Emma: Bride of Kentucky (American Mail-Order Bride 15) Read online

  “Thank you,” he said and wrapped his hands around the hot mug.

  He sat at the table. Emma joined him and waited.

  “The Three Elms is in ruin,” he finally said. He raised his head to look at her from across the table. “Most of the barns are destroyed, and all the outbuildings. Fences are down, and it’ll take them days to round up all the horses that got loose.”

  “Gus? Millie?” Emma croaked.

  “They’re fine. They were able to take shelter with the others in the storm cellar. The estate is damaged, but it’s still standing. David Benton is missing.”

  Emma’s hand flew to her mouth. “Missing?”

  “No one knows where he went. Mrs. Benton is beside herself. It was too dark to continue searching for him.”

  Emma nodded. As ruthless as David was, she didn’t wish this on him, or anyone.

  Sam took a sip of his coffee, then stared at her. When he reached his hand out she grabbed it. He squeezed hers tightly.

  “I found Dusty,” he said slowly. “He was caught up between some downed trees. His legs are pretty bad.”

  “Sam,” Emma whispered. Her hold on his hand tightened.

  “Gus told me he was already lame. Apparently, Lonnie worked him over a wet track the other day, and he wasn’t completely sound to begin with. He slipped in the mud and fell.”

  Sam visibly clenched his jaw. “I made Lizette Benton an offer on him. She sold him to me for two thousand dollars, after I convinced her I had the money. She figured he was worthless anyway, being lame, so she agreed, as long as I bring her the money tomorrow.” His stare from across the table intensified. “I’m sorry, Emma. I couldn’t leave him there. I’m sorry I spent your money.”

  Emma sprang from her seat and crossed to his side of the table. She leaned down and wrapped her arms around her husband.

  “I would have been upset with you, Sam Hawley, if you hadn’t bought that horse,” she said in a stern voice. “Even if he’ll never run again. But knowing you, you’ll bring him back, and he’ll be the champion you know he can be.”

  Sam stood, then pulled her into his arms. “I’ve never spent money I didn’t have.”

  She shook her head. “It’s your money, Sam. Ours. We’re in this together. Just as I’m growing fond of not having money, perhaps you should grow fond of the fact that you had the means to save this horse.”

  She stared up at him, willing him to understand and see her side. “Dusty and his dam, if you want to buy her, too, will be the start of the finest racing and breeding establishment this state has ever seen.”

  Emma smiled through her tears.

  “Are you sure that’s what you want?” Sam’s hold around her tightened.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face closer to hers, kissing him with all the love in her heart. After today, he would never doubt her again.

  “I love you, Sam Hawley. I’m your Bride of Kentucky. Of course it’s what I want.”

  Epilogue

  One Year Later…

  “Congratulations, Cousin.”

  Sam accepted a hearty handshake from his cousin, Trace, then he turned and pulled Emma into a tight embrace.

  “Looks like the Derby is becoming a family tradition,” she beamed, smiling from him to Trace. “I’m so glad you could be here to celebrate with us.”

  Trace Hawley grinned. “I just wish I had brought Katie. She would have loved to meet you, but she has her hands full at home with the little ones. It’s just a stroke of luck that I came to Kentucky, looking for some mares to buy. I had no idea that my little cousin had a horse entered in the Derby.”

  “Maybe we’ll make it up to Montana someday and take a look at the kind of horses you’re breeding up there.” Sam winked at his cousin.

  “My horses will give your bluebloods a run for their money any day,” Trace shot back. “But I will say, I doubt any horse could have beaten Dusty today.”

  “He’s always been a champion, but Sam’s the one who trained him how to run.” Emma wrapped her arms more fully around his neck, and Sam kissed her in front of the crowd of well-wishers that surrounded them.

  “I’m personally looking forward to getting back to your place,” Trace said with a grin. “I’ve enjoyed Millie’s cooking over the last few days. I heard win or lose, she was putting on quite a spread for tonight.”

  “If she has her way, no one’s going to leave the farm with any complaints of not getting enough to eat.”

  Sam set Emma down, but held tight to her hand. With Trace leading the way to make room for them to get through the crowd, they headed for the winner’s circle. Together, he and Emma accepted the winner’s trophy, and she was presented with a large bouquet of red roses.

  “Someone should make a blanket of roses for the winning horse,” she whispered to Sam. “I certainly don’t deserve these. Dusty did all the work.”

  “Maybe you can suggest it, and it’ll become tradition someday.” Sam winked at her.

  Holding her hand, he led Dusty out of the winner’s circle and back to the barns. Trace stopped to talk to someone who remembered him from several years ago, when he’d been in the winner’s circle with his Montana-bred Derby winner.

  Sam handed the colt over to his groom. He pulled Emma aside and held her tight. “Have I told you lately that I’m the luckiest man in the state of Kentucky?”

  Emma smiled up at him. Unlike the other fine ladies who attended the races, and this race in particular, she’d chosen not to wear a stylish hat. In fact, her plain, home-sewn clothes had been frowned upon by the Kentucky elite.

  “You’re going to get all the ladies talking, Mrs. Hawley, that I don’t provide for my wife.”

  “You provide for me just fine,” she whispered, and leaned in for a kiss. “The fine ladies of the establishment have no idea how well you provide for me.”

  Sam’s insides heated. He’d never get tired of his wife’s teasing. In the year since they’d married, he’d become more accepting of having some money to spend, which had all gone back into the horses. Not once had she ever complained that she didn’t own the latest fashions or that she lacked in other amenities.

  After the devastation of the tornado, Sam had managed to purchase a small farm with the money Emma’s father had given her. She’d insisted on it, and had worked right alongside him to rebuild the damaged barns, pastures, and the modest house. They’d both agreed that their venture would always remain small, and they’d only keep enough animals that they could comfortably manage.

  Gus and Millie had finally tied the knot, and now lived on Sam and Emma’s property. Gus managed the business end of the operation, while Millie continued to teach Emma the fineries of cooking.

  Although she hadn’t seen her father, Emma had been corresponding with him over the last year. She didn’t talk about him too much, and although she hadn’t completely forgiven him about what he’d done to her and her mother, at least they were keeping in touch.

  David Benton had never been found. Speculation was that he’d been caught in the tornado and his body had been swept away by the forces of nature. Lizette Benton hadn’t recovered from the loss of her son and the ruin of her estate. She’d become a recluse, and no one ever saw her.

  “Our racing barn is well on its way, Mrs. Hawley, and with Dusty, we’ll start a nice little breeding farm, too.”

  “That’s not the only breeding operation that’s well underway.” She blushed visibly.

  Sam’s brows furrowed. He stared at her, then he smiled broadly and lifted her in a tight embrace.

  “I love you, Emma Hawley.”

  “And I love you, Sam Hawley. I can’t believe that a year ago I came to Kentucky without a penny to my name, and now I’m the richest woman in the entire state.”

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  If you enjoyed reading this book, there are 49 more in the series! Find out about the rest of
the American Mail-Order Brides here http://www.newwesternromance.com

  To specifically read about Willow, Rose, and Gillian, Emma’s friends, their stories can be found under the following titles:

  Willow, Bride of Pennsylvania

  Rose, Bride of Colorado

  Gillian, Bride of Maine

  Dear Reader

  I hope you enjoyed reading Emma, Bride of Kentucky (Book 15 in the American Mail-Order Brides Series) as much as I enjoyed writing it. While my usual setting for my romances is the wilds of the Montana and Wyoming Rockies, I’ve had fun writing a romance set somewhere slightly different.

  I write about mountain men and fur trappers, and the women who were brave enough to forge a life in the harsh wilderness of the 1800’s before the area - what is today considered the Greater Yellowstone Area - was settled. I’ve also taken my characters on adventures along the Oregon Trail, and enjoy settings on Montana ranches, with rugged cowboys.

  I couldn’t resist bringing a character from one of my other books into Emma’s story for a very minor role. To read Trace Hawley’s story, it is the first in my Blemished Brides Series, called IN HIS EYES.

  My readers will also find one or two other “easter eggs” in this book.

  When I was first asked to join in this 50-book project, I was hoping to get Montana or Wyoming as my state for my bride, but those were already snatched up. I picked Kentucky, because I used to be a big horseracing fan as a teenager and in my early twenties. I used to dream of owning my own beautiful thoroughbred farm in Bluegrass Country before I discovered Yellowstone. My first horse was an off-track thoroughbred, and I’ve since owned and retrained several former racehorses.

  I no longer follow the sport as much as I used to, but there are few things more exhilarating or beautiful than watching horses run through green pastures.

  Kentucky has been a major state for horse breeding and racing, tracing its traditions back to the late 18th century. The Bluegrass Region has always been noted as an area producing superior racehorses, due to the mineral content in the soil.

  The Kentucky Derby is one of the most famous horse races in the world, and takes place on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The first Kentucky Derby race was held on May 17, 1875 in front of a crowd of 10,000 people.

  The Derby was dubbed "The Run for the Roses" in 1925 by a New York Sports columnist because a blanket of 554 roses is draped over the Derby winner in the winner’s circle each year. This tradition is thought to have started when roses were presented to the ladies at a post-Derby party in 1883. The roses created such a sensation with the ladies that the track president decided to feature the rose as the official flower for the 1884 Kentucky Derby. The first account of roses actually draped over the winning horse came in 1896.

  As always, my thanks goes out to my editor, Barbara Ouradnik, and my cover designer, Collin Henderson.

  For a full list of my other western historical romances and western time travel romances, please visit my Amazon Author Page

  Blemished Brides Western Historical Romance:

  In His Eyes

  In His Touch

  In His Arms

  Yellowstone Romance Series:

  (in recommended reading order)

  Yellowstone Heart Song

  A Yellowstone Christmas (novella)

  Yellowstone Redemption

  Yellowstone Homecoming (novella)

  Yellowstone Awakening

  Yellowstone Dawn

  A Yellowstone Season of Giving (short Story)

  Yellowstone Deception

  A Yellowstone Promise (novella)

  Yellowstone Origins

  Second Chances Time Travel Romance Series

  Come Home to Me

  Ain’t No Angel

  Diamond in the Dust

  Teton Romance Trilogy

  Teton Sunrise

  Teton Splendor

  Teton Sunset

  Find out more about me and my stories here:

  www.peggylhenderson.com

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  I’m always happy to hear from my readers. Tell me what you liked, or didn’t like in the story. I can be reached via email here: [email protected]