Mail Order Bride: Running From The Past: A Pair Of Historical Romances: Redeemed Mail Order Brides Western Victorian Romance Pair, #2

By Kenneth Markson

**A Pair Of Clean Historical Mail Order Bride Western Victorian Romances (Redeemed Mail Order Brides Western Victorian Romance Pair)** 

Mail Order Bride: Redeemed By Love 
Julia needs to leave San Francisco and her past. Paul, a lonely rancher, seeks a mail order bride. A hidden enemy knows a secret and is ready to act. Will love triumph in San Buenaventura, California, or will evil prevail? 

Mail Order Bride: Redeemed By The Soldier 
Corinne, a pretty young woman, could stay in Carson City and end up being a soiled dove, or take a chance. She chooses to be a mail order bride to a miner in the California boomtown known as Bodie. But everything is not as it seems. Dez, a handsome soldier entered the Civil War at the age of sixteen, and was traumatized by what he had seen and the loss of his left arm. He drifts aimlessly from place to place, caring about nothing. Chance brings them together. Who will save Corinne from a vengeful enemy? Will two lonely people find the love they deserve? 

If you enjoyed these stories, you may also enjoy the other books in Kenneth's mail order brides Redeemed series, or Kenneth's mail order brides Rescued series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Markson
• Release date: Jul 4, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536563870

Kenneth Markson

While an English major at college, I wrote a column which was published weekly. I have been writing ever since. The old West and Los Angeles in the forties are eras which lend themselves to tales of romance, courage, and fast paced adventure. I particularly enjoy writing stories about the mail order brides who fearlessly took a chance and traveled West, hoping to find love and a better future. Many of the locales that I write about are places that I have either traveled through or actually lived in. I try to make my works richly accurate. My desire is to provide you with an entertaining and fun read. When I'm not writing, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two children.

Book preview

MAIL ORDER BRIDE:

REDEEMED BY LOVE

BY

KENNETH MARKSON

Chapter 1

The section of San Francisco known as the Barbary Coast was teeming with business this evening.  Pacific Street was filled with drunken sailors just off the ships, unsuspecting farmers, and businessmen looking for a good time.  The wall to wall drinking establishments and dives which lined the street, were opened wide, beckoning the prey to come inside.

Julia Dornan slipped into an alleyway off of Pacific Street, to check her nightly profits.  She was a pretty young woman of eighteen, with blonde hair and blue eyes.  Abandoned at the age of twelve, she had to learn quickly to fend for herself, in order to survive.

Julia had very fast hands.  She had become extremely adept at picking the pockets of inebriated businessmen, who were prowling the crowded streets seeking pleasure.  So far, she had managed to remain undetected.

Her take thus far, was nearly fifty dollars in bills.  Julia smiled when she pulled a gold pocket watch from her dress pocket.  This should fetch me a nice sum, she thought to herself.

Her steady stream of income did not go unnoticed.  The district was filled with thieves of every sort.  For years, they had operated independently, taking what they could for themselves from the patrons of the area.  But recently, a vicious gang had begun seeking control of all the crime that took place in the streets.

The head of the gang suddenly stood in front of the alleyway, where Julia had gone.  His name was Jocko Kane.  He was a tall, powerful man, with pale, lifeless eyes, and a vicious looking face that could cause a hardened criminal to shudder at its sight.

Julia immediately sprung into a state of alert, and watched Kane warily as he approached.  She was a child of the street, and no one needed to warn her, that she was in grave danger.

You been having a good night, missy! he snarled, displaying a set of sharp, rotting teeth.

Julia knew that showing fear in front of this type of man, was likely fatal.  Her blue eyes glared at him, when she spoke.

None of your business what I've been having! she retorted.

Her tone enraged the thug.  A finger from his right hand, pointed backwards towards Pacific Street.

This is my street! he growled.  Nobody operates on it, without me getting a half cut!

His shark-like eyes glowered at Julia.

You heard of Jocko Kane! he rasped.

Julia had certainly heard of the gang chieftain and his brutal methods.  Several pickpockets who resisted his demands, had already met their demise through his hands, after first having been savagely beaten by members of his gang.  Now, she thought to herself, was neither the time nor the place, to make a stand unless she had to.

Julia pulled the wad of bills from her dress pocket.  She counted out twenty-four, and laid it on the ground in front of her.

There's your half! she said.  Now let me pass!

Kane smiled wickedly.

That's better, he said, placing his boot over the money.  Now, what about the pocket watch!  Think I missed that?

Julia had a hard look on her face.  She held a double edged razor sharp dagger in her right hand. 

That you don't get without a fight! Julia snapped.  Stand aside, and let me go!

The thug was amused by the sight of the young woman ready to take him on.

I'll say this for you, he laughed, you're a sassy one and pretty as well!

He swooped down with his large fist, picked up the bills under his boot, and slipped them into a side pocket.

Take it, he continued.  It's my gift to you.

The smile on his face disappeared, replaced by an awful malevolence. 

But remember, he snarled, from now on, everything you earn out here, is fifty-fifty with me!  I catch you cheating on me again, and you'll end up at the bottom of the harbor, after my men get finished with you!

He gave her a lascivious grin.

However, he chuckled, I could be induced to give you a better deal, in exchange for some favors every now and then.

He laughed heartily at the look of disgust on Julia's face, as she slipped quickly by him, and headed out on to the street.  Once there, she disappeared quickly into the crowd, and didn't stop moving fast, until she reached the small room which she called home, just outside the borders of the Barbary Coast. 

Chapter 2

The city of San Buenaventura was named after the ninth church mission established by Father Junipero Serra.  It meant city of good fortune.  Paul Masler prayed that the small city would continue to grow, and live up to its name.

Paul was the owner of a small ranch.  He was a tall, handsome man of twenty-three with kindly blue eyes, brown hair, and a genial disposition.  Besides raising cattle, he was a farmer, who grew several crops.

Originally, he had grown wheat, barley, and corn.  Like most of the other local farmers, he subsequently turned more to oranges and lemons, since they were in demand in San Francisco.  San Buenaventura had become a busy harbor, shipping produce and livestock along the west coast.

It was a pleasant, sunny day, as Paul stood on the wooden pier, watching