Music Of Her Heart Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Description

  Character List Music of Her Heart

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  A Note and Books by Sophie Dawson

  Chapter Sixteen

  Music of Her Heart

  Stones Creek

  Ladies of Sanctuary House #2

  Sophie Dawson

  ©2017 Sophie Dawson

  Cover Image © Fury Cover Designs

  ISBN: 978-1-63376-026-4

  Kindle Edition

  Dedication

  To my granddaughter. I love you.

  Acknowledgements

  Whenever I come to acknowledging those who helped with one of my books, I have a difficult time choosing. How does one give thanks and honor to all who took the journey of creation with me? I go over in my mind all those involved and try to think of those whom I haven't mentioned in the past. This time I'm going to acknowledge my dedicated team of editors and beta readers. They enthusiastically take my draft and pick it apart to find the flaws so I can make it better. They find the typos, poor grammar, and punctuation marking up the file with red ink. And so, I honor Carolyn, Joy, Linda, Ruth, Cindy, and Angie. Thank you so very much.

  Disclaimer

  This is a work of fiction. Most of the places within the story are fictitious, but some are real. You will most likely recognize those which are. Those you don't are made up by me. The people, unless you recognize the name of a real historical person, are not real. They, too, have been created by me or by my friend and author George McVey. This is true of Nugget Nate and Penny Ryder, who may or may not show up in this book. Even if real historical people are mentioned, their lives may or may not adhere strictly to documented historical reference. In other words, what they do or say has little bearing in fact and they probably didn't do or say it. This is a fictional story after all.

  All Scripture is quoted from the World English Bible.

  If you haven’t read how Chloe ended up at Sanctuary Place, here’s a link where you can get it for free. http://sophiessignup.weebly.com/ccfree.html

  DESCRIPTION

  Red Dickerson is shocked to see a young woman running through the woods in the freezing rain. He’d gone to the far end of Hawk’s Wing Ranch to think after his engagement was broken by the woman he planned to marry. Recognizing her as Gema Volkovichna, one of the women from Sanctuary House, he spurs his horse to go after her. Finding she’s escaped after being kidnapped by the infamous King Gang, he vows to keep her safe.

  Gema Volkovichna is one of the newest women to come to Sanctuary House in Stones Creek, Colorado. She came to find work and possibly a husband. When a spring blizzard forces them to spend three days alone in a line shack, there’s only one conclusion. She and Red must marry to salvage her reputation.

  Can Gema and Red learn to be husband and wife? Will love grow from this forced marriage? Will the King Gang return to reclaim what they lost? Can Red and Gema learn to dance together to the MUSIC of HER HEART?

  BookHip.com/ZZANRG

  CHARACTER LIST

  MUSIC OF HER HEART

  With the growth of Stones Creek and the many people who live there, I’ve decided a list of the main characters might be of interest and beneficial to the reader. Only the major characters are listed. This list includes those who appear in the Stones Creek Series and first book of Stones Creek Ladies of Sanctuary House Series. Children’s ages reflect their age at the end of the book.

  Sanctuary House Ladies and their children.

  Gema Volkovichna

  Blanche Basking

  Oswald Basking (Ozzie) - Blanche’s son (13)

  William Basking (Will) - Blanche’s son (11)

  Nancy Basking - Blanche’s daughter (8)

  John Basking - Blanche’s son (6)

  Laura Duffle -Engaged to Hank Johnson

  Edward Duffle (Eddie) - Laura’s son (9)

  Mark Duffle - Laura’s son (7)

  Ruth Naylor

  Kathryn Naylor - Ruth’s daughter (12)

  Cora Sepal

  Susan Sepal - Cora’s daughter (3)

  Libby Trembly

  Jack Tanner - Foster son to Libby (18 months)

  Arleta Tanner - Foster daughter to Libby (18 months)

  Other Main Characters

  Reddington Dickerson (Red) - Foreman of Hawk’s Wing Ranch

  Hawk Conner - Owner Hawk’s Wing Ranch

  Alberto Valdez - Head wrangler on Hawk’s Wing Ranch

  Juanita Valdez - Housekeeper on Hawk’s Wing Ranch Alberto’s wife

  Hank Johnson - Barber

  Noah Preston - Preacher, Gunsmith

  Flora Potter

  Sally Rife

  Nina - Sally’s daughter (3)

  Ada (14)

  Boone (12)

  Mae (10)

  Tadpole (8)

  Stones Creek residents

  Eli Steele - Doctor in Stones Creek

  Leah Steele - Wife to Eli

  Lincoln Pierce (Linc) - Foreman of Chasing R Ranch

  Elenora Pierce (Norie) - Linc’s wife, daughter of Wes Chase, owner of Chasing R Ranch

  Wesley Chase (Wes) - Owner of Chasing R Ranch, Norie’s father

  Ben Cutler - Owner of Cutler’s General Store

  Sara Cutler - Ben’s wife

  Seth Cutler - Son of Ben and Sara (11)

  Abigail Cutler (Abby) - Daughter of Ben and Sara (9)

  Clayton Cutler - Son of Ben and Sara (3)

  Newt Riverby - Sheriff

  Myra Riverby - Sheriff Newt’s wife

  Troy Hope - Myra’s son (5)

  McIlroy - Blacksmith

  Chloe McIlroy - Blacksmith’s wife

  Duncan Ashburn (Dunc) - Chloe’s Son (14)

  Penelope Ashburn (Lil-Pen) - Chloe’s daughter (5)

  Thomas Wilson - Ex-slave

  Almeda Wilson - Ex-slave, Thomas’s wife

  Spike Hunter - Head wrangler on Chasing R Ranch

  Doris Hunter - Housekeeper on Chasing R Ranch, Spike’s wife

  Vernie Preston - Noah Preston’s wife

  Nugget Nate Ryder - Uncle of Ben Cutler

  Penny Ryder - Nate’s wife

  Garfield Steele - Eli’s father

  Chalmers Jehosaphat Ritter (CJ) - Banker

  Arty Massot - Carpenter

  Forsyth Franklin Fredrick Farnsworth the Fourth (Four) - Lawyer

  CHAPTER ONE

  All she could hear was the blood pounding in her ears and the ragged intake and exhale of air as she ran. Gema Volkovichna didn’t look back. She just ran. She had to get away. That woman, Flora, had placed herself in danger for her. Gema wasn’t going to allow that to be wasted.

  She hadn’t a clue where she was going, just away. Away from the small cave that the group of outlaws was using as their hideout. Away from certain rape and abuse.

  Terror drove Gema on. She tripped, nearly falling. She wished the clouds would break so she could see the sun. She had no idea what direction she was running. Was she heading toward Stones Creek or away? Were the trees thinning? If she left the cover of the forest would they find her? Stones Creek was near where the land sloped up from plains to forested hills. Just past the edge of town, the woods began.

  If only she could get back to Stones Creek. Then she’d be safe. Or would she? She’d been kidnapped right from
the street in the middle of the day. Or rather the alley behind the hotel where she worked as a maid.

  Gema had left the hotel by the back door to go have her midday meal at Sanctuary House where she lived. She hadn’t been in the Colorado town long. Only since January. It was now late-March.

  As she walked behind the hotel, Gema was grabbed from behind and flung over the back of a horse. Whoever was holding her across the saddle kicked the horse into a gallop before she could even try to scream. The saddle horn dug into her hip. It wasn’t long before the pins of her hat were lost and it fell to the ground. Gema hadn’t a clue how far they traveled. She might have even fainted for a while.

  When the horse was brought to a halt, Gema was dumped to the ground. Her blonde hair was streaming around her face and shoulders, the pins having long past lost their grip on the blonde strands. She looked up from her crouch on the ground and saw men leering down at her. Grins that spoke of their intent stole her breath.

  “Please, let me go.” Gema knew they wouldn’t understand her words. She’d spoken in her native Russian. Her fear made the use of English impossible.

  “Well, girly, I ain’t got no clue abouts what you’re sayin’, an’ I don’t rightly care. You’re a fine lookin’ piece, I must say. Nice ’n trim. You’ll do us mighty fine.” The man was dirty and missing several teeth. His beat-up cap sat low over his forehead. Another man stood next to him. Licking his lips. Two more were securing the horses to brush nearby.

  Gema looked around, frantically searching for a place to run. She backed up. A rock cliff rose behind, stopping her retreat. What was she going to do? Lord, help me. Please don’t let them… She couldn’t even think the words.

  “What have you done now?” Gema turned toward the sound of a woman’s voice. A large boned woman in ratty clothing stood with her hands on her hips in the opening to a dark cave.

  “We done brought us another woman. She’ll take up what Prue used to do. Maybe some of Roda’s tasks too, now that they’s both dead,” the man said.

  Another woman came to stand behind the first. “No, Ornan. You have to take her back. They’ll come after us for sure. What are we gonna do iffen we have to hightail it outta here? We’ve still got sick young’uns.”

  More faces began appearing behind the women. Several children and young teens. All were thin, dressed in ragged garments, and several had faces covered in a red rash. Gema knew what that was. She’d been ill for nearly three weeks. Measles. The epidemic swept through Stones Creek beginning in late February. Several adults and children, including a woman living in Sanctuary House, died. The town was still recovering from the losses.

  “Don’t rightly care just now. I got me a new woman, and I’m fixin’ on trying her out.” The man, Ornan, took a step toward Gema.

  “Nyet.” Gema jumped up and began running. He caught her within four steps. She began swinging her fists, clipping him on the jaw.

  Ornan smacked her across the cheek. “You’ll learn to do as you’re told.”

  “Ornan,” the woman said. She strode to where they stood and jerked his hand from Gema’s arm. “Can’t you see she’s scared to death? She might not even be able to understand what you say. She’s speakin’ some foreign language. If you take her now, she’ll not accept her lot. She’ll fight you, and you’ll never be able to turn your back on her.

  “Remember Edna? You all took her too soon, and she nearly killed Phil over there.” She pointed at another man. There was a jagged scar running down his face. “She stabbed Fred, too. Then, you all beat her and left her. Fat lot of good it did you to grab her and use her right away.”

  Ornan studied Gema. She flinched back when he reached out. “You gotta point.” He looked at the other men. “How about we wait a couple of days. Three at most. Get her used to being here. Then, we’ll make sure she understands her place real well.”

  There were grumbles, but the men were nodding as they did so.

  Ornan grabbed Gema’s arm again and jerked her to him. He landed a sour-breathed kiss on her mouth, then shoved her toward the woman. “That’s just a sweet taste for your pleasure. I’ll get mine later.” He looked at the woman who stared back at him. “Take her into the cave. We men got us some planning to do.” He turned and walked back to the men. They moved to a grouping of logs set around a fire pit.

  “Come.” The woman motioned to Gema who glanced back at the men, then followed her into the cave.

  The space was large enough not to be crowded. There were three fire pits. Pallets were scattered around with blankets. A few had pillows. Saddle bags, food, and other supplies were in piles. There was a water barrel near the entrance. Nothing was clean or efficiently arranged. And the place smelled. Urine, feces, and vomit fought for dominance.

  From the dim light of the fires, Gema could see a couple of children lying on pallets. The ones who had come to the cave opening retreated to lie down on others.

  “I’m Flora,” the woman said. “What’s your name? Can you understand me?”

  “Gema. I, Gema.” The words were said barely above a whisper. She couldn’t force more strength into them.

  “Come and sit.” Flora led her to a log near the fire. She went to the water barrel and dipped the ladle in, then brought it to Gema. “Drink.”

  Gema obeyed the command.

  “Where’d they steal you from?”

  “Stones Creek.”

  Flora swore. “Them idiots. They had to go to a town that has a sheriff who knows what he’s doin’.” She began pacing.

  Another woman approached and held out a piece of dried meat and a tin cup with beans. Gema took them and spooned some beans into her mouth. They were tasteless, but she knew she had to eat.

  “I’m Sally.” She placed a cup of coffee next to Gema. She moved away and crouched down on the other side of the fire.

  Someone started coughing. Sally moved to a pallet and picked up a small child whose long hair seemed to indicate it was a girl. When she came back to the fire, Gema could see that the little one had the measles. She was small and thin, with a dirty face covered in a red rash. Her eyes were swollen and watery.

  Another child, a boy somewhat older came over and sat next to Sally. He leaned against her. He looked to be about eight. In the firelight, Gema couldn’t tell whether he was coming down with the measles or recovering. The rash on his face was lighter than on the girl’s.

  Flora paced back and stood in front of Gema. “You’re going to leave. I’m not sure how, but you aren’t staying here. I’m not going to be party to another woman’s abuse by the likes of these men.

  “When Lloyd was leader, he put a stop to the kidnappings. He’s dead. Ornan started them up again.” She looked over Gema’s shoulder, focusing on the wall behind her. “Chloe got out. I thought she’d died back in Minnesota where we abandoned her. I felt just awful when Buster King did that. She was so close to giving birth.” Flora turned her gaze onto Gema again. “I didn’t know she was still alive until I heard Buster say she was living in Stones Creek. That give me hope. Hope that maybe someday I can get out.”

  Flora squatted down and looked Gema in the eye. “I’m gonna do whatever it takes to give you the chance to get outta here. You’re gonna take it, you hear? You’re gonna grab the chance and run as fast and far as you can. Don’t think about any of us. We know what to do. How to live.”

  Sally came over and placed a hand on Flora’s shoulder. “What are you gonna do?”

  Flora looked up. “What do you think? I’m gonna give them a distraction so Gema, here, can get away.”

  Gema found her voice, words in English. “What kind distraction?”

  “Only two things will draw their attention, and the first will just point them back to you. So I’ll get ‘em good and drunk.” Flora stood and marched over to a pile of supplies and pulled out several jugs. She came back, looked at Gema, then Sally. “You be sure to get her out of here.”

  ~~~~~

  Red Dickerson rode Ralph up th
e hill into the forest. He’d been on the far end of the ranch for several weeks, ever since his betrothal to Laura Duffle had ended. The owner, Hawk Connor, had given him permission to come up to the line shack and look for stray cows and calves even though he was the foreman of Hawk’s Wing Ranch.

  He’d also tasked Red with keeping an eye out for the gang of outlaws who were terrorizing the region. The leader, Buster King, and his brother had been captured late last year when they attempted to kidnap one of the House Ladies from the café where she worked. Since then, the rest of the gang had killed a settler and burned the homestead and barn. So far, they’d proven elusive. This remote area had several caves and plenty of water from the streams that ran down from the mountains.

  Red was living in the shack and riding the hills and plains daily. He was doing a lot of thinking too. He’d messed up with Laura, and she’d given him the mitten. He wasn’t that upset as they’d truly only been friends.

  What bothered him more was that he now had to figure out where and how to find another woman he could be interested in enough to marry. He’d already eliminated each of the women of Sanctuary House.

  Last summer eight women and their children had come to Stones Creek to live in the house Nugget Nate Ryder, the millionaire mountain man, had built. He had a mission for women in need back in Iowa called Sanctuary Place. Red had heard the stories of Nate having Callings from God to go to specific places. There, he found women who had fallen into hard times of their own making or that were thrust upon them. They were supported and given schooling, training, and especially the message that God so loved them that He gave His only Son for them.

  With the dire shortage of women in the West, Nate built Sanctuary House so the women of his mission could move to Stones Creek with the possibility of finding husbands. To safeguard the women and their children, Nate gave four town leaders the obligation of approving each man before he could court one of the women. Only three of the original women were still unmarried.