The Winter Pearl

The Winter Pearl
Molly Noble Bull

Mills & Boon Silhouette
In 1888, Colorado was a dangerous place for a girl on the run. But Honor McCall had to escape from her drunken uncle. She never imagined that she'd be rescued by a handsome young minister or find a place to call home in his church.The Rev. Jethro Peters' kindness was more than she could ever repay. So how could she stay on–accepting charity while hiding the truth about the danger that stalked her and hiding her love for a man who might never return her feelings?She had to leave, but she just couldn't seem to go–and then Christmas brought a special miracle….

PRAISE FOR

THE WINTER PEARL

“Molly Noble Bull has written a charming story with twists and turns for a character the reader will really root for.”

—Lauraine Snelling, bestselling author of The Red River North series

“The Winter Pearl is a jewel of a novel! I literally couldn’t put it down and found myself reaching for a tissue more than once. Molly has beautifully blended a heart-stopping adventure and a glorious romance filled to the brim with God’s love and redemption—all set against the backdrop of the Old West. I can’t wait to see more from this talented author.”

—Diane Noble, award-winning author of The Butterfly Farm

“I cared about Molly Noble Bull’s heroine, Honor McCall, from page one of The Winter Pearl to the end of her satisfying and surprising journey where she discovered the precious pearl of grace set in a filigree of hope, redemption and forgiveness.”

—Tamela Hancock Murray, award-winning inspirational author of Virginia Hearts

The Winter Pearl

Molly Noble Bull

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

To my husband, Charlie Bull, to our family—

Bret, Burt, Bren, Jana, Linda, Bethanny, Dillard, Hailey

and Bryson. And to our pastor, Rev. Jerry Scott.

But to God give the glory.

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

Epilogue

Chapter One

Falling Rock, Colorado

Late October 1888

“I’m not one to go without a woman for long, missy.”

When Honor McCall had first heard her uncle say those words, she’d been sitting beside him in the wagon on the drive from the farm to the cemetery in nearby Falling Rock. She’d trembled then. Now, standing at Aunt Harriet’s grave and digesting what Uncle Lucas must have meant, she realized she’d never stopped shaking.

She did not want to marry her late aunt’s husband. If only the God that Aunt Harriet had told her about would provide her with a means of escape.

Although her aunt had been a Christian all her life, Lucas wasn’t allowing a funeral service. There was no one to attend the burial because only the grave diggers knew about the death. It was surprising that Lucas had driven Honor to the cemetery to watch the men dig the hole. Knowing him, that was more than she’d expected.

As the diggers lowered the crude, wooden coffin into the ground, Honor saw a flash of gray behind a group of trees. In a moment, it became a young man in a gray suit, coming toward them, and she knew she’d never seen him before.

Her heart knotted. Lucas would not be pleased by this turn of events.