The Talisman by
Christine Young
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Blurb:
The
Talisman
Running from a
marriage that lasted one night, Dr. Moriah McKeown discovers the land she has
settled on is coveted by determined and lawless men. Yet the proud young woman
who once vowed never to abandon her home has second thoughts when her adopted
children are threatened. Her only recourse is to enlist the aid of a dark,
dangerous gun for hire.
Haunted by the
past and a betrayal he will never forgive, Ian Civanovich uses his fast gun and
his reckless courage to forget the faithlessness of a woman in his past. He
will trust no female--nor will he rest until the threat hovering over Moriah
McKeown is put to rest.
Buffalo Creek,
South Dakota
1895
Hot, dry air scorched the
prairie grass. Sweat slid along his spine. Danger clung to every whisper;
seemed to swirl and grow with each passing second. Ivan Civanovich watched the
woman below. With deadly purpose, he studied the lady who had hired him--the
woman who had bought his gun and perhaps death.
"Reckless
courage," Ivan mused.
"Si Senor, she does
have what you call a great courage, but I don’t know about the reckless part.
She is always so very careful," Pedro said.
"I’m a dangerous man,
Pedro."
"This is why she
hired you."
"The lady has no
business hiring men like me. She’s a woman. She is supposed to nurture
lives."
"She needs you to
keep the bad men from taking the land away--our home," Pedro said.
Ivan pushed the tip of his
hat back from his brows. From his vantage point, he considered the woman while
she hung the freshly laundered white sheets on the line. A strange shudder
swept through him, his muscles tensing with the sudden feeling he knew this
woman, had known her forever. The sensations were too strong, the feelings too
acute, and it troubled him because knowing her was impossible.
Her hair, a wild mop of
red curls, battled with the stiff, hot wind rising off the prairie. The breeze
and her hair flowed in undulating currents between the lines, threatening to
tangle themselves in the wire. She bent over at the waist, giving him a perfect
view of her backside while she toyed with something on the ground. Seconds
later she picked up the object of her curiosity, turned it over in her hands then
tossed it aside.
He didn’t like to think
about what could happen to her in the next few weeks. She’d advertised for a
gun for a hire. She didn’t know what she bargained for, and he’d bet his
inheritance she didn’t have any idea what kind of trouble she’d purchased.
When she looked up the
hill, his grin widened. She couldn’t see him, but her shoulders tensed and she
sucked air. Her hand touched her forehead, shielding her eyes from the blinding
sunlight. She scanned the horizon, turning a complete circle before she
stopped.
"Good," he said,
"she is cautious."
"She knows someone is
up here," Pedro announced.
"She’s got more
starch in her drawers and the stiffest backbone of any woman I’ve ever
seen." Ivan whistled through his teeth, his eyes intent and focused upon
the woman.
"Si." Pedro
agreed. "She sure enough does but her heart is made of spun gold."
Ivan wiped the back of his
hand across his forehead. Beads of sweat dripped down his back. His gaze swept
across the barren landscape then followed the line of trees that bordered the
creek. He lifted the glasses to his eyes and turned his attention to a spot
about a mile north of her ranch. The railroad wanted easement rights. So why
wouldn’t she sell to them. "Spun gold, huh." He dropped the binoculars,
letting them dangle from their strap around his neck.
"Si, boss."
"I see." Ivan
leaned forward, resting his forearm on the saddle horn.
Ivan wasn’t sure he
understood. Women had a lot of fine qualities, many of which he didn’t want to
live without but a soft, feminine heart shouldn’t be deciding life and death
matters.
Spun gold.
No, he’d never met a female with a heart of gold, spun or otherwise. He’d never
known a woman who wouldn’t betray a man for a piece of gold. Save one, he
amended, and his best friend had married her. Alexi Popov had his trials too.
He had kidnapped Angela and spirited her away to his home in the Crimea. In the
end though, he gave up his title, his land, and most of his wealth for Angela.
He followed her back to America and married her.
This is a wonderful tale,
full of action, emotion and a bit mystical at times. Enjoy this one.
Maura
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More 4 Cups
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More 4 Cups
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