Her Montana Cowboy

By Molly Wishlade

Falling in love wasn't part of Huyana's plan, but when Matthew Duggan claims her as his own, she has to open her heart or risk losing everything.

Life has been tough for Huyana. From the moment of her violent conception, the odds were stacked against her.

Meeting Matthew Duggan and his family changes her life forever.

Family can be close. People can be kind. Love can be good.

But a lifetime of rejection and abuse is difficult to overcome and Huyana struggles to trust the man she loves. There are secrets in her past and she fears revealing them.

Can Huyana find the happiness she craves and allow herself to be claimed by her Montana cowboy?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
• Release date: Oct 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781784307462

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Her Montana Cowboy

ISBN # 978-1-78430-746-2

©Copyright Molly Ann Wishlade 2015

Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright September 2015

Edited by Ann Leveille

Totally Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2015 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN

Totally Bound Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

Warning:

This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Sizzling and a Sexometer of 2.

The Duggans of Montana

HER MONTANA COWBOY

Molly Ann Wishlade

Book three in The Duggans of Montana series.

Falling in love wasn’t part of Huyana’s plan, but when Matthew Duggan claims her as his own, she has to open her heart or risk losing everything.

Life has been tough for Huyana. From the moment of her violent conception, the odds were stacked against her.

Meeting Matthew Duggan and his family changes her life forever.

Family can be close. People can be kind. Love can be good.

But a lifetime of rejection and abuse is difficult to overcome and Huyana struggles to trust the man she loves. There are secrets in her past and she fears revealing them.

Can Huyana find the happiness she craves and allow herself to be claimed by her Montana cowboy?

Dedication

For Holly Martin—thank you for the encouragement, advice and understanding. XXX

Trademarks Acknowledgment

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Stetson: John B. Stetson Company

Lysol: Reckitt Benckiser LLC

Chapter One

Edie! Get yer ass in here! The gravelly voice rang out in the small house.

Huyana froze and held her breath. The knife she’d been using to chop carrots slipped from her grasp and clattered onto the tabletop. She hugged her slim waist and listened carefully for sounds of movement.

Nothing.

Yet.

Had William Montgomery gone back to sleep? She hoped so. If he was asking for his wife then he was going to have one of his bad days and therefore the longer he rested, the better. At least if he woke later, she would have company to help her deal with him. Even with all her experience of people, the old man’s sudden fluctuations from joy to anger to confusion still unsettled her and she’d prefer to have someone else nearby.

Someone like Matthew Duggan?

She shrugged away the thought. In the short space of time in which she’d known the handsome cowboy, she’d seen only good in him. He’d been kind, helpful and attentive, even coming to find her in Virginia City, where she’d been employed as a maid, to offer her the post as carer to William Montgomery. Not that other folks were hammering down the Duggans’ door to get the position, of course. But Matthew knew that her employer was leaving town and Huyana would soon be without an income. Matthew had suggested that his older brother, Kenan, offer Huyana the job. And mighty glad she was about it too. At first. But now she knew how hard it was caring for William Montgomery alone, she wondered if she’d made the right decision.

But of course she had. What other choice did she have? With her circumstances and her questionable background, what else could she expect to do? Whore? Beg? Steal? The choices for a mixed-race woman were limited indeed. Besides, it meant that she got to see Matthew Duggan regularly, even if she did clam up like a sixteen-year-old maiden every time he stepped over the threshold.

Edie!

Huyana jumped. She’d have to go check on William. He was clearly distressed. His wife had been in the ground just over a month. Sometimes he remembered this clearly, but at other times, he still thought she was alive and well. A wave of sympathy washed over Huyana. She knew what it was to love and lose someone and William deserved her compassion. The poor man was dealing with his raw grief in his moments of lucidity. Healing would likely take him longer than the average person because he wasn’t experiencing the heartache constantly with its full ferocity. Instead, it came in agonizing bursts, then, as if his mind was protecting him, he regressed to his confused state and forgot all about Edie’s death until the next lucid period. It was like a slow form of torture, and Huyana wished on a daily basis that she could do something to alleviate William’s pain and anguish.

Huyana scooped up the carrots from the flat wooden chopping board and dropped them into a bowl then wiped her hands on her apron. She crossed the room and stood outside the door of William’s bedroom then rapped her knuckles against the wood.

You all right in there, Mr. Montgomery?

Who in the hell is that?

Huyana shivered as she heard the confusion in William’s tone.

It’s me, Mr. Montgomery. Huyana. Your help.

Say what? His voice was closer now, as if he muttered with his lips pressed against the wooden boards of the door. Huyana slowly unlocked the door and took a step back. The lock was a precautionary measure that the Duggans had insisted upon to prevent William from wandering off during the night when Huyana slept or when she was outside in the yard. Who’s ya say yer?

Huyana. Her own name tripped off her lips as it had done thousands of times before, but this time it filled her with dread because she feared his reaction.

What in the hell kind of a name is that?

The door swung inward and Huyana braced herself as William Montgomery staggered out into the main room of the house. He reminded her of an acorn calf, all unsteady on his legs and wary of his surroundings. Huyana winced as his stale smell reached her nostrils. She had only washed him last evening with Catherine Duggan’s help but it seemed that the old man had pissed his bed again. She’d left the pot right next to his bed in plain view, but unfortunately he didn’t always think to use it. At times, the floor and his undergarments seemed to serve him just as well.

Like an animal.

No.

Like a child. A poor helpless infant who sometimes doesn’t know right from wrong.

William stared around the room as if seeing it for the first time. He squinted against the September morning light that seeped through the small windows and warmed the floorboards. He eyed the fire that burned in the grate suspiciously, as if wondering how it had gotten there. His face held the look of a lost child as he scratched his matted gray hair, and Huyana’s heart broke for him.

It was going to be a bad day.

William’s gaze landed on her, and she forced herself to stand still and hold her ground. She knew from experience that showing fear was unwise when faced with a fractious beast.

Who are you and what are you doing in my house? He stepped closer, and she fought the urge to retreat to the other side of the table, or even right out of the front door.

Like I just told you, sir, I’m your help. I clean up and make your food. That kind of thing.

I see, he replied, frowning as if he didn’t see at all. He adjusted his union suit, pulling it away from his groin, and Huyana held her breath as the pungent aroma of urine stung her nostrils. Yes. He’d pissed himself. The bedding would likely be drenched and need washing again.

William half turned, as if he was going to return to his room, but then it came, the blow that knocked Huyana clear off her feet. She flew through the air for what felt like minutes but was no more than a fraction of a second, before landing in front of the hearth. Dust particles were thrown up into the beams of light, giving the room a hazy glow. Huyana flung her hands automatically over her head as William approached, swinging his arms menacingly, his bare toes with the thick yellow nails that curled against the wooden floorboards.

You lying whore! he spat. "What have you done with my wife? Where is my Edie?" His voice broke on her name and he glanced around as if he believed that Huyana was actually lying and his wife would appear at any moment. When she didn’t, he moved forward. Slowly. A predator stalking his prey. Until he blocked the rays of sunlight that fell at Huyana’s feet and left her bathed in the cold shadow of his large, lean frame.

Just as he towered over her, his soiled union suit almost touching her shaking form, the front door flew open and feet pounded across the boards toward them. Huyana peered through her fingers to see Catherine Duggan closely followed by her brother-in-law Matthew. Even from her disadvantaged position on the floor, Huyana could see just how strong and alert Matthew was as he swiftly assessed the room. He took everything in with his intelligent hazel eyes and became master of the situation. Huyana lowered her hands, instantly reassured.

He was here. Everything would be well.

Uncle William! Oh no… What have you done? Catherine Duggan fell to her knees next to Huyana and placed a trembling hand upon her arm. Huyana, are you all right, dear?

Huyana nodded as she met Catherine’s pretty green eyes then she raised a hand to her lip and touched it tentatively. When she pulled her hand back and looked at it, sure enough, there was blood.

Oh, you’re cut, Catherine said, shaking her head. Let me tend to that for you. She helped Huyana to her feet then gestured for her to sit at the table. As Huyana lowered herself into a chair, Matthew guided William back to the bedroom, where she heard his voice, soft and low, as he tried to reason with the bewildered old man. She was amazed at how cool and controlled Matthew was for such a