Historical Romance (No Title)

Jake knew that he had to go into town and get supplies before he went out to his newly bought ranch and he hated the thought. Just a week ago he had went into town to buy his land, River Grove is a small town with six solitary buildings that stand on the side of a dusty dirt road that the stagecoach comes in on once a month and people from nearby ranches walk along on the odd occasion they need store-bought supplies.

When Jake had entered the land office, the manager of the sickly looking place had been sitting behind his grossly made wooden desk counting a bag full of gold coins. Jake knew at that moment that his suspiscions were true; this town was owned by King's Ranch; the biggest ranch in the area. He wasn't exciting about dealing with this land man, he knew it would be difficult to get the land he wished to own, seeing as it bordered King's Ranch on three sides. When he had told the two men that he hired as cow-hands that this was the land he was going to purchase they laughed in his face; that was when Jake knew they were the men that he needed working for him. He had told them that this was the land he wanted to buy they hadn't quit, they had laughed, told him he was crazy and walked away. Jake knew he wanted to buy this land, and that is exactly what he told the land man.
"This land is not for sale," the land man had told him with a look on his face that clearly stated he was serious about what he said.
"Yes, it is. It shows on the map right in front of me that nobody has purchased this land and that it is being grazed on currently by King's Ranch but it is still for sale," Jake made the fact that he was being very serious clear by the sheer look in his eyes.
"Well if you insist on purchasing that specific piece of land, even though I highly advice against it then so be it. Two bits an acre."
Jake counted out the money in gold and gave it to the land man only after he had the deed, with his name on it, in his hands. Jake left the land office with a smile of pure pleasure on his face; it was now time he headed out to the land he would work and fight for.

Jake rode into town like the devil; with a look on his face of pure torture and dread. Getting supplies was of pure necessity and it was evident that if he didn’t fulfill that need quickly he was going to starve. Starving would make King’s job much to easy. Jake hitched his horse in front of Luke’s General Mercantile, hiked up his pants and got ready to enter; he had never went on a shopping trip before. The temperature in the store was stifling and Jake pulled at his shirt collar in distaste as he walked to the back of the store. The man standing at the counter had dark brown graying hair, he had smiles lines that made it apparent he had lived many years of happiness, he was round and jolly looking and was fit the general mercantile job position well with his looks. Jake thought it was quite possible that he could like this man just by looking at him; that was on of his talents, he could read people.
“I am looking for enough supplies to get me through for about three weeks while I’m building a cabin if that is possible?” Jake explained to the man that was looking him over, doing the same thing Jake had done but moments ago. Jake admired a man that would look him in the eyes and judge whether or not he was trustworthy.
“That would be manageable, your new in town aren’t ya? My name is Luke Myers and this is my store. What exactly did you have in mind?” Jake looked at him with a look of pure confusion on his face, how was he supposed to know what he wanted? He had lived on beef jerky for the last five years of his life ever since he had left home. Luke caught the look and started writing a list of items that he knew Jake would be needing. “I suppose you’ll be needing lumber, plenty of dried food that won’t spoil in this unbearable heat, nails, plaster, and a good team to haul and work with the supplies.”
“Yes all that sounds about right, put whatever you think I’ll need on that there list and I’ll pay for it in full. As well as a writing tablet, a pencil and envelopes. Where around here do you post the mail?” Jake asked beginning to feel more comfortable around the man that he could sense could possibly become a close ally in the future against King.
“Most people post it over at the land office, but the people that aren’t under Kings thumb, which are few and becoming fewer, post it here. I bring it over to Tree Hill and post it with our mail. It’s only about 20 miles away and we figure that is worth our privacy we go once every 30 days and many of the other residents that post their mail here take turns going so we end up receiving and dropping it of at least once every 5 days. “
“Well thank-you, if you don’t mind I’ll be posting my mail here, because I am definitely going to be one of the few people that doesn’t not knuckle under King’s reign. I will also gladly take a shift in driving to Tree Hill,” Jake replied with a happy smile on his face; things were finally starting to look up.
“Well I’ll get those supplies for you, although you’ll be needing a wagon and team to haul the lumber back to camp; as well as it will be a useful piece of equiptment to have around any ranch.”



CHAPTER 2
Jocelyn Evans sat on the stagecoach headed to River Grove, a young woman alone on a stage with a bunch of rugged cowboys. Jocelyn had thought when she got on the stagecoach that she needed to be very weary of these mean, around the baby and around herself; what she didn't know is that everyone of these men would glady lay down their lives for her or the baby. They were some of the most respectful men in the territory, headed out work on Jake OWEN'S ranch.

Jocelyn knew that if she didn't relax this was going to be a painfully long two day trip. She leaned her head back and started going through the jumble of memories she was trying to sort out.

"Jocelyn, I have an announcement to make," Madeline, Jocelyn's older sister stood up at the supper table. "I met a wonderful man, we are engaged to be married and I am going to live with him."
I was so shocked that I didn't know where to start, my younger sister, in love, getting married and moving away; it was the most shocking news I had recieved in some time.
"Madeline, you are out of your mind! How is it that we have never heard of this young man?" I asked my younger sister still in shock from the news blast tath we had just recieved.
"We met three weeks ago, he is here buying cattle, he was supposed to leave last week but by then we had already decided to get married we just needed one more week for me to pack my belonging and tell my family, you." Madeline said with a smile a mile wide on her face. "I love him dearly and I am already pregnant; it is going to be wonderful."
Already pregnant! Was I hearing this right? The only thoughts running through my head is that this had to be a dream, my fifteen year old sister was not pregnant and she was not running away with some man she had only know for three weeks.
"Oh and we get on the stagecoach tonight, in approximately four hours. So I just have time to finish packing and then we have to be going," Madeline added.
"Madeline, have you completely lost your mind?" I shouted, I couldn't think of any other way to express my feelings except for screaming. My hands were shaking and my heart was bumping to a beat that I was sure would kill me if I didn't control it. Three deep breaths, one, two, three. I needed to calm down. "Madeline, are you sure that you want to do this, I mean you barely know this man, three weeks may seem like a long time, but people spend years getting to know each other before they marry. How can you be pregnant? That is disgraceful! If our parents were still alive they would be rolling over in their graves! We are catholic, sex before marriage is forbidden and you damn well know it! I am so disappointed in you. I forbid you to go; I am your older sister and it is my duty to take care and do what is best for you." My breath was coming out in gasps and there was nothing I could do about it, I couldn't control what I was feeling and I wasn't sure I wanted to, Madeline needed to know exactly how I felt.
"Jocelyn, I know you think that you can forbid me, and I am going to listen; because that is the way thaty ou think things should be. But Jocelyn, I am going to go and there is nothing you can do about it; I know love only comes in a lifetime and I am not going to pass this up. There is the baby also, I won't have my child growing up as a bastard because my older sister didn't agree with my decision," Madeline said the color rising in her cheeks.
I knew she had a point about the baby but I was loathed to agree it. What was an older sister supposed to say? My younger sister, pregnant? Is that even possible?
"Jocelyn, I'm trying to be rational about this, but I just don't think you know what you're getting yourself into and I think that you're going to regret this considerably in the future. Do you understand that?"
"Of course, Jocelyn. It is your job to worry and if I were in your position I would be worrying to, in fact I would probably not be as calm as you are now. Although this is something that I need to do and quite frankly there is nothing that you will be able to say to chgane by mind," Madeline said looking me in the face with very determined eyes.
"Alright, well then I suppose you had better go and pack your clothes."

I could believe that I had just given my younger sister permission to run away and get married, I was insane. What would happen when she came back in a month because her husband has mistreated her and there was nothing I could do about it because they were married? I didn't know what to think, there were so many things that could go wrong and Madeline had no idea. I knew that I had only one option and that was to let her go, I had no choice.


The many people on the streets watched Jocelyn and wondered what she could be doing hurring along as she was, after all she practically ran up the stairs to the local mercantile.

"Mr.Rosenburg, your messenger said it was urgent. What is the matter?" I asked in a voice that I'm sure sounded as though I was very nervous, because I was.
"Please, Jocelyn, call me Mark, how many times do I have to ask you that? Let me get Mary. Mary!!" The kind grocer bellowed at his wife upstairs. Mary came down stairs carying a bundle, a bundle that closely resembled what a baby would look like. I didn't remember the Rosenburg's having another baby. "Jocelyn, a young man came in yesterday, said he was from River Grove, and that your sister, his wife, had died in childbirth and he was left with their daughter. He said he was not equipped to deal with the burden of a child and that he knew you were a responsible woman and he felt that the child belonged with you."

I didn't know what to think. My sister dead, her daughter, and a husband that didn't think he could handle the child; what kind of a man would give up his child? I didn't understand anything that was going on, but I knew in the back of my mind that this wasn't the place to deal with it.

"Mr. Rosenburg, uh Mark, I thank you for taking the mssage, and taking care of the baby; did the man give any other information, his name?" I knew that I would need information about the young fellow that had impregnated, married, and indirectly caused the death of my sister, for he would not get away with what he had done. I was a firm believer that everyone have to deal with the consequences of their actions; in this man's case, his daughter.

"Yes, he said his name John Kestler, and he mentioned the town of River Grove, so that is where, I assume he is from."

"Well thankyou, very much, again for your help. I know this has come of a shock to you and I ask that you keep this quiet until I can find out exactly what happened. I don't want the town getting the wrong impression of my sister before I know what the true story is. Understandable?" I knew that there was no way the Rosenburg family would be able to keep this under their belts, they had two teenage daughters, and three other children, as well as Mrs. Rosenburg was known to be the town gossip.

"Yes, of course." Was Mark Rosenburg's reply even though in the back of his mind he knew that he had already told his closest friends and Mary had told that and more.

The only thoughts running through my mind were what was I going to do with a baby.


CHAPTER 3

Jake knew he shouldn't, but it was something that he couldn't help. She looked so scared and unsure of herself, and the little baby was as helpless as a fawn against a pack of wolves. He had to.
"Ma'am, are you alright?" Jocelyn looked up at the man that spoke to her. Her first impression was to run for the hills; another cowpoke seeing a vulnerable woman and definitely trying to take advantage of her. Althought at second glance her opinion began to change. He was tall, with deep brown hair, his eyes were blue as the sky and he had a prominant nose that was somewhat large but suited his face perfectly. His clothes were not those of a cow poke, they weren't fancy but they were in good condition, almost like someone had been taking care of him. His eyes, they told her, he was a good man.
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Is there somewhere I can escort you? This isn't exactly a good place to be sitting with a youngun."
"If there was I'm sure you could. I came here looking for John Kestler, but I just don't know where to start looking."
"Well, ma'am your search stops here. John was killed two days ago." Jake wondered how she knew that scum bag John and hoped it was no close relationship.
"Killed! Like dead?" Jocelyn couldn't understand it, but for some reason that information lifted a weight from her chest and she felt as though she could suddenly breathe easier. Until she realized that there was nothing for her to do now; she had nothing to go back too.
"Yes, dead. Do you have other arrangements?" Jake had to know.
"No. I have no idea what I am going to do now. Is there a hotel in town you could direct me to?" Jocelyn knew that was her only choice and that she would have to worry about the rest later.
"