Tame A Honeymoon Heart: Tame Series, #4

By Cynthia Woolf

Duncan McKenzie has been promising his wife, Catherine, a honeymoon. When a mysterious letter forces Duncan to make a trip to Chicago, he decides to combine a honeymoon with the trip. He doesn't tell Catherine about his devious plan, but he also doesn't know that Catherine has a few secrets of her own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Firehouse Publishing
• Release date: Oct 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781938887598

Cynthia Woolf

Cynthia Woolf is the award winning and best-selling author of twelve historical western romance books and two short stories with more books on the way. She was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends. Their closest neighbor was about one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006. Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time. Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia’s father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy not a bounty hunter and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now) not the ranch owner.   Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she's made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.   TITLES AVAILABLE   NELLIE – The Brides of San Francisco 1 ANNIE – The Brides of San Francisco 2 CORA – The Brides of San Francisco 3 JAKE (Book 1, Destiny in Deadwood series) LIAM (Book 2, Destiny in Deadwood series) ZACH (Book 3, Destiny in Deadwood series)     CAPITAL BRIDE (Book 1, Matchmaker & Co. series) HEIRESS BRIDE (Book 2, Matchmaker & Co. series) FIERY BRIDE (Book 3, Matchmaker & Co. series) TAME A WILD HEART (Book 1, Tame series) TAME A WILD WIND (Book 2, Tame series) TAME A WILD BRIDE (Book 3, Tame series) TAME A SUMMER HEART (short story, Tame series)     WEBSITE – www.cynthiawoolf.com   NEWSLETTER - http://bit.ly/1qBWhFQ    

Book preview

Wheel

CHAPTER 1

May 1, 1893

Creede, Colorado

It arrived without any fanfare. A simple white envelope addressed to Duncan McKenzie, Creede, Colorado.

Duncan tore it open. By the time he was finished reading the message, he was both excited and angry. Mostly he wondered what he was going to do about the news and how he would tell Cat.

He put the letter back in the envelope, shoved the envelope in his pocket and picked up The Evening Post newspaper from Denver. It was a week old but the news was still new to him.

A big headline, splashed across the front of the paper said, World’s Fair Hits Chicago. Under it in smaller letters was the announcement that Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show would also be in Chicago at the same time.

He folded the newspaper, put it under his arm and walked the short distance to the telegraph office. His mind made up in a fraction of an instant, he sent three telegrams.

The first was to the sender of the letter. Will arrive Chicago 6/20 for further conversation ~ Duncan McKenzie

The second one was to the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago reserving a room for June fifteenth through June thirtieth.

The third was to William F. Cody, Buffalo Bill, requesting to see his old friend while he was in Chicago.

He and Cat wanted to show their horses to potential buyers and this would be as good a time as any. Lots of buyers, lots of potential for future contacts. He touched his pocket and the letter crinkled under his hand, the sound reminding him of its contents. The man who’d signed the letter indicated there was a stud in Kentucky that Duncan had inherited. He would meet the man in Chicago to discuss the particulars.

The venue at the World’s Fair would be the biggest this side of the Mississippi River, and the perfect reason to justify going to show their horses. Plus with Bill Cody there, Duncan could reacquaint himself with him and perhaps sell him a horse or two. They wouldn’t be used for breeding, but would be the best horses in the Wild West show.

Suddenly he was in a hurry to get home and tell Cat. What he would tell her he wasn’t sure.

Wheel

The next morning, at the breakfast table, he put his plan in motion.

Catherine poured him a cup of coffee, set it in front of him and then returned to the stove. She had skillets of bacon, sausage and ham all frying. She wore a white apron with ruffles around the hem and the arm holes. Alice, her stepmother, had made it for Catherine to protect her buckskin shirt and pants from the spattering grease while cooking.

Catherine had put her long red hair in a single plait down her back so it would stay out of the way. After breakfast she had her regular chores to do, which included mucking stalls, and Cat wasn’t about to do that in a dress. Besides, she was used to her pants and Duncan didn’t mind. No one did. It was as normal to see her in pants as it was to see Duncan in all black clothes. They were comfortable and comfort and function was all they cared about.

The ranch stove in front of her was a huge one with six burners and, by the time breakfast was finished cooking, there would be something on every one. Between the four of them in his family, Bridget, the housekeeper plus ten wranglers, Catherine cooked for fifteen at every meal. It was a daunting task for someone who had just learned to cook five years ago. She had made remarkable progress since then, and Duncan thanked his mother-in-law everyday for making the effort to teach Catherine after she and Duncan married.

Get ready to pack our bags, said Duncan.

Where are we going?

To the Chicago World’s Fair. We’re taking Royal and King George to show to a buyer and I thought we’d combine that with a honeymoon.

She swung around to face him, spatula in hand, You can’t do that.

Do what?

Sell King George.

He saw her turmoil, and hated putting her through this, but it was necessary, for now.

He’s our bread and butter! He’s, he’s, you just can’t.

Duncan put his coffee down and tried to keep his voice level, knowing how hard this would be for her. He’s past his prime, Cat. If we can sell him, we need to. We raise the finest cutting horses in the country. They’re half Arabian, half Thoroughbred and there are none better. We can use the money that he brings to buy some new colts. Keep our bloodlines clean and fresh.

Then we can’t be going on a honeymoon, she snapped. We can’t afford it.

We can. The money from the stallions is not required for our operations. That’s why we’ll be able to buy the extra horseflesh. Besides, I promised you a honeymoon. We’re going to have one. I’ve wired the Palmer House and we have reservations for June fifteenth through the thirtieth.

She worried her lip, and started wielding a spatula like a sword. It’s too far away and for too long. What about the kids? We can’t just leave them.

He’d been prepared for this argument. "The kids will be fine with James and Alice. Lizzie’s weaned and almost two. She eats everything everyone else does and only wears a diaper at night. Ian is old enough to mind as well as be helpful to his grandparents. You know