Early Dawn

Table of Contents

 

 

“Anderson comes up with another winner by deftly blending sweetness and sensuality in a poignantly written story.”—
Booklist

 

“Catherine Anderson has a gift for imbuing her characters with dignity, compassion, courage, and strength that inspire readers.”
—Romantic Times

 

“A major voice in the romance genre.”

 

“When opening an Anderson novel, readers encounter great characterization as well as complex emotional issues. Poignant and funny yet laced with danger, this is a truly enchanting read.”—
Romantic Times
(4 stars)

 

“This is a story not to be missed.
Morning Light
delivers on all levels, and is a fantastic read that will touch readers at the very core of their being.”

—The Romance Readers Connection

 

“This smart, wholesome tale should appeal to any fan of traditional romance.”—
Publishers Weekly

 

“Another heartwarming chapter in the Coulter family saga is on tap in the always wonderful Anderson’s newest release. . . . Anderson is at her best when it comes to telling stories that are deeply emotional and heartfelt.”

—
Romantic Times
(4½ stars)

 

“Anderson understands the inner workings of the human soul so deeply that she’s able to put intense emotion within a stunning romance in such a way that you’ll believe in miracles. Add to this her beautiful writing style, memorable characters, and a timeless story, and you have an unmatched reading adventure.”

—
Romantic Times
(4½ stars)

 

“The kind of book that will snare you so completely, you’ll not want to put it down. It engages the intellect and emotions; it’ll make you care. It will also make you smile . . . a lot. And that’s a guarantee.”

—Romance Reviews Today

 

“With the author’s signature nurturing warmth and emotional depth, this beautifully written romance is a richly rewarding experience for any reader.”
—Booklist

 

“Readers may need to wipe away tears . . . since few will be able to resist the power of this beautifully emotional, wonderfully romantic love story.”
—Booklist

 

“A keeper and a very strong contender for Best Contemporary Romance of the Year.”

—Romance Reviews Today

 

“Offbeat family members and genuine familial love give a special lift to this marvelous story. An Anderson book is a guaranteed great read!”

—
Romantic Times
(4½ stars, top pick)

 

“Ben Longtree is a marvelous hero whose extraordinary gifts bring a unique and special magic to this warmhearted novel. No one can tug your heartstrings better than Catherine Anderson.”

—
Romantic Times
(4½ stars, top pick)

 

“Emotionally involving, family-centered, and relationship-oriented, this story is a rewarding read.”

 

“[A] superbly written contemporary romance, which features just the kind of emotionally nourishing, comfortably compassionate type of love story this author is known for creating.”—
Booklist

 

“Pure reading magic.”—
Booklist

 

“Anderson departs from traditional romantic stereotypes in this poignant, contemporary tale of a love that transcends all boundaries . . . romantic through and through.”—
Publishers Weekly

OTHER NOVELS BY CATHERINE ANDERSON

“Coulter Family” Novels

 

 

“Harrigan Family” Novels

 

The Comanche Series

 

Other Signet Books

SIGNET
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto,
Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2,
Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)
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Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)
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New Delhi - 110 017, India
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New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)
Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue,
Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices:
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
First published by Signet, an imprint of New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

First Printing, January 2010

Copyright © Adeline Catherine Anderson, 2010

All rights reserved

REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

 

 

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

 

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

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

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

 

 

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

eISBN : 978-1-101-15969-9

 

 

Matthew Coulter awakened to a soft hissing sound, the faint smell of kerosene, and the dim glow of lantern light. A nearly blinding pain knifed from his left eyebrow into his temple, and as he struggled to focus he was filled with a terrible sense of dread. When his eyes had adjusted, he realized that he was abed in his childhood sleeping nook, a rectangular space with rough plank walls that was barely large enough to hold a cot, battered dresser, and small wardrobe.
Strange
. He’d been married five years ago and hadn’t stayed overnight at his folks’ place since. But there was no mistake. The familiar scent of his mother’s Irish stew drifted in from the kitchen to tease his nostrils, the air redolent with pan-browned lamb chops simmered to perfection, and the unmistakable fragrance of thyme, a spice his wife, Olivia, seldom used.

Matthew yearned to slip back into the darkness of sleep that had so recently enveloped him, but that niggling sense of dread grew stronger as he came more awake. Something was wrong, horribly wrong, but his head hurt so badly that he couldn’t remember what.

“Ma?” he croaked, and pushed up onto one elbow with a low groan because a sharp stitch in his side nearly took his breath away.