Excerpts from Brides of Serendipity

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BRIDES OF SERENDIPITY COLLECTION

I'm a big fan of American history, and a trip to Fallon, Nevada inspired these books. Along side the highway is a sign designating the town of Ragtown a historical site—now a ghost town. Once a thriving trading post where the wagon trains stopped to rest after an arduous journey across the Forty Mile desert, Ragtown found its place in the history books.

I hope you enjoy these three novellas about three ladies who found love and purpose in a place called Ragtown.

Sarah Richmond

Excerpt from ‘Courtin’ Dory’

Harley leaned closer. He did have amazing eyes that showed kindness. "Would it be all right if I kissed you?"

Dory's heart beat wildly and she drew in a quick breath. She'd no experience with the rightness or wrongness of letting him kiss her. She only knew she wanted him to.

She closed her eyes and tilted her head upwards. His rough hand rested on her cheek bones.

"You smell so good," he said. "Sweet, like spring water."

She opened one eye. "Are you gonna kiss me or talk?"

 Excerpt from ‘Barrett’s Law’

Before he could take off, Lena leaned over and grabbed the bridle of his horse. The mare stepped back but Lena held on firmly. All her life she played the hand she was dealt. But not this time.

Henry Barrett was going to listen.

"I'm not a wrangler and I'm not accustomed to sitting a horse but I'm capable, you said so yourself. I'm a hard worker and did a fair job patching you up. Seems to me out here where the land needs taming and the law's neglectful, a woman like myself would be useful."

She let his horse go having said her piece. What she'd told him struck at the core of the matter. He could depend on her.

"Lena," he said, using her given name for the first time. "You're the peskiest woman I ever did come across."

She knew he spoke honestly and from the heart. Her eyes stung with tears. It was the nicest compliment she'd ever received.

He smiled, by Lord in Heaven, he did. She was smiling too.

"I suppose if I don't let you come along," he said, "you'll just follow me anyway."

"I'm glad we're beginning to understand each other."

His mouth twitched. His blue eyes held her like an embrace. Lena liked what she saw.

Excerpt from ‘Rosy’

"Let me introduce you," Rosamund said. "Matthew Kincaid, this is Aunt Hester Sherry."

Hester examined Matthew Kincaid as an interloper but she remembered her manners.

"Sheriff," Hester said, extending her gloved hand.

"Ma'am," he said with rakish charm.

Auntie's gaze cut him with razor sharp precision. He hadn't won her over.

Sheriff Kincaid looked about as out of place on a veranda as a man could be. He took Aunt Hester's hand and shook it vigorously.

Hester retrieved her hand from his grasp.

"Aunt Hester has traveled all the way from Richmond," Rosamund explained.
His gaze shifted to Rosamund. She saw a hint of a smile.

"I hope your journey was agreeable," he said with positively touching good manners.

Aunt Hester recoiled as if she'd come in contact with a hot iron. "You're a Yankee," she said, responding to his flat Northern accent.

"Yes, ma'am."

Hester looked at him in horror.

"Let's go along to my house," Rosamund said, taking Hester's arm before there was a confrontation. Hester could be a formidable in an altercation. "Jason will bring your cases."

"Rosamund, how can this be? A Yankee sheriff taking Jake’s place?"

"I will explain when we are at the house."

Their sheriff put two fingers to the brim of his hat. Hester ignored him.

"Luckily the house isn't far," Rosamund said, steering her aunt in that direction.

"Yes, I could use a proper cup of tea." The fan came out.

"Make no mistake, that's a handsome woman just arrived on my stage."

Aunt Hester stiffened.

Rosamund shot a look of disapproval over her shoulder. The stagecoach driver rubbed his grizzled face as he watched them walk away. Matthew looked like he was about to burst out laughing. Instead, he winked at Rosamund.

"And Rosy is pretty too," Matthew said.