Forsaken Falls Read online

  Books by Shirleen Davies

  Historical Western Romance Series

  MacLarens of Fire Mountain

  Tougher than the Rest, Book One

  Faster than the Rest, Book Two

  Harder than the Rest, Book Three

  Stronger than the Rest, Book Four

  Deadlier than the Rest, Book Five

  Wilder than the Rest, Book Six

  Redemption Mountain

  Redemption’s Edge, Book One

  Wildfire Creek, Book Two

  Sunrise Ridge, Book Three

  Dixie Moon, Book Four

  Survivor Pass, Book Five

  Promise Trail, Book Six

  Deep River, Book Seven

  Courage Canyon, Book Eight

  Forsaken Falls, Book Nine

  Solitude Gorge, Book Ten, Coming next in the series!

  MacLarens of Boundary Mountain

  Colin’s Quest, Book One,

  Brodie’s Gamble, Book Two

  Quinn’s Honor, Book Three

  Sam’s Legacy, Book Four

  Heather’s Choice, Book Five

  Nate’s Destiny, Book Six, Coming next in the series!

  Contemporary Romance Series

  MacLarens of Fire Mountain

  Second Summer, Book One

  Hard Landing, Book Two

  One More Day, Book Three

  All Your Nights, Book Four

  Always Love You, Book Five

  Hearts Don’t Lie, Book Six

  No Getting Over You, Book Seven

  ‘Til the Sun Comes Up, Book Eight

  Foolish Heart, Book Nine

  Forever Love, Book Ten, Coming next in the series!

  Peregrine Bay

  Reclaiming Love, Book One, A Novella

  Our Kind of Love, Book Two

  Burnt River

  Shane’s Burden, Book One by Peggy Henderson

  Thorn’s Journey, Book Two by Shirleen Davies

  Aqua’s Achilles, Book Three by Kate Cambridge

  Ashley’s Hope, Book Four by Amelia Adams

  Harpur’s Secret, Book Five by Kay P. Dawson

  Mason’s Rescue, Book Six by Peggy L. Henderson

  Del’s Choice, Book Seven by Shirleen Davies

  Ivy’s Search, Book Eight by Kate Cambridge

  Phoebe’s Fate, Book Nine by Amelia Adams

  Brody’s Shelter, Book Ten by Kay P. Dawson

  Boone’s Surrender, Book Eleven by Shirleen Davies

  Watch for more books in the series!

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  Forsaken Falls

  Redemption Mountain

  Historical Western Romance Series

  SHIRLEEN DAVIES

  Book Nine in the Redemption Mountain

  Historical Western Romance Series

  Copyright © 2017 by Shirleen Davies

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  For permission requests, contact the publisher.

  Avalanche Ranch Press, LLC

  PO Box 12618

  Prescott, AZ 86304

  Forsaken Falls is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is wholly coincidental.

  Book design and conversions by Joseph Murray at

  3rdplanetpublishing.com

  Cover design by Kim Killion, The Killion Group

  ISBN: 978-1-941786-59-8

  I care about quality, so if you find something in error, please contact me via email at [email protected]

  Description

  Forsaken Falls, Book Nine, Redemption Mountain Historical Western Romance Series

  Wyatt Jackson has lost everything. Successful in his role as a soldier, he can no longer find a home in the region he fought so hard to save. Sick and on the edge of starvation, he journeys west, searching for the one man who might help him. A deputy in Splendor, Montana.

  Nora Evans has never found a place to call home. The illegitimate outcast of a wealthy New York family, her father sends her west to a step-brother who has no knowledge of her existence. Considering herself a spinster at twenty-nine, she focuses on building a new life, believing love and marriage hold no place in her future. Not even to the handsome, younger ranch hand she can’t push from her thoughts.

  Accepting a position at Redemption’s Edge, Wyatt uses the one skill he perfected before the war—training horses. It’s his gift, and he loves the work. There’s no room for romance, even if he can’t stay away from the beautiful sister of the town’s sheriff.

  Nora tries hard to ignore the intense desire she feels when Wyatt is near. It’s especially difficult when his continued attention gives her hope she’d long thought buried.

  Aside from their own misgivings, another menace lurks close by, threatening Nora, Wyatt, and the people they care about. Men who’d love nothing more than to see him dead prowl the lands around Splendor, biding their time, waiting to exact revenge.

  As much as they yearn for each other, their personal pasts stand in the way. But the bigger obstacle may be the one they don’t see. A danger perpetrated by men who can’t leave the war behind.

  Forsaken Falls, book nine in the Redemption Mountain historical western romance series, is a full-length novel with an HEA and no cliffhanger.

  Visit my website for a list of characters for each series.

  https://www.shirleendavies.com/character-list.html

  Acknowledgements

  Many thanks to the wonderful members of my VIP Readers Group. Your support, insights, and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

  As always, many thanks to my editor, Kim Young, proofreader, Alicia Carmical, Joseph Murray, who is superb at formatting my books for print and electronic versions, and my cover designer, Kim Killion.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Books by Shirleen Davies

  Forsaken Falls

  Prologue

  Battle of Atlanta

  July 1864

  His head pounded to the cadence of cannons exploding on both sides. Confederate First Lieutenant

  Wyatt Jackson rubbed his eyes as dust and smoke clogged his throat. Men were dying all around him, but all he could think about was downing several shots of whiskey in rapid succession.

  “Captain Coulter has asked to see you, Lieutenant.” The shouted request came as a cannon volley
landed thirty feet away, spraying dirt, rocks, and shrapnel in all directions. “We’d best hurry, Lieutenant.”

  Wyatt grabbed his horse’s reins, swinging into the saddle in one effortless motion. Even with the turmoil all around them, Rogue never faltered. Nor had the mahogany bay stallion ever wavered during any of the missions Cash Coulter ordered. And there’d been many.

  Reining to a stop next to the captain’s tent, Wyatt dismounted, handing the reins to the sergeant waiting nearby. Less than twenty-four hours had passed since he’d returned from the last mission. As he had with all the tasks the captain assigned to him, he’d completed it alone. Stepping into the tent, Wyatt removed his hat.

  “You asked to see me, sir?”

  Confederate Captain Cash Coulter looked up from studying the map laid out before him, his face showing determination, along with fatigue. “I did, Jackson. We have new orders.”

  Stepping forward, Wyatt glanced at the map. “What do you want me to do?”

  “The division leaves within the hour to attack General McPherson’s left flank while General Wheeler attacks McPherson’s wagon trains.”

  Wyatt’s brows furrowed. “It’s at least a six hour march, sir.”

  “We’ve been given three. That’s why I need your help.”

  “Whatever you need, Captain.” He gave his standard response since beginning to serve under Cash. Wyatt accepted the most difficult assignments. The ones others wouldn’t know how to fulfill.

  Cash handed him a piece of paper. “Your orders.”

  Wyatt’s jaw tightened as he read the scribbled note, his gut clenching. They never spoke the orders out loud and no one else was ever included in the conversation. Once the instructions were clear, he wadded the paper into a ball, then set it on fire. Dropping it to the ground, he crushed it to dust with the heel of his boot.

  “I’ll take care of it, sir.” Turning, Wyatt took a couple steps, halting when Cash spoke.

  “Wyatt, when this war is over, whatever you need, you come to me.”

  Chapter One

  Splendor, Montana

  May 1869

  Travis Dixon took off his hat, scratching the top of his head as he watched the newest ranch hand work a green horse. Wyatt Jackson had told Dax and Luke Pelletier, the owners of Redemption’s Edge ranch, he had little experience. If true, Travis decided the man had a whole lot of natural talent. He’d never seen anyone work a horse with so little effort.

  Wyatt rode the horse around the corral, giving the mare time to get used to his weight as she learned simple commands. Passing the spot where Travis watched, he reined to a stop, his face impassive. “She’s going to be a good one.”

  Scratching his chin, Travis nodded, not responding. Resting his arms on the top rail, he chewed on a piece of straw as Wyatt continued working the horse.

  “How’s he doing, boss?” Billy Zales, an orphan the Pelletiers had taken in, watched Wyatt guide the horse through another turn around the corral.

  Billy, Travis, Wyatt, and Walt Jones trained horses at a nearby ranch the Pelletiers bought from two widowed brothers. Most of the animals fulfilled contracts with the U.S. Army. Others were sold to private buyers.

  “Darn good for a man who claims he has little experience training horses.”

  “Luke once told me some men are born to it. Maybe he’s one of them.”

  “Could be.” Travis continued to chew on the piece of straw, his gaze never leaving the horse and rider. Like Wyatt, he’d served the Confederacy, going home to Tennessee when he’d been wounded in the leg. Tall and slender with a slight limp, Travis saw everything and spoke little.

  Billy didn’t budge from his place beside Travis as his gaze continued to follow Wyatt. “He sure seems to know what he’s doing.”

  “Yep.”

  “Boss.” Walt walked toward them from the barn. “There’s a horse I need you to take a look at. He’s been coughing and has a fever.”

  Travis stepped to the ground, shaking his head as he followed Walt.

  “He’s not getting any better. There’s a lot of moisture around his nose, and I can’t get the fever down.” Walt opened the door to one of the stalls, looking down at the ailing animal.

  Travis knelt beside the horse, already knowing what he saw. “Glanders.”

  “Never heard of it.”

  “He’ll have to be put down or it will spread to the other horses. Clean out all the stalls. Soap, hot water, and new straw.”

  Walt crossed his arms, nodding. “I’ll take care of it, boss.”

  “Billy said we’ve got a sick horse?” Wyatt walked into the stall, looking down at the horse. “I’ve seen this before.”

  Travis looked at him. “Where?”

  “My brother-in-law’s place in Tennessee. I believe he called it glanders. Nothing you can do but put him down.”

  Nodding, Travis let out a breath. “That’s where I saw it, too. We ended up losing three horses.”

  Neither Wyatt nor Travis spoke of the losses each faced in the same state—losses that spurred each to leave the past behind and create a future out west.

  Wyatt glanced at Walt. “I can take care of this.”

  He shook his head. “Nah. I’ll do it.”

  “Come with me, Wyatt.” Travis walked out of the barn, heading for the house.

  Catching up, Wyatt followed him up the porch steps, careful to kick the dirt from his boots before walking inside. He’d been in the house before, but never took time to look around. While Travis sat at a desk, scribbling something on a piece of paper, he took in the beautiful wood furniture, paintings on each wall, china tucked away in a tall cabinet. It reminded Wyatt of his sister’s home in Tennessee—warm and inviting. An involuntary shudder flashed through him, remembering her beautiful smile, easy laugh, and generous heart. As always, his throat tightened on the memory.

  “I’d like you to ride over to Redemption’s Edge and give this to Dax or Luke.” Travis handed him a folded piece of paper. “If neither are there, give it to Bull Mason or Dirk Masters.”

  Taking the note, he nodded. Bull and Dirk both held the foreman title at the ranch. The rumor was the Pelletiers would be promoting Bull to manager soon. He’d been with the ranch since before the brothers took over, and all the men respected him.

  Wyatt turned, heading for the door. “I’ll saddle Rogue and get going.”

  “It’s almost three. Bunk down there tonight and ride back tomorrow.”

  Glancing over his shoulder, Wyatt nodded. “Sure thing, boss.”

  Wyatt loved riding Rogue, his mahogany bay stallion. His legs, muzzle, mane, tail, and the tips of his ears were black, his legs covered with white markings. Wyatt’s father had given him the colt for his birthday, not long before he left on a business trip from which he never returned. A few months later, his mother died, leaving his sister to raise him. The stallion was all Wyatt had left of his family.

  Leaning forward, he stroked Rogue’s neck, glancing up to see the sun beginning a slow descent over the western range. “Won’t be long now,” Wyatt murmured, straightening in the saddle.

  The shortcut Travis told him about slashed considerable time from the journey. As he made the last turn, his gaze landed on two women standing at the bottom of the porch steps. Slowing Rogue’s pace, he watched Dirk Master’s wife, Rosemary, talking with animated gestures. Her companion, Nora Evans, laughed. Even from this distance, Wyatt could see her green eyes sparkle as her face lit up.

  She’d intrigued him from the first time they talked at Dirk and Rosemary’s wedding. He’d been fortunate to have one dance with her, wishing he could’ve been blessed with more, knowing he didn’t deserve it. Instead, he’d watched from the side, talking with her step-brother, Gabe, the sheriff and owner of several Splendor businesses. From a prominent New York family, they’d lived at a social level Wyatt couldn’t even imagine.

  Moving toward the women, he saw the instant Nora recognized him. Her features stilled, smile broadening as she waved.


  “Mr. Jackson. It’s good to see you again.”

  Reining to a stop, he slid to the ground, removing his hat as he walked toward them. “Good evening, Miss Evans, Rosemary.”

  “What brings you here this late in the day, Wyatt?” Rosemary stepped next to Rogue, stroking the stallion’s neck. She couldn’t help noticing the way Wyatt’s gaze moved over Nora, lingering for a moment before he turned his attention to her.

  “Travis sent me with a message for Dax or Luke. Are either of them here?”

  Rosemary shook her head. “They rode to town with Dirk this morning. We expect them back before supper.”

  “What about Bull?”

  “He’s been out with the men all day.” She moved back to stand beside Nora. “Why don’t you put Rogue up for the night and stay for supper? Surely Travis doesn’t expect you to ride back tonight.”

  He settled his hat on his head, his gaze wandering back to Nora. “He expects me tomorrow.”

  Rosemary glanced at Nora, who hadn’t said a word since her initial greeting. “Then it’s settled. Nora is also staying, so we’ll have a full table tonight.” She ignored the way her friend stiffened beside her.

  “Thank you, Rosemary. I’ll get Rogue settled and see if I can help around here before supper is ready. Ladies.” Wyatt nodded at each of them before leading his horse to the barn.

  Rosemary waited until he couldn’t hear. “You are staying, aren’t you, Nora? Rachel already has a room prepared for you, and…”

  Even though she knew it could never work out, Nora couldn’t hide her grin at Rosemary’s attempt to match her up with Wyatt.

  “Yes, I’m staying.” She slipped her arm through her friend’s, turning her toward the house. “Your scheme will never work.”

  “And what scheme is that?”

  “Ever since your wedding, you’ve been trying to push Wyatt and me together. It’s obvious he has no interest in me. Besides, we simply aren’t suited for each other.”

  They walked up the porch steps, stopping at the front door. “All I’ve done is suggest he sit next to you at church a couple times.”

  Nora arched a brow. “And did he?”

  “You know perfectly well he didn’t. He’d already committed to sitting with Cash and Allie, then going back to their house for Sunday supper. Wyatt is quite close to the Coulters, or at least Cash. The first day he rode in, all skin and bones, about ready to collapse, he’d been looking for Cash. Rode hundreds of miles, darn near starving himself, to get here.”