Samuel's Sacrifice

By Verna Clay

Samuel Johansson is blindsided when his twin brother, Saul, confesses to having advertised for a mail order bride, but now wants to renege on his offer of marriage. Apparently, he has reconnected with his childhood sweetheart and now finds himself in a pickle. His mail order bride arrives in two days. When Saul asks Samuel to marry her in his stead, Samuel's response is an unqualified NO. However, when he meets the lady everything changes. His rescue instinct begs to differ with his rational mind.

Addie McIntosh harbors the hope that her new life as a mail order bride will infuse hope into her miserable existence. Having lost her husband and child to illness, her life has become a nightmare of grief. For three years she has hidden within the confines of her New York townhouse, only leaving for necessities. With her funds almost depleted, she now faces a life or death situation. Being homeless and on the streets would surely bring about her demise, as would working in one of the backbreaking factories. When she cries out to Providence for help, she receives an unexpected answer in an unexpected way, and now finds herself on a stagecoach bound for New Mexico Territory in the Wild West.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Verna Clay
• Release date: Mar 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463686997

Verna Clay

"2020 Finalist - Readers' Favorite International Contest (Paranormal Romance) for SOMEWHERE by the Sea.""2014 Gold Medal Winner - Readers' Favorite International Contest (Historical Romance) for Abby: Mail Order Bride."My perfect day: coffee shop; laptop; latte; characters demanding their stories be told; a plot that comes together; and hours to live in an alternate reality.Seriously, I have always loved reading, and now I love writing. As a preteen, I devoured Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Mysteries. When I reached my teen years, the romance genre became my favorite and that has never changed. After years of procrastinating, I tried my hand at writing and I've been doing so with a passion ever since. I have written over thirty romance novels and novellas in the genres of contemporary, contemporary western, historical western, fantasy, and paranormal. Because I hate saying goodbye to characters who have lived with me for months, I usually create a series so they can be revisited from book to book. I have also written a Young Adult novella titled "Fragile Hearts" using the pen name of Colleen Clay.

Book preview

Samuel's

Sacrifice

Historical Romance Novelette

Journeys of the Heart

Book Three

Verna Clay

"Be still, sad heart! And cease repining;

Behind the clouds is the sun still shining'

Thy fate is the common fate of all,

Into each life some rain must fall."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Samuel's Sacrifice

Historical Romance Novelette

Journeys of the Heart Book Three

Copyright © 2020 by Verna Clay

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

[e-mail]

www.vernaclay.com

Publisher: Verna Clay

Cover Design: Verna Clay

Picture: tatsianama (canstock.com)

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Preface

This is the third book in the Journeys of the Heart Series. Since I enjoy reading and writing mail order bride stories, I couldn't resist making this into one. The saga that began in the first novelette continues when Samuel Johansson, the son of the couple in Violet's Vindication, is beset with a choice to either send his twin brother's mail order bride home or stand in his stead—quite the sacrifice. And, as the title indicates, he chose the latter.

In this story I have attempted to convey the inner emotions of Samuel and his bride, Addie McIntosh. Both have misgivings, but in spite of their doubts, can they forge a future of love and trust? Will Addie overcome the deep sorrow that is her constant companion?

Also, I enjoyed catching up with the lives of the characters from books one and two, Violet's Vindication and Priscilla's Pride. When reading a series, I always look forward to reacquainting with the characters that previously became my book friends or foes.

Verna Clay

Table of Contents

Preface

1: Request

2: Decision

3: Arrival

4: Disclosure

5: Rescue

6: Home

7: Apology

8: History

9: Bonding

10: Wedding

11: Daze

12: Blue Jeans

13: Competition

14: Sunflower

15: Gathering

16: Gift

17: Supper

18: Injuries

19: Home Again

20: Journey of the Heart

Epilogue

Cry of the West (excerpt) Finding Home Series

Novels and Novellas by Verna Clay

1: Request

Samuel stared at his twin brother, Saul, and exclaimed, You did what!

Releasing a long breath, Saul admitted, I advertised for a mail order bride. He inhaled deeply, released another breath, and said in a rush, And she's arriving day after tomorrow.

Samuel frowned. But I thought you were in love with Delilah.

I am. You know I've been chasing her since I was fifteen, hell, that's ten years, and she's always rejected me. So… well… since I want to settle down and have a family, the answer was to find a mail order bride. With some hostility he added, And you know how rural our community is. There's no one to court. Even you've admitted you're not attracted to anyone within spitting distance.

But Santa Fe isn't that far away, Samuel argued.

Yeah. And that hasn't panned out either. We've been there many times, and you know as well as I, that city women are not keen on living a rancher's life. We may love it, but they don't.

Samuel sighed and shrugged. So what's the problem? It seems like you now have a woman willing to make her home here.

Saul scratched his forehead and puffed a breath. Two weeks ago I ran into Delilah at Chadwick's General Store and decided to spill my guts. I told her how much I cared for her and always have, and she… well, she gave me the go ahead to court her. Said she'd been watching me for awhile and found her heart turning toward me. I was shocked. He rubbed the stubble on his jaw. So I sent a telegram to Addie… that's the mail order bride… calling off the wedding. And, well, obviously she didn't get it because I got a telegram from her today saying she'll be here in two days.

Samuel pinched the bridge of his nose. So what are you going to do? Send her packing home?

Saul stared at his boots, scuffed his heels in the dirt, and replied, I… ah… was hoping you'd marry her.

2: Decision

Rereading the sweet letter sent by her soon-to-be husband, Saul Johansson, Addie McIntosh sighed. This was the missive that had finally convinced her that Saul, out of all the correspondences from other suitors, was the one.

Dearest Addie,

I have enjoyed our correspondence these past months, but I will not stretch the truth. Again, I reiterate that although I have land and a small cabin, life in New Mexico Territory can be difficult at times; also lonely. There is a small town not far from me that sprang up around a stagecoach stop, but it offers little in the way of culture or commerce. The city of Santa Fe, with its many attractions is three hours away and I only travel there every couple of months. So, if you decide to become my bride, you will spend most of your time in rural surroundings.

However, my parents and brother have homes not far away and we often find (or invent) reasons to gather together. My family is close-knit and loving.

And so, if you are looking for such a family, I hope you will consider my offer of marriage.

Kindest Regards,

Saul Johansson

Addie refolded the letter, slipped it back into its envelope and replaced it in the travel bag at her feet. Staring out the stagecoach window, she thought, A close-knit family is exactly what I'm looking for.

For three years, after the death of her husband and one year old son to scarlet fever, she had become a recluse in her townhouse located in New York City, only leaving