Prologue

Livingstone, Montana, 1890

Will McAllister stood with his arms crossed over his chest as two men inspected his horses. He tapped his fingers against his arm and did his best to appear unaffected. Their opinion would decide the future of his ranch.

The wind howled around the stable, slipping through the cracks in the wood and cutting through him like a knife. His hands were numb, and the tip of his nose was bright red and throbbing in pain. He remained still as long as he could before bringing his hands to his mouth and breathing into them. It did little to ease the bitter cold, but it was better than nothing.

“Excellent,” one of the men murmured.

He held one of the horse’s hooves in his hand and inspected it, as if he expected to find a fault. The horse huffed as if agreeing with him. Will stood a little taller.

Officer Jameson’s collar was turned up to keep the wind off his neck. He wore a dark blue uniform made from thick wool. A tan strip ran along the side of his pants while the symbol of a golden eagle clutching a wheel and a sword was emblazoned on his collar, announcing his rank of Quartermaster in the United States Army.

His uniform was weathered and slightly worn, mirroring the wrinkles on his face. He kept checking over his shoulder, and his hand went to the pistol on his belt at every loud noise.

“How old is this one?” the other man asked.

His uniform was similar to Jameson’s, but instead of an eagle, his insignia was a caduceus overlaid with a ‘V,’ and he had a yellow stripe running down the side of his pants. The vet’s uniform was neatly pressed, and the buttons shone like they’d just been sewn on.

Officer Rawlings was young, with smooth skin and a light in his eyes that betrayed his excitement. He hadn’t been around long enough for that light to be extinguished. It would probably happen after a couple of battles.

“Eight,” Will said, crossing his arms over his chest again.

Rawlings pursed his lips as he straightened. “That’s a little old, ain’t it?”

“The age range is between four and eight, so he still qualifies,” Will pointed out.

“I know,” he snapped, “but I’m wondering why you’d add him to a young batch. The others are around four or five. Did it take you a while to train him?”

Will swallowed hard. He needed to tread lightly here. A negative report from the Army vet would surely bring the entire deal to a screeching halt. He’d poured hundreds of hours into locating, buying, and training healthy horses, then used all his connections to get a meeting with the quartermaster. Will had one shot at this. If the quartermaster didn’t approve of his stock, he’d effectively be blacklisted from future deals.

“Naw,” Will said, waving his hand dismissively. “I bought Comet off a local farmer who said he was too energetic. The poor animal was stuck hauling a buckboard while he wanted more action.”

Rawlings raised his eyebrows and patted Comet’s back. In response, Comet snorted and pressed his nose against Rawlings’s palm. The man’s expression softened as he stroked Comet’s neck.

“He’d be a good artillery animal,” Jameson commented, patting Comet’s muscular build. “And he’d see plenty of action.”

“He follows orders well,” Will said quickly. “And he’s eager to learn new things. As long as y’all keep him stimulated, he’ll be a model horse.”

“Plenty of stimulation in the Army,” Jameson said grimly, running his hand along Comet’s haunches. “That ain’t half the problem. There’s too much going on there, and we need horses that can handle the excitement. I don’t need no skittish or aggressive horses, ya hear?”

Will nodded emphatically. “I understand. I spend every day with these horses, training them for their work in the Army. If I feel they can’t handle it, I find another purpose for them. I ain’t the type to send a horse to his death.”

Jameson and Rawlings exchanged a look.

“All right, McAllister,” Jameson said, clapping Comet on the back. “I’m happy with what I’ve seen so far.”

Will’s breath caught in his throat. Was this it? Had all his hard work paid off? A contract with the US Army was every horse trader’s goal. It was a giant leap forward in establishing his reputation in the West. People were more likely to buy horses from a trader if they knew he was working alongside the Army.

“What do you think, Rawlings?” Jameson asked, looking over at his companion.

“I have a few concerns,” Rawlings admitted, putting his hands on his hips. “I’d say most of these horses need a little more salt and minerals in their feed. Add about half a cup more to their daily feed.”

Will kept his expression impassive, but Jameson rolled his eyes.

“And another thing—be certain not to train them excessively,” Rawlings continued as if he hadn’t seen Jameson’s expression. “I know you want this contract, but we can’t have exhausted animals arriving at the fort.”

Why was he treating Will as if it was his first day on the job? Will bit down on his tongue to keep from pointing out that he was well aware of the dangers of over-exerting his animals. Jameson raised his eyebrows at Will, the corners of his mouth turning upward.

“We’re ever so grateful to have young Rawlings on our team,” Jameson said, clapping Rawlings on the back. “He’s real passionate about horses and doesn’t want to see them hurt.”

Will inclined his head toward them. Ah, so Rawlings was chomping at the bit to cement his position at the fort. Will could empathize with the young man. After all, he wanted to do the same thing.

“I’m making sure that the Army gets good animals,” Rawlings said, shifting his weight.

“No animal’s going to be perfect,” Jameson said, waving his hand dismissively. “Now, can we sign off on this or what?”

Rawlings let out a huff but nodded.

Relief flooded Will’s heart, and he stepped forward to shake Jameson’s hand. “Thank you. Thank you very much.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Jameson said, shaking his hand firmly. “We still have to get through the final inspection. You’ll bring all these horses, all thirty of them, to the fort. From there, we’ll have the cavalry and artillery officers test them and see which ones we want to take. Be warned, we don’t usually take all of them at once.”

“I’ll also do a final health check,” Rawlings warned. “I’ll go over these horses with a fine-toothed comb. And if I find anything amiss, I’ll be sure to report you so that you won’t be able to pull anything over us again.”

The youth’s tone was enough to get Will’s blood boiling. Rawlings was likely in his early twenties, making him only a few years younger than Will, but he seemed infinitely younger. To be fair, Will was only thirty-two but felt decades older.

“You’re in charge of transporting them,” Jameson continued when Rawlings finally quieted down. “If you’re late, you’ll have to pay penalties for wasting our time. I’m expecting you there by noon on the twentieth of the month. Can you do that?”

It was only a month away, but Will couldn’t afford to decline. His mind raced as he began thinking of everything that needed to be done. Some of the horses needed some finishing touches in their training. And it would take them at least two days to ride to the fort.

Will nodded. “Of course. I’ll start arranging things. We’ll be there.”

“Good man,” Jameson said, clapping Will on the back. “Now, if we accept this batch, it means we’ll expect more from you. Can you keep up with the demand?”

“Yes.” Will’s heart thudded in his chest. It was the closest he’d come to excitement in a while.

“All right,” Jameson said, clapping his hands. “I say we should get going. We’ve got an awful lot to do.”

“Let me see you out,” Will said, trailing behind them as they left the barn. The building stood behind his house, giving them a clear view of his backyard and dairy. Thankfully, he’d thought ahead and tidied the space.

The wind threw snow at their faces, and Will had to squint as they walked. He pulled his coat tighter around him as his breath escaped his lips as mist.

“I’m impressed by how well you care for your horses,” Jameson admitted.

Will nodded appreciatively. A lot of horse traders would kill for this contract, and many cut corners to meet the quotas, which led to overexerting the horses and sometimes giving them inferior feed to save on costs. He could only imagine what the quartermaster and vet saw on a daily basis.

Rawlings walked ahead of them, all but ignoring Will.

“Thanks,” Will said.

They made their way past his small ranch house, where a familiar figure stood on the porch. Will pressed his lips into a thin line. How many times had he told his son not to come out when the weather was so vile?

He motioned for Tommy to go back inside. Tommy stood perfectly still, watching the proceedings with his large, brown eyes. He was the spitting image of his mother with fine, angular features and reddish-brown hair, but he’d inherited his eyes from his father.

It was a real shame. Will would’ve preferred to see Martha’s eyes staring back at him instead of his own. It was difficult seeing his own grief reflected on him.

“That your boy?” Jameson asked, raising his hand in a wave.

Will nodded as Jameson gestured for Tommy to come over. Instead, the boy turned on his heel and marched back inside.

“Sorry about that,” Will said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Jameson chuckled and shrugged. “My daughter went through a similar stage when she was that height. Whatever I told her, she’d do the opposite. Children like to test our boundaries.”

“Something like that,” Will muttered, pushing some snow around with his boot.

“I’m sure his mother will get some sense into him soon,” Jameson said comfortingly. “At that age, they always seem to prefer their mothers.”

Will’s heart clenched in pain. “His mother passed some time ago.”

Jameson’s expression softened, and he put a hand on Will’s shoulder. “I’m sorry to hear that, son. Few things as bad as losing your woman.”

Will nodded and looked away. What did one say to that?

He waited until the Army men were gone before walking back inside the house. Will still had to get the horses to the fort before the deal was done, but this was a massive step in the right direction. The triumph of their approval dimmed as soon as he stepped inside.

It was as if a bomb had gone off. Laundry lay strewn about the house, and he could see the pile of dishes in the kitchen sink from his spot in the doorway. Tommy sat in the middle of the living room; his drawings spread all around him. All of these factors dragged his high spirits down.

Will ran a hand down his face and stepped forward. Something crunched beneath his feet, and he froze. He looked down to find Tommy’s blue crayon crushed under his boot. Tommy looked up at the sound and frowned.

“What did you do that for?” Tommy asked, pushing his bottom lip out.

Tommy was seven years old and prone to sulking and fits of temper. Although he’d outgrown most of that a few years ago, he’d reverted to bad behavior when his mother died.

“Your things shouldn’t be lying all around,” Will said, bending down to pick up the crayon.

Will held onto the last of his patience with all his might. He’d grown up with an explosive father and was doing his best to be better. It was easier when he had a partner around. Will shook his head. It didn’t do any good to dwell on what he couldn’t have. Martha was gone, and no one would ever replace her. He was on his own.

“That was my only blue one!” Tommy cried, standing up and crossing his arms over his chest. “Mama bought it for me.”

Will grimaced and ran a hand through his hair. Great. Once again, he’d done something stupid. Things used to be simpler when Martha was around; she would’ve known what to say to help Tommy deal with all of this. Perhaps it would’ve been better if she’d been the one to survive. After all, she was a much better parent.

“I’ll get you a new one when we go into town, all right?” Will sighed, walking over to the kitchen.

His stomach gurgled and cramped, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten anything that morning. Unfortunately, there was no way he could cook anything before he cleaned. The pot he’d made porridge in the previous day was still on the stove, with old porridge crusted around the rim.

Great. He groaned and ran a hand through his hair.

“Can’t Aunt Lucy come cook for us again?” Tommy asked, putting his hands on his hips as he followed Will into the kitchen. “I like her food.”

Will’s brother, Sam, and his wife, Lucy, lived just down the road and often helped to look after Tommy. Sam was also Will’s business partner, but he’d been unable to join the meeting with the Army representatives as he’d been checking on a lead for a new batch of horses with a trusted supplier.

“She’s already been here twice this week,” Will said, shaking his head slowly. “Let me just clean up here, and then I’ll make us something.”

Tommy scrunched up his nose and stomped his foot. “I don’t like your food. It always tastes funny.”

“Yeah, well, I’m doing the best I can.” Will began piling the dirty dishes on the counter, scraping old food into the bin as he went.

His muscles ached, and his feet hurt. He’d woken up before dawn to get the horses ready for inspection.

“I miss Mama’s food,” Tommy whined.

“Tommy, not now,” Will said as a headache began brewing behind his temples. “I’m tired, and I have a lot to do. Go draw or play or something.”

“I was drawing. All I have left to do is the sky, but now I don’t have blue,” Tommy pointed out.

“Use a different color,” Will suggested, pumping water into a pot and putting it on the stove to boil.

“The sky is blue,” Tommy said.

“Sometimes it’s gray or black; pretend it’s nighttime,” Will said, collecting all the dirty cups around him.

How had things gotten so bad? He’d cleaned a few days ago… or was it last week? His memory was hazy. They didn’t have a single clean dish left in the cupboards. He was disheartened to see food scraps left on the table, suggesting that Tommy had completely given up on using a plate and was eating off the table like a savage.

What would Martha say if she saw what they’d become?

“But the sky is blue!” Tommy protested, his voice cracked as he held onto the pieces of the blue crayon as if it were the most important thing in the world. “I don’t want it to be night. I want it to be day!”

“Sometimes things change, and we need to roll with the punches,” Will pointed out. “This is one of those times. Now, go play. I’m busy.”

“You’re always busy!” Tommy yelled.

The sound cut through Will’s brain like a knife, causing him to grimace in pain.

“Don’t shout!” Will snapped.

Tommy clenched his fists at his sides and glowered at Will. “You’re not nice! I want Mama! I miss Mama!”

Will groaned as he leaned back and massaged his temples. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to“

Tommy stomped his foot and groaned before running out of the room. A moment later, his bedroom door slammed shut. Silence stretched out between them as Will’s shoulders slumped.

Guilt and shame gnawed at his stomach as he turned back to the dishes. Once the kitchen was clean, he cooked a quick meal of sausages and beans. He took a plate to Tommy’s room and was about to knock when the sound of his son’s sobs stopped him.

He swallowed hard and looked down at the food. What could he say to comfort his son? Nothing would make him feel better when he wanted his mother. It was the one thing Will couldn’t do for his child. Helplessness washed over him as his shoulders slumped.

Will glanced around the room. The light had retreated while he was busy in the kitchen, and there was only a single lamp to chase the shadows away. Darkness pressed in on every side. Although there were still two people in the house, without Martha, it seemed abandoned.

He sighed and put the plate on the floor before retreating. If he went inside, he’d only make things worse. Tommy had made it clear that he wanted his mother, and his father was a poor substitute.

Will made his way to the couch and shoveled his food down. All the while, he couldn’t deny one simple truth—something needed to change. Sam had suggested hiring a governess a few weeks ago… Will shook his head and dismissed the thought. He didn’t want a stranger in the house. However, if Tommy didn’t improve soon, he would have no choice but to hire help.

Chapter One

1 Month Later

“I appreciate y’all bringing these horses on time,” Jameson said with an approving nod. “Although, if things were too easy for you, we’d never get quality horses.”

“That’s a good way of looking at it,” Sam said, patting the nearest horse, Comet. “We’re glad to be of service.”

Will rolled his eyes slightly, causing Sam to nudge Will with his elbow. The brothers stood at the same height, and if it weren’t for a few key differences in their appearance, they could’ve been mistaken for twins. Sam’s hair was darker, and his eyes were hazel instead of brown. He also had their mother’s button nose, while Will’s was broader and longer.

Will nodded slowly as he patted Comet’s mane. Now that it was time to sell them, he found he’d grown quite attached to the animals.

“How many do you need?” Will asked.

“I think we could take about ten,” Rawlings said, walking up behind Jameson, hugging his clipboard to his chest.

The blood drained from Will’s face as he looked over at Sam. “Ten?”

“We did tell you that we probably wouldn’t buy the lot,” Rawlings said with a shrug. “I checked all your animals, and I have to say that only ten made the cut.”

“Where are you getting this from?” Jameson asked with a frown. “I’m happy with the lot. I want to take all thirty.”

Rawlings’s cheeks turned red as he handed his clipboard to Jameson. “I’d agree with you, sir, if we didn’t have any options. We have another trader willing to give us better horses at a dollar cheaper per animal.”

“Who is it?” Will burst out, clenching his fists at his side. His hands shook slightly as frustration flooded him as he stepped forward.

This was unacceptable! They’d had a deal. Where was the honor in changing the rules at the last second?

“Steady on,” Sam cautioned, putting a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “What we mean to say is, we had a deal. We were here first, and the deal was about to be finalized. How could someone undercut us at the very last second?”

“That’s just how the business works,” Rawlings said with a shrug. “Here he comes now. Why don’t we ask him?”

Will and Sam turned around to see a familiar figure striding toward them—Hank Caldwell.

The brothers shared an uneasy look.

“Don’t let him get to you,” Sam warned.

Will ignored him as he seethed. It was too late. Hank’s presence was never a good sign.

“How do you do?” Hank said, smirking as he approached them. He was about an inch shorter than Will and Sam, with brown eyes, dirty blond hair, and a tanned complexion.

“Hank,” Will said stiffly, inclining his head to the man. His jaw tightened, but he forced himself to remain civil.

“Y’all know each other?” Jameson asked absently as he reviewed the documents in front of him.

“We’re neighbors,” Hank said, gesturing at them. “Although we’re so close that some people say we could be brothers.”

The nerve! Hatred flowed through Will as he glared at Hank. Sam snorted while it took all of Will’s self-control not to say anything.

“As you can see, it would be more cost-effective to get thirty horses from Hank and ten from Will,” Rawlings said, pointing at something on the board.

Will swallowed hard as his palms became sweaty. He’d bet everything on selling the majority of his horses in one go. If he only sold ten of them, he’d be in dire straits. It wasn’t likely he’d get enough funds to provide a new batch of horses for the Army in a couple of weeks. Besides, the other twenty would still need to be housed, fed, and trained. He simply didn’t have enough hands.

“These numbers don’t show any real difference,” Jameson said, raising his eyebrows.

Rawlings’s cheeks flushed as he took his board. “The difference is in the price, sir. And you should inspect the horses before making a decision.”

Suddenly, Rawlings’s uptight behavior the previous month made sense. He’d been looking for reasons not to buy Will’s horses. Clearly, he was backing Hank’s purchase and doing his best to sabotage Will’s sale. How had Hank inspired such loyalty from the Army vet?

“I should?” Jameson crossed his arms over his chest. “Remind me, since when does the vet get to give orders to the quartermaster?”

Rawlings sputtered and shook his head. “Forgive me, sir, it’s just—”

“I have a lot of things to do today, and I’m happy with what I’ve seen,” Jameson said, gesturing at Will’s horses. “He got here on time, and I don’t recall meeting this Hank person, no offense.”

Hank gritted his teeth but raised his hands in surrender. “None taken, sir.”

“We gave Will our word. He held up his end of the bargain, and now we must hold up ours.” Jameson’s eyes flashed as he looked over at his subordinate.

“Sir, with all due respect, we need to do what’s best for the Army,” Rawlings said desperately, glancing over at Hank. “He’s got the better horses, and he’s willing to give them to us at a discount.”

“I can take fifteen dollars off my price,” Will said quickly, glancing at Hank.

It was only a fifty-cent discount for each horse, but it cut into his profits. He’d have to make a few sacrifices when he got back home, but they needed to make the sale. It was better to lose fifteen dollars than to only sell ten horses.

Jameson chewed on the inside of his cheek and then nodded. “Deal. We’ll buy thirty from Will and ten from Hank.”

Rawlings opened his mouth to argue, but Jameson held up a hand to stop him.

“Thank you, sir,” Will said as relief flooded through him.

“I hate it when regulations are broken,” Jameson said, still focusing on Rawlings. “If your boy wants to sell horses to the Army, make sure he goes through all the proper inspections next time. I don’t appreciate being blindsided.”

“Of course,” Hank said, inclining his head toward Jameson. “There ain’t any hard feelings this side. Next time, I’ll be earlier.”

Will glared at him, wishing he could put the snake in his place. However, fighting in front of the officers wouldn’t look good. Especially not since Hank was pretending to be so gracious.

Jameson nodded in approval. “I’ll contact y’all again in a couple of weeks. Both of you. From the way things are going up north, there’s a good chance we might double our order.”

With that, he bid them a good day and walked off. Hank shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to Sam and Will.

“It’s a good thing I got twenty horses left,” he said with a smirk, “now all I need to do is find forty more. It’s a shame y’all need to start from scratch.”

Will stepped forward, but Sam grabbed his arm to stop him from doing anything foolish.

“We’re happy with how things turned out,” Sam said with a wolfish smile. “I can’t imagine how you had to scramble to get horses together to try and undercut us.”

Hank’s smile dropped, but the brothers turned to leave. It wasn’t worth trading insults with their old enemy.

Besides, Will was already worrying about how they would get the next batch of horses ready in time.

***

Will’s muscles ached as his ranch finally came into view. They’d been riding for two days, and he was more than ready to relax for a short while. His breath came out in white puffs as the cold air grabbed hold of it. Snow covered their surroundings, and they had to stick close to the road in case they got lost.

“Boy, you sure look sour for someone who just sold thirty horses to the Army,” Sam said, grinning as he looked over at his brother.

Will rolled his eyes as they made their way onto their property. Sam and his family lived on the west side of the ranch while Will took care of the rest. The ranch had been left to them in their father’s will, and they’d been working together to care for it ever since.

“I thought we were going to get the contract,” Will explained, keeping his eyes trained on his house. “But now we need to compete against Hank. You know he’ll do whatever he can to get those horses ready.”

Sam snorted. “He never had any interest in selling horses to the Army. I’ll bet he’s doing it just to spite us.”

Hank seemed determined to bring them down, no matter the personal cost. Their feud had been going on for years, and while no side was completely innocent, Will had taken the high road plenty of times before. Now, his patience was running out. He didn’t have Martha at his side urging him to do the right thing anymore.

“What else is new?” Will grumbled as they rode.

They made their way to Sam’s house, where Tommy had been staying with his aunt, Lucy, and his cousin, Sally. As they approached, Will spotted the children playing outside in the snow. Tommy’s cheeks were bright red as he and Sally worked on a large snowman. Sally was six years old, only a year younger than Tommy, but she was much smaller.

They were bundled in thick coats, scarves, and hats as their mittened hands patted their snowman’s body.

Lucy sat on the front porch, sipping on a steaming mug. When she spotted them, she got to her feet and hurried inside. Sam had been about to wave when she disappeared, and his hand fell limply to his side.

“Daddy!” Sally squealed as they rode into the yard.

“Pumpkin!” Sam jumped from his horse and caught her in his arms, spinning her around as they laughed.

The sight caused a lump to form in Will’s throat as he dismounted his horse. Tommy stood a few feet away, watching them with an air of disinterest.

“Hello,” he called out, waving his son closer.

Tommy wrinkled his nose and turned back to his snowman. Humiliation prickled at Will’s skin, and he cleared his throat as he looked away. Sam’s gaze flickered between Will and Tommy as he held Sally on his hip.

“I thought y’all might appreciate some hot coffee after your journey,” Lucy said, stepping onto the porch with a tray of steaming mugs.

“Oh…” Sam clutched his heart. “And here I thought I couldn’t love you more!”

Lucy’s eyes glittered as he walked up to her and planted a kiss on her lips. Sally groaned in pretend disgust and covered her eyes. The domestic scene proved too much for Will, so he turned his head and watched his son play in the snow.

“Come on, Will,” Lucy called, “let’s get you out of the cold. I want to hear all about your trip.”