To read the full book click here:

The Stubborn Cowboy's Unexpected Blessing

When their stubborn hearts collide, faith becomes their compass, love their salvation, and redemption their journey.

Orphaned and shattered, Georgia sets out West with only a fox terrier named Duke, her only remaining family. Having no one left to love or to love her, she answers a mail-order bride ad, holding the Bible as her guide. Can her faith be her compass to healing—and to the heart of her reclusive new husband?

Auggie, a hardened rancher who believes God has turned His back on him, has seen his share of hardship. When a mysterious baby is left on his doorstep and a bride he never asked for shows up, can he find the courage to let Georgia into his guarded world?

When dark secrets and a dangerous man hunting for the baby appear, they’ll have to face their deepest fears and protect a child neither asked for. Will love be their redemption, or will their fragile world come crashing down?

Written by:

Christian Historical Romance Author

Prologue

March 1, 1884

 

August Summers used to be called a dreamer, but life had stolen that luxury from him. As he milked the cows in the brisk spring evening, he no longer thought of a future filled with hope and joy. He had not for a long time. He no longer prayed to God, for praise or petition, and had been unable to do that for even longer.

As he listened to the steady thrum of milk spraying into the bucket, he kept his mind firmly on the present and all that he had left to do on the ranch. His stepmother Felicity would have dinner ready soon, so the majority of repairs and such would have to wait for the morning. Still, as he finished up the evening chores, he had to occupy his mind somehow.

With a pat to her hind end, August assured the dairy cow that he was finished and she could rest for the night. He lugged the buckets out to the spring house to cool and took stock of the barn door that needed repair. Every day there were new problems to fix, and every day Summer Ranch seemed to grow as run down and tired as August felt.

The sky was smeared with the oranges and pinks of sunset, which appeared dulled by thick clouds when August made his way back to the house. As he reached the front door, the hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he was struck by a strange sense that somebody was out there with him. Whirling around to scan the land, he could not spot anything out of the ordinary in the fading light.

The feeling of unease dissipated as August stepped inside to the delicious scents of beef, potatoes, carrots, and onions from the garden, roasted and seasoned. His mouth watered and he walked toward the table where Felicity was preparing to set their meal. She turned from the stone fireplace carrying a steaming crock with a towel, the pine boards creaking beneath her feet.

He only looked at the crock for a moment before turning his attention to the woman who had been like a mother to him since he was a young boy. Her dark but silvered hair frayed out of her bun in all directions after a long day of work, and stains peppered the floral cotton dress she doubtless planned to wear until the seams would no longer hold.

She was bustling around at a pace only slightly below her usual, but her back was bent at an odd angle, an occurrence that had been increasing in frequency of late. Although she was never one to complain, August knew that she must be in great pain for it to have affected her that much. A twinge of guilt bit at his heart for his inability to provide her with a life of ease.

“Oh, Auggie,” Felicity said as she turned to notice him for the first time. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

He gave her a polite nod and stepped toward the table to get another whiff of the food that would soon put a stop to the aching in his belly, but Felicity did not miss a beat. “Not until you wash up, young man.” Being twenty-eight years old did not absolve him of being referred to as a young man, but he was willing to accept her nicknames because he knew they came from a place of care.

“I wasn’t going to touch,” he assured with a half smile. “Just getting a better look, is all.”

She chuckled. “Go on. It’ll still be here when you get back.”

He obediently slunk to his small, barely furnished room where a basin and pitcher of water awaited. Not much had changed in that room since August’s birth. His crib had been replaced with a full-size bed, and Felicity decorated the dresser with a jar of dried flowers. However, the gingham curtains his mother had hung while she still carried him in her belly and the creaky wooden chair where she never got the chance to rock him still remained.

Stooping low to scrub his hands and face with the water and a bit of lye soap that Felicity had made, he found his mind wandering to that strange feeling he had gotten outside. All he could think of was that there might have been a wild animal that intended to prey on the livestock, but he had no basis for that suspicion besides a feeling that something big was about to happen.

After shaking his head and flicking free the loose drops of water, he dried off, then paused to look in the mirror. He towered over the dresser, as he towered over most people, so that required him to bend nearly in half just to see his face. With a deep sigh, he looked into his own brown eyes and tried to convince himself to stop worrying over nothing.

His stark black hair and full beard obscured much of his face from view, but Felicity had long given up on trying to convince him to shave. He had more important things to worry about and no desire to look presentable for anyone. All he could care about were the ranch and those who dwelt there. With one final attempt to get a grip on himself, he returned to the kitchen for some much-needed food.

The two of them sat down together, as they did every evening, and began to eat straight away. Besides the meat and vegetables, Felicity had prepared freshly baked bread with butter she had churned out in the spring house. The smell of bread always brought back memories that August had fought hard to ignore, but Felicity must not have realized that when she picked the topic she brought up for conversation that night.

After some small talk about the events of the day, Felicity said softly, “We might be able to keep up on repairs and such better if there was another woman around to help.” She avoided meeting August’s gaze for a moment, but upon hearing the clank of his fork dropping to his plate, she looked up at him with pale green eyes.

“Now don’t give me that look,” she said, her voice both authoritative and sympathetic. “It’s been three years, Auggie. You gave Betty five years of your life already because you loved her. But she left, and I can’t stand to see you waste the rest of your life because of it.” Although it stung him every day, hearing the words spoken aloud cut even deeper than he had been prepared for.

He took a deep breath to calm himself before insisting through clenched teeth, “Like you said, I’ve made it three years without anyone. I don’t need a wife now.”

Felicity gently placed her fork beside her plate and folded her hands in her lap. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I won’t be around forever.” He cringed at the words, but she persisted. “Like it or not, you don’t do well on your own. When was the last time you felt happy? I mean really, truly happy. I think a wife will be good for you, but you won’t know unless you put yourself out there and try again.”

All he could do was shake his head. Before he got another word out, a strange sound caused them both to jump. A high-pitched wailing was directly outside the door. It was not quite like any of the predators August usually had to deal with. He jumped from his seat and grabbed his shotgun as he stomped to the door.

He thought perhaps a fox or a bobcat sounded most similar, but he could not have prepared for the sight that met him. With the door swung wide open, August found a basket on the front porch. The white linen inside was twitching, and the noise was coming from there. That was no fox or bobcat, he realized to his shock. A tiny hand peeked out above the linen and confirmed his fear. That was a human infant.

Its face was pink and its eyes looked swollen. They were tightly closed as the baby squalled at an impressive volume for such a tiny thing. Felicity stepped up behind him without hesitation as she must have recognized the sound. With a gasp and a hand to her heart, she eased herself down to lift the baby up.

As soon as August had broken out of his surprised trance, he ran outside to look for whoever had left the baby there. He was not about to let them get away without an explanation.

Chapter One

March 3, 1884

 

Georgia Margaret Anne Richards pinned her golden hair into a fashionable updo. She was not the most prim of women, but since she had been forced to move in with her best friend Alice, she was expected to live up to a certain standard. Although she was grateful for Alice and her new husband’s hospitality, Ernest was not always the most understanding of men.

He could not seem to wrap his head around why a woman of twenty-one years could possibly want to keep a dog as her constant companion instead of searching for a husband. He made no secret of his annoyance at the presence of Georgia’s beloved fox terrier companion, Duke.

Although Ernest was not the most considerate when expressing his dislike of her dog, her presence, and even the way she still mourned her father after seven months, she tried to remember that she owed him thanks for allowing her to stay when she had nowhere else to go. He not only allowed her to stay, but the guest room in his home was comfortably spacious, with a large bed, mahogany end tables, and a gilded dresser she was free to use. Her favorite was an upholstered armchair where she liked to do her daily devotions.

Georgia patted Duke fondly as she took a seat in the chair and lifted her Bible onto her lap. Such was their routine every morning, and it helped her to remain cordial with Ernest by focusing on things above and not on things of the earth. She worked to remind herself often that he was used to the beautiful, sweet-tempered Alice and not the upturned, freckled nose and outspoken views of his unwanted house guest.

He was entitled to his opinions just as Georgia was allowed to feel the pain of losing almost everything she had. Still, she felt she could use a passage on patience to set her on the right path for the day. God must have heard her need, because no sooner did she open her well-used Bible than she found the story of Sarai and Abram awaiting their promised son.

Sarai had given up on becoming a mother because she was long past the age when a woman was considered able to conceive. Still, a promise from God and His mighty hand could bring about a miracle. Georgia found herself smiling through her vision blurred by tears. She wished she could have had a miracle, one that would bring her father and their home back to her.

It was difficult, or even impossible, for her to understand what the purpose could have been in that inland hurricane ripping everything she had away from her. Still, she tried and fought hard every day not to let her confusion and pain turn to bitterness. Duke barked when she read Genesis 21:2 when Sarah was given that long-awaited baby.

Georgia grinned at him. He often barked at his favorite passages during their morning readings, but this time, his voice served to remind her that she had not lost everything. She was still incredibly blessed to have her best human friend and her best animal friend still faithfully by her side.

Her smile vanished abruptly when Ernest’s voice rose from the stairway. “Is that animal still in the house? Alice, I told you I want it to stay outside! Why isn’t it outside?”

Georgia glanced down at Duke, who perked his ears and cocked his head innocently. His smooth fur was mostly white, with large patches of black along his back and head. His face was almost entirely black, apart from the small splotches of tan which included a pair of very expressive eyebrows.

“Don’t listen to him,” she said gently. While scratching behind his ears, she assured him, “You’re not an animal, are you? You’re family.” With a sigh, she closed her Bible and rose from her seat. “We may as well go down to breakfast since he already knows we’re here.”

Duke followed Georgia into the narrow hall outside of their room and past the elaborate Morris-style wallpaper that lined the length of it. Duke went ahead down the stairs, which curved and opened into the foyer. Running her hand along the smooth rosewood banister, Georgia took her time in following him down and through the foyer to the dining room.

As Georgia moved to sit across from Alice at the breakfast table, she smoothed the skirt of her relatively simple day dress. While Alice was looking highly fashionable in her deep red silk, with endless ruffles and a large bustle, Georgia preferred plain cotton for comfort and practicality. It had ruffling as well, but not in quite so many layers, and had been one of the few garments she was able to rescue from the debris of her home.

Alice touched her silky, black ringlets with delicate fingers to ensure that not a strand was out of place. Of course, it never was. She was always the picture of elegant grace, with a flawless and fair complexion and the largest blue eyes Georgia had ever seen. Yet, Alice seemed to be the only one who did not recognize her own beauty as she fiddled with her hands nervously.

Georgia slipped a piece of crisp bacon below the table to Duke, then took a small bite of her fried egg. Ernest folded his newspaper down and shot her an annoyed look with bespectacled, black eyes. He ran a thumb and forefinger over his brown mustache, then stood up and straightened his morning coat.

Laying his paper on the table in front of Alice, Ernest spoke derisively. “I really must get going. Working for the bank is so fulfilling. I can’t imagine how dull life would be if I did nothing but sit around someone else’s home all day.”

Georgia fought the indignation that threatened to sharpen her tongue, instead remaining silent. She hardly sat around except when he was present, and then it was only because that was considered proper. She much preferred being outside in the fresh air and doing something active or helping Alice with whatever she may need. Georgia doubted if Ernest had any idea how much responsibility his new bride had taken on to keep their large house.

Alice bid him farewell meekly as he put his top hat on his mousy-brown head and departed, then she looked apologetically at Georgia. Lowering her gaze, Alice sampled her porridge, her eyes landing on the newspaper in an effort to avoid meeting Georgia’s. With a gasp, Alice lay down her spoon and dabbed at her lips with a cloth napkin. She reached over her bowl for the paper, to which Georgia looked up, as that was unlike Alice.

“Well, of course,” Alice muttered under her breath. Looking at Georgia triumphantly, Alice pointed to something in the paper and said, “My dearest friend, this could be perfect for you!”

Georgia’s interest rose as Duke stood up to see what the commotion was. “What is it? Perfect for what?”

“For you.” Alice did not await a reply or explain further before standing and bringing the newspaper around to Georgia. “You see? It’s an advertisement for a man in need of a bride. You could answer and get a home and a husband all at once.”

Georgia’s brows furrowed as she studied the advertisement in question. She could not help but suspect that Ernest had not left this paper in front of his well-meaning wife accidentally. It would be just like him to manipulate things for his convenience, Georgia thought bitterly, even at the expense of a woman’s dignity, as a mail-order bride situation was in her opinion. She also could not help feeling slightly wounded that Alice was so eager to be rid of her.

Although sure that being a mail-order bride was far out of the question, Georgia read the words. “A kind but reserved rancher, 28, in search of a young woman in possession of great patience. Please write to Summer Ranch in Applesville, Colorado. Object matrimony.”

Georgia sat back in her chair, more thoughtful about the idea than she had anticipated being. What stuck out to her the most was the word “patience.” It had been the topic of her devotion that morning, and she wondered if this could truly be where God was leading her. She could not deny that a home of her own and the companionship of a kind man would be an answer to her prayers for a solid future. Yet, she feared leaving behind the last of the world she had always known.

More than that, she feared entering a new world, where she would be beholden to a man she had never met. She knew hardly anything about him, certainly not enough to form any sort of opinion about him. That is, apart from the fact that she would need to have patience with him, according to the advertisement. That did not bode well, and it made her more afraid than ever that she would end up marrying someone as intolerable to be around as Ernest.

On the other hand, there was a certain sense of adventure in not knowing. Perhaps he was simply being overcautious when writing about his desired bride, and he would actually be a pleasant fellow. Whether there was any way to know such things through writing alone, Georgia could not be sure.

She cleared her throat and glanced up at a grinning Alice. Georgia managed a smile. She realized that Alice had been forced into the uncomfortable position of mediator between herself and Ernest for long enough. Whether this marriage was the answer or not, Georgia determined then that something needed to change, and soon.

“What do you think?” Alice asked, her voice brimming with hope.

Georgia lifted the paper to study it more closely as she answered softly. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt to explore the possibility.” A flutter rose in her belly, and she looked up at her friend. “I can’t make any promises, though. Perhaps you could refrain from mentioning it to Ernest until I’ve had a chance to pray about it?”

“Of course,” Alice assured as she returned to her breakfast.

She did not stop beaming for the rest of the meal, which spoke to Georgia of a wish to see her gone. Georgia’s gaze fell to her cleared plate as she wondered if she had not been as much of a help and comfort to Alice as she had thought. Perhaps her dear friend felt the same about her presence as Ernest but was too kind to speak her mind. Melancholy filled Georgia’s heart as she left the table.

Afterward, Georgia donned her small bonnet and exited the house into the gray morning. Shops, the bank, the college, and other brick buildings lined the busy street she walked along, filled with possibility. If she were to stay in Amity, perhaps she could attend the college, which boasted female and male students alike. That life did not call to her as she might have expected, so she turned her face forward again until she reached her destination.

She and Duke arrived at the churchyard cemetery, and the mysterious man in want of a wife returned to her mind. She spoke a silent prayer then, asking, “Is this truly what you would ask of me, Lord? Must I leave Alice and Father’s grave so far behind to seek a life in the wide unknown? Is this man, whose name I don’t even know, the one who You have intended for me?”

Duke sat respectfully in front of her father’s headstone, and Georgia knelt beside him. Memories filled her of the dreadful night when they had all fought for their lives and her beloved father, her only remaining family, had lost to the storm. Tears filled Georgia’s eyes as she pictured what he might have had to say about his little girl considering such a marriage.

He was protective and strong, and incredibly loving. He would have told her that the only way to true happiness was following God’s ways above what they thought was best. This life was a gift from God, he had told her countless times, and it should always be lived to honor Him. Yet, not for the first time, she found it nearly impossible to accept how God could have taken that gift away from him so abruptly.

Tears fell freely from her pale cheeks. Duke lay down, pressed against her side comfortingly. She wrapped an arm around him and began to pray aloud, tearfully and desperately. “How am I to know, Lord? How am I to know what You ask of me? Please, guide me. I want to honor you. I want to find true happiness in serving You. But I don’t know what that looks like anymore. Should I write to him? Should I go to Colorado?”

A gust of wind chilled her and sent a shiver up her spine. Blinking back the newest tears that threatened to fall, she wiped her swollen eyes. A strange moment of peace overwhelmed her, and she stared ahead, meditating on it. The story she had read that morning returned to her mind, and she thought of how Abram and Sarai had grown impatient with God. Rather than waiting for Him to fulfill His promise, they had acted on their own, to their detriment.

Georgia considered for a moment whether taking her future into her hands by writing back would be a similar folly. She leaned over to touch the headstone fondly, thinking that the peace she felt must mean something. To her, it meant that she was being led to go forward with responding to the advertisement. If she was being called to leave all of this behind, then she would do so with as much grace and gratefulness as she could muster.

“Thank You,” she praised, clasping her hands together, “for never leaving me, nor forsaking me. Thank you for Your guidance and love. Please, continue to guide me, and please grant me the strength to do what You would have me to do—to follow You, wherever You may lead.”

She rose to stand before the headstone for another moment as she pondered what she was being called to do. As if he were already informed of what that was, Duke began the walk home. Georgia turned to watch him with a contented smile, then followed him to Alice’s house.

By the time they had walked home and upstairs to the guest room once more, she was ready to rest her legs. She was not in the same shape she had been when she used to care for the home and animals her father kept. Months of mourning and sharing homemaking duties with Alice had seen to that. Although, she had the suspicion that all of that would change soon. As she smiled down at Duke, she almost hoped that she could find a permanent home on a ranch where she could put in a full day of work regularly.

Once seated at the desk, her hand trembled a little as she brought her ink pen toward the paper. Whether it was from excitement or nerves, she could not be sure. Perhaps it was something between the two. She hesitated, wondering how such a letter should start. Should she give a physical description or simply express an interest in becoming a wife? If she were to describe herself as she thought was most accurate, it might put the man off.

Then again, if she was completely transparent and he still took an interest in her, then surely that would be a sign that the Lord’s hand was in their union. She took a breath and sent up another prayer for guidance as she began to write in her finest calligraphy.

“Dear sir, I am a woman of twenty-one in search of stability and companionship. My height is 5 feet, 6 inches, with an unfortunate lanky build. I have gray eyes and blonde hair, with little fashion sense to improve upon my appearance. If you find that you do not mind such things, I do believe that I will be a good housewife and Christian helpmate to my future husband. Please send your response to Miss Georgia Richards in Amity, Iowa.”

Next chapter ...

You just read the first chapters of "The Stubborn Cowboy's Unexpected Blessing"!

Are you ready, for an emotional roller-coaster, filled with drama and excitement?

If yes, just click this button to find how the story ends!

Share this book with those who'll enjoy it:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Email
  • I enjoyed reading the first chapter of your book, it made me what to read more. looking forward to it coming out. thank you.

  • >