скачать книгу бесплатно
The Hand-Me-Down Family
Winnie Griggs
Indulge your fantasies of delicious Regency Rakes, fierce Viking warriors and rugged Highlanders. Be swept away into a world of intense passion, lavish settings and romance that burns brightly through the centuriesCallie Gray always assumed she would never marry, until she took a leap and became a mail-order bride.But when she arrives in Sweetgum, Texas, she gets the shock of her life. Her husband is dead, and his brother proposes she marry him, for the sake of his orphaned nephew and nieces. Jack Tyler warns her not to hope for a love match–theirs is strictly a convenient marriage.But Callie yearns for a true partnership with the man who has unexpectedly captured her heart. Now she must convince him what he truly needs is a lifetime of love, faith and family–with Callie by his side.
Callie was a puzzle to him.
Her intentions and determination were admirable, but Jack didn’t believe she understood what she was up against. Such a sheltered city girl would have a hard time adjusting to life in a place like this.
Had her life back in Ohio been so terrible that even with what happened to his brother, she—
Jack gave his head a shake. He’d let her get under his skin. He had to remember that her personal problems were no concern of his. She wanted to challenge his claim to his nieces and nephew, and that made her his opponent.
Family mattered. That was something only he could offer his nieces and nephew.
But still…he’d never met a woman like her. Callie was…he hadn’t quite figured out what she was, besides being a thorn in his side. And just plain wrong about her rights in regard to Annabeth and Simon and Emma.
On the other hand, could he really say the kids would be better off with a wandering bachelor than with his brother’s widow?
WINNIE GRIGGS
is a city girl born and raised in southeast Louisiana’s Cajun Country who grew up to marry a country boy from the hills of northwest Louisiana. Though her Prince Charming is more comfortable riding a tractor than a white steed, the two of them have been living their own happily-ever-after for thirty-plus years. During that time they raised four children and an assortment of dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, turtles and 4-H sheep.
In addition to her day job at a utility company and her writing career, Winnie serves on committees within her church and several writing organizations, and is active in local civic organizations—she truly believes the adage that you reap in proportion to what you sow.
In addition to writing and reading, Winnie enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and exploring flea markets. Readers can contact Winnie at P.O. Box 398, Plain Dealing, LA 71064, or e-mail her at winnie@winniegriggs.com.
Winnie Griggs
The Hand-Me-Down Family
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.
—Ephesians 2:10
To each of the following, my most sincere
gratitude:
My agent, Michelle Grajkowski, who has always been upbeat about my work and has never allowed me to give up or get discouraged.
To the members of the “I Told You So Club,” Cathy, Laura, Margaret and Lenora, who gave me some not-so-gentle nudges toward taking this leap-of-faith path for my writing. Thank you, ladies, and I hereby admit publicly that you were oh-so-right.
To my “first readers,” Joanne, Cathy and Renee—your feedback was invaluable.
I am truly blessed to have each of you in my life.
Contents
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
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Epilogue
Questions for Discussion
Chapter One
California, May 1888
“Hey, Jack!”
Jack bit back an oath at the hail, then turned in a slow, controlled movement. He pinned the foreman’s errand boy with a cold stare, holding his peace for three long heartbeats, just enough time to set the unthinking messenger to fidgeting in his saddle.
Finally, Jack pulled the sliver of twig from his mouth. “You got a death wish, Dobbins? Or didn’t you see those yellow flags marking off this area?”
The young man’s expression faltered. “Yes, but you’re still—”
Jack snapped the twig and tossed it away. “I’m inside the perimeter because I’m setting charges. Which means I’m working with enough explosives right now to blow you, me and most of this pile of rock to smithereens.”
Dobbins’s Adam’s apple bobbed, but he stuck out his chin and pulled a paper from his pocket. “A telegram came for you. Mr. Gordon wanted—”
Jack’s jaw muscle twitched. Fool kid. “I don’t care if it’s a set of executive orders from President Grover Cleveland himself. When I’m in the middle of a job, you don’t cross the perimeter unless it’s life or death.” He narrowed his eyes. “Because it just might turn into that.”
A quick nod signaled understanding.
Jack wiped his brow with his sleeve, already regretting his harsh tone. The heat and the hours were starting to wear on him. He waved the intruder forward. “Well, now that you’re here, you might as well give me the thing.”
Dobbins nudged his horse forward and handed the folded paper to Jack. His eyes rounded when he saw Jack slide it into his pocket without so much as a glance. “Aren’t you gonna read it?”
“Not ’til I’m done here. I don’t need any more distractions right now.” He raised a brow. “Anything else?”
Dobbins got the message. “Guess not.” With another nod, he jerked on the reins, turned his horse, and headed back in the direction of the base camp.
Jack frowned as he watched the messenger gallop off.
A telegram. Now who would—
He was doing it already, he realized.
He shoved the telegram out of his mind. Right now he needed to focus on the work at hand. Like he’d just told Dobbins, he couldn’t afford distractions while he was on the job.
Twenty minutes later Jack stood and tilted his hat up. He stepped back far enough to take in the remainder of what just a week ago had been a steep, rocky hillside. He drew his elbows back behind him, stretching the kinks out of cramped muscles.
Then he mentally reviewed the placement of all four charges one more time. You just couldn’t be too careful.
Satisfied everything was in order, he headed back toward the stand of scrub he’d designated as the meeting spot for his two-man team. Hopefully they were already waiting for him. He was more than ready to wrap up this job.
As he crossed the uneven ground, Jack fingered the folded sheet of paper tucked in his pocket. The only people who’d be likely to send him a telegram would be his sister or brother.
He’d just gotten a letter from Nell a few weeks ago. She hadn’t had anything new to say—just updates on what was going on back home and sisterly admonitions to visit soon, coupled with a bribe to bake up one of his favorite apple pecan pies.
No, he couldn’t picture either Nell or Lanny sending a telegram. At least not to deliver good news.
The back of his neck prickled and his step slowed.
Putting off reading the thing was becoming more of a distraction than whatever news the telegram contained could possibly be.
Jack jerked the crumpled paper out of his pocket and read the four stark lines written there.
And as surely as if someone had detonated the charges prematurely, he felt the world rock under his feet.
Chapter Two
Texas, four days later
Callie studied the man seated across from her as the stagecoach swayed and bounced, bringing her ever closer to her new life.
She placed a finger to her chin. No, he wasn’t a sea captain. The hat was all wrong and he had an air about him that seemed more akin to earthiness than saltwater.
She scrunched her lips to one side as she examined his features more closely. He was actually quite handsome, in a dangerous, rugged sort of way. Rather than detracting from his looks, that faded scar on the left side of his chin served to lend him an adventurous air. She refused to believe a man who looked as he did was anything so mundane as a farmer or shopkeeper.
He could be a Texas Ranger. Yes, that would fit. He had that lean, grim-purpose look about him.
She settled into her mental tale-spinning. So, if he was a ranger, what was his story? Perhaps he was returning home for a well-earned rest after grueling weeks of tracking down desperate outlaws. Or maybe he was traveling to Sweetgum on official business in search of—
Callie straightened in her seat. Was it her imagination, or had they slowed down a bit? A quick glance out the window confirmed that the tree-lined countryside had given way to scattered farms. And if she wasn’t mistaken, the edge of a small town was just up ahead.
This was it. Her new home—Sweetgum, Texas.
She adjusted her poke bonnet with hands that weren’t quite steady, then laced her fingers tightly together and closed her eyes.
Heavenly Father, I’m truly grateful to You for getting me all the way here from Ohio without a hitch. But we both know that was the easy part compared to what comes next. And since this whole undertaking was actually Your idea, I know You’re going to help me figure out what to say and do when I step outside and come face-to-face with my new husband for the first time.
Bolstered by that thought, Callie began gathering her belongings. Then she paused and slanted a glance toward the object of her former musings.
Her unsociable traveling companion seemed completely unaware of their arrival.
