Loving a Courageous Soul (Preview)

Chapter One

The sound of loud banging woke Maggie from a deep sleep. Her eyes opened into small slits as she tried to get her bearings. 

“Maggie?” the sound of her little brother’s voice in the darkness caused Maggie to sit upright quickly. “I think someone’s at the door.” 

Maggie quickly got up from her hard pallet and grabbed a dressing coat. It was worn, but it wasn’t appropriate for her to be answering the door in her night clothing, and from the banging, Maggie was sure she did not have time to put on a gown. 

“Stay here,” she ordered her brother. Benny didn’t argue with her. Instead, he sat on her bed and wrapped her blanket around his shoulders. Maggie immediately worried. She could tell that he was scared, and she couldn’t blame him. 

No good could come from the fact that someone was trying to knock down their door in the middle of the night. 

“I’m coming,” Maggie grumbled as the banging continued. She grabbed her shawl from one of the chairs by the kitchen table and wrapped it around her shoulders before wrenching the front door open. 

“Sheriff Barnes?” Maggie asked. She was shocked to see the town’s sheriff standing in front of her door. Maggie had never personally met the sheriff, but Virginia City was small enough that she recognized his face. 

“Miss Barker,” the sheriff said. He took his hat off, and Maggie felt her heart instantly clench. He looked her up and down, and Maggie felt herself immediately blush and pull her shawl closer around her body. 

“Is everything alright?” Maggie asked. “Has something happened to my father?” Maggie knew that whatever had brought the sheriff to her door at this late hour was connected to her father. She prayed that he was simply sleeping off too much drink somewhere. It wasn’t something that happened to him often, but there had been a few times when she’d had to go to the tavern and collect her father. 

“Can I come in?” he asked, and Maggie felt her heart beginning to thud inside her chest. 

She couldn’t say anything, but she nodded slightly and opened the door wider. Sheriff Barnes looked uncomfortable as he stepped inside. 

“Would you like some tea?” Maggie asked. She prayed that he would say no. Her mind was whirling as she thought about having to build a fire for the kettle. She wanted nothing more than for him to tell her what he needed to say and then leave so she could go back to bed. 

“No, thank you,” he said. 

Maggie released a heavy breath of relief. The sheriff looked as uncomfortable as she felt. “Can I ask why you are here?” Maggie asked. She was trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. She was a woman of twenty, but her life had been very sheltered in many ways, and she wasn’t sure that she was prepared for whatever the sheriff was about to tell her. 

She suspected it wasn’t as simple as her father being drunk. After all, the sheriff wouldn’t make house calls for such a thing. 

“I need to speak to you about your father,” Sheriff Barnes said. 

“I assumed as such,” Maggie said. Her voice was calm, but she could feel herself trembling. She grabbed the edge of her shawl, trying her best to keep herself calm. Maggie might have been sheltered, but she knew she needed to be strong. “If he’s had too much drink, I can assure you that it’s not in his nature. Occasionally, he forgets to eat, and the ale becomes much more potent to him …” 

Sheriff Barnes gave her a pitying look, and Maggie immediately knew that her father was not sitting somewhere sobering up. As her heart pounded faster and faster, she felt small beads of sweat beginning to form across the back of her neck. 

“Is he dead?” she asked. The words felt as thick and sticky as molasses, and Maggie could barely get them over her tongue. Maggie’s mother had died in childbirth when she was ten, and her father was the only person she had outside of her brother. 

The sheriff’s blue eyes were filled with pity, and Maggie absolutely hated it. She squared her shoulders, preparing herself to hear that her father must have had some sort of accident, but when the sheriff shook his head, she felt her confusion grow. “He’s not dead,” he told her. 

“I don’t understand,” Maggie said. “Has he been harmed in some way?” Maggie’s father was the best blacksmith in Virginia City, and though he’d been lucky not to have sustained major injury in his lifetime, blacksmithing was a dangerous job. What Maggie couldn’t understand was why the sheriff would be telling her. 

“Your father has been detained,” the sheriff said. 

“Detained?” Maggie wasn’t sure what the sheriff was talking about. Her mind was racing, and she felt as though she couldn’t form a complete sentence. 

The pity in his eyes grew, and he shifted back and forth, causing the floors to creak. It was clear to Maggie that the sheriff was uncomfortable. “He’s been arrested.” 

That Maggie understood, and her eyes grew so large that she felt as though they were going to fall out of her head. “Arrested?” she shrieked. She placed a hand over her mouth and immediately looked towards the back of the house. She didn’t want Benny to overhear what they were saying. 

The sheriff’s face grew dour, and he nodded. 

“For what?” Maggie asked. Her father was many things, but he wasn’t a criminal. Of that, Maggie was sure. 

“He’s been accused of stealing a great amount of silver.” 

Maggie nearly laughed. “My father wouldn’t steal any silver. He doesn’t even care to work with the stuff, and as you can see,” Maggie gestured towards the emptiness of the house, “we are not hiding any silver in this house.” 

The sheriff pressed a hand on the back of his neck. It was clear he did not appreciate relaying this information. “He’s not simply been accused,” the sheriff said. “We found the silver at his shop.” 

Maggie’s mouth dropped. “That’s not possible,” she said once more. Maggie didn’t know what the sheriff had found, but she knew her father wasn’t a thief. He had morals that kept them living in a drafty, two-bedroom house. If her father had been stealing silver, Maggie assumed they would be living a much better life. 

“I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you this,” Sheriff Barnes said. “Your father wanted to make sure you knew so that you wouldn’t worry after him.” 

Maggie snorted slightly. “Well, that didn’t work.” 

Once more, the sheriff looked at her with sadness in his eyes, and the look caused any fight in Maggie to dissolve. She felt tears starting to fill her eyes, and she did all she could to try and blink them back so they wouldn’t fall in front of the sheriff. 

“What are we supposed to do?” she asked before she could stop herself. 

Maggie had taken care of her little brother since she was ten. She knew how to keep a house and make sure that Benny ate his peas, but she wasn’t prepared to take care of all the other things. She didn’t know how. 

“You’ll want to get your Pa a lawyer,” he said. 

Maggie nodded slightly. She appreciated the sheriff’s advice, but she knew enough to know that there wasn’t enough money for a lawyer. Her father’s business kept a roof above their head and food on the table. She was still wearing a dress from two years ago, and she made Benny’s clothing from old garments. 

“Can I see him?” Maggie asked. 

Once more, the sheriff released a heavy breath. “Not tonight,” he said, “but I can let you see him tomorrow morning.” 

Maggie nodded. “Thank you,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. The knot in her throat was so large she worried about choking if she spoke. 

“You’ll be okay,” the sheriff told her. 

Maggie said nothing, but she nodded at him slightly. She knew he was only saying that to assuage his own guilt. It was clear that he’d come to the house to inform her because of her father’s insistence. Maggie was grateful. If she had woken up with her father missing, she would assume that he’d slept off his ale and gone to work. Eventually, she would have panicked. 

“I’ll be heading out now,” the sheriff said. His lips were pursed as if he were trying not to say something else. 

“Thank you,” Maggie said as she led him back to the door. Her mind was in a daze as he walked out, and she shut and locked the door behind him. Maggie’s breath started to come in short pants, and she felt as though there was an anvil on her chest. 

“Maggie?” The soft voice of her brother broke through the intense grief that she felt was starting to overtake her. 

Maggie quickly wiped her eyes and swung towards the kitchen. Her brother walked out. His light blonde hair was splayed out in all directions, and his dark blue eyes were wide in his face. “I thought you’d fallen back asleep,” she said. She tried her best to appear as if nothing was wrong, but she could tell from Benny’s wide eyes that she wasn’t very successful. 

“Where’s Pa?” he asked. 

Maggie took a shaky breath. For a moment, she thought about lying to Benny. He was only ten, and he was a sensitive boy, but Maggie didn’t know what would happen if their father was found guilty, and she needed Benny to be prepared. 

“He’s been accused of stealing,” she said. 

Benny’s brows knit together. “Stealing? Pa isn’t a thief!” 

“I know,” Maggie said. 

Benny adored their father even though he was rarely home, and Maggie knew the idea that their father had done something illegal would be difficult for Benny. 

“We have to go tell the sheriff,” Benny said. “Pa’s no thief.” 

Maggie smiled at her brother’s passion, but it also made her incredibly sad. She walked towards Benny and wrapped her arms around him. “I’ve talked to the sheriff,” she said. “There’s nothing much we can do tonight.”

Maggie pulled away. She could tell that Benny was going to start arguing with her, but he must have seen something on her face that stopped him. Instead, he laid his head on her chest like he had when he was a little boy. Maggie wrapped her hands around him and placed her chin on top of his head. Soon, he would be much too big for these types of snuggles. 

“What’s going to happen to us?” Benny asked. His sweet little voice shattered Maggie’s heart, but it also added steel to her spine. 

“I promise that I’m going to take care of this,” she vowed to him. 

Benny’s thin arms tightened around her, but he said nothing. Maggie allowed herself to soak up his comfort before untangling herself from his arms. “You should go back to bed,” she said. “It’s late.” 

Benny said nothing, but he did start to walk back towards his bedroom. “Maggie,” he said, stopping slightly. “I know you’ll keep us safe.” 

Those were the last words he said before he went back to bed. Maggie was sure he wouldn’t sleep tonight, but she appreciated that he was willing to give her a minute to catch her breath. 

His words caused Maggie’s heart to fill with love, and as she looked at her brother’s sweet face, she knew that she would do whatever was necessary to make sure he was taken care of. 

She had absolutely no idea what she would do, but Maggie knew that she needed to figure it out and do so quickly. 

Chapter Two

Everett was up early. He couldn’t remember the last time that he had a full night’s sleep. It had been several years since he’d had the mental peace necessary for a full night’s rest. Now, he was often awake before dawn, milling around his empty house, trying to occupy his time until breakfast. 

Today was slightly different for him. Today, he had company. Unfortunately, it was company that he did not want. 

“You can’t just ignore this,” Russell said. Russell was Everett’s best friend, truest confidant and also oversaw a great deal of Everett’s business. 

“I already said that I am willing to raise pay slightly to offset any damage the men might have experienced,” Everett said. ‘I’m not sure what else I can do.” 

Russell released a deep breath of frustration. They’d been going back and forth for some time, much to Everett’s irritation. 

“I don’t think you appreciate the seriousness of this situation,” Russell said. Everett could tell that he was doing his best to try and keep his cool, but they’d known one another for so long that Everett could see the signs of frustration leaking out of him. His hands were clenched and his skin was nearly as red as his hair. 

“I appreciate the severity fine,” Everett argued. “I just don’t understand what my presence will do about it.” 

“The mine almost collapsed on half a dozen of our best men,” Russell said, “and you’ve said nothing about it. You need to talk to them. They need to understand that you care.” 

Everett did his best not to snort in derision. Everett was the largest silver mine holder in the state, and he had dealt with his fair share of catastrophes. This one, a near mine collapse, barely made him blink. 

“I’m sure if asked, the men would sooner have extra wages than a look at my face,” Everett said. He was trying to impart some levity into the situation, but from the firm set of Russell’s eyebrows, he was not in the mood to joke. 

Everett sighed and leaned back in his chair. They were in his study, which he spent most of his time in these days. “When do you want me to go into town?” Everett asked. 

Russell looked taken aback by how easily Everett was folding. Everett wasn’t surprised. Normally, he would have fought tooth and nail to avoid going into Virginia City, but Everett knew there was some truth to what Russell was saying. 

Whenever there was any sort of issue, Everett’s father would always make sure to show his face around the mines. He would give some sort of rousing speech, and the men would hail him as if he were a conquering hero. They were loyal to their employer and rarely complained. 

But Everett’s father was gone, and he was nothing like him. Unfortunately, that might explain why the mines were struggling to keep men. They were understaffed, and no amount of good wages was making it easier to keep men working. 

“I’m surprised you are willing to go into town,” Russell said. 

Everett sighed and looked longingly at the bottle of whiskey sitting on his bar cart. He rarely allowed himself more than one drink, but this conversation was causing him to crave the heat of liquor. 

“I thought going into town was what you wanted from me,” Everett said. 

“It is,” Russell said. “I’m just surprised that you agreed so quickly.” 

Everett raised his brow at his friend. “I thought I put up quite a fight.” 

This time Russell laughed, and Everett was glad for it. Lately, Russell had been clear about his displeasure and exhaustion. It was one of the reasons that Everett had agreed. He needed Russell, and he knew that in order to keep him onboard, he needed to begin doing more with the day-to-day running of the business.

“Are you sure you will be okay going into town …” 

Everett knew what words Russell was leaving unspoken. In the past five years, Everett had rarely left his home or his land. He had hired someone to bring him provisions, and he had Russell to handle any business that he could not do from home. It had been that way for five years, and for a short time, it had worked. 

“Things aren’t working,” Everett said. It pained him to say those words aloud. He’d thought that he would be able to keep his business and wealth without having to go back to a place that had caused him so much pain. 

Russell’s face grew long with grief. “I’m not a Lewis unfortunately. The men don’t have any loyalty to me.” 

“I doubt that’s true,” Everett said. “You’ve been good to them. You’ve been good to me, and I’m afraid that I haven’t been very fair to you.” 

Russell shrugged. “It’s been a hard few years.” 

Everett said nothing because it had been hard. If it weren’t for Russell and his wife, he wasn’t sure he would have gotten through it. They were the only reason that Everett would even consider going back into Virginia City. It was a place he hated, and that hated him in turn. 

“I’ll go to the office next week …” Everett trailed off when he caught sight of Russell’s pinched face. “What?” 

“How would you feel about visiting one of the mines tomorrow?” 

Everett released an audible groan. He thought that he would have some time to prepare himself. 

“We’ve lost a dozen men to Hunter’s mine this month,” Russell said. “I’m worried we could lose more if we don’t do something for morale. The men feel like you don’t care …” 

Everett ran a tired hand through his dark hair. “I don’t know if my presence will solve that problem,” he said once more. Everett was not naïve enough to believe that the only reason they were losing men was because he wasn’t involved in the business. The people of Virginia City hated Everett, and they had reason to. After all, Everett’s brother had visited atrocities upon the town, ones that Everett knew they could never fix. 

“It’s been five years …” Russell said. Russell was always trying to convince Everett that what had happened was not his fault and that the people of Virginia City thought the same thing. Everett knew that wasn’t true. 

He could feel their ire and distrust whenever he went into town, and he knew that they wondered if he was just like his younger brother. Everett shook his head. If he spent too much time thinking about his brother, he was likely to down the whole bottle of whiskey. 

“We both know that what happened is why we can’t keep men working in the mines. The work was just as dangerous under my father, and he expected people to work for lower wages.” 

Russell said nothing. Everett suspected it was because he knew that Everett was speaking the truth. 

“But, I’ll make an appearance tomorrow,” Everett said. “I can’t have Hunter stealing all our men.” 

Hunter Williams was a minor mine owner in Virginia City. He wanted nothing more than to purchase more mines and acquire more wealth. A year ago, he’d inquired about buying a silver mine from Everett and hadn’t let up since Everett declined. He was becoming a nuisance and a thorn in Russell and Everett’s side.

“He can’t pay what we can,” Russell said. “Once we build some good rapport with the men, he won’t be able to do much but continue to ask us to sell him a mine.” 

Everett smiled. He appreciated Russell’s optimism even though he himself did not feel it. “So,” Everett said, “now that all of that is settled, what else do you need from me for today?” 

Everett was eager to start work. Working kept his mind focused, which was what he needed. When his mind was free to wander, it sometimes never stopped. It was why he struggled to sleep a full night. 

Before Russell could say anything, there was a knock on the study door, and then, a dark brown head of hair peaked around the corner. Everett suppressed a groan once more. 

“Morning,” a chipper feminine voice called. The speaker didn’t give either Everett or Russell an opportunity to talk before walking into the study. 

“Emma,” Everett said in greeting. Emma was Russell’s wife and Everett’s housekeeper. She was also the closest person Everett had ever had to a sister.

“What did he say?” She asked, turning to her husband. Everett rolled his eyes. He hated when she pretended like he wasn’t there. 

“I agreed to go into town,” Everett said. 

Emma clapped. “Oh good,” she said. “Russell was worried he would have to twist your arm about the whole thing.” 

“I was not!” Russell said, clearly offended by his wife’s lack of tact. Everett wanted to be offended, but he couldn’t stop himself from laughing. Leave it to Emma to rush headlong into a situation and impart levity into it immediately—it was arguably one of her finest talents. 

“There was no arm twisting required,” Everett said. 

Russell raised a brow. 

“Well,” Everett amended, “not much required. Russell made a very fine argument, and it convinced me.” 

Emma released a small humph before setting down in a chair adjacent to her husband. “That’s less exciting,” she said. 

“Sorry,” Everett told her, though he was simply being sarcastic. 

“Well, I suppose it’s a good thing that I’ve got breakfast ready, which is really what I came in here to say. I knew that you would go into town. You aren’t one to allow responsibility to pass you by completely.” 

Everett didn’t miss the emphasis that she placed on completely. He knew Emma wasn’t pleased that he relied on her husband so much, especially since it often kept him in town and away from home, but until recently, he hadn’t thought that it was a problem. 

“What’s for breakfast?” Russell asked. It was clear that he was trying to steer the conversation back to more neutral ground, which Everett appreciated. This whole morning was taking an exhausting toll on him, which he hadn’t properly prepared himself for. 

“I’ve made yours to-go,” she said, pursing her lips.

“Why?” Everett asked. As far as he knew, Russell wasn’t due in town today. In fact, since Everett would be going in his place, Russell wasn’t due for the remainder of the week. 

From the confused look on Russell’s face, he, too, had no idea what his wife was talking about. 

Emma reached into her dress pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. “The other reason I came in here,” she said, placing the parchment on the desk so that it sat between the two men. 

“The large mine at the end of town is unable to function due to a labor shortage,” she said. “Apparently, a group of men caught an ailment and are at home recuperating this morning.” 

Russell and Everett groaned. This was not good news. They had no workers who could fill in for the job, which meant that Russell would have to go into town and find a few men willing to take day-labor wages. That would mean paying them more than they had budgeted, and for the labor to be unqualified. That was if they could even find the men to do the work. 

Day laborers were generally passing through, and by this time, others often scooped them up for various jobs across town. 

“I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow,” Russell said as he gathered his jacket. 

Everett gave him a curt nod. He had no other words, but he could feel the sting of Emma’s stare even though he wasn’t looking at her. 

Everett was shirking his responsibilities, and he worried if he continued to do it much longer, he would lose the only two friends he still had. 

Not for the first time, he cursed his younger brother for bringing so much pain and anguish upon his shoulders. He’d committed an unspeakable crime, but sometimes Everett felt like he was the one paying the price for it. 

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“Loving a Courageous Soul” is an Amazon Best-Selling novel, check it out here!

Maggie Barker’s world turns upside down the day her father is taken to prison, accused of theft. Now, Maggie must figure out how best to take care of her young brother and herself. To make matters worse, she has no prospects for employment. She sees no other option but to settle for an arranged marriage, hoping to find someone kind enough to help her. There’s no place for love in her plans, but everything changes completely when she meets Everett. Her feelings of safety around him quickly grow into something deeper until he reveals a shocking truth… Will Maggie ever be able to trust Everett and find the happiness she deserves?

Everett Lewis owns most of the silver in Nevada. His life should be great, but dark secrets about his younger brother have plagued him for years, causing him to withdraw from society. These secrets threaten his business and his happiness, and as he’s getting older, he begins to realize that he needs a wife and an heir. As a result, he is driven to visit a marriage agency with no expectation of finding anything more than a woman willing to be his wife in name only. What he never imagined was that Maggie would fill the hole in his heart and captivate him instantly… Could love ever tear down the walls he built to protect himself so long ago?

When Maggie and Everett meet, sparks fly. Yet they can’t escape the past, and now they are left to decide whether their connection is worth more than the darkness within each other. Will the secrets and lies they uncover threaten their new and fragile bond or will love prevail?

“Loving a Courageous Soul” is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Get your copy from Amazon!