Wilderness Trail of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 1) (40 page)

He drew in a sharp breath and shuddered. He ran his hand lovingly over the spot where he had just cut her hair. “I’m sorry.”

“So am I,” Jane said, “but not about the hair. About ever doubting you. About causing you even more heartache. About even a small part of me not forgiving you.” Gazing up at her husband’s
eyes, conveying all the tenderness and compassion she felt, she truly and completely forgave him, and herself.

A cry of relief broke from his lips. “I love you,” he whispered.

There would be no more heartache. Only love. She yielded to the sobs that shook her and wept for joy, encircled in his strong arms. She had him back and she would never let go.

Tonight there would be no shadows across her heart. Only the light of love.

With a weak smile and his tired eyes glistening, Stephen presented her with the meat he had fought so hard to keep. “For you,” he said, “always for you.”

They collapsed to the ground together hugging and crying, the salt of their healing tears seasoning the fresh meat.

As he held her against him, an amazing sense of completeness filled him. He was now sure of himself and his rightful place—beside his wife on the Wilderness Trail. A trail that would lead to a lifetime of passion and love.

E
PILOGUE

1797, The Wilderness Road, Kentucky

L
ittle John, who sat in his father John’s dusty lap, asked, “What does the word Kentucky mean Uncle Sam?”

Sam glanced up from the wheel he rested his back against. “It’s an Indian word—Ken-ta-ke—that has more than one meaning. My favorite meaning is Land of Tomorrow.”

“That’s poetic and beautiful,” Catherine said.

“What’s the other meaning?” William and Kelly both asked.

“The Dark and Bloody Ground,” Sam answered.

“I much prefer the first meaning,” Jane declared, shifting the emerald lights of her eyes to Stephen.

“Aye,” Bear agreed.

Stephen gazed at his beloved wife and took her hand in his, caressing the top of it with his thumb. Her warm eyes were full of love. “Indeed,” Stephen agreed. “It
will
be our land of tomorrow.”

The look Jane gave him was so trusting it sent a shudder through
him. He would do everything in his power to keep her trust. As usual, her nearness kindled feelings of fire. He ached to reach over and pull her close, cover her body with kisses, but it was time for them all to get moving again. The animals had rested and watered long enough.

The further into Kentucky they traveled, the more Stephen found it to be a country of extraordinary beauty—lush seemingly endless meadows carpeted abundantly with great patches of clover and tall thick nearly blue grass, incomparable to any they had seen before in color and beauty. Numerous sparkling creeks flowed steadily, often climaxing in picturesque waterfalls. In other areas, clear cool pools of water sweetened by ancient beds of limestone collected around springs shaded by huge sycamores.

Deer or buffalo grazed peacefully nearly everywhere he looked. On their third day into Kentucky, he saw a drove of several hundred buffalo. Martha and Polly delighted in watching the young calves play and skip about like children at play. It was good to see his girls happy.

Despite all the hardships on their journey, Stephen’s heart remained strong. He would find what he had come for. He looked back at his young bull and two heifers, which had faithfully plodded alongside them for more than a thousand miles. They had grown quite a lot on this long journey, closer to the maturity needed to be the foundation of his new herd. He had matured too. He was wiser now, and stronger. And he loved Jane even more.

“Do you think we’ll find what you’re looking for in Boonesborough?” she asked him the next morning, as they all shared breakfast together near a blue-green meadow. “Or will we have to keep going?” She studied his face as she waited for him to answer.

He recognized that Jane was beyond tired of traveling and he wanted to find a home for her soon. He sincerely hoped reaching Boonesborough would be the end of their journey.

“What are you looking for?” Little John asked before Stephen could answer.

All eyes focused on him. All ears waited for his answer. They had come so far together, endured and lost so much. He reached inside his waistcoat pocket and pulled out the pouch of soil he had placed there before they left New Hampshire. The soil from the mountainside that held his father’s grave had been a long time getting from there to here. But the trip had taken much more than time from them.

He gazed down at the pouch of precious soil, remembering the love of the land he learned from their father, as fathers and sons had for generations whose time had already come. He hoped future generations of their family, whose time was yet to come, would honor that past as they learned to love the land too. When it was their turn to live and to love, he would be gone. Their chance for a better future would remain.

Stephen returned the pouch to its pocket and looked at Jane, who stood at his side. He reached for her hand. As much as he loved the land, he loved her so much more and, at long last, she believed that he did.

Their love, tested in tragedy and forged in forgiveness on this difficult journey, emerged stronger and deeper than ever.

In the future, their marriage would be measured by more than just years—it would be measured by living, by laughter, and a dream they shared.

He swallowed the knot rising in his throat. Ready now to answer
the boy’s question, he glanced down at Little John. “For God’s own pasture, son, I’m looking for God’s own pasture.”

“Will he share it with us?” Martha asked.

Stephen smiled at his oldest daughter, happier than he had ever been. “Yes. He will. Look at that Kentucky grass,” he marveled, “with good rains we’ll raise a fat cow on one acre on grass like that. We’ll have a large herd in no time. Right Jane?” He pulled her into his arms. The nearness of her gave him comfort.

“Right, my husband.”

He cupped her face gently in his hand as he looked into her beautiful eyes—the same dazzling color as the meadow that stretched out before them. “I promise you and the girls a better future here in Kentucky,” Stephen said and then sealed his vow with a tender kiss, a kiss as light and warm as the summer breeze on his face.

He took in a deep breath. The meadow smelled glorious, like Jane’s skin after she’d bathed, intoxicatingly fresh.

And like Jane, the sight of his future made his heart beat stronger.

We hope you enjoyed reading

American Wilderness Series Romances Book One

WILDERNESS TRAIL OF LOVE

Thank you for selecting my novel to read. If you enjoyed reading this book, I would be honored if you would share your thoughts with your friends. Regardless of whether you are reading print or electronic versions, I’d be extremely grateful if you posted a short review on the
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Thanks for your support!

All the best,

Dorothy
,

Titles by Author Dorothy Wiley

Book One

WILDERNESS TRAIL OF LOVE

The story of Stephen and Jane

Book Two

NEW FRONTIER OF LOVE

The story of Sam and Catherine

Book Three

WHISPERING HILLS OF LOVE

The story of William and Kelly

Book Four

FRONTIER HIGHLANDER VOW OF LOVE

The story of Bear and Artis

Book Five

FRONTIER GIFT OF LOVE

A story about the entire family

And coming in 2016 –
Book Six!

A
BOUT
THE
A
UTHOR

Amazon best-selling novelist Dorothy Wiley is the author of five books, including her highly acclaimed debut novel Wilderness Trail of Love, the first in her American Wilderness Series Romances.

Called a “deft new writer of intelligent romantic fiction,” Wiley enjoys writing action-packed romantic adventures set in the late 18th-century American wilderness. Her books celebrate the rich historical heritage of the frontier and the courageous settlers who shaped America.

Like Wiley’s compelling heroes, who from the onset make it clear they will not fail despite the adversities they face, this author is likewise destined for success. In 2014 and 2015, her novels won six awards, notably an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-finalist, a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal, a USA Best Book Awards Finalist, and a Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choice. Her books continue to earn five-star ratings from readers and high praise from reviewers.

The daughter of a talented artist, Wiley inherited her father’s creativity. Raised in southern California, she attended college at The University of Texas in Austin, Texas. She graduated with honors, receiving a bachelor of journalism, and grew to dearly love both Texas and a 7th generation Texan, her husband Larry Wiley. Her husband’s courageous ancestors, very early pioneers of Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas, provided the inspiration for her novels.

After a distinguished career in corporate marketing and public relations, she is living her dream—writing historical romances. On their ranch in central Texas, Wiley is currently at work on a new book.

Follow Dorothy Wiley on Amazon
www.amazon.com/author/dorothywiley
.

To see trailers for each of her books, enter Dorothy Wiley in YouTube’s search box or go to
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE7DLH6XkByxWPJewaud45Q

Wiley’s official author website is
www.dorothywiley.com

She would enjoy connecting with you through social media at:

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Foremost, I would like to thank the daring and brave first-wave pioneers of America. Their amazing journeys into the wilderness were not just about a piece of land. They were about God given faith and courage in the face of an uncertain but promising future.

I am especially grateful to my husband’s ancestors whose brave stories inspired this novel. Research indicates that the Wyllies actually came from New York, not New Hampshire (where I chose to set the opening for this novel). They traveled through Kentucky, to Louisiana, and then in 1818 to Mexican Texas, making them among the first few dozen families to settle in what would become Texas. As you can well imagine, there are many stories yet to tell about those amazing journeys.

Secondly, I would like to thank my husband, who patiently read my drafts and also served as my amusing muse. I’m very grateful to my dear sister, who (lucky me) is a professional editor and helped with both proofing and layout. My thanks also go to several friends who read the early versions of this manuscript (some when it was just a skeleton of its current form). Thanks for your valuable input, but more importantly, thanks for your encouragement and faith in me.

I also want to thank my critique partners, historical romance authors B.J. Scott and Deborah Gafford, both talented writers, who each provided many great suggestions.

And my thanks to my cover designer Erin Dameron-Hill whose amazing creative talent transformed my vision for the cover into a beautiful reality.

Lastly, I want to thank readers of books. You are the reason writers must write. Why writers must tell their stories. Through books, we share our dreams.