Heart of Stone: Heart Wish Mail Order Bride, #1

By Cynthia Woolf

Caitlyn Larrabee was a modern woman before she died. Now she's an angel in waiting. Offered a chance to have a happy life back on Earth if she can answer a deserving man's Heart Wish, she agrees to travel back in time to meet the man who needs her as much as she needs him. Of course, there are rules. She has just seven days to get Lucas Ramsey, a bonafide cowboy, to fall in love with her. And she can't tell anyone, especially her new husband, that she's an angel. On top of all that, she must avoid, at all costs, the Angel Hunters that will be stalking her -- or risk losing not only her angel powers, but Lucas.

 

Breaking horses for the Army and running cattle on a ranch doesn't keep the darkness at bay for Lucas Ramsey. He's ready to start over. Try again after losing his wife and children to influenza six years ago. So he sends for a mail-order bride. 

 

When Lucas meets Caitlyn he knows she's special but he can't put his finger on why. She's beautiful, yes, but it's more than that. Little does he know that her time is limited. When he realizes her very life is in danger, he will do whatever it takes to save her. 

 

They may find true love and their happily ever after, but not without sacrifice. Courage. And a love so powerful even a Heart of Stone will beat again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Firehouse Publishing
• Release date: May 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781954996373

Cynthia Woolf

Cynthia Woolf is the award winning and best-selling author of twelve historical western romance books and two short stories with more books on the way. She was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends. Their closest neighbor was about one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006. Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time. Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia’s father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy not a bounty hunter and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now) not the ranch owner.   Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she's made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.   TITLES AVAILABLE   NELLIE – The Brides of San Francisco 1 ANNIE – The Brides of San Francisco 2 CORA – The Brides of San Francisco 3 JAKE (Book 1, Destiny in Deadwood series) LIAM (Book 2, Destiny in Deadwood series) ZACH (Book 3, Destiny in Deadwood series)     CAPITAL BRIDE (Book 1, Matchmaker & Co. series) HEIRESS BRIDE (Book 2, Matchmaker & Co. series) FIERY BRIDE (Book 3, Matchmaker & Co. series) TAME A WILD HEART (Book 1, Tame series) TAME A WILD WIND (Book 2, Tame series) TAME A WILD BRIDE (Book 3, Tame series) TAME A SUMMER HEART (short story, Tame series)     WEBSITE – www.cynthiawoolf.com   NEWSLETTER - http://bit.ly/1qBWhFQ    

Book preview

Chapter One

Caitlyn Larrabee paced the waiting room in order to see Gabriel. The Angel Matchmaker, he’s also known as Arch-angel Gabriel. Today was her turn to find out if she got her wings. Some people called this place Purgatory, but in reality it was just a big waiting room. And she worried because she knew Gabriel could make her wait longer if he chose.  

Being the head angel matchmaker he could send her back to Earth, but she didn’t think he would. Surely not after the horrible life she’d previously endured. He couldn’t make her go through that again…could he?

Gabriel sat behind a large desk that appeared to be made from clouds. His huge, white wings were half open, just enough so they didn’t restrict him from leaning back in his chair. His cloud desk sat on top of a raised platform made of golden halos. Below the platform was a large orb which looked like a globe of the Earth. In midair above Gabriel hung a flaming sword with no visible means of support. He looked down at the list in front of him. Send me Caitlyn Larrabee. 

Yes, sir. A young female angel ran out of the room, her wings flapping behind her. 

Gabriel lit a big Cuban cigar and blew a couple of smoke rings that turned into halos when they stopped above the heads of a couple of wingless angels. He did a shoving motion with his hands and the two lucky angels grinned and ran out of the room. Now they had their halos, they could also earn their wings.  

A young woman entered the room and walked up to the desk. Her hair was the color of the flames consuming the sword above him. You wished to see me, Gabriel? 

He leaned back and put his feet on the desk. Yes, I do. He looked around his office. The rest of you leave us. Angels, with wings and without, scattered through the door. The last one through closed the door behind him.

Gabriel sat up. "You’re getting a second chance, Caitlyn. You’re being sent back to Earth to answer a deserving man’s heart wish. You will be his mail-order bride. You have one week, seven days and nights, to heal his heart and have him fall in love with you. If you succeed, you will be allowed to stay with him for your natural, mortal life. You’ll also get your wings when you return here, so you may enter the Pearly Gates. Do you understand the rare gift you are being given? And do you understand the task before you?" 

He pinned her with his gaze. His wings unfurled completely, spreading huge behind him, while his eyes glowed and the flaming sword flickered brighter with his words. 

Caitlyn took a step backward. Yes, sir, I do. I must heal this man’s heart in one week, or I will never receive my wings. Is that correct? 

He nodded. That about covers it. You will remain here in this Purgatory forever. 

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and then opened them again before nodding. What is a mail-order bride?

Gabriel lifted a brow. She’s the first one in a long time to ask that question. Maybe she’ll work out after all. That’s a wife, ordered from a matchmaker. Usually, the man corresponds by letter with the woman for one or more letters.

I see. When will I be sent back to Earth? 

As soon as you leave here. You’ll go to the matchmaker office where you’ll be checked in, dressed appropriately, and be sent to meet Lucas Ramsey, a rancher in 1880, outside Golden, Colorado. He has suffered a great loss; his wife and children died due to influenza six years earlier. He made a wish, a heart wish, for a wife so he can start a new family. You’re about to answer that wish. There is something else you should know and the reason I sent everyone away before talking to you. There are also dangers that will seek you out. There are mortals called Angel Hunters. They know when and where I send the heart wish angels. They have sold their souls to Lucifer and they know about my angels and are determined to take your power—

But I don’t have any power.

He grinned. Sure you do. You’ll glow when you’re happy.

Wow! That’s amazing, though I can’t imagine I’ll be happy much. I remember what kind of life I had as a mortal.

You did have a terrible life but you remained one of the strongest we’d seen in a long time. That’s another reason you were chosen. 

Caitlyn scrunched her eyes. How will I know them…sir.

Unfortunately, you will be in great pain when they are near. Do try to avoid them because, though I don’t know how they take your powers, I know it will destroy you if they do it. I don’t want that to happen. Are you with me so far?

Her eyes widened. Yes, sir.

Good. Because you have the power to glow, I’m giving you a way to destroy the angel hunters. All you have to do when they take you and I’m sure they will rather than kill you, is glow. Concentrate on glowing the brightest you can be. As bright as the surface of the sun. Your power will increase like an atom bomb and destroy them. He leaned forward. You can’t tell anyone, not here or on Earth, that you can do this. No one. Do you understand? No one.

Yes, Gabriel, I understand. I won’t tell anyone about this. It’s between you and me. Um, Gabriel, I don’t know anything about the 1880s. I died in New York City in 2020. I would barely know a cow if one was standing next to me. I did work in a library and I had to watch old westerns with my husband. But still…1880? 

Gabriel put his feet on the floor, leaned forward over the monstrous desk and looked down at her. Yes, 1880, and you’d better learn quickly, hadn’t you? This is important, Caitlyn. You can’t tell anyone on Earth you’re an angel, not even your husband, Lucas. If you do, you’ll be yanked back here so fast your head will spin and you’ll remain in Purgatory forever, without wings and without a halo. Got it? 

Caitlyn swallowed hard. Yes, sir. 

She’d run from the room like a scared rabbit, but she didn’t know any angel who wasn’t at least a little afraid of Gabriel, with his flaming sword and giant wings. 

Caitlyn stopped in the hall outside the room and caught her breath. Next to her, a door appeared. I don’t remember that being there.

A male angel of indeterminate age, due to his flawless skin but beautiful silver hair, stepped out. He was shorter than Caitlyn, with a beautiful smile. He looked more like a mobster in his zoot suit. It was black with a double lapel and the standard wide pants as on all zoot suits. His gorgeous white wings appeared out of the jacket on his back and the jacket was closed over his belly with one button.

Are you Caitlyn Larrabee? 

Yes, sir. 

He waved a hand in front of him. Don’t sir me, doll face. I’m Eddie. Just an angel like you except I have my wings, but you will, too, you’ll see. 

Caitlyn’s shoulders slumped. I’m not so sure I’ll ever get my wings. How can you be so sure? Gabriel didn’t seem to be sure of anything except scaring the…you know what out of me. 

Eddie chuckled. He does that on purpose. He wants you to do well, but he would never have chosen you if he didn’t think you would achieve the task he’s set. 

She noticed that the door Eddie came in was gone. They were now in a room with no doors and no windows. She raised her eyebrows. So he believes I’ll succeed? Caitlyn smiled, happy that he believed in her. Why be so scary? 

Eddie laughed and slapped his leg. He likes it. He has fun, but he has never scared anyone so bad they didn’t go. Will you break his streak? 

She sighed, and her lips formed a line that curved down on the left side. No, I want my wings. But more than that, he was right. I want a shot at having a family, a husband and children who love me and I adore. I want all the good and bad times that go with it. That’s all I ever wanted. 

The angel nodded. Good. He’s picked right…again. 

Caitlyn cocked her head and stared at Eddie. You sound disappointed. 

He waved away her concern. Not at all. I want him to be right just as much as he does. I want you to succeed, my dear. All of us do. The more of you who go forth and have your families, the better we feel. 

She smiled. Good, because I intend to succeed. Now, where do we start? 

First, I understand you are headed back to 1880 and you died in 2020, right? 

Caitlyn nodded. Suddenly thoughts of Eric came to her mind. She could almost feel every blow he gave her as he beat her to death but she knew that was just a memory. She shivered. He couldn’t hurt her here and when she entered Heaven she’d be rid of the memory and only feel love and peace. She wanted that.

Okay, were you much of a history person? 

She bit her lip and shook her head. No, I’m afraid I didn’t care much for history. But I did watch just about every western movie ever made. Eric loved them and if one was on television…we watched it. 

Okay, first there are some rules. You can’t talk about technology because they don’t have any. They barely have the telegraph and certainly no telephone, television, electricity, running water or indoor toilets…not where you’re going, anyway. 

The more Eddie talks the less sure I am I’ll succeed at this mission. I’ll just have to pretend I’m camping. Except I’ve never been camping.

She bit her fingernails. All right, basically I’ll have nothing to make life easier. I know they don’t have cars yet either. Caitlyn stopped biting her fingernails and waved her hand. No, never mind. I’m just nervous. Tell me what else I need to know. 

Your bodily functions will resume. You’ll be hungry and need to eat as well as the other functions that come along with eating and drinking. Your body will feel heavy to begin with—gravity—we don’t have that here. Your menses will resume if you become mortal and stay on Earth.

She rolled her upper lip into a grimace. You’re not making this sound like any fun.

Eddie lifted a brow and continued. The man’s name is Lucas Ramsey. He’s a cattle rancher who has been to his lowest point and worked his way up. He lost his wife and children, two boys, to influenza. He ended up in the bottom of a bottle for a couple of years before fighting his way out. 

Eric was a drinker, too, and he got especially mean when he drank. He was drunk when he murdered me. Is Lucas strict in other parts of his life or just with the liquor? 

Eddie reached up into the air and pulled items of clothing seemingly out of nothing. He handed her two long skirts, two petticoats, two blouses, one white and