Pony Express Courtship
Winning the Widow’s HeartTurning her farm into a Pony Express station is the only way for recently widowed Rebecca Young to provide for her seven adopted sons and her young daughter. It also means contending with new station manager Seth Armstrong as he trains her boys to be riders. But Rebecca soon sees he has her children’s best interests at heart—and perhaps hers, too…Seth plans on staying long enough to teach the boys how to survive the trail, before continuing on to search for his lost mail-order bride. But now, as he works so closely with Rebecca and her children, he’s glimpsing the possibility of a different future. Could changing course bring this cowboy the chance of true love and fatherhood he never expected?
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Winning the Widowâs Heart
Turning her farm into a Pony Express station is the only way for recently widowed Rebecca Young to provide for her seven adopted sons and her young daughter. It also means contending with new station manager Seth Armstrong as he trains her boys to be riders. But Rebecca soon sees he has her childrenâs best interests at heartâand perhaps hers, too...
Seth plans on staying long enough to teach the boys how to survive the trail, before continuing on to search for his lost mail-order bride. But now, as he works so closely with Rebecca and her children, heâs glimpsing the possibility of a different future. Could changing course bring this cowboy the chance of true love and fatherhood he never expected?
Saddles and Spurs: Daring Pony Express riders risk all for dutyâand for love
âIâm taking the midnight shift with Noah. If danger strikes, it will probably be then.â
So Seth would be with Noah. Rebecca had to admit that knowing this made her feel a little better. âLook, I donât mean to be a pain, Mr. Armstrong, but these are my children. I have a right to know that they are safe. Or at least as safe as you can make them.â
He nodded. âI agree you do have that right. But you have to trust me to keep them as safe as I possibly can.â
Did she trust him? No, why should she? Rebecca told herself she didnât really know the man at all. Still, Pony Express superintendent Mr. Bromley trusted him, so what other choice did she have? Sheâd have to try to trust Seth Armstrong to watch after her boys.
How did a mother release that kind of trust to a stranger? She reminded herself that to keep her family together, sheâd have to try.
RHONDA GIBSON lives in New Mexico with her husband, James. She has two children and three beautiful grandchildren. Reading is something she has enjoyed her whole life and writing stemmed from that love. When she isnât writing or reading, she enjoys gardening, beading and playing with her dog, Sheba. You can visit her at rhondagibson.net. Rhonda hopes her writing will entertain, encourage and bring others closer to God.
A manâs heart deviseth his way:
but the Lord directeth his steps.
âProverbs 16:9
This book is dedicated to the men
who rode the Pony Express routes.
To my husband, James Gibson,
my best friend and strongest supporter.
And to my Heavenly Father,
who helps me to reach my dreams.
Contents
Dove Creek, Wyoming
February 1860
âWhat were you thinking?â Rebecca Young demanded of her youngest son, Benjamin. She tossed the water bucket to the side. Her body shook as fearful images built in her mind. âYou could have been killed.â The acrid smell of smoke in the early-morning air almost choked her as she fought for control. Benjamin might be adopted, but she loved him as much as she loved her daughter, Joy. The thought of losing him in a fire tore at her heart, leaving her feeling raw.
Black soot covered his young face and tears traced dirty tracks down his cheeks. He coughed, echoing coughs from others around them. The eight-year-old boy wrung his hands and shook his head from side to side. âI didnât mean for it to happen, Ma.â
Fear and anger warred for control of her emotions. If Jacob hadnât seen the flames tearing through the barn and gotten Benjamin out, her youngest son would have died in the fire. She couldnâtâshe heaved a deep sighâno, she wouldnât let her fear take the sting out of her scolding. âBut it did happen, Benjamin. How many times have I told you not to take a lantern into the barn?â
The tears increased and dripped off his quivering chin. Big brandy-colored eyes met her gaze. Fear filled them. Was it fear of her, or the fact that he could have died in the fire? âIâm sorry, Ma.â His voiced choked; he threw his arms around her waist and buried his head against her.
Rebecca ran her hands down his thin arms then embraced him tightly, unmindful of the black soot being smeared against the white of her apron.
Her gaze moved from one to the other of the six young men who stood in the yard. Her other adopted sons. Rebecca barely held back the tears, her heart winging a prayer of thanks that none of them were hurt putting out the flames.
Her oldest son, twenty-year-old Jacob, stared morosely at what used to be their barn.
The second oldest son, nineteen-year-old Andrew, kneeled on one knee at the edge of the clearing. He most likely desired privacy when he prayed, but that was a luxury big families couldnât afford. How sheâd love to join him and thank the Lord for His protection. Each of the boys had learned early on from her deceased husband, John, to pray about everything. She couldnât help but be proud of Andrew for knowing where their help came from. Clayton, whoâd just had his nineteenth birthday, dropped his water bucket, pure frustration lining his young face, and stomped back to the house. Rebecca knew he tried hard to hold in the pent-up fear and hopelessness that the burning barn caused and made a mental note to go to him as soon as she could.
