Promise Trail 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

  MacLarens of Boundary Mountain

  Colin’s Quest, Book One,

  Brodie’s Gamble, Book Two

  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, Releasing 2016

  Peregrine Bay

  Reclaiming Love, Book One

  Our Kind of Love, Book Two

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  Promise Trail

  Redemption Mountain

  Historical Western Romance Series

  SHIRLEEN DAVIES

  Book Six in the Redemption Mountain

  Historical Western Romance Series

  Copyright © 2016 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 author’s work.

  For permission requests, contact the publisher.

  Avalanche Ranch Press, LLC

  PO Box 12618

  Prescott, AZ 86304

  Promise Trail is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used facetiously. 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: 978-1-941786-37-6

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

  Description

  Promise Trail, Book Six, Redemption Mountain Historical Western Romance Series

  Bull Mason has built a life far away from his service in the Union Army and the ravages of the Civil War. He’s achieved his dreams—loyal friends, work he enjoys, a home of his own, and a promise from the woman he loves to become his wife.

  Lydia Rinehart can’t believe how much her life has changed. Escaping captivity from a Crow village, she finds refuge and a home at the sprawling Redemption’s Edge ranch…and love in the arms of Bull Mason, the ranch foreman. For the first time since her parents’ death, she feels cherished and safe.

  In an instant their dreams are crushed…

  Bull is resolute in his determination to track down and rescue Lydia’s brother, kidnapped during the celebration of their friend’s wedding. He’s made a promise—one he intends to keep. Picking the best men, they are ready to ride, until he’s given an ultimatum.

  Choices can seldom be undone…

  As their journey continues, the trackers become the prey, finding their freedom and lives threatened.

  And promises broken can rarely be reclaimed…

  Can Bull and Lydia trust each other again and find their way to back to the dreams they once shared?

  Promise Trail, book six 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.

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

  Acknowledgements

  Many thanks to my editor, Kim Young, proofreader, Alicia Carmical, and all of my beta readers. Your insights and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

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

  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

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Books by Shirleen Davies

  Promise Trail

  Prologue

  Montana Territory

  1865

  Billy grabbed Lydia’s arm, propelling her forward. “We must keep moving.”

  “I’ll kill myself before I go back.” Lydia gasped for breath, digging her nails into his arm.

  “Don’t talk like that. Besides, who’d take care of your brother and sister if you weren’t around?” Looking behind him, Billy nodded at Sam, Lydia’s fourteen-year-old brother.

  Holding Billy’s seven-year-old sister, Margaret, in one arm, grasping nine-year-old Selina’s hand with the other, Sam never complained, always watchful of the two young girls. From what Billy had seen, Sam and Lydia’s younger sister, Selina, had more courage than many braves in the Crow village where they’d been held captive.

  Having scant food and less water, the orphans had been running on fear for weeks. They’d been given food and then turned away by one white family after another for fear of what would happen if the Crow warriors tracking them discovered they’d helped the group of runaways. To the settlers, the orphans were tainted, not worth the risk of helping. For Billy, the betrayal ran deep. Lydia felt different, taking the food and occasional blanket, understanding the fear behind the rejections.

  As the oldest at eighteen, she should’ve been leading them. Instead, she’d slipped down a ravine the day before, spraining her ankle. The scratches didn’t bother her. The excruciating pain when trying to run slowed them all down until Billy and Sam had taken turns carrying her. At fifteen and fourteen, neither had reached their full height or weight, yet both were bigger and stronger than Lydia. Neither allowed her to fall behind.

  “Listen to me, Billy.” Lydia yanked on his arm. “White Buffalo wants me. They’ll turn back once he gets what he wants.”

  “No.”

  “Think of Margaret and Selina.”

  He slipped an arm around Lydia, helping her up a path of loose rock. “I am thinking of them.” When they reached the top, he stopped and waited for Sam and the girls to catch up. “We
haven’t seen any sign of them for well over a week. Maybe they gave up.”

  She settled against a large rock, resting her arms across her knees and closing her eyes. Lydia had meant it when she said she’d kill herself before letting White Buffalo take her. Full of hate and cruel beyond reason, Red Tail had promised her to the Crow warrior. The ceremony had only been days away when she’d decided to escape with her brother and sister. Billy learned of it from Sam and refused to stay behind. He’d wrapped Margaret in a blanket, slung her over his shoulder, and left.

  Sam set Margaret down, dropping to his knees beside Lydia. “Billy and I are going further up.” He pointed to what appeared to be the crest of the hill. “We won’t be gone long.”

  It didn’t take the boys more than a few minutes to get their first view of what they’d later describe as the most beautiful sight they’d ever seen. Running back down the path, they collapsed next to the girls, smiles breaking across both faces.

  “Let’s go.” Sam picked up Margaret and started back up the hill, Selina following close behind.

  Billy reached out his hand to Lydia. “Come on.”

  Her eyes wide, she gripped his hand. “What did you find?”

  He smiled. “I think it might be heaven.”

  Weeks later, suffering from lack of food and decent shelter, Billy’s enthusiasm had vanished. Their trek toward the distant mountain range had taken them through the most beautiful valley any of them had ever seen. It had taken considerable effort to cross the vast acreage without being spotted by the ranch hands tending the massive herd.

  They’d been beyond exhausted by the time they’d crossed a surging creek, finding a winding trail up the mountain. Discovering the cave had been easy. Finding food and keeping a supply of fresh water had been their biggest challenge.

  Raiding nearby ranches had been easy…until a day before when Billy had gone alone and not returned.

  “You’ll be careful, right, Sam? I don’t know what we’ll do if something happens to you, too.” Lydia covered her mouth, choking out the last words. She hadn’t told anyone about her stomach cramps or tightness in her chest, although Sam’s worried glances told her he knew.

  He knelt next to his sister, drawing the blanket up over her. “I’ve no choice. We don’t know what happened to Billy. He could be hurt and needing help.”

  “Or one of the ranchers may have caught him stealing their food.”

  “We must eat, and game is scarce this high up. Besides, it’s not truly stealing.” He stuffed an old, torn shirt into a tattered bag, then stood up.

  “Taking food from people is stealing, Samuel. No amount of denying the fact will change it.”

  Sam cringed at his older sister’s words. She’d been his and Selina’s salvation after the Crow killed their parents and took them captive. Over time, the three had formed a strong bond with Billy and Margaret. He hated the disappointment on her face.

  “Billy and I take what we need to survive. Nothing more.” He let out a deep breath, dragging a hand through his long hair. “I’m wasting time. I need to find Billy and—” He stopped at the sound of someone entering the cave. “Billy…” His words trailed off when his friend bent over, gasping for breath.

  He scanned the room, eyes wild as he focused on Lydia. “We have to leave.”

  “Billy, we were so worried about you.” Margaret ran up and wrapped her arms around him. At seven, she was the youngest in the group, was devoted to him, and was the reason Billy had stayed in the Crow camp for three years. She’d just turned four when they were captured. Her age and small stature never would’ve allowed her to escape before.

  “We can’t leave now. Lydia is still sick, won’t eat, and feels hot. I don’t know what to do.” Sam ran both hands through his long hair, clasping them behind his neck. “Where have you been?”

  Billy swung his gaze to Lydia. Selina sat cross-legged on the hard ground, gripping her older sister’s hand, eyes full of worry. He looked back at Sam.

  “They caught me. I wasn’t able to get away until this morning.” Billy took a few steps toward Lydia, noticing her red-rimmed eyes. He felt his stomach clench as he turned back toward Sam. “We have to leave. I’m sure they’ve followed me.”

  “Who caught you?” Lydia asked, trying to sit up.

  “Some ranchers. Pelletier is their name. I know they’re close behind me. We have to go. Now.”

  “I already told you that Lydia can’t move and won’t eat. We can’t take her out of here.” Sam paced a few feet away, then swung back around. “What are we going to do?”

  “You’ll come with us. We’ll help you.”

  The deep voice got everyone’s attention as Dax Pelletier walked into the cave, followed by his brother, Luke, and the sheriff, Gabe Evans. He didn’t stop until he stood over Lydia, looking down at her prone form. He dropped to his knees, causing Selina to scoot away, although she didn’t drop Lydia’s hand. Dax placed a hand on her forehead and shot a look at Luke.

  “She has a high fever. We have to get her to Doc Worthington.”

  “You’re not taking her anywhere.” Billy stepped between Luke and Dax, daring them to interfere. “She’s not leaving.”

  Gabe strode forward, fixing Billy with a hard look. “She’s sick. Dax’s wife is a nurse, and her uncle is the town doctor. They won’t hurt her, but you will if you insist on keeping her in this damp cave without adequate food and medical supplies.”

  Sam stepped forward, grabbed Billy’s arm, and spun him around. “Lydia needs help. They’re offering and I think we should accept it.”

  Billy scrubbed a hand over his face, his stomach knotting as his eyes settled on Lydia. He didn’t want to count on help from the type of white men they’d encountered over the last few months, yet these men hadn’t turned them away. They’d taken him into their home, fed him, and gave him a place to sleep. Now they were offering their help again.

  “You’re right, Sam.” Billy glared at Dax and took a step closer. “You’d better not hurt her.”

  “She’ll be fine. You need to trust us.” Dax wrapped the blanket edges around her, taking care to keep her feet and hands covered. “Does she have a bonnet?”

  Selina jumped up and pulled an old, worn bonnet from a leather bag, handing it to Dax. He fitted it over her head and tied the strings, catching her watching him.

  “Hello, Lydia. I’m Dax Pelletier. This is my brother, Luke, and our friend, Gabe Evans. We’re going to take you to the doctor.”

  She closed her eyes and swallowed, not making any effort to answer.

  Gabe looked at the others. “Gather your belongings.”

  Sam, Margaret, and Selina scrambled to do as Gabe ordered, grabbing their meager belongings and stuffing them into grimy sacks.

  “You, too, Billy.” Gabe eyed the boy, not at all sure what to expect. If he ran, they didn’t have enough men to follow him. Their primary obligation was getting Lydia to the doctor.

  Billy fought conflicting emotions, knowing he had just one choice. He’d never leave Margaret, and he’d formed a strong bond with Sam, Selina, and Lydia. He swung away from Gabe and began to gather what he owned—an old hat, an extra pair of moccasins, and a few other items still inside his worn, leather sack.

  “We’re ready.” Dax lifted Lydia into his arms and caught Luke’s attention. “You go through the opening first, then I’ll hand her to you.”

  Gabe led the way through the tunnel toward the passage to the outside. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one had stayed behind, then slipped through the opening.

  Sitting on his horse, holding the other horses’ reins, Bull’s gaze fixed on the woman in Luke’s arms. His body stilled and his breath caught when she lifted her head from Luke’s shoulder.

  Her eyes widened at the sight of him. His gaze seemed to bore right through her, his soft brown eyes studying her as if she were the most fascinating woman he’d ever seen.

  “She’ll be riding with you, Bull.” Luke held her towar
d him, chuckling softly when he saw the anxiety in his friend’s eyes. “Lydia is your responsibility now. Take good care of her.”

  Chapter One

  Splendor, Montana

  1868

  “Take my hand, Lydia. I won’t let you fall.” Bull stood on a large, flat rock on the opposite side of Wildfire Creek, adjusting the saddlebags on one shoulder before extending his hand, encouraging her to take the leap. “Come on, sweetheart. I’ll catch you.”

  Biting her lower lip, she took a deep breath and leaned forward, her gaze focusing on Bull’s eyes…the same soft brown eyes that had always given her strength and provided comfort. Reaching her hands toward him, she jumped. His strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight against him, a chuckle vibrating in his chest.

  “I knew you could do it.” Smiling, he placed a kiss on her forehead, then gripped her hand.

  Leading him up the embankment, Lydia took a narrow deer trail, following the creek for a good distance before veering away into the dense forest.

  “Are you sure you remember the spot?” Bull glanced around, committing their route to memory for the return trip.

  “Yes. I’ve come up here many times since living at the ranch.” She let out a yelp as Bull tugged her to a stop, pinning her with a hard stare.

  “Tell me you haven’t been coming here alone.”

  “Of course not. Selina and Margaret usually tag along.” She tried to turn away, but his grip held firm.

  An exasperated sigh escaped as he thought of the danger. “How come you’ve never mentioned it to me? I would’ve come with you, or sent one of the ranch hands along.”

  “And that’s exactly why I never said a word to you, Bull. Sometimes I need to get away, clear my head. I can’t do that if you’re around.”

  “No?”

  Pulling her hand free, she crossed her arms, tilting her chin up. “No. You can be a, well…a distraction when I’m trying to think.”

  Reaching out, he slipped his arm around her waist, drawing her close before lowering his lips to hers. After a moment, he lifted his head, smiling at the dazed look in her eyes. “And what kind of distraction am I?”