Josie's Valor Read online

  Josie’s Valor

  Wilderness Brides, Book 4

  Peggy L Henderson

  Copyright © 2019 by Peggy L Henderson

  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.

  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Introduction

  Confronting fears is often scarier than hiding them away, unless you face them together.

  * * *

  Josie Hudson has survived horrors no one should ever have to endure. Retreating to the wilderness has allowed her to cope with the past by avoiding things that remind her of the ordeal. When a trusted mentor asks for a special favor, Josie is forced out of her place of comfort and directly into the unknown.

  * * *

  Travis Wilder confronts life as a competition he is determined to win. Being second best to a girl is not an option. Agreeing to lead a group of pioneers on the Oregon Trail seems like the perfect opportunity to earn some respect. Learning how to work alongside his greatest competitor is only the first thing he will discover on this journey.

  * * *

  Travis and Josie have grown up together in the valley known as Harley’s Hole. Despite the years spent in the same place, they have remained strangers. Working together to keep the weary emigrants safe opens their eyes to the truth about themselves and each other. Will they be able to conquer their fears before they must part ways forever?

  Chapter 1

  Fort Hall Trading Post, Summer 1858

  * * *

  “That’s my girl!”

  The booming voice, followed by triumphant laughter, was almost louder than the sound of the gunshot that had echoed in the air. Men shouted curses, while others joined in the raucous noise or yelled triumphantly. Gold coins, furs, and other trade goods changed hands.

  “Told ya, didn’t I? There’s no one that can shoot better’n my Josie girl.”

  Josie Hudson braced for the slap on the back that was sure to follow. She inhaled quickly, then pressed her lips together as a heavy hand made contact between her shoulder blades. She coughed and swayed slightly. If she hadn’t prepared herself for the impact, she’d be on the ground eating dust.

  Turning her head, she offered a hesitant smile to the man standing behind her, still boasting about “his girl” and how no one could outshoot her. It was impossible to be angry with him, even when he was inebriated and acting out of sorts – like slapping her on the back hard enough to make a recalcitrant mule spring forward. Her reaction to anyone else would have been quite different. The barrel of her rifle would be pointed at his chest.

  Instead, Josie ducked her head and focused her attention on the ground. There was no escaping the stares of the men who crowded around her, offering their congratulations or challenging her to a rematch. Her senses were on high alert like a deer that had ventured out in the open. The only man present who didn’t make her feel that way was the grizzled old mountain man who’d nearly knocked her to the ground and whose eyes shone with pride.

  Despite his presence, the need to get away was growing with each breath she took. Being the center of attention and surrounded by all these rough men made her heart pound faster. An uncomfortable tingling swept along her skin.

  She should never have agreed to enter the shooting match in the first place. Harley Buchanan had told her his winnings from betting on her would buy all the supplies they needed to get them through the harshest of winters at Harley’s Hole. It had been enough to convince her, and she’d finally consented.

  What he’d really meant was that the extra income would keep him well supplied with whiskey during the coldest months of the year. She shouldn’t indulge and enable him with his drinking habit, but how could she refuse him? She could count on one hand how many men were trustworthy, in her opinion. Harley ranked at the top. He’d taught her how to shoot and defend herself like a man, after all.

  To divert her attention from the boisterous men crowding around her, Josie reloaded her Sharps rifle the way Harley had taught her many years ago.

  “The first thing ya always do after taking yer shot is to reload. A rifle is useless to ya if it don’t have a bullet ready to fire,” he’d always preached.

  She’d practiced until she could reload a rifle in her sleep, even Harley’s old muzzleloader, but she took her time now so she wouldn’t have to look up at the men. Harley should know better than to make her the center of attention the way he was carrying on, but he’d had a few too many swigs of whiskey already, and had probably forgotten.

  Harley continued to boast about Josie’s ability with the gun, and what a fine hunter she was, and that he couldn’t have been more proud of her if she was his own daughter.

  “Why, she could out-track and out-trap any one of ya varmints, jes like she outshoots ya.”

  “Yer a bit old to be her pa, Harley,” someone yelled. “More like her great-grandpa.” The rest of the men roared with laughter.

  “I ain’t that old,” Harley grumbled.

  “Maybe she means something else entirely to ya, eh’, Harley?” another man called.

  “He’s most assuredly too old fer that, but with a pretty thing like her, maybe –”

  More men laughed. Josie’s face heated at the turn the men’s banter had taken. With speed that belied old Harley’s age, he lunged at the man who’d made the insinuation.

  “If I ever hear ya talking with such disrespect fer Josie Hudson or me, I’ll put ya six feet under before ya can blink.”

  Everyone around them fell silent while Harley gripped the man’s shirt and had him within inches of his face.

  “Was only making a joke,” the man stammered. “Meant nothin’ by it.”

  Several tense seconds ticked away. Josie placed her hand on Harley’s shoulder. It wasn’t worth starting a potential brawl, or Harley getting hurt. Then what would she do?

  “Leave it be, Harley. We have supplies to gather, remember? Then it’s time to get home.”

  The old man’s muscles were tense beneath her touch as he continued to grip the other man, then they softened.

  “Get on with ya,” he grumbled and shoved his opponent aside. “And remember what I said.”

  The crowd dispersed among loud mumblings. Several men patted Harley on the back and congratulated Josie again on her fine shooting skills. There were a few more challenges for a rematch, but Harley thankfully waved them off.

  “Maybe another time, if Josie’s agreeable” he called, laughing. “I can sure use the winnin’s.”

  Josie gripped Harley’s arm and dragged him away from the other men in the opposite direction. They’d arrived at the trading post of Fort Hall the day before, and it was time they made their supply purchases so they could get back home to Harley’s Hole.

  She shook her head. Why had she even agreed to come on this annual supply run? Travis Wilder, her brother-in-law, had been more than eager to make the trip. Patrick, her little brother, would have gladly come along. Harley had spoken up, ho
wever, and decided he wanted to come to Fort Hall for a change.

  “Haven’t been away from Harley’s Hole in ages,” he’d grumbled, then looked directly at Josie. “And neither have you. It’s ‘bout time ya get away fer a while.”

  “I like it here just fine,” she’d argued. “I don’t need to go to Fort Hall.”

  Harley had waved her off and shaken his head in disapproval. “Ya gotta get outta the valley sometime, Josie. Can’t be a hermit all yer life.”

  “You seem to do just fine,” she’d retorted. “I have no need to be around other people.”

  “It ain’t good fer ya. Anna left fer a while, and Caroline is still at that fancy school in Boston. The only reason Cora stayed put is ‘cause she’s got young’uns to raise.”

  Josie had glanced up from the supper table as all eyes of the people gathered around were on her. There was her oldest sister, Cora, and her husband, Nathaniel, their good friend Anna with her husband, Ethan. Ethan and Nathaniel’s younger brother, Travis, looked at her with mildly disguised annoyance. The only people missing were her sister Caroline, and Travis’ twin brother, Trevor.

  Josie had never gotten along with Travis Wilder. He was arrogant and loud, and seemed to go out of his way to get into trouble. Their mutual dislike for each other was obvious to everyone in the family.

  Travis enjoyed mocking her at every opportunity, or proving that he was the better tracker or marksman. It irked him that she’d bested him on more than one occasion, yet he never passed up the chance to point out to her that she was nothing but a little girl and her place should be at home in the kitchen.

  Cora had offered a sympathetic smile when Harley had suggested Josie accompany him to Fort Hall, but she’d nodded in agreement.

  “I think Harley’s right, Josie. You haven’t left the valley in all the years we’ve been here. I think it’s time you got away for a while. It’ll do you some good.”

  There had been more to Cora’s words and in the look she shot Josie from across the table, but Josie had averted her eyes. She and her sister’d had the discussion about Josie’s shyness around other people before, and it had always led to an argument.

  While Cora understood Josie’s reluctance to leave the familiar safety of Harley’s Hole, no one seemed to understand that she was perfectly content living in the secluded valley. She was happy there, and it was a safe place. There was no need to interact with other people.

  Josie had left her nightmares behind after Cora had moved the family from Ohio along the Oregon Trail, and they’d ended up in Harley’s Hole. No one could hurt her here, whereas mingling among people frightened her more than an encounter with a mother grizzly.

  Travis had been quick to speak up when Cora had suggested that Josie go with Harley.

  “She clearly doesn’t want to go. I’ll go instead, Harley, and don’t worry. I’ll bring back plenty of whiskey to get you through the winter.”

  Harley had stood, glanced around the table at each of his adoptive sons, then at Cora and Anna, until his eyes rested on Josie.

  “Made up my mind. I’m goin’, and yer goin’ with me. If there’s a letter waitin’ from Caroline, ya can be the first to read it.”

  Josie had finally relented at the mention of receiving news from her sister, coupled with the persistent look from Harley and the near-murderous glare from Travis. Getting away from him for a while would be worth the trip.

  Caroline, who’d left nearly five years ago to attend college to become a doctor, hadn’t sent a letter since winter. Trevor Wilder had brought it with him when he’d last returned to Harley’s Hole. Caroline would be graduated now and might have sent word that she was coming home soon.

  Now that she and Harley had arrived at Fort Hall, Josie was eager to get to the trading post to see if a letter had arrived from her sister. They were already delayed enough after Harley had met up with several old trappers, and their reminiscing about the good old days had led to drinking, which had led to the shooting match.

  Josie dragged her mentor along to reach the trading post. She ignored the stares of the men they passed. A shudder swept down her spine. This was exactly the reason she didn’t want to be here, and she longed for the solitude of Harley’s Hole.

  She stiffened her spine and ignored the people milling about. Dozens of wagons were camped outside the dilapidated structures of what was left of the military outpost of Fort Hall. Years ago, she and her sisters had arrived, full of dreams of making a new life in Oregon, just like these people were undoubtedly doing.

  Nathaniel Wilder had changed all their lives when he’d offered his protection and married Cora. He’d been the first man Josie had trusted after he’d taken it upon himself to teach her to shoot a rifle and defend herself. When they’d arrived at Harley’s Hole, old Harley Buchanan had taken over the role of her protector, and he’d become the father figure she’d never had.

  “Slow down, Josie,” Harley grumbled. “Ya got fire ants in yer britches?”

  “I just want to get our supplies so we can go home.”

  Harley dug his feet in the dirt. He studied her with his sharp eyes that belied his age and his inebriated state. “I brung ya here ‘cause I think ya need to mingle with people again, Josie. Ain’t no good goin’ through life afraid of everything. I know ya got a good reason to be scared, but most folks are decent.” He stepped up closer, and smiled. Leaning forward, he almost whispered with his gruff voice. “And I know I taught ya well ‘nuff to take care of yerself if someone came along and wanted to harm ya.”

  Josie straightened. Her heart beat faster, and her throat seemed to close up on her. She forced a deep breath into her lungs.

  “I’m not afraid,” she lied. “I just don’t see the need to mingle with other people. I have all the company I could ever need at Harley’s Hole.”

  Harley chuckled. “Yer growin’ up to be a pretty young woman, Josie. It’s a plumb shame to waste your life away in the old valley. Don’t ya want to find a man and get married, and have some young’uns of yer own like yer sister and Anna?”

  Josie stared into the old mountain man’s eyes. He was completely serious. She blinked and shook her head. He’d always talked to his adoptive sons about getting married and having families, but this was the first time he’d directly said it to her.

  “I don’t ever plan on getting married.” The words came out between gritted teeth, and an icy sensation came over her to match her tone. “So you’d best get that foolish talk out of your head, Harley Buchanan. You can pester Trevor and Travis with it, but don’t start with me.”

  She’d never spoken to Harley in such a harsh way before, but this conversation had been unexpected. Anger and even a twinge of fear crept through her.

  Harley was silent for a couple of seconds. His gaze warmed, and he smiled. “I only want what’s best for ya, Josie. I ain’t tellin’ ya what to do, but I also taught ya to always face yer fears when it comes to the critters in the mountains, didn’t I?”

  She nodded when his bushy brows raised in wait of an answer. He smiled and patted her on the arm.

  “Bein’ around other people ain’t much different. If yer around ‘em long enough, ya can read ‘em jest like ya can read the critters, and tell which one is gonna try and hurt ya and which one’s harmless.” He paused for a moment, staring at her intently. “But jes like it takes practice in the mountains, it takes practice with people, too. And ya ain’t gonna learn it at Harley’s Hole.”

  Josie dropped her gaze. There was a lot of truth to Harley’s words. She’d been content with her life. She didn’t need anything or anyone else other than her sisters and brother, and Anna’s family. Or did she?

  She shook her head. The world was a scary place. She didn’t need to be out in it, but if it would get Harley off her back, she’d endure a few days at Fort Hall.

  “You’re right, Harley. Maybe I am in too much of a hurry to get home. I know you were looking forward to spending a few days at Fort Hall, and I won’t kee
p you from it.”

  Harley smiled and rubbed at his beard. His eyes narrowed as he studied her. Josie averted her gaze. She gripped her rifle as she turned to continue walking toward the trading post. She let go of Harley’s arm and walked at his pace.

  She’d barely taken a couple of steps when a shadow moved in front of her. Her eyes caught a pair of dusty boots blocking her way. She instantly tensed as unpleasant memories from many years ago flashed in her mind.

  Josie raised her head, along with her rifle, and stared into the smiling face of a man. His kind, deep-blue eyes sparkled as they reflected the sun shining high above. It nearly took her breath away.

  Chapter 2

  “My apologies for getting in your way.”

  The man blocking her path had seemingly come out of nowhere. Josie’s grip on her rifle tightened. She clearly hadn’t paid attention to her surroundings while arguing with Harley, so she hadn’t seen the stranger until he was right in front of her. A sigh of relief escaped from her mouth when Harley came up beside her.

  “Somethin’ we can do for ya, mister?”

  The stranger smiled and held out his hand to Harley while his eyes darted to Josie. Blue eyes the color of a cloudless summer sky. His friendly smile matched the shimmer in those eyes. His dirty-blond hair appeared longer than what might be normal for this man, if his tidy clothes were any indication.

  His tanned britches were worn but clean, as was the blue shirt. His boots were dusty and looked to have seen many trail miles. A slight stubble on his cheeks and chin indicated that he’d probably last shaved the night before.