Cheyenne Wife

Cheyenne Wife
Judith Stacy

ABANDONED, ALONE, PENNILESSWhen Lily St. Claire buried her father along the Santa Fe Trail her life of privilege and ease had ended. Her future had loomed ahead of her, empty and unknowable until North Walker–half-Cheyenne and all man–bargained for her with horses and hope for brighter days for his people, his family, his heart!North Walker personified the rugged frontier that spawned him. Elegant, refined Lily St. Claire belonged to a different world–but she was perfect for his plan to bring their worlds together. She would teach his sister Eastern manners and then she would be free to go. But in his heart he was beginning to hope that Lily would never leave.

“Are you saying I don’t have as much sense as a horse?”

Lily demanded, scrambling to her feet. “How dare you! You have the gall to stand there and—”

“We have to go back to the fort.” He reached for her arm.

Lily jerked away. “I have no intention of going anywhere with you.”

“It’s a longer walk back than you think. It’ll be dark soon.”

She squared her shoulders, a strength she hadn’t felt before filling her. “I’ll manage, thank you just the same.” Lily drew in a great breath. “I’ll go back to the fort when I choose. And I’ll get there on my own.”

“You won’t make it,” North said, anger creeping into his voice. “Most of the men at the fort will end up out here searching for you, risking their own lives.”

And she isn’t worth it, his look seemed to say….

Praise for JUDITH STACY’S recent titles

The Nanny

“…one of the most entertaining and sweetly satisfying tales I’ve had the pleasure to encounter.”

—The Romance Reader

The Dreammaker

“…a delightful story of the triumph of love.”

—Rendezvous

The Heart of a Hero

“Judith Stacy is a fine writer with both polished style and heartwarming sensitivity.”

—bestselling author Pamela Morsi

Cheyenne Wife

Judith Stacy

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

To David, Judy and Stacy—

thanks for keeping me sane.

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank the following people for their assistance with this book: Debra Brown, Candace Craven, Martha Cooper, Joan Fry, Jane LaMunyon, Jolene Smith, Bonnie Stone, Tanya Stowe, Gary Kodel, M.D., Greg Holt, National Parks Service.

Contents

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

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two