Sweetwater (Birdsong Series) (21 page)

Suddenly, the man, Philippe, threw open the door and
disappeared down the wooden sidewalk, leaving everyone questioning his actions.

Judge Hastings appeared surprised by the sudden
disappearance of his companion, but simply shrugged his shoulders. “I am not
certain why Philippe is behaving so oddly, madam, but I assure you all is well.
I suspect he left to help our friend retrieve his bags. They will be along
directly. Now, I’d like to see my room. If I may have my key?” He held out
his well-manicured hand.

Feeling a light brush against her elbow, Patty turned to see
a smiling Cassie, waiting to be of service. Patty’s hand trembled only
slightly, as she dropped the keys into his open palm. “Follow our Cassie up
the stairs. She will show you to your rooms. Have a nice stay, gentlemen.”
Hopefully, their guests did not notice the way her jaws clinched every time she
was compelled to say something polite. It was only being professional, she
told herself.

The judge and the weasel smiled, as each man carried his own
bags up the stairs, following the pretty blonde woman with the amazing lavender
eyes. Admittedly, it was not her unusual eyes nor her lovely hair that had
them smiling as they climbed the stairs behind her. This provincial hotel was
looking better by the minute.

Patty could not tear her eyes away from the doorway. Why
had the strange man left so abruptly, and where was the fourth guest? This was
all very odd and left her stomach feeling uneasy. Perhaps it was simply
woman’s intuition, but she felt that something—or someone—was going
to come through that door at any moment, and turn her life upside down. She
looked around for someone—anyone—who might assist her, should she
require help. Did she have time to run and find Whiskey?

Giving herself a little shake, she tried to regain her
composure. Surely she was overreacting. Perhaps she was coming down with some
illness. With Emily’s recent abduction, Lucas’ killing, and the wedding
preparations, she had been working too hard and was, in all probability,
imagining things. She forced herself to turn away from the entrance and busied
her fingers behind the desk.

Patty heard the jangle of the bell on the door as it opened,
and the two missing gentlemen presented themselves. Before she could turn
around to face them, she heard
his voice
.

“Bonjour, my wife. I
have missed you.”

EVE’S STORY

The number of poor immigrants entering New York City in 1862
only added to the problems of a nation at war. Fatherless children and mothers
unable to provide a home for their little ones swelled the homeless population
far beyond what the city could endure. Crime was out of control and the misery
found on the streets could no longer be tolerated. The children on the streets
needed to be rounded up and relocated.

Little five-year-old Evie was such a victim when she
suddenly found herself riding on a strange train, along with other orphans,
bound for small towns and farms out west. There was a desperate need for
children to help on the farms and ranches scattered over the prairies and
grasslands. There, also, were couples that yearned for a family with children
of their own. As eager and as loving as these individuals could be, there was
little need for a small girl child with a lame and twisted foot. No one would
be interested in the beautiful child with the large and sad eyes.

However, people grow up and change over the years, bringing
with them the hardships of their past. Even caterpillars eventually emerge
from their cocoons as beautiful butterflies, and so it was with Eve. She was
glorious and tough. She would need to rely on that strength in the coming
days, as her life was, once again, about to change in ways unthinkable.

Handsome men vied for her hand and called out for her
attention, but only one would be worthy, and even he would have to prove
himself. Danger and heartbreak were constant companions, until one day . . .

Daniel’s Story

Daniel couldn’t seem to stop kissing Mary. She tasted
delicious, her soft lips lush and full beneath his. He wanted her. He had to
have her, but the timing couldn’t have been worse. With the Yankees turning
over every stone, looking for the legendary Missouri Bushwhacker, it was too
risky.

Daniel Wilson was a wanted man, handsome and dangerous. A
man whose idyllic life had been ripped apart by a senseless civil war. His
family murdered, his home burned, he sought his revenge and took comfort in the
arms of a beautiful woman.

Wanted by two armies and a score of bounty hunters, he dared
to dream of a good life with his wife and children. Consumed by his love and
desire for Mary, Daniel had to formulate a foolproof plan to thwart his enemies
and allow him to live out his years with the love of his life. He only had to
survive long enough to carry it through—or die trying.

MISSOURI LEGEND is
filled with action and steaming, hot passion.

Vernon’s Story

Vernon Gunn liked his life. He was an Arizona Ranger and
proud of it. It was all he ever wanted to be. No outlaw, no matter who they
were or how dangerous, would slip through his hands. He figured his life would
be just about perfect if it wasn’t for a damnable, opinionated, and clumsy
young woman bent on making him miserable. The hell of it was, he couldn’t get
her out of his thoughts or his dreams. She was soft in all the right places
and so lovely to look at—she hurt his eyes. She was the type of woman
that made a man yearn for more than a desk and a tin star.

Beth was blonde, beautiful . . . and on the run. Her flight
from Richmond, Virginia to Tucson Arizona, would lead her straight into the
arms of the one man who would hold her future in his hands. He was a strong
man with strong convictions, and more handsome than a lawman had any right to
be, she thought. After he learned of her terrible secret, would his heart be
moved enough to grant her freedom—or would he end her life at the end of
a rope?

It’s a harrowing time for the ranger and the lovely outlaw,
but the hands of fate step in and take command of their lives. Unseen forces
set the final stage, with an outcome no one could have foreseen.

Riveting hot passion
abounds in ARIZONA JUSTICE.

ALICE ADDY has always been in love with historical romances.
Many of her tales spring from stories told to her in her childhood. She
proudly claims a famous Missouri bushwhacker as her great-great grandfather,
and her overactive imagination fills in the rest of the story.

Collecting American antiques also fills her hours, along
with her passion for gardening. Colorful flowers and blossoming trees often
times find their way into her novels. She believes in setting a beautiful
scene for her beloved characters. Readers will also notice her love for
children and animals in her books. Hopefully, they will make you laugh, and
they may even cause you to shed a few tears, but always, always . . . her
stories will have a happy ending.

Soon, she hopes to travel extensively throughout the
Southwest and the Northern plains. Maybe she will see you, there.

*****

You can visit her website: www.aliceaddy.com

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Visit her on FACEBOOK