The Heart's Pursuit (36 page)
“Owen Harrison sent something to you?” Jared took the paper, unfolded it, saw what was inside. His jaw dropped. “But this is a bank draft for five thousand dollars.”
“That’s right.”
“But I didn’t bring Matt Carlton in. He didn’t have to stand trial. I didn’t prove he was the one who—”
“Maybe not, but Harrison wanted you to have the money anyway. He believes you caught his wife’s killer. The sheriff in Utah confirmed the man’s body had a crescent-shaped scar. That was proof enough for Mr. Harrison.”
“But—”
“Just be thankful for it, Jared. You earned it.”
“There’s trouble of some sort, isn’t there?” Silver’s stepmother twisted a handkerchief in her hands. “I knew it. I knew something would go wrong if you married a bounty hunter. What else could you expect when—”
“Marlene,” her father said. “Enough.”
Her stepmother pressed her lips together, forming a thin line.
Silver was thankful for the cessation of her stepmother’s comments, but she did wonder why the sheriff was there. Did he have a job for Jared, another criminal for him to track down? Jared had said he was giving up that way of life. He’d talked of heading north into Montana, but they had no
money to speak of. If he took one more job, then he might take another and another. If he—
The door opened and Jared strode inside. Without a word he picked her up in his arms and spun around several times. When he set her down again, he kissed her. Thoroughly, enthusiastically kissed her, leaving her breathless.
“Jared, what on earth?”
“This! This is what on earth.” He held out a bank draft. “Look at it.”
It wasn’t the size of the draft she noticed so much as the sense of relief that flowed through her. He wasn’t going to buckle on his gun belt and ride off after another killer or bank robber.
Jared turned toward his in-laws. “Mr. and Mrs. Matlock, we have enough money to pay your mortgages. You won’t have to leave your home or give up the store.”
Stunned silence gripped the parlor. Her father and stepmother stared at Jared, then at each other, then back at Jared again.
Finally, her father said, “We can’t ask you to do that. We have no right to it.”
“You haven’t asked. I want to do it.” Jared put his arm around Silver’s shoulders and drew her against his side. “
We
want to do it. There’s enough to clear your debt and to set us up in a place of our own with a bit left over for the future.”
“I don’t know how much that reward is, son,” her father
continued, “but it could make your life much easier if you kept it for yourself and your family. We can’t—”
“Mr. Matlock, there’s something you don’t understand. You’re my family now. And besides . . .” Jared faced Silver again and stared into her eyes. “I’ve already got my reward.”
Something warm and wonderful blossomed in Silver’s chest as she returned his gaze.
Jared gathered her close, so close their two hearts seemed to beat as one. “I’ve already collected the greatest bounty of all. I’ve got my bounty of Silver.”
D
ear friends:
The Heart’s Pursuit
is a departure from my usual Americana settings where most of my historical romances take place. And though my regular readers will find it a different style, I hope, whether you are a new reader or someone who has read all of my books, you’ve enjoyed the chase across hundreds of miles with two people who needed to find each other far more than they needed to catch a fugitive.
Please note that the term
bounty hunter
was not in use at the time of this story. The first known use of the term was in 1930. But Hollywood started using the term in movies many of us watched as kids, and because of it, bounty hunters and Westerns became entwined in our collective minds.
The bounty hunter became a part of folklore. I decided not to fight what felt so natural and so took creative license when writing this novel.
I would love to hear from you. Please join me on Facebook (
https://www.facebook.com/robinleehatcher
) or Twitter (
https://twitter.com/robinleehatcher
) or some of the other social media. For readers who sign up for my newsletter, sent four to six times a year, I offer a free PDF of my short story “The Huckleberry Patch.” Just visit my website at
http://www.robinleehatcher.com
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And if you like the book enough to take a moment to leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon or some other book site, please know how much I appreciate it. Also, please know that I’ve prayed for you—that what I’ve written will entertain while at the same time draw you one step closer to an awesome God who loves you with an extraordinary love.
In the grip of His grace,
Robin Lee Hatcher
1. Which character in
The Heart’s Pursuit
do you most relate to, if any? Why or why not?
2. What is the major theme of the book? What is it you will remember most about this story?
3. How did the Civil War, which ended eight years before this book opens, impact Jared’s and Silver’s families? In what ways were the protagonists still carrying the weight of those experiences?
4. Jared has to let go of the need for revenge. Have you ever desired revenge? If so, how did you move beyond that desire?
5. Silver has come to believe she isn’t deserving of love. Have you ever felt that way? What does God say about His love for you?
6. Jared and Silver meet many different characters during their journey. Is there one you wish you could have known more about? Who is it and why?
7.
The Heart’s Pursuit
takes place over a couple thousand miles, a very different setting from the usual small-town settings favored by the author. Did you feel like you were crossing the country with the characters? Are you familiar with the parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and/or Nevada where the book takes place?
8. Are you familiar with other Robin Lee Hatcher novels? How does this novel compare? Can you name a favorite Hatcher novel?
ROBIN LEE HATCHER is the best-selling author of seventy books. Her numerous awards include the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. Robin and her husband currently reside in Idaho. For more information, visit
www.robinleehatcher.com
.