A Cowboy for Christmas Read online

  RT BOOK REVIEWS PRAISES BOBBI SMITH,

  NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR!

  RELENTLESS

  “With its action-packed plot, colorful and accurate details, likable characters and multiple love stories, this is vintage Smith. It’s exactly what [readers] adore from this consummate storyteller.”

  RUNAWAY

  “In Smith’s exciting Western, two wrongs do make a right. Continuous action, authentic dialogue and gripping tension ensnare the reader.”

  WANTED: THE HALF-BREED

  “Smith fulfills her title of ‘Queen of the Western Romance’ in this fast-paced, suspenseful offering.”

  HIRED GUN

  “Nobody does a Western better than Smith.”

  DEFIANT

  “The talented Smith is in her element out West. This novel is fast-paced and filled with adventure and tender feelings . . . a very beautiful story.”

  HALFBREED WARRIOR

  “Smith is the consummate storyteller. The pacing is quick, with snappy dialogue moving the story forward at breakneck speed.”

  BRAZEN

  “As sexy and gritty as [Smith] has ever written.”

  HALF-MOON RANCH: HUNTER’S MOON

  “Bobbi Smith is a terrific storyteller whose wonderful characters, good dialogue and compelling plot will keep you up all night.”

  LONE WARRIOR

  “Fast paced, swift moving and filled with strong, well-crafted characters.”

  THE HALF-BREED

  “Witty, tender, strong characters and plenty of action, as well as superb storytelling, make this a keeper.”

  BRIDES OF DURANGO: JENNY

  “Bobbi Smith has another winner. This third installment is warm and tender as only Ms. Smith can do . . . Fans will not be disappointed.”

  BRIDES OF DURANGO: TESSA

  “Another wonderful read by consummate storyteller Bobbi Smith . . . Filled with adventure and romance, more than one couple winds up happily-ever-after in this gem.”

  BRIDES OF DURANGO: ELISE

  “There’s plenty of action, danger and heated romance as the pages fly by. This is exactly what fans expect from Bobbi Smith.”

  HALF-BREED’S LADY

  “A fast-paced, frying-pan-into-the-fire adventure that runs the gamut of emotions, from laughter to tears. A must-read for Ms. Smith’s fans, and a definite keeper.”

  OUTLAW’S LADY

  “Bobbi Smith is an author of many talents; one of them being able to weave more than one story . . . Ms. Smith creates characters that one will remember for some time to come.”

  THE LADY & THE TEXAN

  “An action-packed read with roller-coaster adventures that keep you turning the pages. The Lady & the Texan is just plain enjoyable.”

  RENEGADE’S LADY

  “A wonderfully delicious ‘Perils of Pauline’ style romance. With dashes of humor, passion, adventure and romance, Ms. Smith creates another winner . . .”

  THE PRINCE CHARMING OF TEXAS

  “How much farther is it?” Penny asked as she rode behind Dan on the steep, rocky, winding trail. After several hours in the saddle, they had to be getting close.

  “Probably another two or three miles,” he answered. “Are you doing all right?”

  “Yes, though it’s hard to believe that just a few weeks ago I was at the Chases’ ball. It seems like an eternity—almost like another life.”

  She wondered what Richard and Amanda would think of her now if they saw her bundled up against the cold in workman’s clothes, riding astride out in the middle of nowhere. She remembered how attentive Richard had been that night, and now it all seemed like a fairy tale.

  Fairy tale—

  She let her gaze linger on Dan, seeing the day’s growth of beard on his jawline and liking how it added an aura of danger about him. She hadn’t even realized how much she’d needed saving when he’d whisked her away from the ballroom. She hadn’t realized how much she needed him . . .

  Other books by Bobbi Smith:

  RELENTLESS

  RUNAWAY

  WANTED: THE TEXAN

  RAPTURE’S TEMPEST

  WANTED: THE HALF-BREED

  LAWLESS, TEXAS

  HIRED GUN

  DEFIANT

  HALFBREED WARRIOR

  BRAZEN

  BAYOU BRIDE

  HUNTER’S MOON

  FOREVER AUTUMN

  LONE WARRIOR

  EDEN

  WANTON SPLENDOR

  SWEET SILKEN BONDAGE

  THE HALF-BREED

  WESTON’S LADY

  HALF-BREED’S LADY

  OUTLAW’S LADY

  FORBIDDEN FIRES

  RAPTURE’S RAGE

  THE LADY & THE TEXAN

  RENEGADE’S LADY

  THE LADY’S HAND

  LADY DECEPTION

  The Brides of Durango series:

  ELISE

  TESSA

  JENNY

  Writing as Julie Marshall:

  MIRACLES

  HAVEN

  BOBBI

  SMITH

  A Cowboy

  for Christmas

  DORCHESTER PUBLISHING

  November 2010

  Published by

  Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.

  200 Madison Avenue

  New York, NY 10016

  Copyright © 2010 by Bobbi Smith

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-4285-1159-0

  E-ISBN: 978-1-4285-0898-9

  The “DP” logo is the property of Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  Visit us online at www.dorchesterpub.com.

  This book is dedicated to all my readers—

  Merry Christmas!

  Also, thanks to the great librarians and historians who helped me with research:

  Leslie and Debby at the St. Charles County Library

  Adele Heagney and Richard Williams at the St. Louis Public Library

  Jason Stratman at the Missouri Historical Society

  Nick Ohlman at the Museum of Transportation

  AUTHOR’S NOTE—A GIFT FOR YOU

  Country-Western star Royal Wade Kimes (Royal WadeKimes.com) has written an original song especially for A Cowboy for Christmas! Check out “Penny, I Love You” at BobbiSmithBooks.com or DorchesterPub.com, where you can also get a free download of the song.

  “Penny, I Love You” will also be featured on Royal’s upcoming album.

  A two-time winner of the Will Rogers award for best album and best video, Royal Wade Kimes has written songs for Garth Brooks, Diamond Rio, Gene Watson, and many others. He’s been on the front cover of True West magazine and has been featured in Country Weekly and other magazines.

  I hope you enjoy this hauntingly beautiful song based on my Christmas story. It’s my special holiday gift to you.

  Prologue

  St. Louis

  Late 1850s

  Twelve-year-old Danny Roland was cold and exhausted as h
e climbed into the back of the wagon with several of the other boys from the orphanage. Every morning except Sunday, one of the hands from the farm came to the orphans’ home and picked up the older boys to take them out to the farm to work. They labored until almost sundown and then were returned to the asylum to eat dinner, sleep, and get ready to work again the following day.

  Danny’s mood was dark as he hung on to the side of the wagon to keep from getting thrown around on the rough ride back. Again, he wondered how he had ended up this way. Had it really only been six months ago that his mother had died from a terrible fever on their trip west and their father had abandoned him and his younger brother, Nick, there at the orphanage? The memory of that day still haunted him. He and Nick had begged their father to take them with him, but he’d refused. He had ridden away from the orphanage that afternoon, and they hadn’t seen or heard from him since.

  It seemed more like an eternity than just six months to Danny. At night, he would often lie in bed and pretend he was back home in Tennessee, safe with his mother and father, and that everything was fine, but his fantasy ended every morning just before dawn when the headmistress banged on the door to wake them up. Danny knew there was no escaping the truth anymore.

  This was his life now.

  This was his reality until he and Nick were adopted or until he was old enough to be released from the orphanage to care for himself.

  Danny was determined to make the best of it, but for now he had to protect his brother. Nine-year-old Nick was having an even harder time than Dan was, for some of the mean boys had been picking on him. More than once, he’d had to defend his brother from their bullying. It was almost Christmas now, and Danny knew it was going to be a hard and painful time for him and his brother, since it would be their first Christmas without their mother and father. At least they still had each other.

  When the wagon finally reached town and pulled to a stop in front of the orphanage, Danny felt a little better. He would soon be with Nick. He climbed down from the wagon and hurried inside where it was warm. He’d just come through the door when he was pulled aside by Miss Parker, one of the staff.

  “The headmistress needs to see you. Give your coat to one of the other boys and come with me.”

  “Why does she want to see me?” Danny looked up at the elderly, white-haired woman in surprise. Only boys who were in trouble were taken to the office.

  “I have no idea, young man. Let’s go.” Her tone was stern.

  Danny took off his coat and handed it to Tommy, who stood back with the other boys watching warily as Miss Parker led him away. They knew it was serious when you were taken to see the headmistress.

  “I wonder what he did,” Tommy said.

  “I don’t know,” another boy returned, “but I’m real glad I’m not Danny right now.”

  The rest of the boys hurried toward the room where they all slept so they could get cleaned up before it was time to say their evening prayers and then eat dinner.

  Miss Helen looked up from her desk when the knock came at her office door. She’d heard the wagon pull up in front of the building and had been anxiously awaiting this moment. What she had to do next wasn’t going to be easy, but there was no avoiding it.

  “Come in,” she called.

  The door opened and Miss Parker brought in young Daniel Roland to stand before her desk.

  “Thank you, Miss Parker.” Miss Helen waited until the other woman had left and closed the door before continuing. “Daniel, I need to speak with you.”

  Her tone was icy, and he wondered what was wrong. He’d worked hard that day, so he was sure no one had complained about him. He watched her warily, not sure what to expect. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I have some news for you.”

  A surge of hope shot through Danny. Maybe she’d gotten word from his father! Surely, since it was almost Christmas, he was finally coming back for them. It would be the perfect present to be living as a family again. His excitement grew as he waited for Miss Helen to begin.

  “I’m not sure how you’re going to handle it,” she started.

  The momentary happiness was replaced by a dark sense of dread.

  “What is it?” he managed to choke out, fearing what was to come next.

  “It’s your brother.”

  “Nick?” Sudden panic filled Danny. “What about him? What’s wrong? Was he hurt? Where is he?”

  She hastened to reassure him. “No, your brother hasn’t been injured. In fact, it’s good news—for him. Today Nick was adopted by a wonderful family. He left this morning.”

  Nick was gone?

  He’d been adopted?

  Danny just stared at her. “I don’t understand. Nick’s my brother. He’s my family.”

  “Nick is with a new family now and just in time for the holidays.” Miss Helen was tense as she awaited his reaction. The family who had adopted Nick couldn’t afford to take both brothers, and they’d wanted a younger boy. She wasn’t about to tell Danny about how his brother had been acting when they took him away. The sound of Nick’s sobbing would stay with her for some time, but she knew in the long run that this was the chance for a better life for him.

  “No!” Danny cried. He couldn’t believe it. In a moment of pure desperation and panic, he ran from her office to find Nick. When he reached the boys’ sleeping room, he found that the small chest where Nick had kept his few possessions, and it was then the reality of what had happened overwhelmed him. He sank down on the edge of the small bed and stared blindly down at the chest.

  It was empty.

  Now Danny had nothing, no one . . .

  “Daniel—”

  Danny looked up to find Miss Helen standing in the doorway.

  “Who adopted him? I’m going after him!”

  “No, you’re not,” she countered.

  “Yes, I am! I’m going to bring him back! He should be here with me. I can take care of him.” He ran across the room, intent on finding out where his brother had been taken.

  Miss Helen blocked the doorway, refusing to let him out into the hallway. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re staying right here.”

  “I can’t stay here! I have to get Nick!” All the emotions he’d been trying to control overwhelmed him.

  “The Miller family isn’t from the area. They left town this morning.” She didn’t give him any more information than that. She knew how headstrong Danny could be, and she didn’t want him to think he could go find his brother and bring him back. “Maybe when Nick is older he’ll get in touch with you, but for now, you’re staying here—and that’s final.”

  Danny was filled with rage. “No!”

  He tried to run past her, wanting to race from the orphanage and search for Nick.

  Miss Helen had known this wouldn’t be easy. Being separated from his brother so suddenly after already having lost his mother and father had to be traumatic for him, but she would not tolerate any trouble from him. Danny was known for being stubborn and occasionally defiant. She ruled with an iron hand, and the boys who didn’t obey her suffered the consequences. She grabbed him by the arm to stop him. “Did you hear me, young man? I said you will be staying here and behaving yourself.”

  Danny struggled to break away, but her hold was too strong.

  “I think you need a little time in ‘the cell’ to calm down,” she declared. She hauled him out into the hall and down to the small, dark, windowless room that was hardly bigger than a closet. She unlocked the door and put him inside.

  “If you behave yourself, I may let you out at bedtime.”

  With that, she turned and stalked out, locking the door behind her.

  Danny leaned back against the wall and sank down to the floor. Only after he heard her move off did he finally give in to his heartbreak and begin to cry.

  He was alone now.

  Really alone.

  Nick was gone.

  Danny didn’t know why this had happened to him. He tried to pray, but suddenly
found himself wondering if there was any point. He’d lost everything—his mother, his father, and now his brother. He didn’t understand why God had let this happen.

  It was some time later when Danny finally managed to pull himself together. In anger and disgust, he wiped away his tears and faced his future. There was no going back. The past was just that—it was past—it was over.

  In that moment, Danny realized he had no choice. He had to grow up now and become a man. It wasn’t going to be easy, but nothing in his life had been easy since his mother’s death, and he couldn’t see how anything would get better in the future.

  A fierce resolution filled Danny. He had promised Nick he would protect him and keep him safe when their father had abandoned them, and he meant to do just that. Somehow, he was going to find his brother. He had made a promise to him and he was going to keep it.

  It was after dinner when Miss Parker came to let him out of the closet. She had not brought him any food, and he didn’t say a word. He just returned to the sleeping room. The other boys watched him with open curiosity, but he didn’t speak to them. He got cleaned up and changed into his pajamas and went to bed, pulling the covers up high.

  Miss Parker came to check on them and then put out the lamp so they would go to sleep. Once she was sure they were all bedded down and quiet, she left the room and closed the door behind her.

  “Danny . . .”

  Danny heard the whisper and recognized that it was Tommy. “Go away.”

  “No, Danny, here.” The young boy poked him in the shoulder.

  Irritated, Danny threw his covers off and rolled over, ready for trouble, only to discover the young boy had somehow managed to sneak a piece of bread out of the dining room.

  “I brought it for you.” Tommy held the bread out to him. “I thought you might be hungry after working all day and not getting any dinner.” He liked Danny and had looked up to him for the way he took care of his brother. He’d always wished he had a big brother just like him.

  “Thanks.” Danny was truly touched by his unexpected act of kindness. If Tommy had gotten caught sneaking food out of the dining room, he would have been punished. Danny took the offered bread and began to eat it.