with the force of her anger. “And you are no man. A real man would never hurt someone weaker than himself.”

Walter raised his hand, about to strike her again. She flinched and braced herself for the blow, but her stepfather spoke up, demanding Walter’s attention.

“Leave her, Walter,” he said. “Let her think about her actions and go to bed for now.”

Amanda was surprised by her stepfather’s words. She knew that both men standing in front of her had no qualms about using violence to get their point across. Considering that she was the fiancé of the brute in front of her, it was only natural that he felt comfortable hitting her in front of her stepfather, especially when her stepfather enjoyed bragging about putting her mother in her place.

So, why he told Walter to ease up on her, she would never know.

Walter simply nodded, though he didn’t look happy about the interference.

Amanda stumbled to her feet, watching Walter as she inched away, scared that she was going to get hurt again. Only when she was out of his reach did she turn the corner and quickly break into a run, heading upstairs to her bedroom. She knew at that moment that she had to leave.

If the wedding went through, she would most likely be as good as dead, especially if she intended to keep her promise to her mother.

She quickly closed and locked her door before going to her closet. She pulled out her thick, gray, wool outer skirt and jacket and slipped them on. By the time she was properly dressed with all the required layers, she risked a peek out the window.

Her tensed shoulders relaxed as she saw Walter leaving in his horse and carriage, vanishing into the dead of the night.

She then went to her door and heard her stepfather’s footsteps climbing the wooden stairs. Until she heard him enter his bedroom and close the door behind him, she just listened.

Amanda still hadn’t done her hair, but she didn’t care. She could worry about that later.

She would also have to worry about getting Cinnamon. For all she knew, her stepfather would kill her defenseless friend as revenge for running away.

To ensure her path was clear, Amanda went to her dresser and grabbed her handheld mirror. She carefully slid it under her door and listened for any sounds.

When none came, she flipped it on its side and saw that the dimly lit hallway was empty. She took it as her sign and got up off the floor, quietly opening her door. As she tiptoed down the stairs, she heard thunder strike, causing her to jump. A torrent of rain followed, pattering against the roof. She wasn’t sure if she should be relieved or not.

At least no one will hear me leave, she thought bitterly.

When she reached the front door, she opened it, feeling the rough wind travel through her loose hair. She wasn’t about to risk going back to put it up, though, so she would just hope that no one saw her.

As she was about to walk out, Cinnamon came running to her with a pitiful meow and rubbed himself against her skirts.

“How could I forget about you?” she asked, picking up her cat.

She held Cinnamon close to her chest; she would have to carry him by hand. It wouldn’t be that difficult. Cinnamon was the runt of the lot when she’d picked him and was, therefore, much smaller than an average-sized cat.

Taking one last look around her, she shut the front door before breaking into a run.

Amanda knew what she was doing was impulsive and very last minute. She also knew she should stop to think about this and maybe consider packing a bag, but she feared that if she did, she would lose her courage and never escape.

She didn’t know where she was going; she just knew she had to escape and didn’t dare to stop or look back. The rain and wind crashed into her, causing her to squeeze her cat tighter and push her legs harder. Amanda wasn’t sure how long she ran for, but she was surprised that she was able to maintain the pace, especially with her unconventional shoes and clothing.

Eventually, she had to slow down as she ran out of breath. She tried to figure out where she was, but with only the moon to light her path, she was completely lost.

She came to a stop in what seemed like a small field and heard a crack of thunder, causing her to jump and step closer to a small tree. When the lightning inevitably struck the tree next to her, producing the loudest bang she’d ever heard in her life, her cat clawed her arm in fear. She gasped at the scratch of his claws, and with her ears ringing, she took another step back and fell.

The last thing Amanda felt was a sharp pain crashing into the back of her head and traveling through her neck as the back of her skull smashed against a rock.

Chapter One

Ogden, Utah, 1867

Samuel Dickinson grimaced as the rain started to come down hard, signaling the end of the day. Now he’d have to rush to pack up the tools.

Just as he was about to start his final task, a faint sound in the distance caught his attention.

At first, he thought it was the howling of the wind making him hear things. Then, he heard it again, this time, a bit louder—a voice. He inched forward as it came closer, with only the moonlight as his guide.

“Samuel!”

Samuel recognized it—his older brother’s voice.

He quickly looked around, trying to find Donnie, but he struggled to see anything past the rain.

Then, something touched his shoulders, and he jumped. He spun around, prepared to defend himself, but when he did, he only saw his brother with his hands upturned, saying something he couldn’t make out.

“What?” Samuel asked.

“What?” Donnie shouted, clearly trying to sound louder than the rain.

That confused Samuel even further.

What’s going on?

For Samuel, it was just another reminder of why he disliked the rain. He could barely hear anything other than the wind in his ears.

“Where’s Allan?” Donnie shouted.

“He’s next to the barn!” Samuel yelled. At least, he thought he was there. That was where he’d last seen his twin. “Probably trying to get the animals in.”

“Go help him!” Donnie shouted back and gave him a firm tap on the arm. “I’ll take care of the tools and then come to help the two of you.”

Samuel didn’t need to give any confirmation of hearing him; he just took off and broke into a run. His older brother could trust him to get the job done, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder if he should stand up for himself more—not allowing Donnie to decide everything for him. Should he have told Donnie no—that he would take care of the tools whilst Donnie helped Allan?

Samuel couldn’t hold the run for long and almost slipped as the rain and wind battered against him. He put his arm over his eyes, trying to protect his sight, and slowed to a walk as he neared the barn.

He could barely see a thing and had to rely on muscle memory to get there. Even when he saw the general shape of the building and the outline of Allan herding the animals inside, he still couldn’t rush over to help for the risk of tripping or losing his way.

When he finally got there, he went straight to his brother, who was herding the last of the pigs inside. Samuel noticed one of the smaller pigs trying to run in the other direction.

“No, you don’t,” he said, stepping in front of it.

The pig turned back around, and Samuel started chasing it into the barn gate as it screeched in fear. Allan closed the door behind him. Samuel looked at his brother, who was completely soaked from head to toe, not that he looked any different. His clothes were completely drenched, too.

He shivered as Allan approached him.

“Where the hell were you?” Allan asked loudly, wringing out his shirt inside the safety of the barn. “I could have used your help.”

“I could barely see a thing out there,” Samuel said. “What’ve you got inside so far?”

“I got most of the big ones inside,” Allan said. “I got the cows, horses, and just now, the pigs. All that’s left is the sheep, chicken, and geese.”

“We can get the chickens together next,” Samuel said. “After that, we can get the geese and then the sheep.”

“Fine,” Allan said. “But you’re grabbing the rooster.”

Samuel really didn’t want to grab the rooster. That tiny thing had it out for anyone who so much as looked in its direction. He wasn’t about to argue about it, though; after all, his brother had done most of the heavy lifting. So, he just agreed, and the both of them got back to work. Samuel knew that the sooner they were done, the sooner they could go inside.

It wasn’t hard to grab the hens since they were in their pens, hiding from the rain. They also tended to scream loudly when being taken into the barn.

When Samuel went to grab the rooster, it fled in the other direction, causing him to curse the stupid animal.

He didn’t know how long he chased that rooster, but when he finally did catch it, Allan was almost done putting all the hens away. When he had the rooster secured against his chest, it screamed loudly, pecking and biting Samuel as he rushed over to the barn. When he finally arrived, it took every ounce of self-control not to just toss the thing in.

Somehow, he managed to have enough patience to place it on the floor as it loudly squawked at him and went for one more peck at his legs. He really couldn’t wait to cook and eat that thing.

Now, they moved onto the geese. Unfortunately, they were just as mean as the rooster.

Unlike the rooster, though, they seemed to have the intelligence to understand after some time that they were being taken somewhere safer and drier.

Once they got all the geese inside, they went for the sheep. As they approached their pen, Samuel could have sworn he heard something. At first, he thought it was his imagination, but then, he heard it again.

Samuel stopped to listen.

“Will you quit wasting time?” Allan yelled.

Samuel ignored him and heard the sound again; he couldn’t quite work out what it was, though, as his brother called his name.

“Samuel!” Allan shouted over the sound. “I don’t want to be here all night.”

“Shut it!”

Allan was about to protest when Samuel interrupted him.

“Didn’t you hear that?” Samuel asked, raising his voice.

“Hear what?” Allan yelled back.

“Listen!”

Allan looked at Samuel with suspicion but listened. They didn’t have to wait long until they both heard the sound.

“What was that?” Allan shouted over the rain.

“Not sure,” Samuel shouted back, trying to follow the sound.

It took him in the opposite direction of the ranch, but there was something not quite right about it. It sounded pitiful and scared. Then, he heard the pitiful sound again. It wasn’t something someone would normally hear in this weather.

“Is that a baby?” Allan asked, reading his mind.

The noise came again, turning Samuel’s stomach with anxiety. It definitely sounded like a baby—high-pitched and almost like a drawn-out whine.

Samuel and Allan glanced at each other. They had the same thought: The sheep could wait; someone was in danger.

They rushed in the direction of the baby, trying to pinpoint where it was. They both knew that a small baby wouldn’t survive very long in this rain.

With the storm not letting up and the ground growing sticky and difficult to walk across, it would be dangerous for any small creature.

They both paused when the crying stopped. They still couldn’t see it and had no idea which way to go.

“What do we do now?” Allan yelled, his voice cracking.

“Try that direction,” Samuel yelled to Allan. “I’ll go the other way. Yell if you find the babe!”

Allan nodded and took off in the opposite direction.

Samuel tried to drown out all other noise and listen for the baby, but he feared the worst. He hoped they weren’t too late.

Then, he heard the cry again. A weight lifted from his shoulders as he neared the source; he called out to his brother when he saw a small bundle in the distance.

“Allan, over here!”

He didn’t get a response from his brother, but he could trust Allan to take care of himself. At least, he hoped so, but he didn’t have time to worry about that. Someone far more vulnerable needed his help right now.

He dashed over to the small, crying bundle. When Samuel approached the bundle, he paused in surprise when he saw it was a small cat and not, in fact, a baby.

“Samuel!” his brother shouted.

“Over here!” he yelled back before turning his attention back to the cat.

It was tiny, and if Samuel didn’t know better, he would’ve thought it was a kitten. It was a pretty little thing, too, with brown stripes over golden-colored fur.

He slowly approached the cat as his brother came closer.

“I found the baby,” he said to Allan before turning to speak to the cat. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”

He knelt and inched toward the cat as it took small steps back. It ducked into what looked like a gray sack, continuing to mewl. For a brief moment, his stomach twisted; had someone abandoned the poor cat in an old sack? Was that why it was meowing so much?

It wasn’t until Samuel got closer that he realized it wasn’t a gray sack at all. It was an unconscious woman, her dress having covered her form.

Why is she out here? And what do we do now?

This definitely changed things. Seeing her lay terribly still gave him horrible thoughts, and he couldn’t help but worry she might be dead.

Allan knelt and gently shook her, but there was no response. He then put his hand on her chest. Relief filled Samuel as he saw his brother’s hand rise and fall in a steady rhythm.

Samuel didn’t need Allan’s opinion on what to do next. They both knew they had to get her out of the rain.

Samuel shifted to lift her and felt something sticky at the back of her head. He sat her up, trying to move her as little as possible, leaning her limp body against himself as he checked his hand. His eyes confirmed what he thought he’d felt.

Blood.

“Did someone attack her?” Allan asked.

“I don’t know….”

He had a suspicion that the baby-sounding cat was somehow linked to this woman; they were side-by-side, after all, and the cat refused to move away from her crumpled body. He couldn’t help but wonder if he should send Allan to get Donnie. He would know what to do.

As he was about to tell Allan to do exactly that, he stopped himself. He could make the decision himself and show initiative.

Maybe then Donnie wouldn’t boss me around so much.

He could finally prove that he was a man and didn’t need to take orders from anyone.

Despite wanting to establish his independence and prove to Donnie that he was no longer a child, he still felt uncertain about what his next steps were. He supposed the next best thing to do would be to take her back to the ranch, where she was guaranteed to be safe.

“You grab the cat,” Samuel said to Allan. “I’ll carry her.”

Allan scooped up the cat as Samuel lifted the woman in his arms. He struggled to get a proper grip on her due to her skirts getting in the way. She was also taller than him and heavier than he had expected.

He imagined Donnie wouldn’t have a hard time picking her up and almost wished that his older brother was here right now.

Samuel had to walk slowly and carefully so as not to drop her. Allan kept lingering around, trying to help Samuel where he could. Luckily, the rain had slowed down, and when they finally spotted the ranch, Samuel’s shoulders drooped in relief. He was nearly home; he couldn’t imagine how Donnie would react when they walked inside, though.

He would definitely have an opinion on it; that was for sure. Whilst Samuel didn’t think that Donnie would tell him to leave her outside, he knew it wouldn’t be a happy response, either.