A Heart Worth Guarding (Preview)

Prologue

Duncan Jacobs surveyed the damage done by the storm that hit their Texas valley town through narrowed, sorrowful eyes. The town was called Dry Canyon for a reason. Ninety-nine percent of the time, it was dry as a bone, the hot weather bearable with the absence of humidity in the air.

Two weeks out of the year, Dry Canyon was hit with massive storms, which caused enormous damage and created a sense of panic and fear in the citizens that Duncan couldn’t control. He would have—if he wasn’t filled with that same sense of fear when the weather turned bad. He didn’t panic, but for two weeks there was a heaviness in his chest he couldn’t get rid of until the sun came back out.

He was sitting atop his horse, Oberlan, named after his grandfather, who had given Duncan the horse on his sixteenth birthday. Thinking back that far made Duncan even more tense than he already was. He’d lost a lot in the last fourteen years. Both of his parents and his dear wife, Eleanor. Eleanor had been with child when she passed, so it was a double impact on Duncan. He’d lost her when he was twenty-five and had spent the last five years living one day to the next, simply existing.

The women in Dry Canyon had let him know right away that when he was finished mourning, he wouldn’t be lost for a companion if he wanted one. The festivals, dances, and parties Duncan attended let him know what the women’s intentions were. He might have entertained the idea if it hadn’t been for the sheer fakeness of it all.

There was simply no way he was as good-looking, smart, charming, witty, and all those other compliments he regularly heard from women and envious men. It was flattering, but he didn’t believe it for a minute. It made him feel like they were setting him up so they could commit crimes and try to get it smoothed over by being “close” to him as the sheriff.

He’d never given any of them a chance and so far, didn’t regret it for a moment.

Duncan wasn’t a bitter man. He had a lot of friends in Dry Canyon and enjoyed spending time with them. He attended the parties so he could get plenty of human interaction. Plus, his best friend, Deputy Paul Hannigan made going to work and to the social gatherings worth it. He was a friendly, outgoing man who made all his friends laugh, including Duncan.

Then again, it had been five years. Duncan was getting tired of the humdrum life he was leading. The only action he got in his life was chasing down criminals and keeping the peace in a small town. He wanted to have fun and smile with a beautiful woman on his arm.

Duncan was pretty sure he’d depleted his options in town. Most of the women his age were either married or dedicated spinsters. He couldn’t think of even one he regretted having turned down anyway.

He rode up to the jailhouse and dismounted, leaving Oberlan out front, his reins over the hitching rail. As soon as they stopped, Oberlan’s head was down with his muzzle close to the clear water in the trough below him.

Duncan slapped the animal on the neck affectionately. “I’ll be inside, boy. You get yourself a refreshing drink there.” He dropped his eyes to the water to make sure it had been changed since the rain, which usually stirred up so much dust, the water troughs around town were lined with mud. It looked clean and he walked up the four porch steps, satisfied.

It was all quiet inside the jailhouse.

Paul was sitting at the larger desk, his feet up with his ankles crossed. He was leaning back in the chair, his hat pulled down over his eyes, and his fingers laced over his stomach.

He must have heard Duncan come in because he lifted the hat from his eyes with one hand and looked at him to see who had come in. He pulled his feet down, giving Duncan a sheepish grin. “Boss! There you are. You feelin’ okay? You look like you didn’t get much sleep.”

“Not a fan of the monsoon weather, ya know.”

Paul nodded, pulling open a drawer on his left-hand side and reaching in. He pulled out a thin magazine and dropped it on the desk in front of him. “Here’s that magazine Alice was talking about.” He tapped it with one finger. “She’s sure you’ll find what you’re looking for in here.”

Duncan stared at his friend for a moment before dropping his eyes to the magazine. He walked slowly to the desk and picked it up, reading the cover out loud. “Matrimonial Times.” He read the bold heading. “Finding a new life in the West. Is it for you?”

He looked over the magazine at Paul. “You really think this is a good idea?”

Paul shrugged. “I don’t know. Alice says it is. She’s a pretty smart woman. I don’t think she’d steer ya wrong.”

Duncan nodded. “I’m sure she wouldn’t.” He wouldn’t have told Paul if he thought the woman would. She was Paul’s wife and the two of them were almost sickeningly in love, seven years after having gotten married. Sometimes Duncan saw the humor in it.

Sometimes it annoyed the heck out of him.

He flipped open the magazine and turned to the page where the advertisements started. It didn’t look complicated. Most of the advertisements read pretty much the same. His first thought was that he would need to make his stand out somehow if he wanted to draw a good woman.

“I’ll think about it tonight and maybe write up an advertisement.”

“If you need any help or advice, I’m sure Alice will be willing to help. Just let me know.”

Duncan grinned at his friend. “I think I can handle writing an advertisement. But thanks. I might take you two up on that.”

Chapter One

Ever since she woke up that morning, Claire Fieldale knew something was going to go wrong. She’d been waiting for the bomb to drop all day. It wasn’t until she was sitting in front of a burning fireplace, sipping on a glass of wine, dressed in her silk nightgown and matching robe that the event finally took place.

She glanced around her, taking in the spacious room, at the grand furnishings, the gold-trimmed purple drapes with gold tassels and tiebacks. She was used to the luxury she saw. It didn’t mean much to her. Material things were easily gained and lost. She’d learned that much in her twenty-five years as a New York socialite.

Claire disliked it when she was told she behaved like a brat, spoiled and entitled. She tried not to be that way. But what was a girl to do when people were practically obligated to hand over anything she asked for?

On a normal day, Claire was known to her friends as an outgoing, happy young woman, not particularly worried that she wasn’t married yet, or seeing anyone socially either. She enjoyed living the way she lived and didn’t want it to change.

But change hung in the air around her. She could sense it. She could smell it and taste it. And she hated it.

She heard the sound of majestic bells bong through the house, indicating someone was at the door. Claire didn’t move. Andrew would take care of it. Their butler had been with them since Claire was five years old. He was a good servant and was paid handsomely for his services by Claire’s father, Duane Carter Fieldale.

She heard the front door open and the low droll tone of Andrew’s voice as he greeted the visitor. Her heart jumped a bit, catching a familiar voice. Even as the guest crossed the foyer, coming toward the parlor where Claire was, she sensed who it was. She thought she could smell the scent of his cologne in the air before he reached the parlor door. His footsteps were familiar, one of the only things that brought her comfort on this dark and dreary day.

She leaned forward in her chair, tilting over one of the armrests, her blue eyes fixed on the door. Andrew came through first, looked at her as he announced the young man following close behind him.

“Edmund Harrington, Miss.”

Claire slid out of the chair fluidly, lifting both hands in the air so the fabric of her robe hung down, giving the impression of wings. She smiled warmly.

“My darling Edmund,” she said.

“Dearest Claire,” Edmund replied, leaning toward her when the two were a foot or so apart. They air kissed at each other’s cheeks on either side.

“You must have a drink, cousin, and tell me about your day. It has not been a good one for me, though I can’t point my finger to what exactly is causing my mood.”

Edmund was already on his way to the bar. He set his hat on the counter next to the trays of bottles and glasses. He picked up an elegantly designed crystal decanter and uncorked it. Before he poured himself a drink, he looked over at Claire. “I’m afraid I don’t have any good news for you, Claire. In fact, what I have come to speak to you about might be the reason you have been feeling odd today.”

Claire raised her eyebrows. “Whatever do you mean?”

Edmund poured himself a drink and came back to where she was, still holding the decanter in his hand. He gestured to her with it.

“Let me give you some more, my dear, before I tell you what I’ve heard.”

Claire felt her heart seize up. She stared at him but held up the glass as he advised. He poured until her glass was three-quarters full.

Edmund took the decanter back to the bar, corked it, and returned to drop into a chair near Claire. She scanned his casual stylish clothes and wondered if he ever spilled drinks on those clothes and got in trouble with her aunt and uncle, his parents.

What an odd thing to think during such a moment, she thought, amused at herself.

“So what is it you have to tell me?”

Edmund slid his naturally narrow eyes to her face. “You haven’t had enough to drink yet.”

“I’ve been sipping for two hours already,” she stated. “Besides, it took all my will power not to start early this morning. Like when I woke up.” She shook her head, sighing heavily. Please just put me out of my misery and explain why I have such a feeling of dread.”

“Well, I must say your intuition has always been fairly spot-on, Claire,” Edmund remarked. “That’s why I’ve won at parlor games when I’m your partner. If it takes brains, you’re the one to partner with.”

Claire lifted one side of her lips in a half-grin. Edmund being Edmund—always trying to keep her spirits high. “Thank you, dear cousin.”

“It’s my pleasure, I’m sure.”

“Thank you for the distraction. Now please tell me what it is that has me so upset.”

Edmund hesitated. He looked away from Claire, which was never a good sign. She knew him. He was the kind of man who spoke what was on his mind without hesitation. That was one of the reasons they got along so well. They were both honest with each other, blunt but tactful, respectful but not willing to compromise themselves for the other. They had those traits in common.

If he couldn’t even look her in the eye, it had to be bad.

“I’m gonna take a wild guess and say you haven’t seen the paper this evening.”

Claire’s heart almost stopped. She felt a cold chill run over her body. Shaking her head, she replied, “No.”

Again there was hesitation on Edmund’s part. Claire knew it had to be something extremely bad for him to be acting the way he was.

“Edmund, please. Just tell me. This is too suspenseful. I think I might have a heart attack.”

Edmund snorted. “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.” He sighed, stood up halfway, and leaned in her direction as he pulled a rolled newspaper from inside his jacket. He handed it over to her. “Don’t shoot the messenger,” he mumbled. “Page one, second headline.”

Claire’s hands were shaking as she opened the newspaper and scanned it. Her heart was pounding. She was afraid of what she was going to see.

When her eyes settled on the headline in question and she took in what it said, her entire body erupted in cold chills.

“This can’t be,” she breathed.

“That’s exactly what I said,” Edmund said, his voice somewhat cold. Claire lifted her eyes and gazed at him, taking in the look on his face. Edmund was her best friend. They had grown up like brother and sister, constantly around each other, getting along like two peas in a pod. They liked the same things and were on the same intelligence level. He was one of the best conversationalists Claire had ever been around. He could make anything sound interesting. The kind of man that could make describing filling a bucket with sand actually interesting.

If this created a rift between them, it would feel like the end of the world to her.

“Is this true? Is it real? Tell me this is a prank you’re playing on me. If so, it’s very cruel!”

She crunched the paper in her hand and tossed it to the ground. It unfolded in front of her feet, that second headline staring up at her.

Mastermind Behind the Turnstall Scheme Exposed – Duane Carter Fieldale arrested and taken into custody.

Underneath was a sketch rendition of her father being led away by Marshalls, his head down, his shoulders hunched, as if he was trying to hide himself. He wasn’t doing a very good job, if that’s what he was attempting.

Claire’s heart seized in her chest. She put one hand up and pressed against the pain. She closed her eyes.

“What does this mean for my family?” she expressed breathlessly, suddenly feeling very weak.

When Edmund didn’t respond, she looked up at him. He had his fingers in his pockets, his hands hanging out, and a defeated look on his sculpted face. His eyes had been averted but when she looked up at him, he turned them to her.

He shook his head.

“It means you’ve lost all your money.”

Chapter Two

“How could he do this to us?” Claire felt like she couldn’t catch her breath. When her knees wobbled and she felt herself falling, she reached out for the chair she’d been sitting in. She felt Edmund’s arms around her, catching her before she could hit the floor. He helped her settle back in the chair and pushed her blond hair out of her eyes.

“Calm down, Claire. Take a breath. Take a deep breath.”

“I can’t believe this.” Claire was having trouble focusing. Her thoughts were scattered. “Everything… everything is gone? All of it? What does this mean? Do you know?”

Edmund went back to the chair he’d abandoned when he jumped up to catch her and sat just on the edge, holding the newspaper tightly in one hand. His eyes were intense as he took her in. She was grateful for the look of concern on his face.

“I did some asking around as soon as I saw this headline this evening. I was actually in the men’s club when I saw it on one of the side tables. I was getting ready to leave, saw it, read that article, and turned right around, went back inside. My friend, Daniel Trettle, you know, the lawyer, was in there. I saw him before I left. So I found him and asked him what this meant for your family and mine.”

Claire pulled her eyebrows together, giving him a confused look. “Your family?”

“My mother and your father are brother and sister, don’t forget. This doesn’t look good on my family, either. I expect we’re going to have curious eyes on us for some time to come. But this is obviously going to be worse for you and your brother and sister and your mother than for me and my family. But how could I not be curious?”

Claire had to give him that. There was no reason he couldn’t be curious about something that might affect his family.

“Well, what did he tell you? What does this mean?” Claire held onto the tiniest glimmer of hope that there was a way out of this where her life didn’t have to change too much. Or at all.

Edmund gave her a look of regret. “It’s not good, Claire. They’ve seized all of your family assets. That includes the house and the animals, everything on the ranch, the bank accounts. Everything.”

Claire covered her face with her hands. “What did he do? Why would they do that?”

“He stole a lot of money from a lot of different people. Left them destitute. He took money from churches and businesses, too. He owes everyone money. So they had to take everything to pay his… err…victims back and then to pay the fines that will be imposed.”

Claire felt chills run over her body. She thought about all her clothes, her possessions, her trinkets, and bobbles.

“Are they going to take all my clothes?” she said, the volume of her tone rising slowly. “Are they going to strip me down and take everything I own? To pay back debts my father built up? I had nothing to do with this! I didn’t know anything about this! Why do they have to come after me?”

Claire felt tears rising to her eyes. Her throat was clogging up and her words came out distorted because of it. Edmund looked like he didn’t know what to do with her. He didn’t exactly look uncomfortable. She saw sympathy in his eyes. He was letting her vent. Which was just what she needed.

She shot to her feet and started to pace. One hand was gripped around the glass tightly. The other was pressed against her forehead.

“I haven’t done anything to anyone. It’s not my fault Papa turned out to be someone who was willing to put his entire family at risk for money. What about me? What about Mama? What was he thinking?”

“You should probably sit down, Claire. You’re not going to do anything but give yourself a cramp if you keep spinning and stomping like that.”

Claire stopped and narrowed her eyes at him, her temper rising. “I knew it was going to be a bad day!” she exclaimed. “I’m disgusted by this! I can’t believe this! How could he do such a thing?”

She let out a shriek and threw the glass with force against the fireplace. It shattered, glass raining down on the marble floor.

“Claire, you need to calm down.”

She wrapped her arms around herself moments before she felt Edmund doing the same, hugging her from behind.

“Calm yourself, Claire. Calm yourself. There’s nothing you can do now.”

Claire scowled and pulled herself free of his hands. She took a few steps away from him and remained with her back turned, angry that he could seem so callous about it. What did he have to worry about? Their families had never been particularly close. It was she and Edmund that shared what she considered a special bond.

What if that bond was based on the fact that they both had a lot of money? Thinking back, she remembered many instances where Edmund had looked down his nose at someone who was less fortunate. She never considered herself to be someone like that but the more she thought about being penniless, the more she realized she was used to the finer things and didn’t think she would be able to get along without them.

She began to pace again, the urge to bawl like a baby ever present in her mind. Tears streamed down her cheeks but she was still able to speak her mind. She spun around, throwing her hands up and gesturing wildly as she spoke.

“I don’t want to be one of those beggars down on the street! What would I wear for something like that? One of my fancy dresses? Who is going to do my hair and wash my clothes? Who will draw my bath? I can’t imagine living that way. Having to do everything for yourself? I don’t want to be one of those people.”

Edmund chewed on his bottom lip, his face thoughtful. “I suppose you could always find a husband, someone wealthy to take care of you. That’s going to save Eliza.”

Claire thought about her sister and momentarily felt a sense of relief. At least Eliza would be virtually untouched by the ruination of their family name. She had a different last name now, having taken her husband’s surname. And he was quite wealthy, a successful businessman before he met and married her sister.

Claire shook her head. “This is unfathomable, Eddie. I can’t find a man now. He will know exactly what I’m doing. And I don’t think I can marry for money. I have to have some kind of feelings, some kind of connection. I want to know my husband and be friends with him first. I certainly don’t want to marry a man much older than I am, either.”

Edmund gave her a reluctant look. “You might not have much of a choice. I’d offer you some assistance, monetarily, but I doubt you will take a handout from anyone in the family.”

“Mama may be asking for loans eventually,” Claire said. Her head was starting to pound. She pressed two fingers against her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut. “What will I do, Eddie?”

“I don’t know. Just so you know, no matter what, I’ll be here to help you and support you. I’ll keep my ear to the ground and whatever I hear that might help you, I’ll pass it along. Even if it’s a job you could get.”

Claire’s heart nearly stopped. She had resumed pacing and stopped abruptly, her head snapping in his direction. “A job?” she asked incredulously. “What in heaven’s name could I possibly do as a job? If I held any position, it wouldn’t look good to a possible suitor, either.”

Edmund shook his head. “But that doesn’t matter now. You won’t be able to get the same kind of suitors you did before. You’re going to have to change your standards.”

Claire felt her chest tighten with anxiety. She bent over and clutched her chest. “I think I’m going to die.” She felt all the blood gathering in her head. She was close to fainting, she could tell.

She was about to fall to her knees when once again Edmund came to her rescue, grabbing her and holding her against him in a tight hug. She turned her head and rested it on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

“This isn’t going to be easy for you, I know,” Edmund said, keeping his voice low and calm. “But you’ll make it through. You’re stronger than you think. I know you can do it.”

Chapter Three

Claire stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, staring out in front of her. Three buildings down, directly in front of the beauty salon, was a trio of the worst gossipers in all of New York state. She didn’t want to go down there.

The lawyers had given Claire and her family information about the case, which was ongoing. Her father was being held in prison while he waited for his trial. He was almost certainly going to be found guilty. His assets had been seized. Fortunately for Claire and her siblings, Claire’s mother had the foresight to create a bank account of her own and put in money for herself and her children every chance she got. It wasn’t nearly enough to help them get out of debt and save their home. But it was enough to let them live during the trial.

At twenty-five, Claire had never even thought about saving money. It had always been at her disposal without hesitation. She’d ask her father for a sum of money to purchase something she wanted and he wrote her a check. She had tabs all around town in various shops.

She owed them all now. When it came to paying off what her father owed, her small debts were the lowest on the totem pole. As the youngest of the Fieldale children, Claire had been treated with special kid gloves. She was the most talented and best looking of the children in her family. She didn’t mean to be boastful when she thought those words. They were facts. The townspeople had treated her almost like a princess. Her family was well known and well-liked.

At the drop of a hat, that had all changed. For some reason, in the weeks since her father was arrested, she noticed her friends avoiding her, looking at her with different eyes as if she had something to do with the scheme her father had pulled off. She couldn’t help what he’d done. It didn’t change who she was. The fact that her friends could turn their backs and blame her for something she didn’t do hurt her.

Edmund was the only one who was still by her side. He had done everything he could to find out information and encourage her whenever he had a chance. But he wasn’t always with her. In fact, there would be days in between their meetings. And during those days, Claire became more and more discouraged, lonely, and sorrowful.

Today, all she’d wanted to do was get some sunshine. She wanted to feel normal again, walk through the shops she loved so much, look at the pretty dresses, maybe get her hair done at the beauty salon. She could always use a new style. The typical braid was becoming tiresome.

She wished that trio of gossiping women weren’t standing there. It wouldn’t be long before they spotted her. What would they think of her, staring at them, frozen in place, obviously intimidated by their bitterness toward her? They would think she was foolish. They would laugh and point their fingers.

Claire pulled in a deep breath, deciding to go forward. She told herself she could handle whatever they had to dish out. She wasn’t afraid of being mocked.

But with every step, Claire knew how much she was kidding herself. She was, in fact, afraid of being mocked. She didn’t like the way it felt. It made her chest tight, her blood race, her heart pound. She didn’t like it at all when her feelings were hurt.

She didn’t want those girls to have the power to make her feel that way. But there was nothing she could do to change how she was feeling.

Feeling like she might faint, Claire stepped up to the entrance of the beauty salon. The girls had moved to the side and were giving her that look Claire had come to expect since the arrest of her father. That smug smirk was one of the most unattractive expressions a girl could have on her face.

“Well, hello there, Claire,” the tallest, prettiest and most annoying member of the trio drawled slowly. She dragged Claire’s name out, exaggeratedly. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Instinctively, Claire spun around before she went in and glared at the woman, whose name was Lilianne. Her friends were Betsy and Anna.

“Oh? And where did you expect me to be?” she asked, hotly.

Lilianne looked like she hadn’t expected Claire to respond to her. She raised her eyebrows and lifted her chin. “Are you sure you can afford to have any work done here? You might want to figure out how to do your hair on your own. So I hear anyway. Oh. How’s your father?”

The last question prompted snickers from Betsy and Anna, who were openly staring and laughing at Claire.

Resentment filled Claire’s chest. She pictured herself slapping the woman across the face. All three of them. It made her feel a little better but she wished more than anything she could just do it and get away with it. She couldn’t be the only one who knew how awful this trio was.

“My family is none of your concern.”

Lilianne laughed. “Thank goodness for that. I mean, who would want to be a member of the Fieldale family?” She tilted her head to the side, her eyes never leaving Claire’s face. “How must it feel, to be at once the queen in town, and the next moment you are knocked to your knees like a servant. A position well deserved I’m sure.”

Claire was sure to lose her temper. She clenched her jaw and balled up her fists. “You’ll take heed not to assume things you don’t know anything about. Which I’m guessing is the majority of things most people know. My family is none of your concern. I’ll ask you to stay out of my business and stay out of my way.”

Lilianne scoffed, tossing one hand in the air. “You and your family are nothing now, Claire Fieldale. You’ve been knocked off that nice little pedestal you like to put yourself on.”

“Come on, Lil,” Betsy said, gesturing to her friend. “I want to get to the theater and watch the acting troupe while they practice their play. I might be able to get a part in it if I can sing good enough.”

Claire was astounded by how quickly that got Lilianne’s attention. Her head snapped toward Betsy.

“I forgot about that!” she exclaimed. She turned her angry, narrow eyes back to Claire. “It’s funny you know,” she said, “how people get what’s coming to them in the end?”

She curled her lip.

Claire left her face unchanged, blinking slowly at Lilianne. “It’s far from the end, Lilianna. Far from the end. There is plenty of life left in me. And if I’m blessed, I’ll be living it somewhere far away from the likes of you!”

She turned and stomped into the beauty salon, leaving the scolded girls behind, looking only slightly bemused by the situation. She was sure they didn’t care. It shouldn’t have made any difference to Claire but for the fact that she could remember when they were friends. It made her uncomfortable to think about the amount of time she’d spent judging others when she shouldn’t have. Now, these so-called friends had turned their backs on her even though she hadn’t stolen anyone’s money and none of them had been personally affected by her father’s actions.

The moment she was in the beauty salon, she knew her day had been ruined. It wouldn’t even do any good to get anything done to her hair. Not only wouldn’t she appreciate or enjoy the day, she would do so knowing the woman doing her hair probably hated her as much as the gossiping trio still hovering in front of the beauty parlor.

Claire turned on her heel and stomped back out, passing the young women with her head held high, even though that wasn’t at all how she felt about the situation.

She was still walking when she saw her friend, Hillary, chatting with Edmund at the end of the drive to her house. She approached them, a smile on her face.

But as she got closer, it seemed she had interrupted something. She couldn’t tell whether it was anything good or anything bad.

“Claire!” Edmund exclaimed, more surprised than she would have expected. “What you are doing here?”

But it wasn’t Edmund’s surprised reaction that got to Claire.

It was the fact that Hillary saw her coming…and walked away.

---

“A Heart Worth Guarding” is an Amazon Best-Selling novel, check it out here!

Claire is a rich and spoiled girl with a heart of gold, living luxuriously in New York. Suddenly, her status and money are wiped from reality and she is left feeling lost and embarrassed when her father is arrested for corruption. In a desperate attempt to get rid of the humiliation she is now experiencing, she decides to respond to a sheriff’s mail-order-bride ad. Although she is fond of husband-to-be at first, her world comes crashing down around her once again, as she realizes how incompatible she is with him and his humble lifestyle. Can Claire find her happy place in the west, living simply as the wife of a sheriff, thousands of miles away from what she’d once considered home?

Duncan is the beloved but strict sheriff of Dry Canyon, hardened by a challenging western life, full of death, disease and crime. What he inwardly needs is a vigorous woman to help him come out of his comfort zone. Once he sets his eyes on Claire, as she steps off the train, he instantly senses that his life will never be the same. Will he be brave enough to express his emotions, or will his introversion drive Claire away? Can he handle her delicate and vulnerable nature and become her own hero and protector?

Claire and Duncan have many differences they need to bridge before they can be happy together. On top of that, some unexpected intrusions from their past will create even more waves for the couple. Can they find a way to make their two worlds one? In the end, will Claire and Duncan break all the barriers that wish to keep them apart, or will internal battles and outside forces overpower them?

“A Heart Worth Guarding” is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Get your copy from Amazon!