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Cover Copy
Letitia Tinsley’s well-ordered spinster life is thrown into chaos when she learns her beloved brother has mysteriously disappeared from his gold mining claim in California. Determined to discover the truth, Letty sets out on the treacherous journey west. But there’s only one thing more perilous than a single lady traveling alone into the rugged frontier—and that is sharing the passage with Garth Morgan. The wealthy bachelor is astoundingly arrogant—and dangerously handsome. Worse, Letty is forced to lean on his strong shoulders, again and again…
Humbled by the harrowing expedition, Garth resolves to keep Letty safe—though the courageous beauty is unwilling to give an inch when it comes to trusting him. Still, despite her defiant resistance, he’s ready to stand with her as she faces the truth about her missing sibling. And by the time they reach California, Garth is determined to stake his own claim on the lovely Miss Letty—if only she will let him…
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Books by AUTHOR
Women of the West series
Wagon Train Cinderella
Wagon Train Sisters
Gold Rush Bride
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation
Gold Rush Bride
Women of the West Series
Shirley Kennedy
LYRICAL PRESS
Kensington Publishing Corp.
www.kensingtonbooks.com
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Copyright © 2016 by Shirley Kennedy
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First Electronic Edition: February 2017
eISBN-13: 978-1-60183-595-6
eISBN-10: 1-60183-595-7
First Print Edition: February 2017
ISBN-13:
ISBN-10:
Printed in the United States of America
Dedication
This book is dedicated to family members who are gone but never forgotten. Agnes, my mother; Norman, my father; Lee, my stepfather; Aunt Dorothy; Uncle Lawrence; Grandma and Grandpa Webster; Deloise, my mother-in-law; Cousin Mildred. How I wish I could see them again! I’d like to think they’d be proud of me and enjoy reading my book.
Acknowledgments
Shirley Kennedy was born and raised in Fresno, California and has lived in such diverse places as Denver; Houston; Torrance, California; Bogota ,Colombia; and Calgary, Alberta, Canada where she received a BSc degree in Computer Sciences at the University of Calgary. She worked as a computer programmer/systems analyst for several years before she went back to her first love, writing.
In her early career as an author, Shirley wrote traditional Regency romances, one for Ballantine, the rest for Signet. Later on, she branched into other genres. She lives in Las Vegas Nevada, with her older daughter, Dianne. Lindy, her younger daughter, lives close by.
Author’s Foreword
During the California Gold Rush, tens of thousands of East Coast fortune seekers traveled to the gold fields. Many crossed the plains in covered wagons, and I’ve written about their journeys. Some came via ship to Chagres, Panama, then across the Isthmus to the Pacific Coast. When I read about the horrific perils they endured on that sixty-mile crossing, I had to write about their journey, too. Although this book is fiction, the incidents that occurred on the crossing are based on fact, including what happened with the crocodile.
Chapter 1
Boston, Massachusetts, May, 1852
With her mother beside her, Leticia Tinsley sat across the desk from Mr. Addison Winslow, manager of the State Street Bank and Trust Company, and waited for him to speak. Judging from the silver-haired banker’s solemn expression, she expected nothing good. Why had they been summoned to the bank?
With a sigh, Mr. Winslow sat back in his chair. “Your account is severely depleted. There have been no new deposits since”—he bent to check figures in a ledger—“January twelfth. That’s over four months ago. As you know, he’d been sending deposits every month, so I must say, this is rather unusual.”
Margaret Tinsley gasped and grabbed her daughter’s hand. “There must be some mistake.”
Letty gazed in disbelief. “Are you sure? My brother would never forget to send a deposit.”
Mr. Winslow frowned in sympathy. “Have you heard from Charles lately?”
“No we haven’t.” A flicker of apprehension raced through her. Granted, mail from California was slow and uncertain at best, but they hadn’t received a letter from Charles for months, and that was indeed worrisome.
“Hmm, strange.” Mr. Winslow thoughtfully tapped the tips
