Treasures of the North (Yukon Quest Book #1)

Tracie Peterson

Description

Could They Fulfill Their Dreams in this Untamed Land?Driven by desperation, Grace Hawkins must forsake the affluent comfort of her upbringing to save herself from an arranged marriage. Disillusioned by her father's insistence, she forges a daring plan to escape the sinister hand of her intended.Peter Colton sees the Alaskan gold rush as an opportunity to establish his family's fledgling shipping business. An unexpected partnership enables him to pursue those dreams and opens the door to an aquaintance with Grace, who has purchased passage north.Drawn together by need and circumstance, Grace and Peter form a faltering friendship. But when her deserted fiance continues to manipulate her loved ones, can she find peace in the wake of his wrath?

Sujets

• Historical romance

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2001
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781585588725
• Langue: English

Extrait

© 2001 Tracie Peterson
Published by Bethany House Publishers 11400 Hampshire Avenue South Bloomington, Minnesota 55438 www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan. www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2010
Ebook corrections 11.05.2015
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-5855-8872-5
Cover design by Andrea Gjeldum
Contents
COVER
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT PAGE
PART ONE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
PART TWO
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
PART THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BOOKS BY TRACIE PETERSON
BACK AD
BACK COVER
Part One
JUNE-AUGUST 1897
In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
PSALM 71:1–2
1
—[ CHAPTER ONE ]—
A GOSSAMER WRAP of glittering ivory danced across Grace Hawkins’ shoulders and enveloped her in its folds like the kiss of a summer breeze. Huge brown eyes stared out from a china doll face, serving only to accentuate the delicacy of its owner.
Her expression might have suggested serenity, but the mood in her heart suggested quite the opposite.
‘‘My dear, you look radiant.’’
‘‘Thank you, Mother,’’ Grace replied, trying hard to smile. She had no heart for this evening or for the charade she was about to play. This should have been the happiest night of her life; instead, Grace dreaded it as she would have a dose of the cook’s tonic. Neither she nor her governess, Karen Pierce, could abide the smelly concoction and usually found an unlikely place to dispose of it before being found out. Pity Grace couldn’t dispose of her unwanted fiancé as easily.
Grace sighed. There were a great many things she and Karen had managed to avoid in life; however, engagement to Martin Paxton didn’t appear to be one of them. Karen’s quick thinking and understanding of the world would do little to free Grace from her father’s demands.
And unlike Karen, who held animosity for any man’s demands, Grace had worked hard for a genteel balance. She could be her father’s obedient daughter, gentle in spirit and silent unless spoken to, but she could also be a reflection of her teacher. Unfortunately, as Grace grew older and began to see life for herself, the two natures warred against each other, causing her no end of frustration and confusion. Underlying Grace’s seemingly serene personality a storm was brewing, and she couldn’t help but wonder if this particularly unpleasant situation would be the missing element to unleash that storm.
‘‘Your fiancé will be very impressed, I’ve no doubt,’’ her mother chattered on. ‘‘A woman of quality and beauty is not easily found. You will make him proud.’’
But what will he make me? Grace wondered. She’d already met the formidable man, and while he was handsome enough, despite a thin jagged scar that marred his jawline on the right side of his face, his personality suggested an aloofness, a kind of cold shoulder that left Grace wondering if there could be any hope for love to grow.
Looking up, Grace caught sight of her own reflection in the mirror. My, but I’m all grown-up .
The gown, of ivory and rose, seemed to shimmer at her every move. Tiny summer roses fresh from the garden had been sewn into the neckline, sending a delectable fragrance—sweet and airy—wafting through the air. Their deep pink color appeared shaded and muted through the veil-like covering of Grace’s wrap. The teasing effect hinted of something more—something pure and special. Grace thought it a symbolic statement of her own purity, veiled and delicately concealed, yet evident for the world and one man’s picking.
Her mother had commissioned the gown in honor of her engagement, and Grace could tell by the pleased expression on her mother’s face that the dress was exactly what she had hoped for. Status and appearance were of great importance to her mother. The society pages would be positively ringing with praises for the couple on the morrow, giving fuel to her mother’s energies to plan the wedding of the century.
‘‘Karen, put another pin in her hair,’’ Mrs. Hawkins commanded. ‘‘Right here where the curl seems wont to slip away.’’
Karen, ever patient with her employer’s demands, did as she was instructed, then stood back. Mrs. Hawkins nodded and lifted her chin as she drew a deep breath. ‘‘There will not be another young woman half so beautiful. I will go and attend to our guests. Karen will bring you to your father when the time is right.’’ She looked back at Grace and nodded again. ‘‘Oh, I do hope the photographer has arrived!’’
She opened the door, then paused again, her nervous excitement irritating Grace. ‘‘Whatever you do, Grace, don’t sit down! We mustn’t have you wrinkled. Karen, you remind her,’’ she said, as if Grace were only five years old instead of twenty.
Both Grace and Karen nodded in agreement. Myrtle Hawkins seemed satisfied and turned to go.
Watching her mother leave, Grace felt her hopes and dreams dissipate. ‘‘How can they do this to me?’’ she whispered loud enough for only Karen to hear.
‘‘I can’t abide it,’’ Karen agreed. ‘‘It’s tantamount to slavery.’’
Grace lifted her sorrowful face to her governess, the term revealing little of the depth of affection the two women shared. ‘‘That’s exactly what it is. They are selling me to the highest bidder. Oh, Karen, what am I to do?’’
Shaking her head, Karen moved to close the door between Grace’s bedroom and her sitting room. ‘‘You could always run away. We’ve discussed this before.’’
‘‘I know,’’ Grace said, moving to sit, then remembering the warning. Her mother would never forgive her for showing up wrinkled to her own engagement party. She sighed. ‘‘They’re all going to know the truth of it. All of society—all of Chicago.’’ Her mournful words hung heavy on the air. ‘‘Everyone who is anyone knows I’ve not been courted by Mr. Paxton. He’s nothing more than my father’s business associate.’’
‘‘Well, he certainly thinks of himself as something more,’’ Karen replied. ‘‘I’ve never seen a man hold such influence over your father. Why, the man practically ordered your father into giving this party tonight. I heard him myself. So did the rest of the house staff.’’
‘‘I know,’’ Grace replied. ‘‘I don’t understand the situation any more than you do. I want to be a good daughter and do what is expected of me, but frankly, Mr. Paxton frightens me.’’
‘‘Did you tell your mother?’’ Karen questioned.
‘‘I tried. She said it was a simple matter of virginal nerves,’’ Grace stated, her cheeks warming. ‘‘She said all young girls fear the expectations of their husbands and that I should simply pray on the matter and trust God for the best.’’
‘‘I agree we should pray, but I know better than to believe this is simply a case of prewedding jitters. You do not love the man and he clearly does not love you. In fact, he almost seems to resent you and everyone else in this house.’’
‘‘I know,’’ Grace moaned, ‘‘but what can I do? I’ve tried to talk to Father, but he’ll not see reason.’’ She paced nervously, the glimmering gown swirling around her heels. ‘‘I’m a mere woman of twenty. Father still sees me as a child, and children, in his estimation, should be seen and not heard.’’
‘‘I believe that to be his estimation for women in general,’’ Karen replied with a hint of resentment in her tone.
‘‘Father treats Mother with respect,’’ Grace countered. ‘‘He used to listen to her counsel all the time. It was only in this decision to marry me to his associate that he rejected any influence from her.’’
‘‘Probably because he knew what she’d say. I believe your mother wants to see you happy, even while pleasing her social circle. I also believe she had planned for you to marry one of the Willmington boys.’’
Grace nodded. ‘‘Poor Mother. Father actually yelled at her.’’
‘‘Well, don’t take it on your shoulders,’’ Karen encouraged. ‘‘Your mother has known well enough how to make a go at marriage. She’s shared a silver wedding anniversary with him. That must account for something.’’
‘‘Perhaps if my brother, Amon, had lived. Mother said that Father was so happy having his firstborn to be a son. When Amon died, Father was inconsolable. I must have been a poor substitute.’’
‘‘One child is never a substitute for another,’’ Karen chided. ‘‘Now listen. You cannot go downstairs looking all glum. Whatever choice you make in the future, whether to go through with this and get married or run away, you must at least give your mother and father a pretense of contentment. It would greatly shame your parents in the eyes of their peers should word get out that you do not desire this union.’’
Grace contemplated her governess’s words. She was so grateful for the companionship she shared with Karen. They were more like sisters than anything. Karen had been her teacher and friend for over ten years, and Grace loved her more dearly than anyone else. Karen’s wisdom had always been a gentle guide, directing Grace to acknowledge her position and duties.
A quick glance at her watch and Karen motioned to the d