Sweet Bride: Carson Valley, #2

By Eliza Ester

Even letters can carry a heart away …

 

Carson Valley is a newly developed town, with only one main street and a cluster of ranches and buildings, nothing much in the way of finding someone to have and to hold.  Sheriff Russ Burke has been exchanging letters with Eudora 'Dory' Gilchrist, but the moment she steps out of the stagecoach and introduces herself face-to-face, he is enthralled by her beauty – and vice versa.

 

They get married in a simple ceremony in the church, but Dory soon finds out that her husband is a very busy Sheriff – with increasing complaints of robbery and violence constantly grabbing his attention. The attention that Russ should be paying his new bride. They can't go for a simple picnic, but someone is pulling at his sleeve! 

 

As the thefts grow bolder, even targeting the church, safety precautions must be put in place. Carson Valley is a small community; the culprit cannot be far from their sight. However, Dory can't stand by and watch Russ face a threat alone despite his protests.

 

Out West, matters are settled with guns. One pull of a trigger can determine if someone is heading to the jailhouse – or a send-off at the church.

 

This clean western romance series can be read in about an hour. It is perfect for those moments when you are waiting at an appointment or want to enjoy a quick read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Majestic Owl Publishing LLC
• Release date: Jan 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201572815

Book preview

ONE

Russ

Russ Burke stood in his new office, hands on his hips, turning to look at the place. It wasn’t much but it was his and that was all that mattered. The townsfolk of Carson Valley had rebuilt a barn for the new sheriff, transforming it into a sheriff’s office complete with jail cells and a desk that Cole Davison had made.

It was good to be respected.

Russ had been a nomad for most of his life; a rootless man without a plan of where he was headed and only the knowledge of where he’d been to guide him.

Carson Valley had been on his route and he had decided to stay. A man couldn’t wander his life away. It was time to put down roots, settle, and start a family.

At first, he’d been nothing more than a citizen of Carson Valley, someone looking to make a living. When the town realized it had a need for law enforcement, Russ had applied for the position as town sheriff.

Russ had been one of the men riding to retrieve Miss Caroline Dupree when she was kidnapped by bandits. They had been successful and she was Mrs. Travis Davison now, but the taste of danger and doing good had tickled him in a way he hadn’t expected. Taking on the job as sheriff had been the right thing to do.

Three months in and he loved his job. Being a part of a place like Carson Valley—with its friendly folk and rolling hills and valleys—had been enough already. Overseeing it was fulfilling on a whole new level.

Taking up a new post and living a life of stability was all well and good. But now he was ready for the next step. He was in want of a wife. The folk in Carson Valley were wonderful, sure, but there were more men than women and he had a mind to balance that out. Reverend Shreve had started a mail order bride business and Russ had decided he would sign up for a bride of his own.

Reverend Shreve had chosen a Miss Eudora Gilchrist and Russ had made contact with her. They’d only exchanged a few letters but he already saw her as his Dory and she referred to him as her hero.

So far, it was a match made in heaven, but only time would tell. A handful of hours, to be exact.

Russ stepped out of his office and looked up at the sun. The coach could arrive at any moment. His stomach was a knot of nerves. In her letters, Dory sounded like a dream. Russ still didn’t know her, though, and settling down with a stranger was nerve-wracking. What if she didn’t like him or the home he had chosen for himself? What if Carson Valley was the one place she wouldn’t be able to stand? New York was a big place filled with eccentric people and a lifestyle Russ had left behind a long time ago.

Carson Valley was nothing more than a pioneer town that had become home to a few families who made the place their own. What if the change was too drastic for Miss Eudora Gilchrist? What if it was too quiet here; too wild? What if she wanted to turn around and go right back home?

If that happened, Russ would be no worse off than before. But he found himself heartily wishing that his potential bride-to-be would decide to stay.

Morning, Russ, Reverend Shreve called, walking toward the sheriff’s office. Big day, eh?

Russ nodded as the two men shook