Josephine's Journey

By Sherry Derr-Wille

Josephine has come west in search of the son she hasn’t seen in far too many years. Once she arrives in Montana, she is thrilled to find that her son is about to be married. Once her grandchild is born, she agrees to take over the duties of teaching the children of the reservation in exchange for being able to stay close to her son.

George Roberts came to Montana to judge not only Crooked Snake, but also the Indian Agent, Simon Leary. He never expected to a woman who would become important in his life. When he returns to Denver and his duties there, he realizes that Josephine is the woman he wants to be his and his alone. Before that can happen, he has to prove his love to Josephine when she’s not certain that she wants to commit to him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wings ePress, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 25, 2013
• ISBN: 9781597053754

Book preview

Other Works From The Pen Of

Sherry Derr-Wille

Becky’s Rebel

North battles South as Joe Kemmerman fights Becky Larson’s Yankee brothers for the right to make Becky his own.

Coffee Tea or Love

In the first of the stories surrounding those gals from Minter, WI, Lane Allerton is faced with the man who got her pregnant thirty-five years ago. Is Grant Price her dream lover or a nightmare?

Transplanted Love

Lori Carter is reluctant to tell the new man in her life about her kidney transplant. For one night she wants to be like everyone else and not the bionic woman.

A Precious Jewel

Julie Weston thought she had the perfect marriage, until she learned the truth about the man she’s been mourning for a year. Wanting to be loved if only for one night turns her life upside down when Devan Yates enters her life as well as her heart.

Bosslady

Nineteen years after Joe claimed Becky as his own, their daughter, BJ, is returning to Texas to claim what is rightfully hers. When she runs into Whit, the foreman of her ranch, she finds the fight is going to be tougher than she ever thought.

Her Tenant

Dee Williams has a duplex to rent but Bryce Devlin isn’t her idea of the perfect tenant. He is so handsome that he tempts her and at the same time he is far too available to fight her attraction to him.

Kate Armstrong: Over-The-Hill Coed

Kate needs to get the three credits she is short in order to get her degree but going back to school after over thirty years is hard. Even harder is finding that the jerky jock who gave her fits in high school is now her professor, Denny Bostian.

Hello, Do You Know Me?

Jerry Fellows went to Vietnam and returned in a body bag, or did he? Thirty-five years later Matt Bratzman starts having flashbacks. In order to find out if he’s Matt or Jerry, he must take a trip to Minter, WI and learn the truth about his identity.

Quade’s Quest

When Quade is transferred to a remote post in Montana, he realizes that the life of a Lieutenant in the Army might not be for him, especially since he’s met and fallen in love with Hannah. She is the daughter of the most feared renegade in the area, but has been raised in the white world as the adopted daughter of the missionary.

The Preacher Takes A Husband

Jayne Algrem is the oldest member of her graduating class from the seminary and getting a church seems like an impossible dream. When she receives a call from Minter, WI, she is overjoyed. Jim Preston has had a hard time adjusting to his wife’s death. Little does he know that when he backs into Jayne’s car he will have found someone worth getting to know.

Sue Watkins: Over-The-Hill Biker Bride

Sue Watkins has been a widow for many years when she first encounters Russ Trapp at the bowling Alley. When he sends over a diet coke, she has no idea that this younger man will become important enough in her life for her to become the Biker Bride of his dreams.

Quade’s Quest

When Quade is transferred to a remote post in Montana, he realizes that the life of a Lieutenant in the Army might not be for him, especially since he’s met and fallen in love with Hannah. She is the daughter of the most feared renegade in the area, but has been raised in the white world as the adopted daughter of the missionary.

Wind Dancer’s Desire

Wind Dancer has loved Crooked Snake for many seasons, but as long as he takes out his revenge on the whites she knows she cannot expect a future with him. Crooked Snake knows he wants Wind Dancer as his wife, but his new responsibilities to his people makes him wonder if it will ever happen.

Wings

Josephine’s Journey

by

Sherry Derr-Wille

A Wings ePress, Inc.

Historical Romance Novel

Wings ePress, Inc.

Edited by: Leslie Hodges

Copy Edited by: Karen Babcock

Senior Editor: Leslie Hodges

Executive Editor: Lorraine Stephens

Cover Artist: Pat Evans

All rights reserved

Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Wings ePress Books

http://www.wings-press.com

Copyright © 2008 by Sherry Derr-Wille

ISBN 978-1-59705-375-4

Published by Wings ePress, Inc. at Smashwords

Published In the United States Of America

December 2008

Wings ePress Inc.

403 Wallace Court

Richmond, KY 40475

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to the memory of my father being interested in westerns ever since I can remember. I would also like to dedicate this to Alice Blue who is one of the best western authors I know and my idol.

Prologue

Missouri, 1876

Josephine McPherson worked in her garden. As she did, she thought about the dinner she was planning. A smoked ham glazed with wild honey roasted in her oven. Her dishpan was filled with a mess of beans, new potatoes, and leaf lettuce.

Earlier she’d canned several jars of the beans to be stored in the root cellar for the coming winter. With her sixteen-year-old twins, Quade and Quint, as well as Willard and herself to feed, it was best if she put up as many vegetables as possible. It made summer a busy time, but considering Willard’s love of whiskey, at least her family would have vegetables to eat.

This year things would be different. The twins had taken over the farm, and the crops were prospering. The harvest promised to be better than they’d ever had before. Hogs had produced healthy litters, and the cows brought forth more heifers than bulls. There would be pigs to butcher, bulls to be slaughtered, and cows to produce enough milk to sell their excess to the local dairy. Even her chickens were laying better than ever before, bringing her an excess of egg money from the store in town.

The only problem she could foresee was keeping the profits out of Willard’s hands. In desperation, she’d urged the twins to open a bank account in their names so that they could manage the profits from the hard work they’d done over the summer.

She stood up and massaged the ache in the small of her back before picking up the pan of vegetables. It was still early. The boys wouldn’t be in for supper for at least two hours, and she was certain Willard was still at the tavern, getting drunk with his friends. She would have plenty of time to sit down and write a letter to her family back in Ohio. If Willard caught her writing letters home, he would be very angry. She knew it was because of his own ignorance. Their fights usually revolved around the twins and their thirst for knowledge, since he lacked any formal education. Thank goodness, he had grudgingly allowed the boys to attend school.

With the vegetables placed on the kitchen table, she went back out to the pump in order to get a pail of water so that she could wash them and get them ready for supper. At first the pump sputtered but then produced a steady stream of water to fill the pail she would be taking into the house.

Once the vegetables were in a pan of water she quickly washed them, knowing that she would have to snap the beans before cooking them. For now, she just wanted the solitude of writing a letter to her brother, Andrew, and getting away from the drudgery of the life she was forced to lead.

Dear Andrew,

My garden is producing well this year. Since the twins have taken over running of the farm, the crops are also doing well. They have opened a bank account and assure me that there is enough money to see us through the winter, especially since Willard does not have access to it.

I am so pleased that the boys have grown to be such fine men and not followed their father’s path of drinking and gambling. I fear that one day someone will come out from town and tell me that he has been shot and is lying in the undertaker’s office.

After my bout with the flu this past winter, I find my strength has been slow in returning, but I am getting older and do not recover as quickly as I once did from things like that.

She set aside her pencil and thought about her age. She was only thirty-one years of age, but she felt much older. She’d met Willard when she was but fifteen and just prior to her fifteenth birthday, she’d allowed him privileges that were not his to take. When her father learned that she was carrying Willard’s child, he immediately insisted they should be married. It had been the beginning of the end for her. No matter what happened from then on it was her fault for getting pregnant and forcing him into a marriage he didn’t want.

Theirs had been a tumultuous marriage to say the least. The first time he had beaten her had been when she was six months into her pregnancy and they had moved from Ohio to Missouri and purchased this farm. The rains had come with a vengeance and washed out the crop before it even had a chance to grow. Willard had told her it was all her fault, because her dowry hadn’t been large enough to purchase a farm with better land.

That had only been the beginning of their fights and the beatings she would endure over the years. Now that the twins were becoming men, they were able to step in and stop the madness of Willard’s rages. She was certain that he was afraid of the two of them and therefore kept his distance from her.

I just ran into Jake Miller in town, she heard Willard shout.

She got to her feet in time to see her husband grab Quade by his shirt. Even though she had no trouble in telling the twins apart, she knew Willard did and wondered if he even knew which twin he was talking to. She’d known for months that Quint was sweet on Mary Miller.

He told me you ruined his daughter, Mary. What the hell did you think you were doing, diddling some whore over at the tavern? Things like that are best left for marriage and...

And nothing, Pa,’ Quade shouted back. I haven’t seen anything of her in weeks."

That’s not what Jake said. He told me his girl is gonna have a baby.

Did he tell you that it was me?

He didn’t have to. I know what it’s like to be your age. How do you think I got saddled with your mother? I wanted to sow my wild oats and she... well, when she got in a family way, her old man pinned it on me. You ain’t no better than me. Hell, I denied it too, but what good did it do me? It got me two worthless sons and a wife who nags me day and night. Now, I’m gonna beat some sense into you.

Jo ran from the house but not before Willard struck Quade. She stood rooted to the spot as she watched her son pick up a piece of wood from the woodpile.

In one swift, defensive move, Quade brought the wood down on his father’s head with all his might. Willard crumpled to the ground, just as Quint walked into the dooryard.

What have you done, Quade? Have you killed him? Quint questioned as he rushed to his brother’s side. You’ve got to get the hell out of here.

The look on Quade’s face frightened Jo. Your brother’s right, Quade, you have to leave. Take what you need, including the egg money in the sugar bowl. Even if you didn’t kill your father, your life is worthless here.

After shoving her oldest son into the house, she helped Quint lift Willard and carry him into their bedroom. Blood poured from the gash on his head. He was so still, she worried that Quade had actually killed him.

Ma, Quade called from the parlor.

She got to her feet and left Willard on the bed. There would be time to tend to him once Quade was gone. Behind her, she could hear Quint and Quade saying their good-byes. This would be the first time in their lives that they would be separated, and she wondered how they would be able to cope with it.

The tears she vowed she would not shed rolled down her cheeks despite her efforts to keep them at bay. How could she say good-bye to her first-born son? How could she live with the possibility of never seeing him again?

Mary’s baby ain’t yours, Quade, it’s mine. We’ve been waiting for the right time to tell her folks about it. We was gonna run away and get married and...

And I wish you happiness. I just won’t be here to see it. You’re right, if I don’t get away now, I could hang for murderin’ our pa.

As many times as she had wished Willard dead, Josephine had never expected anything like this. Quade had always been the quiet one of her sons. He’d been more interested in reading books than in fighting with the other boys at school. It was Quint who would come home with his shirt torn and his eyes blackened.

By the time she entered the parlor, Quade had just finished packing his belongings in his saddlebags. She remembered how proud the boys had been when, last winter they had earned enough money helping Ernst Rucks with his milking that they could buy the saddles and gear for the horses they had been raising ever since they were colts. Now that saddle and the trappings that went with it would be taking Quade far away from the farm in Missouri.

Seeing her tears, Quade came to Josephine’s side. It’s best if I disappear, Ma. I love you but I can’t stay here. If Pa is dead, I’ll be facing a hangman’s noose. If he’s not, he’ll make my life a living hell.

Josephine agreed, even though seeing her eldest son leave was breaking her heart. She pressed the money from the sugar bowl into his hand and dried her tears. It was best if he remembered her with a smile on her face rather than crying as he left.

Quade gave her a hug and a farewell kiss before mounting his horse. When it had been saddled she didn’t know, but she was certain Quint had done it while Quade was packing. She stood in the yard and watched as Quade rode out of her life and disappeared over the rise just to the west of the farm. She knew she would never see him again, but at least he was away from Willard’s wrath.

Before she could return to the house, she heard Willard moan, then bellow her name.

Where is that little bastard? Willard asked, his voice sounding groggy.

Josephine returned to the house and the bedroom where Willard lay in the bed they had shared for their entire seventeen years of marriage. The flow of blood had stopped, but he made no move to get up.

Where is the little bastard? Willard again questioned when she entered the room.

She gave Quint a warning glance that she hoped said to stay out of the room until she had time to calm Willard down. Quade’s gone. You’ve finally managed to drive him away with your drunken ranting.

Quade? It’s not Quade I was talking about. Where is Quint? That little bastard has gotten the Miller girl in a family way, and he did this to me! Willard put his hand to the wound on his head for emphasis.

Quint entered the room. It was Quade you accused and Quade you hit. He only retaliated. I’m the father of Mary’s child. We were waiting for the right time to tell both her folks and you about it. Of course between you and Jake Miller, there’s never a right time. You would have known before this if either of you were sober long enough to listen to us.

Willard looked at Quint skeptically. You mean you ain’t Quade?

That’s right. You’ve never bothered to figure out which one of us is which. It’s the same with nearly everybody around here, but damn it, you’re our pa. If you didn’t spend your life in the tavern, you’d be able to tell us apart. Since everyone seems to know about Mary’s condition, I’m going over there and claim her as my bride.

With those few words, Quint left the room. It took only a moment for Josephine to hear the front door slam. The sound of Quint leaving on his horse brought a puzzled expression to Willard’s face.

Where in the hell is he off to?

He told you, he’s going to get Mary and marry her. It would have been done earlier if it hadn’t been for the fact that you and Jake are usually so drunk you can’t be reasoned with.

Willard tried to get out of bed, but it was apparent that the pain and dizziness from the blow he’d taken to his head was too much for him.

It’s best if you lay back and let me tend to that wound, Josephine said. I hope this will teach you a lesson. Your oldest son is gone to God only knows where, and Quint will be married before the day is over. This isn’t the life that I had planned for the boys, but it’s the one you have forced them into. Either you stop the drinking or leave as well. I certainly don’t need you in my life. Quint will be bringing in a fine crop this year even without his brother’s help and will have the money safely in the bank, away from you. I’ve supported this family on the vegetables I’ve been able to sell in town as well as the money from the eggs and the cows that I’ve milked. In the past that’s all we’ve had to live on, and you’ve taken most of it for your days and nights at the tavern. Well, that’s come to an end. Quint and Mary will be running this farm, with or without your help.

None too carefully, she worked to wash the sensitive wound on Willard’s head before taking needle and thread to sew it shut. As she did, he made no comment about the treatment she was giving him.

She was pleased that the verbal confrontation that had been going on was finished. In its place, Willard’s dark mood turned inward, and silence reigned supreme in the room.

It was much later when Quint returned to the house with Mary. After a hasty trip to the home of the minister, they were man and wife and ready to move into the loft where the twins had slept since they were old enough to climb the ladder.

How’s Pa? Quint asked when he sat down at the table for supper.

He’s resting, Josephine replied. The next few days will be difficult. I’ve told him there will be no more money for him to squander at the tavern. This farm belongs to you and Mary now. He knows that you won’t be giving him any money, and neither will I.

Do you think it will last? Mary asked. My pa was just as drunk when he came home. Ma told him about the baby this morning, but he left before I came back from gathering the eggs. When he did come home I thought he was going to beat me within an inch of my life. Ma broke it up, and he went right back to the tavern. He ain’t gonna stop drinking any more than Willard is. I remember Ma tried to hold back the money about a year ago, and he beat her too. It’s the drink that does it to them. At least that’s what Ma says.

For the first time Josephine looked closely at her new daughter-in-law. The entire left side of her face was bruised, and she had a black eye. Tears ran down Josephine’s cheeks at the sight of the girl. It brought back memories of the many beatings she’d taken at Willard’s hands, but those days were over. From now on, she expected Willard to do as she and Quint said or leave the farm. It was his choice. As soon as he was up and about, she would insist that he sign the property over to their son.

One

The McPherson Farm, 1885

Ma, Ma, you’re not going to believe it, I got a letter from Quade.

Quint’s shouts caused Josephine to put down the socks she was knitting for the children for winter and rush to the door to greet Quint.

I can’t believe it. He’s been gone for nine years. I thought he was dead. Is he all right? Where has he been?

I don’t know, Quint replied. "I didn’t open it. I wanted to get home and share it with you. I thought we should both hear it at the same time. I’ve thought of him often and felt some of the same pain as he has, but I knew he wasn’t dead. I do know something is bothering