Rescued by the Guarded Rancher (Preview)

Chapter One

Don’t say anything.

The thought popped into Samantha’s head as soon as she spotted her brother, Henry. She did her best to hide her shaking fingers and the way her breath sped up as she fastened the bonnet ties under her chin.

They shared the same blond hair and blue eyes. Many people said they could be twins, and yet, she and her brother couldn’t have been more different in character. He had become difficult, angrier when he didn’t like something, and often, she was afraid of what he would do.

She was ready to go to church, an activity Henry loathed. He never went, and she was surprised he hadn’t forbidden her from going yet.

“You goin’ to church this mornin’?” Henry asked, tossing his hat on a hook by the door. His blue eyes glared with judgment. She’d been hoping to get off to church before he came in from doing the chores but, once again, had been a little delayed with her morning duties.

“Yes.” Samantha pulled her shawl from the back of the sitting room seat.

Henry hadn’t always been the way he was with her now. He’d been happy, carefree even at some point. Becoming the sole caregiver for a nine-year-old hadn’t been easy for him, she was certain. It had robbed him of his youth, and it was part of the reason she allowed him to get away with the way he treated her.

“It’s a waste, you know? Going to church and all? You already know what they’re teachin’, so why go anymore? You could be getting a head start on your housework here.”

Henry scowled at her, but Samantha didn’t let his words stop her. Instead, she gathered her Bible into her hands and stepped closer to the door. He was acting civil, and as pleasant as he ever got. She intended to get out of the house while she could instead of waiting for him to get into one of his worse moods.

“There’s bread and cheese in the basket, and supper is already prepared on the stove. I’ll be back to heat it up.”

“Oh. We’re havin’ company for supper.”

“Company?” Samantha asked, lifting her eyebrows in surprise. Her brother hadn’t mentioned anything about company. They’d only moved to Silver Creek two months ago. They didn’t know many people just yet, besides Henry’s friend, Richard, and a few families that they’d seen once or twice on friendly terms in town.

Henry’s almost polite mood was starting to make more sense. He wanted something from her. It was one of the only times he treated her remotely nicely.

“Yes. Richard’s comin’ over. We’ve some serious things to discuss, like your future.”

“My future?” Samantha’s heart skittered to a stop in her chest. She’d known it was only a matter of time before her brother started pressuring her to marry and start her life with a family of her own.

She wanted a family, but she didn’t want to marry for security or to please her brother. She wanted to marry for love and to someone who truly knew her. Richard wasn’t someone who would love her genuinely.

“Yes. Let’s not bother about it now. We’ll talk when you get back.” Henry walked down the hall and disappeared into his room, leaving Samantha to stare after him, uneasiness racing through her chest.

She didn’t know much about Richard, other than that he was at least ten years older than her, perhaps more. He’d been married before and had a son.

Samantha’s throat felt dry as she hurried from the cabin and started down the little dirt road that led to the center of Silver Creek. It was a tiny town, mostly made up of ranchers and businesspeople starting out. There were lots of families who had just started out West, looking to build a future for themselves.

The reverend and his family had moved there only a month before Samantha and Henry. Samantha felt more than blessed to have the church, to be able to visit every week, and have that time to hear God’s word, to strengthen her walk in her faith.

She’d considered doing whatever it was Henry wanted from her, marrying whatever man he chose, but that was before she knew it was Richard. She should have known as much. After all, it was Richard who had originally written to Henry and convinced him to come to Silver Creek in the first place.

Before that, they’d lived on the outskirts of New York. Her brother had had a job in town that had allowed him to provide for both of them during the last ten years they’d had to survive without their parents.

Richard seemed nice, and around others she almost believed it. But she’d heard stories, and she’d noticed how similar he was to Henry. He got angry at every little thing, and she’d seen his anger firsthand twice.

He’d immediately apologized, but she’d seen the truth in his eyes. Richard didn’t like being told no. She didn’t want to be married to a man worse than her brother.

Fear trickled through her. There had to be another solution.

As Samantha drew near the little white church, she calmed her heartbeat and forced herself to focus. Perhaps after praying in church, she’d have more peace on what she was supposed to do next.

—*—

Samantha rubbed the scar on the back of her left hand. It was faded and barely noticeable to most, but she’d gotten it on the worst night of her life. She found herself worrying at it during difficult situations where she needed comfort, like the one she was in now.

They were having supper together, her, Henry, and Richard. Samantha was thankful he’d left his son with his neighbor’s wife for the evening. She didn’t dislike the little boy and thought it would have been unkind for him to discuss her marrying Richard in front of his son, considering she didn’t want to go through with it. She would never want to hurt the child’s feelings.

Her eyes skittered to Richard once more. His dark hair fell over his forehead, and his deep brown eyes, almost black, kept mostly in her brother’s direction. Her stomach tightened, and she gripped her spoon as she forced herself to take another bite of the food that was suddenly tasteless.

“Richard and I were talkin’, next month would be good for a wedding. I’ll talk with the reverend in town, see if he can fit it in.” Henry grinned, looking between the two of them as if he were proud of himself for coming up with such a match. He sat on one side of the table, and she and Richard on the other two, creating a bit of a triangle. Their small kitchen felt suddenly smaller.

“You want me to be married in a month?” Samantha’s eyes widened. Everything was changing way too fast. That morning, she’d been considering how she could start selling eggs and milk and save money to go off on her own.

“Why wait?” Richard looked up from the beef stew she’d made, a happy grin on his face. If she had known the purpose of the supper, perhaps she would have made less effort to make it so delicious. “After all, Leon needs a mother; I need a wife. We’ll be planting the fields soon. It would be good to have the help.”

Samantha’s stomach clenched. The reverend’s words from earlier played back in her mind.

“You know that a decision is sent by God if he gives you peace in your heart. You have to pray with an open heart, considering that you may not be happy with God’s decision, but no matter how difficult something is, you’ll know by his peace that it’s what you’re intended to do.”

She didn’t feel peace about her intended marriage to Richard. She didn’t feel peace when it came to Richard at all. There was no peace, and she’d prayed for it, begged for it in church that morning.

“I… am feeling unwell. I think I’ll go to bed early.” Samantha stood quickly, almost knocking over her chair in the process.

Her brother and Richard watched her move around the table and out of the kitchen. They weren’t used to her speaking up for herself. She never did it.

She slipped past Henry, between the back of his seat and the wood stove in the corner. She was momentarily distracted by the dishes scattered here and there over the counter, and the broom propped out of its place. Maybe she would come back later and tidy up, once she was more in control of herself.

She struggled to breathe as she hurried down the hallway and let herself into her bedroom.

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, she pressed her palm to her chest. She forced herself to take in the details of her surroundings in an effort to calm down. Her room was simple. The walls were bare, and her bed took up most of the space. A little table sat in one of the opposite corners, holding her hairbrush, diary, Bible, and a few things she treasured. At the far corner, her clothes chest was nestled against the wall.

She didn’t have much with her brother, but it was something—a tiny amount of independence. She couldn’t marry Richard. She didn’t feel anything for him, except for a bit of apprehension and fear. He reminded her of Henry more than anything else. He didn’t want a wife, a partner; he just wanted help with his ranch and someone to raise his son.

She wasn’t opposed to either of those activities if she were doing them for love. She wanted love, or she didn’t want to get married.

She waited in her room for what seemed like hours before she heard the front door open and close. After a while, she heard her brother come back in. Drawing in the deepest breath she could muster, she headed back out of her room and to the sitting area.

Henry looked up as he tugged off his boots.

“Samantha, I thought you went to bed because you weren’t feeling well?” For a second, something resembling concern flitted across his expression.

“I did. I am. I mean… I can’t marry Richard, Henry.”

Henry didn’t flinch at her words.

“Of course, you can. I know he’s a bit older than you, but that just means he’s more prepared to give you a good home. He’s had a ranch for years; you won’t want for anything. Besides, you’ll already start with a child. Haven’t you always wanted a child?” He shrugged, as if her life were as simple as bartering for a new cow.

“Why are you in such a hurry to send me on my way?” Samantha’s words sounded strangled to her ears. She wasn’t used to bringing up grievances with Henry. He usually did what he wanted and became furious if she talked back to him. But marriage wasn’t something she could just go along with without at least having a conversation about it first.

“Because I have a life of my own, Samantha. I want to settle down and have a bit of freedom. Ma and Pa, they always said I was responsible for you, and that’s fine, but as part of that responsibility, I need to make sure you’re married and leading a respectable life.” Henry swept a hand over his face and glared down at the floor.

“So that’s it?” Samantha’s voice rose incredulously. “Your intention is to hand me off to the first man who wants to marry me, and forget my well-being because you’ll know I’m leading a respectable life?”

“That’s not all,” Henry snapped, standing at his full height.

She could tell by the fire in his eyes that she’d stepped over the line, pushing him a little too far.

“The fact is, you can’t do anything if you’re not married, Samantha, you know that. I’m giving you a good marriage. Richard will take care of you. It won’t make a lick of difference if we wait for another two or three years for you to find a man you think you care for. In the end, he’ll disappoint you, and it will be the same as if you had married Richard. Might as well cut out the years in between and end up in a good situation.”

“I don’t want to get married, Henry.” Her words were barely above a whisper. She was shocked she dared say the words, and even more surprised that Henry didn’t lash out in anger the way he did sometimes. Instead, he just shrugged.

“It’s not up to you. Good night, Samantha.”

She fought the hot tears gathering behind her eyelids. Deep down, her brother might have meant well. He felt a responsibility for her, whether because she was his sister or because his reputation called for it. Either way, she was certain of one thing: She was not going to stand back and allow him to forcefully marry her to Richard. He would do it, and she would be under their thumb for the rest of her life.

The last ten years replayed in her head. The shouting, the yelling, the anger, the breaking things. Her wondering when Henry would get angry next, and what it would be that sent him over the edge. No. She couldn’t live like that with a husband who was the same, and a brother who would support her husband because they were friends.

She needed to get away.

“Dear God, I’m sorry, but I can’t stay here. Please guide me where you’ll have me.” Her prayer came out as a plea for help in the dark night as she closed her bedroom door behind her and sank to the floor.

All that answered her prayer was silence. She was leaving. She was going to run away. She stared out the window, toward the faint glimmer of the moon in the distance. Would she be going against God’s will if she took matters into her own hands and set out to find her own future instead of relying on her brother?

Standing from her place by the door, she headed to the clothes chest in the corner of the room. She pulled out a satchel and started filling it with what she would need. She packed a nightdress, her mother’s diary, her Bible, and some undergarments, as well as the two simple dresses she wore while working around their homestead.

They were worn from days of washing clothes, cleaning the house, and chores outside. She put on her third dress, which was technically her best dress, but was rapidly becoming threadbare like everything else she owned. She swept her wispy blonde hair back, tucking it into a bun at the nape of her neck, then chose her darkest bonnet and put that on.

Once everything else was ready, she grabbed her shawl and then a piece of paper and a pen. She was grateful that, while they were a poor family even when her parents were alive, her mother had taken the time to teach her to read and write, as well as other subjects. Her mother had been a school teacher when she was young, and she had put that knowledge to use with her children.

Samantha put down the words that were weighing on her, without thinking of the impact they would have.

Henry,

In your own way, you’re trying to take care of me, and I do love and appreciate you for that. But I can’t marry Richard. You can’t see that you can let me go and live my own life without carrying any burden regarding my choices. Because of that, I am forced to leave you behind to live your life as well as to live mine.

Please don’t look for me, don’t follow me. Trust that when I am safe and have established myself, I will write to you and let you know there is nothing to worry about. I will burden you no longer, and hope that when you read this, you will understand why I considered this necessary.

Thank you for everything you’ve done for me over the years. Give Richard my deepest regrets.

Samantha.

She folded the note and left it on top of her neatly made bed. He would not heed her words. He would come after her. He would follow her; he’d try to drag her home. As much as he saw her as a burden, he also saw her as his to do with as he liked.

He’d promised her to his friend, and he would look bad in the light of letting his sister run off to lead a wayward life. She had to at least try to reason with him.

She reached under her straw mattress and pulled out a blue beaded necklace that her mother had gifted her for her ninth birthday—the last birthday they’d shared before both her parents passed away. She fastened the necklace around her neck. The cool feeling of the stones against her skin grounded her.

Last of all, she pulled out a small pouch she kept deep under her mattress. Her savings. She’d squared away every bit of spare change from doing small seamstress projects and other jobs back in New York. Though she hadn’t had much of a chance to gather jobs in Silver Creek just yet, she had saved a decent amount, at least enough to get away. Then she’d get a job.

She used money from her personal savings whenever they needed something Henry didn’t have money for, but overall, she pretended it didn’t exist. She was more grateful than ever for that habit of saving. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out into the hall.

Every step she took through the house felt as if she were walking on eggshells. After her outburst with Henry, she expected him to come back to yell or show his displeasure. She kept thinking he would burst through the door and find out what she was doing.

It was only when she was outside, at the edge of their property, stepping into the woods as an owl hooted in the distance, that it all felt real. She would go to Eagle Ridge. There she’d get a train ticket, and it would take her far away. She didn’t know exactly where she’d end up, but it would be better than having her life end before it had truly begun.

She wondered if God would understand her disobeying her brother and running away. She wasn’t sure how to tell if she was doing the right thing, but in her heart, she felt peace.

Chapter Two

Daniel Callahan slammed another post down into the hole he’d prepared for it. The sun beat down on him as he worked, coating his body in a thin layer of sweat, soaking through his shirt and drenching the seam of his hat.

He’d been working since dawn, and usually, he’d take a break, but not today. He kept going, straight through the hottest part of the day. He didn’t stop until he spotted Samuel, his closest friend, walking up the path, an easy bounce to his step.

“You don’t look good at all.” Samuel looked him up and down, his mouth twisting into a grimace. His green eyes sparkled with mischief, but also a touch of real concern.

“That’s not true. I don’t look any different than I normally do.”

Samuel reached out and took the hammer from Daniel, tossing it to the side.

“When’s the last time you took a break?” He nodded toward the sun, sinking lower in the sky.

“Not for a while,” Daniel grumbled, following Samuel to the cabin porch. Once he allowed himself to slow down, a wave of hunger swept through him, making him feel a bit queasy and unsteady on his feet.

Samuel followed him into the cabin and straight to the kitchen. Once inside, Samuel took off his hat, his curly brown hair poking every which way. He was in dire need of another haircut, something not uncommon for him. Samuel settled nearby as Daniel heated some salted beef and fried a half-dozen eggs on the open flame of the stove.

“It’s been almost a month since Emily left you. You shouldn’t let it bother you so much. In fact, you should move on, find a nice woman who wants everything you do, and start that family this ranch is ready for.”

Daniel chuckled. Samuel wasn’t anything if he wasn’t persistent. Daniel was more of a brother to him than his own flesh and blood brother, Thomas, at times.

“I think I’m done with the idea of romance for the foreseeable future. There’s nothing wrong with being a successful, wealthy bachelor for the rest of my life.”

“Amen to that. You know that I’ll be right there with you. I, for one, am in no hurry to settle down. I only give you so much grief because you used to talk about it like it was your life’s goal.” Samuel grinned from ear to ear, and Daniel did his best not to show how much Samuel’s words bothered him.

He had always thought he would be a husband and a father. He had worked it all out in his head, what it would be like to be married, to have children with Emily. They’d been together for almost a year. She’d made him believe anything was possible.

A sour taste filled his mouth. He’d worked hard to stop thinking about Emily every minute of the day.

“I’m leaving in the morning for Eagle Ridge to get supplies for planting. You sure you don’t want to come with me?” A change of topic seemed wise.

“No. I can’t. I’m taking care of this place, remember? Leaving it in Thomas’s hands seems like a bad idea. Tomorrow we’re getting that fresh batch of cattle.”

“You’re right.” Daniel grinned and slid a plate of dinner over to Samuel.

“Is this edible?” Samuel asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Yes, very much so. Go ahead and taste it.” Daniel shook his head with a chuckle. He wasn’t used to doing his own cooking. He’d had a hired cook, who managed meals for the ranch hands, as well as his Aunt Margaret, who lived with him and Thomas. She’d quit almost a month ago.

Aunt Margaret had taken up some of the cooking, even though it was hard on her at her age. He needed to hire another cook, but in the meantime, he managed his own meals, as well as Samuel’s when he was over to eat.

The two of them had ranches side by side and helped each other with almost everything. It was more like they had a single ranch, instead of two. As they ate dinner, they discussed everything they’d be doing over the next couple of weeks. All Daniel could think about, though, was Emily and how she’d broken his heart for good.

It had gone from his dream to his nightmare in less than a day. He wished he could go back in time to when he thought he was happy and had a future with her. Maybe he could have held onto it if he had tried harder.

Eventually, Samuel said goodnight, and Daniel found himself alone in the cabin. There was no sign of Thomas. It was the third time that week that he hadn’t shown up at the ranch for the night.

Thomas technically worked for him. But even though they were both adults, Daniel still felt responsible for his younger brother. When he got back from Eagle Ridge, he’d do some investigating in town and find out what Thomas been up to and why he’d been spending so many nights away from the ranch.

—*—

Daniel gripped the horse’s reins tightly in his hands as he left Eagle’s Ridge. He enjoyed a good, long ride on his own. He’d left that morning before dawn from Red Rock and had arrived in Eagle’s Ridge just before noon. He’d managed to collect all of his supplies and get them loaded in time. He could be home before dark, as long as nothing went wrong.

It was almost a six-hour trip in the wagon. He avoided traveling to Eagle’s Ridge whenever possible, but there were things he could get there at a better price.

He frowned as the wagon rocked gently back and forth. On one hand, he loved the alone time. On the other hand, it gave him way too much time to think.

His thoughts drifted back to a month ago as he drove.

“You’re really adding another room to the cabin?” Emily leaned against the pasture fence, staring at the back of the cabin. Daniel straightened beside her, his chest swelling with pride.

“I am. We’re gonna start on it next week. It should be done in a couple of months, before the wedding.”

He noticed the look in her eye when he said “wedding.” She looked almost… disappointed.

“Is everything okay?” They’d been discussing marriage and their wedding plans for almost six months. He felt guilty they hadn’t done it sooner, but it kept getting pushed back.

“I’m fine, just…are you sure we should get married this month? I know you have so much going on with the ranch and Thomas. I don’t want to start things out wrong, you know?”

“It won’t start things wrong. When we’re married, I’ll finally feel like things are right.” Daniel grinned, taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. Things could only get better after they married, and he’d waited long enough.

Daniel shook himself back to the present. He should have seen that something was wrong when Emily didn’t want to follow through on their plans. She wasn’t worried about getting married at the wrong time; she was worried about getting married at all.

She cared for someone else. For months, he’d given her his life, his emotions, his heart, everything. It was an unfortunate event, and one he was only too happy to forget and put behind him.

He wasn’t going to be handing his heart over to anyone anytime soon. In fact, with the way things had happened with Emily, he quite meant what he’d said to Samuel. He didn’t think he’d ever fall in love with another woman, or entertain the idea of marriage.

He adjusted himself in the wagon seat and glared up at the sun. The afternoon was stretching out much longer than he remembered it. He was eager to be back home and unload his wagon. The next hour of the ride was rather uneventful.

In fact, Daniel found himself almost falling asleep at times, due to the relaxing rocking of the wagon and the sound of the horse’s hooves against the road.

Movement off to the side of the road caught his eye. For a moment, he thought he’d imagined it, but then he heard a noise and saw a flash of brown through the branches.

Perhaps it was a fox or a deer that had wandered too close to the road. A second later, he drew in a sharp breath.

It wasn’t a deer or a fox. It was a young woman.

Her face was pale and drawn, and the hem of her dress muddy. She was carrying a small case, and her blonde hair was soft and yet unruly, falling around her shoulders and framing her face in gentle curls. He didn’t realize what her intentions were until he saw that she was running from the tree line and straight for the road in front of him.

He yanked on the reins, reacting to the sheer horror of the realization, instead of thinking logically. As a result of his hastiness, his horses spooked.

“Whoa!” he yelled, trying to calm them. Instead of slowing, the horses moved faster. They shook their heads, letting out a whinny of frustration as they pulled at their restraints.

The woman looked up as she reached the edge of the road. She was still a little way off, but not far enough to be able to cross in front of the horses.

Her eyes went wide. She looked behind her and Daniel followed her gaze. He thought he saw a figure just past the tree line, too far away to see clearly. Someone was running after the woman.

Daniel had no time to consider who was after her. He was pulled back to the woman at the edge of the road. Her expression was full of panic as she dashed into the road. Daniel’s heart leaped into his throat as he pulled on the horse’s reins and the wagon’s brake as hard as he dared.

“Whoa!” His efforts were not enough. The woman made it just past the horse’s hooves, but the side of the wagon hit her in the shoulder, sending her tumbling onto the side of the road like a rag doll.

Daniel’s stomach lurched, and he managed to veer the horses from the road and to stop the wagon. He jumped to the ground, the impact sending a jolt through his body. He didn’t think about anything except for the woman as he raced back to where he’d seen her fall.

How badly was she injured? How long would it take him to get her back to Red Rock, or should he take her to Eagle Ridge? He wasn’t sure. When he reached her side, she wasn’t moving. The small satchel she’d been carrying had fallen on the road not too far off. In the tumble, it had popped open, and two dresses were poking out of the case.

He knelt at the woman’s side, turning her toward him. Her eyes were closed, and she was unresponsive. There was no sign of blood except for a scrape on her hand and elbow, where a bit of crimson bled through the thin brown fabric.

Up close, Daniel sucked in a sharp breath. She didn’t look like the type of woman who would be traveling in the middle of the woods. She had delicate cheekbones and soft blonde hair that framed her features in an angelic way. Mud smudged her cheeks, and both her dress and boots were covered with it.

He looked between the woman and the woods. She was running from something, or someone. The idea sent a wave of anger crashing through him. What person would chase after such a slight woman? He scooped her up, slipping his arms behind her back and under her knees, pulling her to his chest.

She let out a soft moan of pain as he did. His heart thudded in his chest with frustration and guilt. He hadn’t meant to hit the woman. What did she think was going to happen by racing over the road right in front of his horses?

He laid her down in the back of his wagon, across a few bags of feed, in the only space that wasn’t covered in other supplies and bulky packages. The woman groaned again, and he watched her for a second, wondering what to do.

He should take her back to Eagle Ridge, but there was no doctor there. It was a big town, but the doctor traveled through all the smaller towns in the area. He had a circuit, and for the next two days, he’d be in Red Rock. Daniel took a closer look at the woman’s head. He could see through her blonde hair that there was blood matted near her hairline. She’d hit her head, which was probably why she wasn’t awake.

He went back and gathered up her satchel, putting the items that were falling out back inside. He spotted clothing and a Bible. It seemed as though she was on the run. When he made it back to her side, she was trying to open her eyes.

“Can you hear me?” he asked, pressing his hand to her forehead, hoping the contact would help her wake.

“Can’t…”

Daniel scrambled for his canteen, holding it up to her lips. “Try to get a bit of water, you’ve had a nasty fall.”

She managed to swallow a sip of water with Daniel supporting her head. As she did, her eyes fluttered open, just for a second. Her eyes were a piercing blue, like shards of blue glass, looking at him full of fear and uncertainty.

“Go back. Can’t go back,” she managed to whisper, before her head fell back on the feedbag and her eyes shut again.

Daniel shoved a hand through his hair and gripped his canteen, pacing back and forth beside the wagon, before he drew in a deep breath. He didn’t know how to help her but to get her to the doctor. Dr. Freedman would be able to help. If she woke up and was angry about not being taken to Eagle’s Ridge, he’d bring her back, even if it meant an extra trip.

He wasn’t going to have a stranger’s death on his conscience. He took off his coat and laid it over the unconscious woman, then climbed up into the driver’s seat and kept on toward Red Rock. He no longer felt the calm peacefulness he had before. All he could focus on was the woman in the back of his wagon. He glanced back at her more often than not, making sure she was still covered, that she was breathing, that she was there at all.

Sometimes, he almost thought he’d imagined the whole thing, then he’d see her chest rising and falling as she lay there in the back of his wagon. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say she was sleeping. She looked so peaceful, with a relaxed expression on her features and her eyes closed. But the way she’d looked at him, and the words she’d said before she’d passed out for the second time, haunted him.

Where did the woman not want to go back to, and what made her so desperate to run away in the first place?

Those were questions she could answer when she was awake and well, which hopefully she would be sooner rather than later. He pushed the horses to go as fast as he dared. His consciousness was heavy with guilt, as he played the incident back again and again.

The doctor would be able to help the woman, he was certain, but a nagging feeling in the back of his mind made him wonder, what would happen if the doctor couldn’t help her? What then?