In August of 1868, Sarah White hires a Texas cowboy to help her save her Nebraska farm. Can she trust his bold plan to rescue her and her four-year-old brother?
In August of 1868, Sarah White is left alone to care for her four-year-old brother and save the family homestead in Ogallala, Nebraska.
She hires Jeremiah Boyd, a twenty-six year old Texas cowboy stranded after the summer trail drive, who is willing to work for room and board.
When there is not enough cash to pay the mortgage her no-account half-brother, Wilber, plans to take over the farm. The town banker also wants Sara and her land, but Sara is not interested in him.
Jeremiah’s bold plan is to return to Texas, buy longhorn cattle and drive them north to sell to the government. He tells her to trust him and rides off with her heart and her future in his hands.
Excerpt
CHAPTER ONE
Ogallala, Nebraska 1868
A blanket-covered form bounced on the back of Jack Carter’s mare as it plodded up the road.
Sara White strained her eyes and smoothed back her thick auburn hair that was even more tightly curled and unruly than usual due to the weather. The clouds had gathered thick and black adding a sticky, humid overtone to a day which she would forever remember as heavy and dark.
“I found your papa by the south fence, Miss Sara.” Jack’s voice was thick with regret. “It looks like his heart plumb give out, and he’s gone to meet his maker. I’m sorry, ma’am. Real sorry.”
Later, after she had covered her father with a clean sheet and knelt beside the bed to pray for his swift entrance into Heaven, she thought about his lifeless body draped over that horse and became violently ill. Since then she hadn’t been able to eat much of anything.
Somehow she had lived through two weeks of wearisome days while finding a way to do all of her father’s chores as well as those that had always been her responsibility. Last night she had looked the whole house over for coins, including going so far as to search through her father’s things—even the pockets of his old blue work pants, but no money turned up.
This morning, she had even found it difficult to locate a pan in which to cook the oatmeal for breakfast. She dusted off the last jar of applesauce and struggled to open its tightly sealed lid. Just because she couldn't keep any food down was no reason to let Adam go hungry.
With each passing hour, she became increasingly frightened to think of spending the winter alone, so far from town and fourteen miles from her nearest neighbor. Already, she had used up all the corn meal, and the supply of beans and molasses was running low.
A trip to the Cox’s Store in Ogallala would be necessary. She also planned to stop at the bank and talk to Harold Philburn.
"Sissy, it's too hot. I wanna' wear my old shirt.”
"No, Adam, you’ll wear your good one. I won't have people thinking I can't take care of you just as well as Papa did.”
"Where is Papa? Is he coming home soon?" His voice sounded thin and whiny.
Adam clamped his pearly front teeth over his bottom lip and chewed gently — a sure sign that he felt worried.
Sara sat down on the edge of his narrow bed and took both of his chubby hands in hers.
“No, honey, Papa won’t be coming home. He's gone to Heaven to be with Mama." She reached up and pushed back an unruly shock of red hair from his forehead, and then raised his hands to her lips and kissed him at the spot where his plump arm creased just above the wrist. Was there anything in all the world as fragrant as a precious, healthy, sweet-smelling, freshly-bathed child?
Professional Reviews
Review by Anne K. Edwards
"Tragedy leaves young Sarah White to raise her little brother and keep the home farm going. With only good will from merchants in town as credit, she begins the struggle to bring in the apple crop.
There are those who want her to succeed and some who don't and they will do their best to see that she doesn't. As Sarah finds the work overwhelming in caring for an apple orchard, the reader and Sarah will both wonder if she can handle the jobs of mother and farmer.
Sarah realizes she needs help but where can she turn? She is faced with the possibility of losing her little brother and the farm as well.
Find out what the future holds for her, Jeremiah, Harold, Adam and Wilbur -- their lives are entwined in this well told tale by talented author Charlene Tess. A story to keep you reading. The characters are lifelike and emotions run high.
I'm pleased to recommend The Cowboy's Treasure to any fan of western romance. Enjoy. I sure did."
Review by Halley Glenn
An amazing love story not only between a man and a woman but the love of a child. Not only are the main characters developed but the reader gets to know enough about the other people in the novel without getting bogged down in unnecessary detail. The reader never has to read through paragraph after paragraph of unnecessary description but instead small bites of information are revealed through out the story. An easy book to read and a hard book to put down. My favorite romance novel ever. Touched my heart and soul. A must read.
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