When the Heart Falls (28 page)

About the Author

In November of 2011, author Kimberly Lewis stepped into the writing world with her first original western contemporary romance novel, When the Heart Falls.

Born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, this country girl at heart caught the creative bug at an early age, doing everything from drawing to writing short stories.

After the birth of her son, Kimberly found the inspiration to pick up a pen, or in this case a laptop, and began writing her first novel. Since then she has continued to write and credits her husband Rob and her wonderfully crazy family, who with their love and joking demeanor provide her with the ideas that inspire her novels.

In her spare time she enjoys reading, horseback riding, and spending time with her amazing family.

To learn more about Kimberly and her books, please visit her at
kimberlylewisnovels.blogspot.com

The following preview was provided by the author of the preview.

Enjoy this preview of Gallagher’s Pride

By MK McClintock

Gallagher’s Pride

GALLAGHER NOVELS BY MK MCCLINTOCK

Gallagher’s Pride

Gallagher’s Hope

For a complete listing of all MK McClintock novels,

visit www.mkmcclintock.com

Gallagher’s Pride is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. If you purchase this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher received any payment for this “stripped book.”

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work is whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher and author do not have any control over and do not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.

Copyright © 2012 MK McClintock

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States of America

Trappers Peak Publishing

Bigfork, Montana

McClintock, MK

Gallagher’s Pride; novel/MK McClintock

ISBN-10: 0615669158

ISBN-13: 978-0615669151

Second Edition

Edited by: Magnifico Manuscripts, LLC

www.mkmcclintock.com

1

WORLDS APART

The weariness settled in not long after her ship arrived in Boston. The anger, the pain, and the betrayal still consumed her heart. The grandness of the wild territory looming ahead did nothing to assuage these feelings. It seemed so long ago that she held her father’s hand as he lay dying, though barely eight months had passed. She still remembered his final words as though he’d spoken only a moment ago.
“Ye’re not alone in the world me darling girl.”
Gazing out the train window, across the expanse of land that marked only the beginning of her journey, Brenna realized her father couldn’t have foreseen where those final words would lead her.

In the countryside of Borthwick, Edinburghshire, Scotland–1869

The mare fought bravely to bring the young filly into this world and her struggles paid off. The beautiful silver-coated filly glanced around curiously as it sought purchase on its wobbly legs. Her mother nudged the little one until it stood triumphantly and quickly sought out nourishment. The young girl on the cusp of womanhood watched with rapt attention at the miracle which just took place, then turned from the stall and raced to the main house.

“
Papa! Mama! Come quickly!”

Brenna jumped up and down in the doorway of the parlor, turned around, and headed back for the stable, not bothering to see if her parents followed.

Her father chuckled at the retreating girl and his wife smiled and said, “You did promise her a new filly.”

“
So I did,” he laughed again. “Let us go and see if that’s what she’ll be getting.”

Duncan and Rebecca Cameron walked along the green grass to the stable which had born dozens of foals and fillies over the years. Brenna impatiently waited in great anticipation for this one day to come, for this special filly to be born. Her first horse to raise just as she chose and the most perfect gift she’d ever received.

The couple walked up and stood beside their daughter, looking over the stall door at the young filly staring curiously back at them.

“
It will be a bit of time before she can be ridden, but she’s a fine-looking filly Brenna.”

“
She’s beautiful Papa!”

“
That she is,” her mother said, placing an arm around her shoulder. “What do you say we leave her to her mother.”

Brenna looked up at her father, pleading with him to let her stay out there. Her “just a little longer plea” almost always worked when she looked at him with her small smile and wide eyes.

“
Not this time darling girl.” He pulled his daughter and wife close to him and began walking toward the stable entrance.

“
There’ll be plenty of time for ye to spend with her, but your mother’s right.”

“
Well, may I come out tomorrow? At sunrise?”

Her father chuckled again. “Yes, at sunrise.”

Brenna knelt over the recently tilled soil, side by side with her mother. Together they sowed the flower seeds for a new garden they chose to plant near the orchard. It had always been one of her most cherished times, those hours she spent with her mother in the gardens or with her father at the stable. Very few young people Brenna’s age lived in their small village, but she didn’t mind.

Her parents and the people who worked at Cameron Manor were her family and her friends. She took her school lessons every day after she and her mother tended the gardens, her parents insisting she be educated. Her tutor Mrs. Parks, a delightful older woman from London, spoke French and even traveled to Africa before her husband died. She encouraged Brenna to think freely and beyond the ideas written in textbooks. Brenna felt only delight when her father presented her with a beautiful globe shipped from London. She spent hours asking him about his travels and how he met her mother.

Brenna remembered asking him once about her birth and if she had any other family. Her father grew quiet for a time, smiled at her, and said all the family she needed lived at Cameron Manor. He seemed so sad—she didn’t ask again.

When she was ten years old, Duncan tried teaching her how to fish in one of the lakes on their estate. Brenna loved being outside, riding horses, and gardening with her mother, but she certainly didn’t like worms or watching fish squiggle and squirm on the hooks. Her father seemed happy, though, so she smiled and tried not to grimace much. Secretly she thought he knew how she felt because he didn’t take her fishing again after that. Instead, they enjoyed walks through the woods as he pointed out the various plants, trees, and wildlife when fortune favored them enough to catch a glimpse. Her father carefully showed her the boundaries of their land so that she wouldn’t wander into areas where hunters may mistake her or her horse for wild game. Over the years, Brenna led a sheltered life at Cameron Manor, but she felt loved beyond measure and she couldn’t imagine spending her life anywhere else.

In the countryside of Borthwick, Edinburghshire, Scotland–1875

One week after Brenna’s eighteenth birthday on a rare spring day when the sun shone with enthusiasm, Brenna’s parents hoped she would join them for a leisurely ride. Brenna’s mare, Heather, enjoyed a good run that morning so she opted to ride another mount for the afternoon. Brenna often woke early to go riding so her father wouldn’t discover that she preferred to ride without a saddle. She discovered early on that though saddles offered convenience, she and Heather preferred riding without the confinement. Her mother ended up riding one of the geldings since her mare carried another foal.

The family coveted such beautiful days. Scotland’s weather could change abruptly, so they took immediate advantage of such glorious weather.

An hour into their ride, a light sprinkling of rain began. Brenna thought nothing of it because the sun still shone brightly through the clouds. When the wind picked up, she turned a worried look over her shoulder toward her parents.

“
We’d best head back in!” Her father’s shout carried across the howling wind. “The storm’ll have us soaking before long!”

Brenna turned around to answer her father, but shouting against the wind proved fruitless. She quickly closed the distance between them when a crack of thunder shuddered through the sky and frightened the animals. They started back as quickly as they could without causing injury to anyone, but another crack of thunder sounded close by and she watched as her mother’s horse frightened. Rebecca couldn’t calm the animal and it reared back, dropping her off the saddle before catching its leg in mud and falling over on top of her.

Duncan shouted for his wife, dismounted and ran toward her as quickly as his legs allowed. The gelding had broken his leg and couldn’t move, pinning Rebecca under its heavy mass. Brenna jumped off the mare and ran toward her parents, shielding her eyes from the pelting rain that began to fall in earnest, ignoring the stinging pain as the drops made contact with her skin.

“
Mama!” Brenna knelt down next to her mother’s head and watched as her father tried to encourage the animal to move just enough so that they could pull Rebecca out from under it.

Brenna held onto her mother’s cold hand and covered her with her body as best she could to shield her from the downpour.

“
Brenna!” Her father looked at her and shouted over the storm. “Go, as fast as ye can and bring help.”

“
Papa!” Brenna felt like a little girl again not knowing what to do.

“
Brenna, go! I’ll stay with yer mother!” He shouted over the sounds of clapping thunder and gusting winds. “Go!”

Brenna mounted the mare and raced toward home, pleading over and over that they’d make it there without further injury so she could get help to her mother.

“
Iain!” Brenna raced toward the stable, shouting Iain’s name. He and his wife Maggie loyally served the Camerons for more than twenty years and Brenna considered them part of the family. If anyone could help, it was Iain.

“
Iain please!” Brenna dismounted and turned, shouting his name again when Iain raced toward her.

“
Brenna lass, whatever is wrong?” He took in her rain-soaked hair and clothes and the panicked look in her eyes.

“
Where are yer parents lass?”

“
Near the cliffs Iain, by Fowler’s Cove.” Brenna tried catching her breath. “Hurry! Mama’s trapped under her horse.”

Under different circumstances, Brenna could have admired how swiftly the older man moved into action. He rang the emergency bell by the stable door which brought the few other servants outside. Maggie and the stable boy, who had been carrying wood inside, rushed to the stable. Iain waited for the boy with saddled horses.

Brenna moved to remount, but Iain laid a strong hand on her shoulder.

“
Stay here lass,” he said, even as she shook her head.

“
I’m going Iain.”

It was her father’s own stubbornness Iain saw in her, so he pleaded. “Ye’ll hurt them more if something happened to ye Brenna. Stay.”

Brenna couldn’t take that risk. Iain’s wife wrapped an arm around Brenna’s waist and they watched the two riders race into the storm.