The ranchers silent love.., p.1
The Rancher's Silent Love: A Historical Western Romance Novel, page 1
The Rancher's Silent Love
A WESTERN ROMANCE NOVEL
LESLIE HALES
Copyright © 2024 by Leslie Hales
All Rights Reserved.
This book may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the publisher.
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Rancher's Silent Love
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
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
The Nurse's Christmas Vow
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Free Exclusive Gift
Sign up for my mailing list to be notified of brand new releases and get my latest Full-Length Novel “Loving a Brave Heart” (available only to my subscribers) for FREE!
Click the link or enter it into your browser
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/j3jv65a1an
The Rancher's Silent Love
Introduction
In the rugged landscapes of the West, Grace Young, a resilient nineteen-year-old woman, seeks refuge from a past tragedy that left her mute. Fleeing a menacing arranged marriage, she answers a mail-order bride ad, finding solace in the arms of a handsome rancher haunted by his own heartbreak. As Grace navigates the challenges of her new life, her heart must face unforeseen perils as secrets and external threats converge, forcing her to confront not only her past but also the shadows that threaten to destroy her newfound happiness…
Can her resilient spirit withstand the trials of the unforgiving frontier?
Samuel Turner, a rugged and determined rancher with dreams as vast as the Western sky, finds himself at a crossroads. With a family ultimatum hanging over him like a storm cloud, Samuel enters a pragmatic marriage of convenience with Grace, a woman who, despite her inability to speak, speaks volumes with her resilience and quiet strength to his heart. As their connection deepens, Samuel grapples with the shadows of his own past, haunted by a lost love that shattered his heart.
Can he overcome the ghosts of his past and embrace the love unfolding in the present?
In a tale woven with threads of courage and passion, Grace and Samuel face not only the harsh elements of the Wild West but also the relentless pursuit of a vengeful man determined to claim Grace and the wealth that comes with her. As their love story unfolds against the backdrop of danger and deception, can they confront their deepest fears, and forge a bond that goes beyond the spoken word or will their blossoming feelings be silenced in eternity?
Chapter 1
Grace Young did her best to ignore the whispers and invasive stares that followed her as she perused the fresh fish at the market. The air was thick with the salty scent of the bay, and the smell of the catch that the fishermen had brought in that morning.
Her sister Amy was clutching Grace’s hand. Amy’s small hand was warm in hers, and it felt like an anchor mooring her to her joy. All around them, people craned their necks to look at her, and their whispers stung her skin like the pinpricks of salt spray from the waves. It was unpleasant, but as long as she had Amy by her side, she could ignore their nasty glances.
“Do you think Papa will enjoy this mackerel for dinner?” Amy asked, gesturing at the fish.
The fishmonger’s eyes widened eagerly as he rushed forward to greet them. He was a large man with a dirty apron who smelled strongly of dead fish. “This here was caught just this morning, miss. It’s the finest in the bay!”
His eyes were fixed on Amy, even though Grace was obviously the older sister and had a money purse tied to her belt. It didn’t matter. People always preferred to talk to Amy. Grace used the fishmonger’s inattentiveness to study the fish.
The fish’s eyes were cloudy, a sure sign that it wasn’t fresh. The fishmonger was likely trying to get rid of his old stock before the fresh fish was brought in for the day. An older couple paused at the table and looked over the fish. He held up his hand to tell them to wait as he stared at Amy intently. The couple looked at each other before shaking their heads and walking on.
“It does look awfully good.” Amy bit her bottom lip as she studied the fish.
Her eyes flitted to Grace for permission. The fishmonger cringed slightly when he looked up and saw Grace’s sharp green eyes studying his face. He looked back to Amy, his eyes boring holes into the side of the girl’s head.
Grace shook her head. She lifted her hands and signed two words. “No good.”
Amy nodded sagely and shook her head at the fishmonger. “No, thank you.”
“What?” The fishmonger threw his hands in the air. “What’s wrong with my fish? You won’t find any finer fish around here, let me assure you.” He grabbed a piece of newspaper and wrapped up the slimy fish. “Go on, take it.”
Amy shook her head profusely and took a step back. As she moved, her hand slipped out of Grace’s. The warmth of her sister’s hand was replaced with cold. An uncomfortable feeling ran down her back and she watched the fishmonger warily.
Amy’s head only reached halfway up Grace’s shoulder. She was small for her age and looked more like ten years old than her actual age of thirteen. Amy had a porcelain face and unblemished skin that made her face look radiant.
She was a pretty little thing, but she was also soft-spoken. This made her an easy target for bullies.
“Take the fish,” The fishmonger insisted. “Go on. Take it. You wasted my time when I could have been selling this to someone else. You owe me this.”
“I’m sorry,” Amy stammered as she tried to back away. “I never meant to waste your time, sir.”
The fish market was full, and several people turned to look at them, which only made Amy’s stutter worse.
Grace pursed her lips and stepped in between her sister and the fishmonger. She firmly pushed the stinking fish away and put her hands on her hips as she glared at the fishmonger.
“What are you going to do?” The fishmonger snorted. “Everyone around here knows you’re simple-minded. Why don’t you go back to the hole you crawled out of? It isn’t right, letting you be among us able-bodied folks.”
Grace ignored his hateful words and turned to her sister. She held out her hand for Amy to take. Amy quickly grabbed Grace’s hand.
“Let’s go, Gracie.” Amy’s voice trembled as they backed away.
“Just because your daddy’s got money doesn’t mean you can treat people like this!” The fishmonger’s voice rose, and his face became red. “You need a lesson on how to treat people.”
He advanced menacingly on them, but Grace simply turned around and ushered Amy away. She clenched her basket in her hands and held her head high, even though tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. It seemed that everyone in the market was staring at her. The small scar extending from the middle of her throat to the base of her neck felt like it was burning.
For a moment, Grace thought that would be the end of the matter. Then she felt something hit the back of her skirt. She turned around and saw the fishmonger grinning evilly at her. Some of his teeth were blackened and missing. There was a crumpled-up ball of newspaper in his hand. A sick feeling settled at the bottom of her stomach and she glanced down to spot putrid fish guts sliding down her dress.
The rotten fish was already lying on the floor, and a large fatty spot marked where it had landed on the fine material of her skirt. A heavy grunt escaped her lips, and her cheeks became inflamed.
“Oh, Gracie…” Amy’s eyes were wide and she covered her mouth with her hands.
Grace swallowed the lump in her throat and quickly pulled Amy back toward the road. They walked at a brisk pace, keeping their heads low as the fishmonger roared with laughter. Amy sniffled sadly as they walked, and she kept squeezing Grace’s hand lovingly.
The humiliation of the encounter burned Grace’s skin, and she felt the familiar tide of frustration well up inside of her. It was something she had felt regularly, ever since the fateful day she forever lost the use of her voice.
Her mind was still sharp, but there was no way for her to adequately express what she was feeling. She kept her calm demeanor as they approached their house. It was a lovely two-story building located on a nice street. Their neighbors were doctors, lawyers, and bankers.
Their father, Howard Young, was a well-to-do banker who kept his family in comfort. Like his father before him, he had risen through the ranks until he hardl
As the girls passed their neighbors, most of them averted their eyes. No one ever stopped to greet Grace or talk to her. That had all stopped around the time of the accident.
Even though Grace’s father could keep her in fine attire, and she didn’t have to work for a living, no one was jealous of Grace’s situation. When people saw her on the street, they always looked at her with a mixture of disdain and pity. Realistically, Grace knew it was impossible that everyone who saw her knew about her condition, but she felt as though it was written on her forehead.
As the sisters reached the front gate, Grace turned to Amy and gave her a stern look. She signed a few words while maintaining her expression. “Don’t tell our parents.”
Amy shook her head firmly. “Papa would want to know. He would give that fishmonger a piece of his mind! Besides, we promised we would get fish for dinner. Harriet didn’t get anything else for dinner.”
Grace stood her ground. She tilted her head slightly and pursed her lips. “No. They will worry. You know how they are.”
Amy focused on Grace’s hands. She knew Grace hated it when people looked away while she was signing. Ever since Amy was six, she had been learning sign language to communicate effectively with her sister. Although their parents had also been learning for the past seven years, Amy was the most proficient at reading Grace’s signs.
“They mean well.” Amy’s shoulders slumped, but she didn’t argue any further. She knew better than to try and change Grace’s mind about something. “What about your dress?”
“I’ll go in through the back. It’s not dinner yet. I have time to change, then I’ll meet you downstairs.” Grace gave Amy a reassuring smile and put her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “You did well.”
Amy’s bottom lip trembled. “I hate the way they treat you, Gracie. It’s not fair! I wish I had thrown that fish back at that horrible man.”
Grace shook her head profusely. “No. You would have made it worse.” She wouldn’t be able to keep her tears in for much longer, so she gave her sister one more smile before darting into the garden and running into the house.
Grace was able to avoid her parents and the staff as she made her way to her bedroom. As soon as the door was closed, she ripped her dress off and threw it into the corner. Then she dropped onto her bed and released the floodgate of emotions that had been building up in her ever since she left the market.
Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. If she had been able to, she would have wailed into her pillow. Instead, her despair escaped her lips as grunts and groans, and she was aware that she sounded like a wounded animal. When her cries eventually subsided, she turned on her back and stared at her ceiling.
All around her, books stared at her from their place on the shelves her father had installed for her when she was around thirteen. Her books as her most prized possessions. They transported her to worlds where she was more than simply an object of pity.
I’m sick of it! I’m tired of being pitied. Why don’t they see me as something more than a mute? Grace thought to herself.
She dreamed of a life where she could soar as high as her dreams would let her. Grace was competent, and she yearned for a chance to prove it.
A soft knock sounded at the door, and she leaped to her feet. She hurried over to the door and knocked back twice. It was her signal to inform the person on the other side that she wanted some privacy.
“Alright, doll,” Harriet’s cheerful voice came from the other side of the door.
“Your mama wanted me to tell you that I’m making chicken pie for dinner. Her friend Nancy brought over some fresh farm produce today. There was a fat chicken in there with the rest. She said not to worry about the fish. Dinner will be at six as usual. Oh, and watch out! Nancy’s nephew is visiting. Your mama’s probably going to arrange an introduction. She’s already hearing wedding bells.”
Grace shuddered with dread. She wished she could get out of going to dinner, but that wouldn’t be an option. Instead, she quickly got dressed and washed her face with the water on her vanity table.
About an hour later, she descended the stairs in a new dress and a pleasant expression. After losing her voice, Grace had spent a lot of time mastering the ability to conceal her emotions behind a pleasant mask.
“Well, I told you that dress would make you look as pretty as a peach.” Marian Young grinned widely at her daughter as Grace entered the dining room.
Grace was wearing a light-yellow dress with sleeves that came down to her forearms. It had a scooped neckline that showed off her collarbones and had pretty daisies embroidered in the hem.
“Thank you, Mama,” Grace signed before sitting down.
“How was the market? You seemed so excited to go.”
Grace ducked her head. She could feel her mother’s gaze drilling into the side of her head. Ever since the accident, her mama had been on constant guard to protect Grace. It made Grace feel like she was a fragile vase in need of continuous supervision. How could she see herself as anything other than a victim, if her mama kept treating her like one?
“It was fine. There was no good fish. They were all rotten,” Grace signed while keeping her eyes downcast.
Marian didn’t say anything, but Grace sensed her disapproval. Sometimes it felt like her mama wouldn’t be happy until she could climb in Grace’s head and read all of her thoughts.
“I saw Nancy today. She was telling me how her nephew, Michael Warren, has returned to the city.” Grace could tell that her mama was trying to keep her tone casual, but it wasn’t working.
Grace swallowed heavily. She knew all about Michael Warren. A few weeks previously, she had seen the brute outside of Nancy’s house. He had been shouting at a servant while thrashing a horse with a whip. It had been a terrifying sight, and she had decided not to talk about it.
“Michael is no good. He’s cruel,” Grace signed quickly, hoping her mother would see the terror on her face.
“Oh, honey.” Marian shook her head. “That’s what you said about that perfectly nice lawyer.”
A few months prior, her parents had tried to set her up with a lawyer. Grace had tried everything to stop her father from approaching the lawyer, but he had gone ahead with the proposal. Of course, the lawyer had declined, and Grace had been left humiliated. She had known what the outcome would be, but her parents seemed oblivious to her feelings.
They seemed to think that if Grace got married, then that would solve all of her problems.
As Grace was about to continue, the door swung open. Amy walked in with their father, who was beaming.
“Guess what, darling?” He walked over to Grace and kissed her on the forehead. “I went to talk to Mr. Warren today.”
Grace went cold and looked up at him with wide eyes.
“He’s agreed to court you!” Howard clapped his hands as if it was the happiest news in the world. Marian gasped and jumped to her feet.
Meanwhile, Amy was the only one who was watching to see Grace’s reaction. Grace stood up so quickly that her chair scraped the floor as it was pushed back. Her parents looked at her in shock, but she fled the room before they could see her distress.
