More Precious Than Gold: Inspirational Historical Western Read online

  More Precious Than Gold

  Inspirational Historical Western

  Terri Grace

  Clean Christian Romance

  Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  1. A Personal Word from Terri

  2. The Happiest Day

  3. Fears For The Future

  4. The Good News The Bad News

  5. Restless

  6. Montana Bound

  7. Seth's First Letter Home

  8. The Map & Connie's Reply

  9. Almost

  10. Caught In The Gorge

  11. Gone

  12. Rainbow Mountain

  13. A Final Plea

  14. Baby Rachel

  15. An Invitation

  16. The Jewel

  17. The Promised land

  18. Epilogue

  19. Meet Our 7 Rainbow Mountain Brides

  20. BONUS CHAPTER - RUBY’S RETURN

  ** FOR YOU **

  Copyright © 2016 by Terri Grace

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is dedicated to you - the reader!

  It is your encouragement and friendship, your emails, feedback and reviews, that make every one of these books so special!

  Want to be notified other great pioneering romance by Terri Grace? Sign up for New Releases and receive a free Short Story Collection as a reward.

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  Chapter 1

  A Personal Word from Terri

  “She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.” Proverbs 3:15 KJV

  “The Mail Order Brides of Rainbow Mountain is a series that grew out of my fascination with the wonders of untouched landscapes and the beauty of creation. As I was browsing images to use on my book covers I got caught up in the marvel of the world around us, and before I knew it my imagination was populating that world with equally colorful and marvelous characters. Soon enough, the landscape was to become the stage for a kaleidoscope of hopeful brides and their cowboy husbands. The question is, is there really gold at the end of the rainbow as people say? This first book, the cautionary tale of Seth and Constance MacLeod, delivers not only a timely message of what is truly precious, but also opens a mystery that will unravel through the lives of the brides that follow. I hope you enjoy every minute of the series, right through to the exciting climax.”

  Terri Grace (Author)

  Thank you for choosing a PureRead Romance. As a way to thank you we would also like to give you a beautiful short story collection by Terri Grace.

  Cry Of The Heart Short Story Collection

  Chapter 2

  The Happiest Day

  IT WAS HIS happiest day ever—getting married to the love of his life Constance. Seth MacLeod couldn’t stop smiling. He may have been a little sad his parents and older brother were not alive to see it, but he was glad he finally had been able to wed the woman of his dreams.

  Exhausted after all the congratulatory speeches and the usual wedding formalities, the newlyweds shared a deep contentment when they found themselves alone in Seth’s small house at the edge of the woods. It was a quiet and serene environment, and Constance absolutely loved it there.

  “So, what do you want to do tomorrow?” Seth was lying on his back, on the floor; next to the fireplace. Constance was partially lying on him, her head nestling on his chest.

  “I just want to be here with you,” she raised her head slowly, tracing a finger from his lightly bearded chin all the way to his nose.

  He smiled, “I thought you would have preferred hiking in the morning?”

  She giggled, “I wonder why you work at the train station; you should be naming trees in the woods for a living.”

  Seth chuckled, tickling her playfully, and making her jump slightly, “It is my dream to get on board a train with you one day, and go… to a faraway land where we will build a new—”

  “You don’t like this place?” She wondered.

  “I love this place—especially when you are here,” he added quickly, “I am just saying I don’t want us to be here forever. My father left me this wonderful place, and it’s so special to be here with you, but one day, more than anything, we can have our very own legacy.”

  “You’re such a dreamy young man,” Constance looked into his face, the light from the fireplace casting dancing shadows on his face, “I love you.”

  Seth pulled her down gently till her face was barely an inch from his, “I love you too. God has made me the luckiest man alive today.”

  “I can say the same,” she winked.

  His lips connected with hers in a gentle kiss. At that very moment, as the wood crackled in the fireplace, and the newlyweds shared their intimate moments, both were sure life could not get any better for them.

  Chapter 3

  Fears For The Future

  CONSTANCE WAS SMILING to herself as she hummed and dried Seth’s clothes in the grass. Her first three weeks as Constance MacLeod had been magical, and she couldn’t have wished for a better start to life. Seth was the kindest man, but he was also funny and romantic. On several occasions, on his way home from work at the train station, he would gather wild flowers as he deliberately passed through the woods. He would then request a kiss in return for the wild flowers. Of course, she was always happy to oblige.

  Seth had worked at the railway for as long as he could remember. His father had been one of the first to work in this growing mode of transportation, being instrumental in the building of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and Seth had grown up alongside him clothed in steam and grease. It was a life he loved, and as the routes stretched further and further across country it made him eager to explore the world. Now that he was married and had a wonderful wife to travel with, who knows where God would take them.

  When Constance heard light hoofs approaching from behind her, she turned quickly in anticipation, expecting to see her husband waving another bunch of flowers. It was Seth all right, but the look on his face told her that something was wrong.

  She stopped what she was doing, and started walking to meet him. Jumping down from his horse, he simply stood there, watching her approach; a grim expression on his face.

  “Seth?” Constance gauged the sad look on his face as she neared him.

  Before she reached him, he broke down, falling to the grassy ground and starting to sob.

  “Seth!”

  She rushed to kneel beside him, picking his chin in her hands.

  “Darling, what’s wrong? What happened?” Her eyes searched his.

  He shook his head, “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

  “Sorry for what, darling?”

  “I don’t know what happened, but I lost my job—a dozen of us did.” He covered his face with both hands.

  She grabbed his hands away from his face and shook him, “Hey, look at me.”

  He did.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll figure this out, together, okay?”

  He sighed, “We just got married, I don’t want you worrying over anything like—”

  “So let’s not worry. We pray that God will open a door for you soon, and we will be fine. That’s what we will do. We will get you another job soon—a better one.”

  “You’re such an amazing woman, Constance,” Seth told her, sighing while h
e cupped her cheek.

  “I’m your wife,” she smiled gently, “and you’re my husband. Now, come, let’s go inside; you must be hungry?”

  Seth sniffed, “I don’t think I’m going to eat.”

  “No one is starving in my house because they lost a job, Mr. MacLeod,” she informed him, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek, “now, come on.”

  Chapter 4

  The Good News The Bad News

  AFTER LOSING THE job at the railway company, Seth invested time in riding through the Crow Spruce town and sometimes beyond, looking for prospective jobs. Constance was always inspirational and supportive, encouraging him and spending more time in the chapel praying for her husband.

  It was a week later, and as Constance prepared lunch she started feeling nauseous. Her discomfort continued for a few days and thinking she was ill, she took the old buggy Seth had left at home for her, and she went into town by herself to see a doctor.

  “You’re pregnant!”

  She was surprised, “I’m what?”

  “You’re pregnant. Is it your first time?” The old man looked at her queerly.

  She nodded quickly, smiling, “This is amazing!”

  The doctor smiled, “For a moment, I thought you were not happy to hear that.”

  “Why? I’m pregnant! Why wouldn’t I be happy? My husband will be so excited!” She laughed. “We’ve been married for just about a month, and we’re already expecting our first baby!”

  “Congratulations, young lady,” the old doctor said promptly, “I can already tell the baby will be very well loved.”

  “Thank you,” she grinned at him.

  Constance couldn’t wait for Seth to get back. She went to the market and got some foodstuffs for home. She cooked his favorite chicken stew and waited patiently to hear the hoofs of the horse in the yard.

  It was past eight in the evening, and she was beginning to doze off when she heard the familiar two taps on the door.

  “The husband is home!” He yelled from the other side.

  “The wife is coming!” She was on her feet instantly, brushing fair locks of hair from her face as she rushed to unlatch the door for him.

  As soon as she opened the door, he jumped in, lifting her off the ground and swirling her around happily.

  “Guess what, my lovely wife?” He was laughing aloud.

  “You went to the doctors?” She grinned as he put her down.

  “Doctors? Why would I go to the doctors?” He looked confused for a moment.

  “Never mind, darling,” she said quickly, “so, you got a job?”

  “Well, not exactly, but you really want to hear this! Let’s sit down; quick!” He took her by the hand excitedly, leading her to sit on the floor near the fireside.

  “So, what’s the news?” She asked eagerly as he sat beside her on the floor.

  He took her hands quickly, eyes searching hers, “I met Griffin this afternoon. Do you remember Griffin?”

  “Job Griffin?”

  “Yes! One and the same; he just returned from Mexico, and not just that, he had some top secret information that he shared with me. Our lives can change because of this, my love.”

  “I’m listening,” Constance’s heartbeat accelerated.

  “Griffin told me about gold—gold in Montana, and no one knows about this… No one has searched for it, but it’s definitely there, my love—it’s gold!”

  Constance wasn’t too happy. Montana? What did that mean? Was he going to go to Montana? They were going to have a baby!

  “Why won’t Griffin go to Montana himself, Seth?”

  “Come on,” he grinned, “Griffin is a cowboy, and that’s all he can do. Besides, he has been saving to go to England, where he has an inheritance waiting. He won’t start digging around Montana,”

  “But you can?” She asked quietly.

  He must have realized she wasn’t happy, because Seth’s look of excitement was turning to one of worry. “You don’t like the idea?”

  “Going to Montana, no.” She was clear.

  “But…” He tried to find the right words, “I always thought you wanted me to… to do something I loved, and make our lives better. We can change our lives by taking this opportunity.”

  “Going to Montana a month after getting married? I don’t want to, Seth. You don’t know how harsh it’s going to be—how tough or rough. This is a gamble.”

  “Actually, it’s not a gamble; it’s real. But like any good thing, I have to search; I have to work for it. Who knows? In a couple of years, people will find out about the gold too. Right now, it ain’t so. We would be the first out there lookin’. My love, I really think we should do this.”

  “Why don’t we pray about this?”

  “Of course, I don’t have a problem with that.”

  She thought Seth was too quick to respond. He was too excited to change his mind. How could she tell him she was pregnant? It would sound like a trap… a trap to prevent his gold prospecting dream in Montana.

  “Hmm, I smell something familiar,” he raised his nose, sniffing.

  She remembered the chicken stew in the kitchen. She forced a smile at him, “You are late; let’s go and eat.”

  Chapter 5

  Restless

  THREE DAYS AFTER Seth had talked about Montana, Constance realized her husband was not himself. He wasn’t happy, and he would often stand facing the woods, arms folded and gazing longingly at the hills atop the woods. She decided they had to talk about it again.

  Over dinner that evening in their small kitchen, Constance broke the silence. “So, any luck with work?”

  “No,” he shook his head gently.

  “Still thinking about Montana?”

  He looked up at her, “You don’t want to go.”

  “No I don’t,” she admitted, “a young woman who just got married—that’s no place for me.”

  “I understand.” He sighed.

  “So, how long would you need to find anything in Montana?”

  He was suddenly alert, eyes holding hers, “Umm, a month, tops.”

  “Think you can survive a month without me?”

  He knew what she was saying, and he grinned at her, “Constance, are you sure?”

  “Well, it looks like your spirit is already in Montana.”

  “No, it will always be with you, my love,” he assured her, “yes, I’ve been thinking about what-ifs, but that doesn’t mean I will choose anything over you. I would rather live with you with nothing, Constance,”

  “I’m sure,” she exhaled, “so, what do you need to go?”

  “Not much,” he said quickly, “I can get a ride to Kentucky… as far as Dakota even. I can make my way from there. I can get tools and anything I need on my way, so I can travel light and fast for starters.”

  “Money?”

  “No, you need money; you’re home—you need to take care of yourself and the house till I come back. I am taking nothing, you hear?”

  “That’s dangerous.”

  “No, I’ll be fine. Hey, let’s eat; we can talk about Montana later tonight, yes?”

  Well, at least he’s smiling, Constance thought with satisfaction. She was still not excited about his departure, but if it was only for a month, then it wasn’t so bad after all, was it?

  “I agree,” she nodded, “we can talk about this later.”

  Chapter 6

  Montana Bound

  NOT EVEN HIS horse was making the journey. Seth was determined to leave as much home with Constance as possible. He had withdrawn all his savings and entrusted the money into her care.

  As he stood before her that fateful Tuesday morning, looking down at her, with only two knapsacks, Constance wondered when she was going to see her husband again.

  “Come back as soon as possible, Seth,” she blinked back tears.

  He held her shoulders, “My love, I will be back before you know it—with more than my knapsacks. God will take me, and he will bring me back safely hom
e.”

  “Be careful,” she whispered, a tear falling.

  He caught the tear with a thumb, and he turned her chin up to look into his face. He lowered his head and planted a gentle kiss first on her forehead, then on the bridge of her nose… down to the tip, and then her lips. He felt her trembling with grief as he kissed her.

  He lifted his head, but drew her into his arms in a gentle embrace. Constance’s grip tightened around his torso. She wasn’t ready to let him go.

  “Don’t go,” she whispered.

  “I will be back, my love,” he stroked her hair, “you just count the days. I will write you as soon as I get there, and tell you everything.”

  “Don’t forget to pray every time, okay?”

  “I won’t,” he sounded sure, “I go with only God; I can’t forget Him.”

  “There’ll be a lot waiting for you when you return; don’t be late. Don’t.” She sounded firm, but she knew he was unaware of the baby. She was tempted to mention it, but she knew it would have killed his dreams right then. As much as she wanted him to stay, she also wanted to see him succeed and be happy.

  She drew back slowly, wiping her face with her apron, before clearing her throat and looking up at her now-concerned husband.

  “I’ll be fine,” she forced a smile, “it’s time for you to go. Go, and be a hero.”

  Chapter 7

  Seth's First Letter Home

  SETH’S JOURNEY TO Kentucky may have been rough, but it was rather uneventful. The trains did not really go far, and there were rumors they were not as fast as the ones in Boston or in England. He got to Dakota by horseback. It seemed Constance had been wise about stashing some money in his knapsack after all. The man who had sold him the horse had been traveling all the way from Oregon County, and was heading eastwards with a whole caravan of goods, guarded by Indians and a few soldiers.