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LAST PROMISE
The McBride Brothers #3
Scarlett Dunn
Releasing April 26th, 2016
Kensington: Zebra
The
heart always finds a home . . .
For British heiress Mary Ann
Hardwicke, the Wild West is the perfect place to make her own life and escape
the stifling privilege of an arranged marriage. Hard at work proving her
independence, it's little wonder she has no time for handsome cowboy Luke
McBride. No matter that he somehow understands the freedom she so badly
needs—how could she trust such a wild spirit, much less find a way to love
him?
Like the broncs he busts, Luke
doesn’t see himself settling down in one place, let alone with one woman. So at
first, Mary Ann is just an intriguing challenge. But her determination and
bravery are sparking a longing to prove he can be the truly good man she
deserves. Now as their enemies work to separate them, they will take a
dangerous gamble on faith to claim an enduring love . . .
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Reaching her
room, Mary Ann hurried inside and quickly turned the lock. For the first time
in months she felt like she could actually breathe. Since she’d left England
she’d been forced to ward off the advances of strange men. She’d even been
forced to strike one man with her parasol, holding him at bay until a constable
came to her aid. She counted on God to protect her, but she also felt like He
wanted her to do her part. She’d purchased a pistol in one town for her own
peace of mind. She knew how to use it and she wouldn’t hesitate if she had no
alternative.
She
found the men in this new country crude and overall quite distasteful. Other
than her last fateful encounter with Edmund Stafford, she had never been
pressed to protect her person from unwanted attention.
And look how
that had ended; with her running away so she would not be forced into a
loveless marriage. She should have called Edmund out instead of expecting her
father to exact satisfaction. Her father would not even listen to the truth of
what happened that night. His mind was made up and he was going to force her to
marry Edmund. Perhaps after she left, Edmund had told her father the truth
about that night, but she wasn’t inclined to wait and see. She made the
decision rather quickly to leave England, and told herself once she arrived in
Wyoming she would live the life she wanted.
Her
uncle George, the proprietor of this hotel, had written in his letters how much
he loved this country and she’d been excited to find out for herself. Uncle
George had failed to mention that America was filled with ruffians. Upon her
arrival to this very town, the first person she sees is that miscreant brawling
in the middle of the street. The man was truly fearsome with his large black
hat and pistol riding low on his hip. He must be a . . . what did they call
them out here . . . oh yes, a pistolier.
Granted, she’d been startled by his twinkling blue eyes when he stared directly
at her, but make no mistake, that man was a scoundrel if she ever saw one. Just
the memory of him fighting those men made her shiver. And the way those two
women were putting their hands all over him! By displaying such a lack of
breeding, one could only conclude they were surely not ladies. The rogue didn’t
seem surprised by their behavior, she’d heard him promise to show those women a
good time! Of all the nerve. If he lived in Promise, she prayed she wouldn’t
encounter him often. Surely there were gentlemen in this town who understood
proper comportment.
Aside
from the ill-bred men in this country, she was mesmerized by the sheer beauty
of the West. She’d never seen anything as magnificent as the mountains in the
distance, or the thousands of stars twinkling in the infinite night sky.
Standing
with her back to the door, Mary Ann inspected her quarters. It was a very
well-appointed room and much larger than she expected. The four-poster bed was
covered with a pristine white quilt embroidered with lilies of the field.
Spanning one wall was an ornately carved wardrobe, and a writing desk filled
one corner. A round mahogany dining table with four deep blue velvet
upholstered chairs, along with a lovely crystal chandelier above, were cleverly
positioned by a window overlooking the street below. The massive stone
fireplace covered the wall nearest the bed, and she imagined it would be warm
and cozy with a fire blazing in the hearth on a chilly night. She’d heard about
the frigid Wyoming winters, and this room would be perfect for cold winter
nights. All of the wood was polished to a glossy finish and the room was
spotless, not a speck of dust could be seen. The room was lovely, and even
though it was only a quarter of the size of her bedroom at home, she knew she
would be comfortable here.
Her
uncle had written he’d built a hotel that any Englishman would be proud to own
in the new country. She certainly couldn’t disagree. When she’d hurriedly made
her decision to depart England, this was the only place she thought she could
go to escape the long reach of her father and Edmund Stafford. But as members
of the peerage, they had vast resources at their disposal. She had to face the
fact that if they wanted to track her down, she would be found sooner or later.
She hoped it was later.
*****
“Don’t
you want me to stay, Uncle George?” The reunion with her uncle hadn’t gone as
well as Mary
Ann had
expected. After she’d told him of her reasons for leaving London, he seemed
concerned her father would come to America to find her. Perhaps her uncle
thought he might face her father’s wrath and be held responsible for her
decision to come to Wyoming.
George’s
sister, Coreen, had married Hardwicke for his money. Coreen was a great beauty
in her day, just like his niece, and Hardwicke had been persistent in wooing
her. George’s family were on the same social level as Hardwicke, but their
estate was not nearly as large. George knew when his sister married Hardwicke
it wasn’t a love match, but his sister wanted the life his wealth could
provide. When George inherited the Granville estate he chose a different path
than his sister. He gave control of the estate to his younger brother and he
left England. He yearned for a different life, one filled with adventure and
knew he would find what he was looking for in America. He could sympathize with
Mary Ann for desperately wanting to get away from the life she was destined to
lead. She feared her life would mirror Coreen’s if she stayed in England.
“Of
course I want you to stay, but you know your father. He’ll send someone to find
you, and I would expect if they are not already on their way, they soon will
be. I just don’t want you to be disappointed if he forces you to return.”
“I
left Mother a note and told her I was leaving. I didn’t say where I was going.”
She
looked so devastated that George tried to relieve her concerns. He didn’t have
the heart to tell her that it would only be a matter of time before they
discovered she’d left England. Hardwicke had a legion of detectives and
barristers at his disposal. “Let’s not worry about it tonight. I certainly
don’t mind if you stay forever. If your father’s agents appear on our doorstep,
then we will deal with the situation when and if it happens. But if you decide
you want to go home before then, I will escort you.” It troubled him that his
beautiful young niece had traveled so far with no escort. Why, all manner of
evil could have befallen her. Her guardian angel must have been keeping a close
watch over her.
“I
will not be going home. I have some funds, but I need to find a position, or a
building where I can establish a business. Once I arrived in America, I
discovered I could start a small shop. As a matter of fact, while I was waiting
for you to return today I had time to look around your hotel and there is a
perfect little spot I could utilize for a shop I have in mind.”
George
couldn’t believe his ears. Mary Ann was nearly royalty in England, he wouldn’t
hear of her looking for a position, or working for that matter. “My dear, that
is impossible for someone of your position. If your father does show up here he
will have me drawn and quartered if he finds you among the working class.”
“Uncle,
I don’t need to remind you that this is a different country and I am determined
to support myself. I am no longer dependent on Father and I have not come all
this way to be a burden on you.”
“My
dear, you have never been forced to earn a coin and I assure you I can
certainly see to your needs. I do not consider you a burden.” Her desire to
work was the last thing George expected out of a young woman who had been
coddled her entire life.
“I
want to work. I want to live life like everyone else. I’m sorry, but I cannot
exist like Mother.” She’d given her future a lot of thought, and if her uncle
wouldn’t assist in her effort, she would find another way.
They
discussed this point for over an hour until George finally relented. If she was
determined to do this, then he would help her in any way possible. He actually
admired her resolve. “What kind of shop do you have in mind?”
“A
small shop to carry products for women.”
“What
kind of products?”
“On
my journey here I noticed the farther west I came that there were fewer stores
that sell items necessary for a woman’s toilette; powders, tinted rouges,
perfumes, and such.
“You
are so beautiful, surely you have no need of such potions.”
“Thank
you, but I assure you all women will use such products if they are available. I
will carry the finest perfumes, as well as undergarments from France. Such
items are only found now in the larger towns.”
“You’ll
not find the women here will buy such foolishness. I thought apothecaries mixed
the powders for women. As far as undergarments, these are items that can be
purchased at the mercantile.”
“I
assure you it is not foolishness as all women enjoy looking their best.
Apothecaries do mix various powders, but they are not equal to the products
from Paris. The undergarments certainly are not what you will find in the local
mercantile. They will be designed from the finest silks and satins.” She wasn’t
comfortable discussing intimate apparel with her uncle, but he needed to know
what she had in mind, and he seemed truly interested. “I am quite determined.
If you do not have space to spare in the hotel I will find another spot.”
He
quickly concluded his niece was not just a lovely woman, she also had a sharp
mind. Far be it from him to know what interested the fairer sex. He would have
to take her word for that. It seemed her mind was made up, and he wasn’t one to
squash her dreams of independence. “What space did you see that you fancied?”
“The
space to the right as you walk through the door. The alcove under the staircase
is quite large and I can use a partition should the ladies prefer privacy while
they are shopping.”
“Quite
right. That is a space not utilized. While you are getting your shop underway,
perhaps you would be interested to learn about managing the hotel. I am
building a house on some land outside of town, and it is taking me away from my
responsibilities at the hotel on a regular basis. You can register the guests
when Eb is occupied with his other duties, and supervise the two ladies who
handle the cleaning of the hotel. Mrs. Howe does the cooking in the restaurant.
You may need to help her in the dining room when we are busy, nothing too
demanding, maybe refill coffee cups, things of that sort.”
Mary
Ann jumped up and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh thank you! I don’t know
what I would do without you. I will pay you rent for the space.”
“Now,
now, this is not something you need to concern yourself with. As I said, the
space is not used at present. Let me know what you will need in the way of
construction for shelving, painting, or whatever, and I will see to it. We will
install a door to have a private entrance.”
Her
uncle hadn’t mentioned the man who carried her luggage to her room. The man
with the stunning blue eyes. “Uncle, you didn’t mention Mr. McBride. What is
his position at the hotel?”
George
gave her a puzzled look. “Mr. McBride?”
“Yes,
he carried my luggage to my room.”
“I
have no Mr. McBride employed here.”
“That
is strange. I’m quite sure he said his name was Luke McBride. He’s a very tall
man and quite the ruffian.”
George
laughed. “Luke is not one of the employees. He is one of the owners of the
McBride Cattle Company. He is the youngest of the three brothers. Fine men.” He
furrowed his brow at her. “Ruffian, you say?”
“Indeed.
He was brawling in the street when I arrived. I thought he was one of those pistoliers
I’ve heard so much about.”
“Most
men here carry guns and make no mistake, the McBride brothers know how to use
them. But they are good men, certainly not gunslingers. I consider them
friends, they’ve been very kind to me.”
She
had tipped a man who didn’t even work for her uncle. “You say they have a ranch
here?”
“They
own one of the largest cattle ranches in Wyoming. And Luke carried your
luggage?”
“Yes,
I’m afraid I made a dreadful mistake. I thought he was in your employ and I
tipped him.” She’d probably insulted one of her uncle’s friends.
“No
worries, honey. I’m sure he took no offense. Luke is a good-natured man.”
She
remembered when Mr. McBride was in the room she hadn’t been very friendly. He
was such a large man that he made her nervous. “I will apologize, of course.”
“Don’t
give it another thought. These men out here don’t consider such slights as
serious transgressions.” He smiled at her. “Particularly if the transgressor is
someone as lovely as you.”
She
hoped her uncle was right and she hadn’t offended Mr. McBride. While she didn’t
countenance his behavior, she wouldn’t want her uncle’s friends to think ill of
him due to her mistake.
George
stood and walked to the door. “You best get some rest, we will talk some more
over breakfast and make plans for your shop. In the morning I’ll have Eb take
your things to the third floor. Those are my living quarters for a few more
months until my home is completed. You will find the space more accommodating
than this room.”
Mary
Ann hadn’t realized he lived on the premises. “The entire third floor is your
personal living quarters?”
“Yes,
you will have all the room you require. Your bedroom is much larger than this
room,” George informed her.
“This room is quite lovely. Why are you
building a home?”
“I’ve
an interest in trying my hand at cattle ranching. So perhaps your arrival will
be most opportune for me if you find you enjoy managing a hotel.”
“I
am sure I will enjoy it very much and I will start tomorrow.” She was anxious
to get started now that she had a plan for her future.
“There
is no hurry, take some time to rest.” George had made the trip from England and
it was a grueling journey.
Mary
Ann didn’t need rest. She was invigorated knowing she would no longer be forced
to attend parties gossiping with bored women, or be forced into a marriage she
didn’t want. “I do not need to rest. Tomorrow is the beginning of my new life.”
Scarlett
Dunn lives in Kentucky
surrounded by all manner of wildlife, and enjoys long "God walks"
where most inspiration strikes. Possessing an adventurous spirit, and a love of
history, particularly the pioneers of the West, she has a special place in her
heart for all cowboys, past and present. Readers can visit her website:
www.scarlettdunn.com.
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