Free New Frontier of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 2) by Dorothy Wiley

in line for a chance to even hold your hand.”
    “Truly?”
    She saw desperation in Kelly’s eyes. The girl wanted to believe what she was telling her.
    “Moreover, you are one of the brightest and loveliest young women I have ever known.” She genuinely believed Kelly was. The girl’s perfectly straight flaxen hair hung to her slim waist. Her large bright blue eyes lit up a sweet face. Catherine knew Kelly would mature into a beautiful woman someday. “You’d look like a rose among weeds compared to most of those young socialites in Boston.”
    Kelly’s anger seemed to be subsiding. “Really?”
    “Indeed. And believe me, William has noticed. He’s just being smart, biding his time until you are ready. Wait till I get you in some fashionable pretty attire and we use a few other tricks you don’t even know about yet.”
    “Like what?” Kelly sniffled, but the tears had stopped.
    “You’ll see,” she said mysteriously and then gave Kelly a hug around the waist as they started back. She had the means to help Kelly and decided it would give her great pleasure to do so. She vowed to herself to buy the young woman proper undergarments, including stays, and a few gowns in colors that would flatter her. Then she would teach the young lady how to style her hair and fewother secrets.
    “I’ll remember everything you said,” Kelly said, looking at the flower in her hand again. “I’ll keep this in my Bible to help me remember.”
    And, to help her forget, Catherine hoped.
    She studied her young companion. Did Kelly really have her mother’s ‘gift’? Was what the young woman said about Sam true? She felt her heart swell with hope. There was no use denying it any longer. She could love Sam, if he would let her. He was a man she could respect. Staying would mean risking her reputation in Boston society and her father’s wrath. But Sam was worth the gamble. She would stay, she decided, for now.
    And, for now, a chance for love would be her dream.
    She would wait until Sam saw that chance too.

CHAPTER 7
    T he next morning, against the darkest grey of early dawn, John handed Bear a steaming cup. “Here, I made it strong enough to wake a hibernating bear.”
    Bear chuckled, taking the cup. “Good. I know I’ve been accused of soundin’ much like one, with my snorin’. Much obliged John. I’ll be needin’ more than a wee bit of that coffee. I feel like I slept with a wet blanket there’s so much dew this morn.”
    “Your snoring woke me up a time or two, or three, or…”
    “No need to keep countin’. Once ye get yourself a house built, ye’ll be sleeping better. Ye’ve been risin’ earlier than normal. Tell me what’s botherin’ ye. Ye do na seem your normal self.”
    Their voices immediately woke Sam, but he couldn’t make himself sit up. He closed his eyes trying to grab a few more minutes sleep after being on guard duty a good part of the night, but the smell of the coffee called to him. Then he heard John continue.
    “The day we reached Boonesborough was Diana’s birthday. I still miss her. Leaving her behind has only made me miss her even more, not less. I can’t help but think that I’ve deserted her. I knowit’s not logical, since she’s been dead these few years. Even so, it still causes me grief and most of all guilt. I went to see her grave just before we left. I keep hearing what I said to her over and over in my head.”
    “Aye, Diana was a lovely woman and we all miss her. But life goes on John. She would want ye to find a new life. I know she would want ye and your wee son to be happy.”
    “But I still love her. And as long as I do, I could never remarry. I realize now, I don’t want a new life. I want my old one back.”
    “We do na honor the dead by lettin’ them make us miserable,” Bear said.
    His mind seizing Bear’s astute comment, Sam instantly came back to wakefulness. “But sometimes we let them,” he said, getting up from his bedroll and joining them.
    He