Lucy’s employer expects more from
her than she is willing to give. When he tells her that he will ruin her
reputation regardless of her answer, she knows she needs to leave town.
Lucy answers an advert for an employment agency offering nanny jobs out West.
It seems to be the answer to her problem. Arriving in Wyoming, Lucy expects to
care for two children.
In her wildest dreams, she never
expected to have three men pursue her, each with marriage intentions.
Will Lucy find someone to spend
her life with, or will she have to run again from three men who don’t want to
take no for an answer.
Get Lucy’s Choice exclusively on Kindle Unlimited
When Lucy stopped in front of Missus Auberon’s Employment Agency, she drew in a deep breath before opening the door and stepping into the small office.
A young lady of no more than
twenty years greeted Lucy: “Good morning, what can I do for you?”
“I’ve come about the ad in the
paper for openings in the West,” Lucy answered.
“Lovely,” the young woman said.
“My name is Grace, and I’ll be happy to help you. Please, have a seat. Missus
Auberon requires a form be filled out before she interviews possible
candidates.”
Grace smiled and accepted the
completed form. “Please, wait a moment,” she said before disappearing through a
door at the opposite end of the office.
A few minutes later, Grace opened
the door and announced, “Missus Auberon will see you now, Miss Brennon.”
Lucy thanked Grace, entered the
larger brightly lit office, and greeted the matronly woman—her dark brown hair
liberally streaked with gray and pulled into a tight bun—who was sitting behind
an ornate oak desk. “Good morning,
Missus Auberon. Thank you for seeing me,” Lucy said.
Missus Auberon gestured to an
overstuffed burgundy floral chair in front of her desk. “Please, be seated. I
prefer to be comfortable, don’t you? I detest hard wooden chairs.”
Lucy smiled her agreement. She
liked the woman immediately and said a silent prayer that she would fare well
and find employment quickly.
Missus Auberon read the form and
frowned. “The personal reason you have for wanting to leave town isn’t any
trouble, is it Miss Brennon. You aren’t with child or involved in some sort of
investigation with the authorities?”
Lucy shook her head before
lowering her eyes. Her voice quiet, Lucy explained her situation at the
Carstairs home.
“I see,” Missus Auberon said.
“Yes, that could be quite the problem; however, with your qualifications, I
believe I can offer you immediate employment with the mayor of a small town in
Wyoming called Snowdrop. His wife was injured in a riding accident, and they
need a nanny. He has paid for the train and stage fare, and you could leave as
soon as tomorrow if you wish.”
A short discussion informed Lucy
that her charges would be a girl of six and a boy of five. She would have a
private room and not be expected to perform any household duties except caring
for the children. The mayor had a maid and cook.
Missus Auberon handed Lucy two
letters. One was from the local sheriff and the other from the town’s pastor,
attesting to the good standing and character of the mayor, his ailing wife, and
their need for a nanny for their two well-behaved children.
Lucy found herself agreeing to
the employment opportunity before she thought it through completely, wishing to
get out of town as soon as possible.
Missus Auberon said, “I can have
your tickets and the trip details to your hotel this afternoon. Mayor Powell
has included some funds in case of an emergency. They will be in the envelope
delivered to you. I believe you will do nicely. Will leaving tomorrow give you
enough time to say your goodbyes to family and friends?”
Lucy gave a small shrug of one
shoulder. “I’m an orphan, and I was too busy at the Carstairs and didn’t have
time to make friends.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, but
perhaps things will change in Wyoming. Life is more laid back out West. I do
wish you the best, and if you have difficulty, please don’t hesitate to send a
telegram. We will assist you as quickly as possible,” Missus Auberon assured.
Lucy wished Missus Auberon a good
day and thanked her for the help before leaving. She strolled back to the
hotel, both excited and a bit scared. What would her new life bring?
My passion is writing. When I am not writing, I am reading or watching sunsets. I have been writing short stories since I was in elementary school. Most were in the form of essays relating real-life events. Many were purely imaginary trips to magical places and times. I enjoy making up stories about people I meet or see on the street. My imagination runs wild and free. Besides my novels and companion short stories, I have self-published a book of children’s stories I used to tell to my granddaughter, Brittney, and two books of supernatural short stories.
I have been reading and loving supernatural stories and mysteries since I picked up my first Nancy Drew book. I also read all the Hardy Boy books I could find. I am a fan of Stephen King, Wendy Corsi Staub, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Agatha Christie. I also have a romantic side that is drawn to the mail-order bride stories of the 1800s.
I write cozy mystery, supernatural
mystery, and Western Historical romance.
I love spring, summer, and
starlight, but ice and snow make my dislike list. I have two children and two
grandchildren who are the joys of my life.
Marianne's Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page
You might think it would be easy to find a man when the odds are forty to one. You might be wrong.
Join the authors of this brand-new
series as their heroines fend off the advances of not just one man, but three.
Can you figure out which one she’ll choose before the end of the book? Will it
be the man you hoped it would be?
~ ~ ~
It’s been my pleasure hosting Marianne today. I look forward to featuring more books in this great series.
Nancy
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