Her Unexpected Destiny_Seeing Ranch series Read online

  Her Unexpected Destiny

  Seeing Ranch series

  Florence Linnington

  Easy Publishing

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organisations, places, events and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Text copyright © 2018 Florence Linnington

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Easy Publishing

  United States of America

  EDITING BY:

  Madeline Farlow at Clause & Effect

  Book cover design by:

  Melody Simmons :: https://bookcoverscre8tive.com

  Contents

  Also by Florence Linnington

  About the Author

  Newsletter for new book release

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  1. Matt

  Chapter One

  Chapter 2

  2. Allie

  Chapter Two

  Chapter 3

  3. Matt

  Chapter Three

  Chapter 4

  4. Allie

  Chapter Four

  Chapter 5

  5. Matt

  Chapter Five

  Chapter 6

  6. Allie

  Chapter Six

  Chapter 7

  7. Matt

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter 8

  8. Allie

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter 9

  9. Matt

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter 10

  10. Allie

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter 11

  11. Matt

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter 12

  12. Allie

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter 13

  13. Matt

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter 14

  14. Allie

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter 15

  15. Matt

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter 16

  16. Allie

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter 17

  17. Matt

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter 18

  18. Allie

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter 19

  19. Matt

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter 20

  20. Allie

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter 21

  21. Matt

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter 22

  22. Allie

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter 23

  23. Matt

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter 24

  24. Allie

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter 25

  25. Matt

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter 26

  26. Allie

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter 27

  27. Matt

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter 28

  28. Allie

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Chapter 29

  29. Matt

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chapter 30

  30. Allie

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter 31

  31. Matt

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Chapter 32

  32. Allie

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Chapter 33

  33. Matt

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Epilogue

  Epilogue. Allie

  Epilogue

  Preview of next book…

  Preview: Chapter 1

  Preview: Chapter 2

  The story goes on…

  Newsletter for new book release

  Also by Florence Linnington

  Seeing Ranch series: Mail Order Brides

  FEEL FREE TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER WESTERN HISTORICAL ROMANCE BOOK SERIES

  Click the link below

  Amazon Author Bio

  Book 1 - Her Winding Path

  Book 2 - Her Western Heart

  Book 3 - Her Wild Journey

  Book 4 - Her Rocky Trail

  Book 5 - Her Unexpected Destiny

  Book 6 - Her Silent Burden

  Book 7 - Her Fearless Love

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to Michelle and Chayce

  About the Author

  Hello to all my Readers, I hope you will enjoy reading my books. I truly derive joy and peace from my creative writings, and I hope my books can make my Readers happy.

  Feel free to get in touch with me and share with me your thoughts on my writings. I would love to hear from you!

  https://www.facebook.com/florencelinningtonbooks/

  [email protected]

  Newsletter for new book release

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  Acknowledgments

  I would like to express my gratitude to Joy Christi and her team for all the valuable advice.

  1

  1. Matt

  Chapter One

  June 1883

  Shallow Springs was baking. May had come and gone, and still, there was no rain.

  On the hotel’s front porch, the only place a man could find a little reprieve from the summer’s cruelty, Matt Denton stood in the shade and fanned his face with his hat.

  If he squinted at the horizon, he saw furls of steam rising up from the ground. They were so thick he wondered if he’d imagined them.

  Raking his fingers through his hair, he turned and caught his reflection in the hotel’s window. He’d slicked his hair back best he could that morning, but a few wild strands still stuck up in the back. He looked about as average as he ever did, but was average good enough to meet his new wife?

  “It should be here soon,” someone said.

  Matt put his hat back on and looked over to see Sheriff Ross, thumbs hooked in his belt loops and boot on the first step of the porch, like he was considering whether or not to come up.

  “I know,” Matt answered, feeling more fidgety than ever.

  “You smell that smoke this morning?”

  “Yeah.” Matt frowned. “Where was that coming from?”

  “Wildfire south of here. About ten miles.”

  “A wildfire?” Matt gulped. He didn’t even like saying the word. Wildfires could sweep in faster than you could get your head around the situation. They could destroy everything in their path. Homes. Crops. Unsuspecting animals and people.

  Sheriff Ross did one of his slow nods. “The deputy went to check it out. It’d burned out by the time he reached it.”

  “That’s good.”

  “There might be more. God willing, there won’t be, but keep an eye out. Nostrils open.”

  “I will,” Matt promised.

  Sheriff Ross looked east—the direction the stagecoach would be coming in from.

  “She’s a week late.” Matt almost sighed but stopped himself last second.

  Sheriff Ross’s lips twitched upward. “She’ll love it here. Everyone does. Don’t you worry.”

  Turning, the sheriff stro
de across the street, kicking up little clouds of dust with each step. His few words had brought Matt some comfort, and he felt the coils in his stomach loosening.

  At the sight of the stagecoach coming in, however, they tightened right back up. Matt stayed frozen in place as the coach stopped in front of the hotel and the driver got down and opened the door.

  A young woman in a red dress stepped out, her dark eyes nervously scanning the area. When they fell on Matt, she, too, paused. For a long moment, they stood where they were, staring.

  Matt’s breath caught in his throat. He’d forgotten how to breathe. Lord, the lady standing in front of him was beautiful. With big, brown eyes and hair the color of chestnuts, she made Matt think of the colors of autumn, of its crisp, refreshing breezes.

  No one else exited the stagecoach, and the driver had already unloaded the woman’s bag and set it on the edge of the porch.

  One passenger. That was all.

  It had to be her.

  “Good afternoon.” Matt took off his hat and approached her. “Miss Melissa Russell?”

  She licked her lips, and there was something fearful in her eyes. “Yes?”

  “I’m Matthew. Matt. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  She nodded, the action stiff. Uncertain. She still hadn’t moved more than a few feet away from the stagecoach. As she went to pick up her bag, Matt stepped forward and snatched it up instead.

  “Let me take that.”

  “Thank you.” She cleared her throat and looked away. Her face was pale for summer, and she had none of the freckles he’d expected. Hadn’t she written about a “light dusting of freckles” across her nose in her first letter to him?

  Realizing he stared, Matt gathered his scrambled thoughts. “I imagine you’re mighty tired after such a long journey, especially with being delayed a week and all. The farm isn’t far from here. It’s the first one north out of town. My ma has your room set up for you, so you can rest right away.”

  Melissa’s shoulders relaxed, and for the first time since stepping off the stagecoach, she seemed genuinely happy. “That would be very nice.”

  “Right this way.”

  His pulse pounding in his throat, Matt led her to the side of the hotel where the wagon and team waited. Setting her bag into the back, he offered her his hand.

  Melissa studied it, considering. Everything she did took some time, Matt realized.

  Finally, she placed her fingers against his. A tingle traveled through Matt’s palm and up his forearm. He blinked at the sudden sensation before mentally shaking himself and helping her onto the bench.

  Gruffly clearing his throat, he settled next to her and took the reins. “My parents can’t wait to meet you.”

  “Truly?” Melissa looked sidelong at him. “I am excited to meet them as well.”

  It sounded as if she meant that, and Matt smiled to himself as they rode out of town.

  “There’s the sheriff’s office,” he pointed out. “The schoolhouse and church are back that way. I imagine you passed them on your way into town.”

  “Yes,” Melissa murmured. She turned her head every which way, soaking in her new home.

  “I know it’s pretty hot out there. It’s not usually this bad. Is it this blistering back in New York?”

  “Um.” For a second, she faltered, a pained look crossing her face. Yet, just as quickly as the look came, it vanished. “It is hot, but not so hot as this.”

  “It’s dry here too. Been a while since we had a rain. Folks are crossing their fingers, praying it’ll happen any day now.”

  “That will be nice,” she commented, then nodded at a house they were passing by. “That’s a lovely home.”

  “That’s where Sheriff Ross lives with his wife and sister-in-law. And see over there?” He pointed at a string of trees about a quarter mile outside town. “That’s the river.”

  “And the mountains,” Melissa murmured, gazing at the Rockies beyond.

  “Beautiful, aren’t they? I’ve been here twenty years, and I’m still not tired of looking at them.”

  She turned to look at him—really look at him—and they shared their first true smile. A lightness filled Matt’s chest, and he felt warmth creeping over his face. He didn’t have much experience with women. At twenty-eight, he’d courted a few girls, but that had all been years ago. Back then, in the earliest years of his twenties, he’d been more interested in helping his folks build up the farm than in finding a wife.

  By the time he realized he was ready to settle down, there were few eligible women left in Shallow Springs. Most of them were married or fixing to do just that.

  And so Matt had found his way to the mail-order bride agency out of New York. He knew several men in the area who’d done well using it, Sheriff Ross included. Figuring he didn’t have much to lose, Matt wrote in. That was a good four months ago, and he and Melissa had since exchanged a couple letters.

  Now, here she was. It was almost too much to believe.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  “Much better,” she answered quickly, back to avoiding his gaze.

  “A whole week of sickness...”

  “It was really only a few days. I had to wait for the next stagecoach out of Cincinatti. Is this the farm?”

  Matt looked, surprised to find that they’d already arrived. “This is it. Denton Farm.”

  Melissa looked awestricken, and pride filled Matt’s chest. The family farm was his joy, the one thing he lived for.

  But now, he also had a woman to live for—someone to share the things he loved with.

  Taking her hand, he helped her down from the wagon. Again, the feel of her palm against his sent a thrill through him. He looked away, embarrassed, not wanting her to see the effect she was already having.

  The two farm hounds, Bird and Baxter, had taken note of their arrival. They came running up, their tails wagging at the sight and smell of a newcomer.

  Melissa held her hand out to Bird, who licked her knuckles.

  “What is that building?” Melissa nodded at the second house, the one Matt had built himself. It sat beyond the main house and stable, two cottonwood saplings flanking its humble porch.

  “That’s mine. Ours.”

  Melissa turned to him, her big eyes even wider. The look in them was unreadable.

  “You won’t be living there at first,” he quickly explained. “Course not. You’ll be staying in the main house with my folks till we’re married. I didn’t mean to...” He fell silent, aware that he’d said too much.

  Melissa’s cheeks turned pink. “It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “So beautiful.”

  The admiration in her voice said she meant it.

  “I built it. Finished it a couple years ago.”

  Melissa lips parted in surprise. A new look came to her face—one of appreciation. Matt longed to reach out and take her hand again, to pull her across the threshold of their home and show her every nook and cranny.

  “Miss Russell,” his ma gasped.

  She was already rushing out the front door of the main house, coming forward and clasping Melissa’s hand in hers.

  “You’re finally here.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Melissa agreed.