Can two stubborn hearts find love under the
tall white pines?
The year is 1856. White pine is king of
the forest.
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| Releasing on April 15th |
The last thing Jonathan Wain wants to do
is ride miles through Pennsylvania’s wilderness to help his father’s logging
partner in the small settlement of Clearfield. But his family owns clipper
ships in the Chesapeake Bay that carry the coveted logs to the markets each
spring, and they can’t afford a loss.
The last thing Wilhelmina Wydcliffe
wants is a handsome sea captain from Maryland meddling in her father’s logging
operations under attack by unknown enemies. A feisty tomboy and better known as
Willie to her crews, she has a dream to be the largest logging operator east of
the Mississippi River.
When both Willie’s and Jonathan’s lives
are threatened, they are forced to work together to find their enemies before
both of their companies are in shambles. But as their attraction to each other
escalates, can they set aside their differences, unearth the truth, and
discover contentment in each other’s arms?
EXCERPT:
Jonathan found her at the table hacking a flapjack into a
million pieces. It didn't take any more brains than an earthworm to see she was
in the vilest of moods for someone about to celebrate her twenty-fourth
birthday. Following his explicit orders, no one from the entire household staff
had made mention of it, and she was moping.
Whistling merrily, Jonathan dropped into a seat facing her.
“People who are so joyful in the morning should have their
hearts ripped out,” she muttered and poured more than a generous stream of
maple syrup onto the shredded pancake.
A smile ruffled his handsome face. “You're just in a poor
mood because you didn't find your birthday presents we stashed in the stables.
Everyone knows you've tipped this house upside down in search of them. Think
all that sugar might help your disposition?”
“I should have known,” she sputtered, coming to her feet,
“only buzzard bait like you would stoop to such a childish trick.” An
unexpected stir of excitement rose inside her. “So what are we waiting for?”
He followed her out into the summer sunshine. The first rays
of dawn had already burned off the dew from underfoot. The doors to the stables
were flung open, and he had to quicken his pace to keep up with her.
“I guess in all fairness, I should show you where we hid
them.” Inside the barn, he led her past Silver Cloud's stall to one at the far
end of the stables. Her eyes sparkled luminously when she saw a pure white
horse, prancing in the stall, still uneasy with its new surroundings. His coat
glistened like new snow in the slanted sunlight filtering through the stable
windows.
She was so shocked, she could only stare.
“Happy birthday.” He leaned a shoulder against the stall. “A
new saddle from the staff is arriving from Maryland next week. I ordered it
special to fit the mount.”
“Oh, Jonathan, he’s beautiful. Thank you.” She blinked back
a tear. No one had ever given her such a splendid gift since the day she
received her first horse.
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With the incessant rains this year, Pennsylvania in May is a
beauty to behold if you squint between the raindrops. 
The ferns in my flower beds are unfurling and jumping
skyward. The Jack-in-the-pulpits have poked their heads up on the east side of
the house, thanks to the protective shade of a rhododendron, and the hosta
plants are so huge I fear they could join forces and overthrow all the plants
in our yard.
For me, May is a time of awakening with warmer nights with
golden moons. The bluebirds and hummingbirds return. The hawks soar. The robins
bob, bob, bob on the lawn. And the very vocal wrens scold everyone from atop a
cedar tree
