CHAPTER ONE
Silver Falls, Oregon 1872
"Oh, it's just lovely!"
Kate Stafford looked around in delight as she stepped down from the wagon. She lifted her skirts and bounded quite improperly down the hillside and through the overgrown grass, toward the white two-story ranch house. On the wraparound porch, her leather soles creaked on the wood planking, as she hurried toward the front door, unlocked it and pushed the door wide. She walked through the foyer, past the staircase landing, where off to the left she found the living room. She paused, her gaze sweeping the dusty regions of relic.
Absently, her fingers touched the brooch ornamenting the modest neckline of her blue dress. Her heart thumped almost painfully against her chest knowing how proud her daddy would be that she and her sister Priscilla had continued their journey to this ranch. As she walked around staring in awe, pride flowed through her.
The large room was accented with many wild patterns striped wallpaper, floral upholstery and dull colors in the rug, yet she could tell under the layers of dust and dirt its promise of color after a good beating. A red sofa made of plush brocade, a Boston rocker that looked practically brand new, and a magnificent mahogany drop-front writing desk furnished the room. The walls were covered with splendid paintings, portraits, and an oval mirror. In a corner near the window stood a curio cabinet containing many knick-knacks, books, several tiny silver boxes and other curiosities. Kate walked around the room absorbing every detail, then stopped at the window where she pulled back the heavy velvet curtain, allowing the sun to filter into the room. Looking beyond to the rolling hills and fir trees, a soft smile touched her lips.
"Yes, this is perfect," she said to herself. "How I wish Daddy could be here. I think he would agree."
She was deep in thought and did not notice when Priscilla entered the house, busily fanning herself in a hasty manner.
Priscilla looked disapprovingly at the cobwebs and frowned. "Oh my. This house is rather dreadful."
"No, it's marvelous!" Kate gushed, whirling around so quickly, her skirts swished around her ankles. Readjusting her hat squarely atop her head, she added, "With a good cleaning, we can really make it shine."
In the month they'd been traveling from San Francisco to Oregon, Kate had allowed herself to daydream about this house and ranch. In truth, she never imagined it quite like this: a large home with one hundred and sixty acres.
Their father had died a week into their journey, leaving Kate and Priscilla alone. After Joseph Tobias Stafford, or 'Joe T' as friends had affectionately referred to him, was buried, Kate felt it necessary for her and Priscilla to continue on to Silvers Falls where the Widow Keller had left their father a ranch. Kate had no idea whom this mysterious woman was, as few words were spoken of her. When she had inquired about the Widow Keller, their father would smile and tell her "just wait." And now, Kate was eager to find out the truth.
Presently, Priscilla rolled her eyes heavenward. "Kate, this ranch is much too large for the two of us. Besides, won't running it take a lot of ranch hands? I've told you from the beginning that I don't much like this fool idea."
"It is not a fool idea!" Kate protested, picking up a yellowed lace scarf among many of the trinkets ornamenting a cedar chest. She turned it this way and that before replacing it. Then she added for good measure, "Just you wait and see." 
Still fanning herself fiercely, Priscilla swung her gaze to the window. "This dusty old ranch? Well, I hope there are decent men in this town worth marrying."
"I'm sure there are many nice gentleman here in Silver Falls." Without waiting for a reply, Kate turned on her heel and dashed to the next room where she delighted in the spacious kitchen.
She admired the kitchen as she moved about the room. It held a wood cookstove covered in cobwebs; a dish basin; water pump and a long wooden oak table marred with gouges from years of use beneath the film of dust.
Priscilla entered the kitchen. "Kate, dear, you're not really thinking of ranching, are you?" she asked shaking her head as if to help Kate make up her mind, which caused tendrils to loosen from her blonde hair that was swept high atop her head. "What about that nice little house we saw in town the one with the picket fence and lovely climbing roses? Why, that'd be more practical for us. Think of all the money we'd have left."
Priscilla, Kate was certain, had gotten her haughtiness from the mother they'd never known. Their father had raised the two young girls after their mother abandoned the family when Kate was two and Priscilla had just turned one. Their father had once been a wealthy man, but their mother, Naomi Chapin Stafford, slowly frittered most of it away on unnecessary items. What money Naomi hadn't spent, she'd taken with her when she left New York. Joseph then resided with his parents who helped care for the girls until the grandparents died ten years later. The next five years, Joseph and his daughters traveled ever westward and eventually arriving in San Francisco.
"We can have that here as well," Kate reasoned, watching as her younger sister paced the length of the kitchen. "Priscilla, this will work out fine. We'll buy a herd of cattle, some horses, and hire ranch hands to help us run the ranch." Turning her attention to the pie safe, she opened the door and peered inside.
What was so odd about this house were the possessions that were left behind. Mr. Crompton, the only attorney in Silver Falls, had told her that it sat vacant for nearly two years after the Widow Keller signed the land deed over to their father. It certainly was a charming home, smack in the center of paradise. It was as if this house was waiting for her all along, almost as if there was some strange force drawing her here, calling her name.
After leaving Priscilla in the kitchen, Kate wandered up the stairs to investigate the second floor. There were four bedrooms, each larger than the one before it, so that by the time she reached the end of the hall she discovered a spacious bedroom with a frilly coverlet and embroidered pillows that ornamented the bed. A settee sat in front of the fireplace. Instantly, she fell in love with this bedroom.
Satisfied, Kate returned downstairs. A minute or two later, she and Priscilla were in the wagon on their way back to town, all the while Priscilla voicing her disapproval, which was no surprise.
* * *
"Everything looks to be in order," Harold Crompton observed, jotting down a few final notes on the land deed. When finished, he set down his pen, slid the document across the desk, then extended his right hand. "It's been a real pleasure doing business with you, Miss Stafford."
Kate took his hand in her own, shaking it firmly. "Thank you, Mr. Crompton. You've been a tremendous help to my sister and me, and we are much obliged to you. Have a nice day." Clutching the land deed, Kate rose to her feet and headed across the small room toward the front of the law office where she found Priscilla waiting in a leather chair.
She was glad Priscilla had finally quit scowling. She was now smiling from ear to ear as she leaned to one side of the chair, intently staring out the glass front window of the office. Curious to know what held Priscilla's attention, she turned to follow the direction of her gaze. Three men strode across the dusty street directly across from them.
"Priscilla?"
"Kate," Priscilla intoned, not looking up. Instead, she pointed a long finger toward the glass. "There is some nice marrying material out there. Why, look at the one on the left. That's a good-looking man if you ask me." She placed a hand over her chest, lightly tapping it. "My, my."
Kate took a quick survey of the men as they walked with long strides across the street. The one Priscilla had indicated wore a striking suit and carried himself as if he were of some prominence in town. The other two, who looked as if they were cowboys, sported black wide-brimmed hats, white shirts, waistcoats and each wore a gun belt strapped low on their hips.
Suddenly, the three men stopped in the middle of the street. One of the men slowly turned his head in the direction of the law office, almost as if gazing through the glass at Kate and Priscilla, as if he sensed their presence, but could not see them. Kate felt her heartbeat quicken and a feverishness inside her as her eyes fastened on his rugged features.
Oh, the man was heart-stopping handsome. Under his hat Kate caught a glimpse of unruly light brown hair sweeping broad shoulders. The sleek line of his jaw sported a day's worth of whiskers, and the tiniest hint of a crooked smile touched his lips. His legs were long, and hips narrow. For a moment, all she could do was simply stare in complete and total admiration.
Priscilla stood, blocking Kate's view, snapping her out of her near trance.
"Well, come along, Priscilla," she said in one gulp. She looped the ribbon of her reticule around one wrist and smoothed down her skirts with her free hand. "We'll need some supplies from the general store before heading back to the ranch house."
Thirty minutes later and well stocked with supplies, Kate and Priscilla were leaving the general store, each carrying a gunnysack. Miss Shelby, the clerk, held the door open for them and Kate breezed by, thanking the kind lady for her assistance. In the next instant, she ran smack into a hard muscular body. The gunnysack tilted crazily in her arms and promptly spilled its contents all over the boardwalk.
"Pardon me, ma'am," came a low voice, tinged with a Western drawl. The man grasped her shoulders, then gently righted her.
Kate tilted her head back, staring into the most mesmerizing and dazzling big brown eyes she'd ever seen. It took her a moment to compose herself, and when she finally did, her gaze strayed over his face. It was him! This was the cowboy she'd been admiring from inside the law office. She felt herself flush from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair.
The corners of his mouth lifted into an amused grin. "You all right, ma'am?" His hands were still at her shoulders, sending tingles racing down her spine.
"I-I'm fine," Kate nearly croaked.
"You should be more careful, ma'am," he said politely, then with a wink he added, "don't wanna get yourself hurt."
Her pulse quickened to a near disastrous tempo and her mouth suddenly went dry. "I will," she managed, quickly bending to gather the supplies that had escaped from the gunnysack.
"Let me give you a hand," the cowboy offered, picking up a small jar of honey and a bag of coffee beans. He reached for the sack and, at the exact moment, so did Kate, their fingers brushing innocently.
"Thank you," she murmured, willing her insides to stop fluttering.
After the last of the items were replaced, Kate reached for the gunnysack, but the cowboy beat her to it. Effortlessly picking it up, the fabric of his shirt stretched over well-worked muscles as he stood to his full, towering height.
He gave her a charming smile. "Point me in the right direction, ma'am."
She nodded, then headed down the boardwalk. She could feel his gaze on her backside as she walked ahead of him toward the wagon and it made her self-conscious of the way her hips just naturally swayed.
When they reached the wagon, she said, "Thank you kindly for your assistance."
He placed the gunnysack in the wagon bed. "You're mighty welcome."
"Oh, my. Where are my manners? I'm Miss Kate Stafford and this is my..." She glanced over her shoulder, expecting to see Priscilla, but she was nowhere to be found. Just where had she disappeared? "My sister Priscilla was right behind me at the general store, Mr...."
He touched the brim of his hat. "Chadwick. Justin Chadwick. Nice to make your acquaintance, ma'am."
"Thank you again, Mr. Chadwick."
He nodded. "Maybe I'll see you around town sometime." And with that, he turned, sauntering down the dusty street.
Copyright © 2003 by Lissa Larer.
