A Bride’s Heart of Gold (Preview)

Chapter One

Lily signed the last slip of paper and passed it to Mack. 

“I think that’s all of them.” She certainly hoped so. Her hand ached slightly from the strain of signing the slips, and her shoulders hurt. 

“Of course, I’ll get these to the men and see you on Monday, Miss Lily.” Mack hurried off, leaving Lily to stretch. 

She’d gotten an early start on her responsibilities at the mine, but that hadn’t seemed to change much. There was always something to do when it came to the mine. 

After losing her father, things had been a rush. Taking care of the funeral and the preparations was bad enough, but being thrust into caring for the mine and everything that went into it was more than Lily had ever expected to handle. She headed back toward the house, taking her time as she went.

Her father loved the mine. He’d started it when he was a young man, and it had served him well. He’d become wealthy shortly after her birth. 

Growing up wealthy had set her apart from everyone. It had its benefits, but also its downsides—ones she felt often, like loneliness. 

She rubbed her hands up and down against her arms as a chilly breeze brushed past her. It would be fall soon, and while she welcomed cooler weather, she was going to miss the warm summer. The air was dry, and begging for rain. Thankfully, the walk from the mine to the house wasn’t far. 

As Lily approached the cabin, she spotted someone waiting for her on the porch, pacing back and forth.

She quickened her pace. Who would be visiting her at this hour? It would be dark soon. Drawing closer, she got a better look. The man seemed rather accomplished. He wore a tailored suit and a top hat. He was young, perhaps ten or fifteen years older than her, with confidence in the way he held himself.

His eyes brightened when he spotted Lily, and he hurried off of the cabin’s porch, a big smile on his face. She studied him, trying to remember if she’d seen him in town before. She knew almost everyone, whether it was from seeing them at church or from selling cheese to them. 

He stretched his hand out to introduce himself.

“Howdy, you must be Miss Foster. My name is Mr. Forrester. Do you have a few moments to talk?” An easy grin spread across his face, and his eyes twinkled with friendliness.

Lily frowned, looking at the stranger with suspicion. She didn’t get a lot of visitors on the farm, and certainly not strangers.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Forrester. What can I do for you?” She wasn’t about to invite him inside until she knew what he needed.

“Oh, of course. I’m your late father’s lawyer. I’m sorry for your loss.”

Lily’s heart squeezed, just as it did every other time someone mentioned her father and offered condolences. She wished condolences did more to ease the ache in her heart, but they did very little.

“I see,” she said softly. She’d expected her father’s lawyer to show up at some point, though she remembered him being quite a bit older than the man in front of her.

Seeming to notice her confusion, Mr. Forrester opened his mouth to explain. 

“My father used to be your father’s lawyer, but he’s been rather busy lately and sent me in his place. Rest assured, I’m quite capable. He’s taught me everything I know.” Mr. Forrester’s grin stretched all the way across his face, and he seemed a bit too enthusiastic for her liking, but she had little choice but to listen to him. 

“Of course, I don’t doubt it.” Lily motioned for him to follow. “Come in and you can tell me whatever it is that you intended to.”

Lily didn’t want to think about lawyers or paperwork or any of the complicated things, but she knew that it was a part of life. Ever since her father passed away, she’d had to face a flurry of different things, including difficult, sad, and uncomfortable things. Mr. Forrester followed her into the kitchen and sat down at the small dining room table. Her eyes landed on her father’s empty seat.

Every time she saw it, her heart tugged as she remembered the many meals that they’d shared at that table and the hundreds of conversations they’d had. She sat down across from Mr. Forrester, trying to get a hold of her emotions.

“I know that this has been a trying time, and I’m also aware of the fact that you’ve taken over the operations of your father’s mine.”

“That’s right.” Lily gave a curt nod. Her father had made sure she had all of the education she needed to be an accomplished young woman. But he’d also made sure that she’d tagged along with him to the mines doing everything he did so that one day she would be able to take over his legacy.

“I’m afraid that when your father put his will together quite a few years ago, he included a stipulation to your inheritance.” Mr. Forrester opened the case he carried, pulling out several papers.

“Stipulation?” Lily asked, her breath hitching. What possible stipulation could her father have included?

“Yes.” Mr. Forrester fidgeted, looking a bit uncomfortable. “The fact is that your father required that for you to inherit his property and home, you were to be married within three months of his death.”

“Three months?” Lily nearly shot up from her chair. Her father had passed away almost a month ago, which only left her two months to find a husband if she was hearing things right. Mr. Forrester must be wrong. Surely her father didn’t care that much about her being married. 

“Yes, I know this isn’t ideal and it is not a great time frame, but your father really did want the best for you. According to my own father, he always spoke highly of you and was most happy to leave everything he had to you.” 

“He always wanted me to marry for love, not out of obligation.” Lily shook her head, mulling over her father’s wishes. Why would he have written such a strange stipulation into his will? 

They’d spoken of marriage and a future partner for her on many occasions. He’d always said love was the most important thing—finding a partner who would cherish her and keep her. Someone who would keep her grounded, and most importantly, a strong Christian man who would share her faith.

“I’m sorry, but that’s what is stipulated. The best thing for you to do to avoid any difficult consequences is to marry as quickly as you possibly can.” 

“I’m not sure my father would have wanted me to marry in such a hasty way,” Lily said softly. “Are you sure there’s no way around this stipulation?”

Mr. Forrester shook his head, his expression falling. “I’m afraid not. If you don’t manage to find a spouse within the next two months, then the entire estate, including your father’s mine and other assets, will be passed on to your nearest relative.”

“I don’t…” She paused. “I don’t even know if I have any close relatives, not to mention where or who they are.”

Mr. Forrester shuffled a few papers around. “Well, I’m sure they will start turning up out of the woodwork over the next couple of weeks. That’s quite typical when a death in the family occurs. I encourage you to consider your future and what is at stake here.”

Lily nodded absentmindedly. How could she go about finding a husband? And in such little time?

Mr. Forrester stood, leaving a couple of papers on her table. 

“You may read all of the information at your own leisure, and if you need anything or have any questions, I will be staying at the hotel in town for the next week.” Mr. Forrester tipped his hat. “Good day, Miss Foster,” he said with a kind smile.

She watched him go until he disappeared around the bend, her heart heavy.

She thought of the last time she’d found herself falling in love, when she had allowed herself to dream of marriage, a family, and a relationship with a man who would cherish her forever. That relationship had fallen apart and had proven to be a lie from the beginning. She’d kept her heart guarded from that day on, refusing to allow herself to trust someone only to have that trust ripped away once again.

But she couldn’t let her father’s inheritance fall into a stranger’s hands. She wasn’t going to be able to find a normal marriage to fulfill her father’s requirements. Perhaps he had known she wouldn’t give love a second chance and this was his way of pushing her into a relationship. Though she wasn’t sure what to think of that.

Her father had always seemed to want the best for her when it came to a husband. She pulled her shawl a bit tighter around her shoulders and headed back inside, sighing as she settled into one of the dining room chairs. She bent her head and pored over her father’s will, savoring the moment with the familiar curvy handwriting that she knew so well.

It seemed Mr. Forrester was right. Her father wanted her to get married if she wanted to inherit his mine and his wealth. Even though just a week before he passed away, he’d implored her to take over the mine and to do good with it, and had said he knew how wonderful she would be at managing everything, he’d still set up this ridiculous requirement for her to marry.

She tamped down her feelings about the arrangement and focused on how she would be able to find a husband to fulfill it. Standing, she went over to the table beside the window and gathered a piece of paper and a charcoal pencil. An idea began to bloom in her head as she thought of the different ways she could find a husband who would be loyal to her in everything she needed, but also not expect love in return.

She pressed the tip of her pencil to the paper and began to write.

To those whom it may concern, I am in search of a groom. He must be hardworking, keep himself well, and be a kind man. Please, no one who drinks or smokes, and only those who are interested in marriage.

Please write to me at your earliest convenience.

Lily signed her name just as a sharp knock sounded on the door. She jumped up to answer it, thinking perhaps Mr. Forrester had forgotten something, and doubled back.

Instead, Alice stood in the doorway—her best friend and the exact person she needed to see right then. She threw her arms around Alice’s shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug.

“Alice, I’m so happy that you came by!” She pulled back, surveying her friend’s face. “How long do you have to visit? There’s so much to talk about.” 

Alice would be able to tell her if her idea was a great one or a terrible one. Maybe she’d have some insight into how else she could procure a husband on such short notice. 

Lily pulled her toward the dining room table and sat her down, then poured her a hot cup of tea and took a seat across from her.

“I was dropping off some cheese for Mrs. Frank up on the hill and on my way back, I figured I would stop by and visit. Is everything all right? You look a bit shaken up.” Alice stared at her curiously. She always had been good at telling when others were struggling, or needing a bit of cheering up.

“Everything is fine. I just found out some rather difficult news from my father’s lawyer.”

“Oh.” Alice raised an eyebrow as she took a long sip of her tea.

Lily dove into her explanation of what the lawyer had told her and what she needed to do to keep her father’s inheritance under her name.

“You’re supposed to marry someone in two months? How are we going to get someone to fall in love with you in two months?” Alice’s eyes were wide as saucers.

“We’re not going to get someone to fall in love with me in two months. That would be impossible.” Lily shook her head and sat up a bit straighter. “I’ve come up with the perfect solution.”

She slid the piece of paper over to Alice and waited intently as her friend read through it, her eyes scanning over the words.

“What is this?” Alice asked, looking up with an aghast expression on her face. “You’re going to marry somebody that you’ve never met before, requested with an ad?” 

She sounded horrified. That wasn’t a surprise. Alice was a romantic and loved the idea of people falling in love and staying in love for the rest of their lives.

If only that were a possibility for Lily. People didn’t see her for who she was. They usually saw her for the benefit she had to offer—the money her father had left her.

At least, that was what Carl had seen. 

She pushed the thought away as quickly as it came. Carl was in the past, and she no longer had to worry about him or anyone like him.

“But what about romance, swooning, falling in love with a man who will sweep you off your feet?” Alice’s expression turned dreamy as she clasped her hands over her chest.

“All of those things are wonderful for the people they happen to, but I don’t think they’re going to happen for me.” Lily took a deep breath. “This is the best solution. I need a husband in two months, and somewhere out there, there has to be a man who wants to marry for his own reasons and would like a job. He can work in the mine. After all, I need someone trustworthy and on my side who can help run it. This way, he won’t have any idea about the money or how wealthy I am before he agrees to marry me. It’s the best possible solution. Otherwise, I could marry someone who only wants my money, and within a year, they may even get rid of me so they can have access to it.”

“Oh, don’t say such a thing.” Alice covered her mouth with her hand. “That’s an awful thought. Nobody could do something so terrible to you.”

Lily shook her head with a soft laugh. 

“I don’t think that that would happen, but either way, I don’t want to risk it. Tomorrow morning, I’ll take the ad to the newspaper and pay for them to run it. Surely someone will see it and think this is the perfect opportunity.”

“You aren’t even willing to give normal love a try?” Alice asked hopefully, likely wishing for the opportunity to find Lily’s true love in just a month.

“I don’t think so.” Lily sighed. “There’s too much at stake. And if I’m honest, I don’t know if I would feel safe marrying somebody who knew where I come from and how much wealth hinges on my father’s inheritance.”

She swallowed hard. She had heard plenty of difficult and scary stories of people who had let money get to their heads.

“All right, then.” Alice sighed dreamily. “Perhaps once the two of you meet, you’ll fall head over heels in love and still have your happy ending.”

Lily shook her head and gathered up her and Alice’s tea cups, taking them over to the washbasin. 

“I’m sure this will be an interesting experience. I’ve never searched for a groom before. I have to believe that I’ll be able to find someone honest, hardworking, and the perfect candidate to be my husband.”

“But what will that be like?” Alice insisted. “Being married to someone you have no feelings for?”

“I’m not sure.” Lily sighed.

Of course, she would have liked to follow her dream and find the perfect man who would love her through anything. But she wasn’t sure that existed. For now, she would settle for anyone who seemed decent and answered her ad.

She certainly hoped it would work out the way she thought. If anyone responded, she would be sure to ask all the proper questions—to make sure they were a Christian, or at least supported her faith, and were okay with all of her conditions. 

One of those conditions was not being expected to fall in love. The memory of how terrible it was to be in love and have her heart broken into a million pieces was still as fresh as if it had just happened. She wasn’t willing to go through that again. 

If she had to marry a stranger to ensure that, then so be it.

Chapter Two

Henry tried to push down the feelings of despair in his chest. 

“I’m really sorry, Henry,” Frank said, holding out some papers. “This is all the information I could find. I tracked him to California, even put in a couple of extra days, hoping to find something more useful.” 

Frank was one of the best private investigators in the West. He had a reputation known in towns all across Colorado and beyond.

“That’s all right. I appreciate it, and I know you’ve gone above and beyond. I don’t blame you.” Henry accepted the papers. 

Frank had been helping him for the last year, looking for Adam to no avail. He’d found trails and followed them till they’d gone cold. He was good at what he did and, on many occasions, Henry thought he might actually find his brother.

He’d sent Frank on various excursions, searching for the truth whenever he had the money to pay for it. Unfortunately, that money had run dry. A private investigator was no cheap thing, even if Frank did give him a fair rate.

“If I come up with more money, I’ll be sure to contact you,” Henry said with a sigh. He’d been taking on as many jobs as he could, but there was only so much he could do.

“My investigation led me close to Lawrence, California. There are a lot of mines over there. It would be the perfect area for someone like your brother to find work. If you end up going in search of him yourself, that’s where I would start.” Frank’s face was full of sympathy. “I wish there was more I could tell you.”

Henry nodded, a frown pulling at his expression. He was determined not to give up on Adam. He would find him, no matter how long it took.

Frank shook his hand and headed back down the street, leaving Henry a bit bewildered in front of the boarding house. He’d been staying there for the last six months. He’d run out of places to go and had decided to focus on making money so he could hire professionals to hunt down his brother, but since he’d finished up another job as a ranch hand and hadn’t found the next opportunity, funds were running more than low. 

He stepped into the sitting room, where coals from a fresh fire still sat warm in the hearth and a paper sat on one of the tables by the parlor chairs. Mrs. Harley, the owner of the boarding house, always brought in the paper. Henry enjoyed reading the morning paper as a distraction.

He had a week left at the boarding house before he would need to commit to another month or change his strategy. Was staying and saving money to pay Frank to investigate paying off? Maybe it was time he went himself to California, closer to the search. 

No matter if he had to visit every single home in California and every single mining camp, one day they would be reunited. It was a possible option, though it sounded exhausting and like a lot of work. He made his way down the hall, and to his room. 

Mrs. Harley rented rooms for a good price and provided meals. Most of the people who lived in her boarding house were men who worked as ranch hands, cattle rustlers, or who had just come to Dry Springs, Colorado. She almost never had an empty room. 

Henry plopped down on the simple bed against the wall, opening the paper. His eyes scanned the ads. Ranchers would usually pay for an ad if they needed someone. He’d found several jobs in the paper, even jobs in other states. 

He paused as he read a particularly interesting ad. 

Someone looking for a husband. These sorts of ads weren’t so common. He read the name at the end.

Lily Foster.

He skimmed the ad. Getting married… it was listed under the job section. Could it be considered a job? He wasn’t sure. Was there a job involved? Perhaps there was. 

His attention kept getting pulled back. He needed to do something different, something that would change things. He read the line that contained the location of the opportunity. 

Lawrence, California. 

It was exactly where he needed to be. He hadn’t considered himself the marrying type since coming back from the army. But the idea sparked a certain curiosity in him, perhaps a bit of intrigue. He couldn’t make it a priority, though, especially since he had other things to worry about—such as finding his long-lost brother, who seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth. 

Where was Adam? Why hadn’t he waited in Colorado? He should have known Henry would be back eventually. 

When Henry left for the war, he’d had a family. He’d had parents, a sister, and a brother. And when he came back, they were all gone. 

He remembered the day he’d returned. His expectations, how he’d built up the reunion between him and his family in his head. Instead, all he’d found was an empty home that had been sold. 

There was horrible news about his sister and parents. They’d passed away when a terrible sickness swept through the town. So many had lost family. Apparently, Adam had survived, but he was gone. He’d packed everything and left Colorado two months before Henry returned. That was all about a year ago. He’d been searching high and low, with little to no results, for almost a year. 

He did need a way to get to California. But marrying someone? Maybe it included a job, some sort of opportunity to work and earn some steady money and be able to pay someone to search for his brother now that he knew he was somewhere in California.

It was a crazy idea, perhaps even illogical. Marrying someone just so he would have a connection in California? Stability so he could earn money to continue his search? One could argue about the morality of it. 

And even so, he pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and began to write.

Miss Foster, 

I am pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Henry Lawson, and I am very interested in your detailed position. I would like to ask what opportunities I would find for work in order to provide for myself as well as my wife. What is expected of me in this role? 

I have experience as a ranch hand and fought in the army for several years. I do not have any family and have been working as a ranch hand and cattle wrangler in the past year. Perhaps some of this could be useful to you. 

If you have questions for me or are interested in getting to know me better, please send another letter.  

Yours, Henry Lawson.

Miss Foster had most likely already received hundreds of responses. It would be a miracle if he was the one she chose. He wasn’t even sure what to think of it. It could be that the arrangement would bring him no benefit. He would just have to see and await the woman’s response. 

—*—

Henry ripped open the letter right at the post office, not bothering to go back to the boarding house. To his surprise, Miss Foster, or Lily as she had instructed he call her, had written back to him within a couple of days, sending her mail by train.

They’d been writing back and forth now for two weeks, and he had come to understand that this marriage was as much of a contract for her as it was for him. She was not looking for romance or a life partner, but instead for a man who could marry her in name only. 

She specified that there was a job involved and he would be expected to be honest and loyal. He had no problem with that. A steady job and the ability to look for his brother were both worth the risk of marriage. The more he’d thought about it, the more sense it made. If he moved to California, he could hire someone nearby to look for Adam. 

Perhaps he could find Adam himself. 

He would have somewhere to live, a way to make money, and a much higher chance of success. The tiny difference was that he would be married to someone. 

He didn’t know why she wanted a husband. She hadn’t clarified. She had said that she would expect them to stay married for at least a year, that she wanted someone who accepted her going to church, who would treat her respectfully and kindly. 

He had no problem with any of her conditions. If she wanted to go church, it was certainly commendable of her. The thought of church sent a strange feeling pulsing through him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d stepped into a church building. Perhaps that last day when they’d all attended as a family before he’d gone off to join the army.  

A smile spread across his face as he read the words:

Henry, 

I’m very glad that you are comfortable with all of my conditions. Enclosed is a ticket for the train to leave this evening for California. We can talk more when you arrive.

Yours, Lily Foster.

That night, he was supposed to leave for California? It was almost too good to be true. He hurried back to the boarding house, his heart thundering in his chest. 

When he got back, he informed Mrs. Hartley that he would be leaving, then went to pack up his room. He threw all of his possessions into a couple of crates and a satchel. He didn’t own much—just what he’d taken with him when he joined the army and what he’d accumulated over the past year. 

Getting back to life as usual hadn’t happened for him. He was always focused on Adam and finding his last living relative. He loaded everything onto the back of the wagon, which he was able to rent from the stables in town, and headed toward the train station. 

He wondered what Lily would be like. Was she ugly? Did she have a bad temper? What was her reason for wanting to marry a stranger? He shook his head. She was so kind and eloquent in her letters. He imagined her as beautiful. Her personality seemed to be a good one. He would just have to wait and see what she was like when they met. 

He could only hope that this would lead him to a better life—and, most of all, to his brother.