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A few years later
Vivienne adjusted her shawl and stared out of the window of the carriage at the familiar streets of Boston. They’d received a telegram, letting them know that her father had died of a heart condition.
She hadn’t seen her father for years and had no intention of attending his funeral. As his only living relative, since Elaine had disappeared a year ago, she had planned to contact the undertaker and tell him to bury her father in the family plot.
Levi had talked her into going to Boston. “It’ll be closure for you. Regardless of how you felt about him and what he did to you, he was still your father.” He smiled at her. “Besides, you have all that property you are selling to the railroads, your father’s business you have to sell, and his estate.”
She’d laughed. “Okay, okay, you win. Do you think David can run the ranch without you?” she teased, knowing that David was as good at running the ranch as Levi was.
Their three children, Clara, Thomas, named after Levi’s father, and Virginia, sat together, playing quietly. The two younger ones looked up to Clara, who took her role as a big sister very seriously. She had insisted that it was her job to teach them to read, do math, and all the other lessons.
Although Vivienne had grown up in Boston, and the buildings and streets were the same, it seemed so foreign to her. The busy city was very different from the laid-back life of the ranch. Even Great Falls, which had grown a lot, was more peaceful than the chaos that was Boston.
Sensing her unease, Levi squeezed her hand. “This will all be over soon, and we can go home.
The carriage pulled up in front of the funeral parlor. Levi jumped down and helped Vivienne out. Thomas jumped out while Clara and Virginia waited for their father to help them.
Elias had been kept on ice by the undertaker so that the family had time to travel from Great Falls to Boston. He was lying in a simple coffin on a trestle.
Vivienne looked around at the smattering of people, including Lydia’s parents, who’d come to the service before approaching the coffin, with Levi by her side. She didn’t recognize the man who lay there. Large, brown spots covered his face. The few wisps of hair he had left were silver. His cheeks were sunken in, and he seemed a lot smaller than she remembered.
Father Brown approached her. “He’d been sick for a long time before he died. I told him that he should reach out to you, but he was too ashamed of what he did. He wasn’t sure that you’d ever forgiven him.”
“I did a long time ago, Father. I had to find peace for myself. He was never kind or loving to me as a child. I’m here simply to wrap up loose ends. I don’t hate him. Actually, I feel absolutely nothing for this man.”
Father Brown nodded. “I understand. He was sorry in the end, but he figured that it would be too little, too late.”
Vivienne nodded. She took her seat next to the children, who were sitting politely in the wooden chairs, waiting for the service to begin.
Father Brown stood at the podium and read Psalm Twenty-Three and Ecclesiastes Three from the Bible. He offered a short prayer, asking for peace for Elias’s soul. There were no eulogies or anyone telling stories about the man. The father made the sign of the cross. “May he rest in peace.”
That was it—short and simple. Elias had alienated practically everyone in his life because he had been a mean and miserly man. The people attending the service were either there to see her or because they hoped there would be food. There wasn’t.
Lydia’s parents walked up to her and hugged her tightly. “How have you been? Are these your children?”
Vivienne introduced the two youngest children. They’d met Levi and Clara a couple of times when they traveled to visit Lydia and her family.
“You know that Camden’s father managed to pay his way into an early sentence,” Lydia’s father said. “He went to work with his father, but they’re about to lose everything, due to the mismanagement of funds.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Levi said.
After talking for a few minutes, they invited Vivienne and her family over for dinner.
They returned to the house Vivienne had grown up in. The children roamed around, oohing and ahhing over everything in the house, while Vivienne and Levi went through Elias’s books to find out how much land he owned and how much money he had in his accounts.
They met with all of the servants, letting them know their services would no longer be needed and giving them enough money to keep them comfortable for the rest of their lives. The house would be donated to be used as an orphanage.
Over the next couple of days, they met with the railroad companies and sold the land Vivienne had inherited from her mother. She sold her father’s company to another large mining company. She took a few things from the house, including her mother’s portrait, and sold everything else.
By the end of all the transactions, she had more than a million dollars. As they headed back to Montana, Levi teased her. “Are we going to have to hire a footman, maids, have a golden carriage, and all the other luxuries of the ultra-rich?”
“Hey, you’ve been doing very well yourself. You’ve sold two of Shadowfox’s and Diablo’s foals at top dollar. Not only are they beautiful, but they’re powerful, and very talented.”
He nodded and puffed up his chest. “The ranch is doing great, but I’ve had a lot of help. But back to you. What do you want to do with the money?”
“Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that. Henrietta and I were talking a few days before we left. She said that it would be great if Great Falls had a nice hotel. It’s growing, and a lot of folks are passing through. She had a lot of great ideas.”
Levi looked at her. “You’re saying that you want to build a grand hotel in Great Falls?”
A huge smile spread across her face. “Yes. We’ll have some inexpensive rooms, but others will have hot and cold running water and water closets. Those rooms will be on the ground floor. I’d told her about the Tremont House in Boston that had indoor plumbing even in 1829, with eight indoor water closets on the ground floor. There were a couple of rooms that had bathtubs, gas lighting, and gas heating.”
“You’re going to build this grand hotel?”
“I’ll hire people to do it. It’ll have a ballroom, carpeting in some areas, and a dining room.”
“Do you think it’ll be profitable?”
She nodded. “I do, especially since Great Falls is considered a regional hub for the railroads. There will be a lot of people who will need a nice place to stay for the night. Henrietta will be the manager for day-to-day business.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Why do I get the feeling that I’m about to lose, not only my housekeeper, but also my foreman, since they got married?”
She shrugged, but smirked. “You’ll have to talk to David about that. As for losing your housekeeper, you said that I cook and bake as well as Henrietta. We’ll be fine.”
“A millionaire heiress cooking and cleaning for a horse rancher in Montana?” Levi laughed. “That doesn’t sound like a story from one of those romance books that you and Lydia are always reading.”
Vivienne leaned over and brushed a kiss across his lips. “It sounds like my romance story, and that’s all that matters.”
***
When their train arrived in Great Falls around noon, they discovered that there was a church picnic in full swing. The five of them walked over to the town square. Grace and Jonathon spotted them first. Thomas and Virginia ran over to their two kids, and the four of them started a spontaneous game of tag. They offered the family some of their food, and the five of them sat down to talk about the trip to Boston, although Vivienne and Levi left out how much money Vivienne had.
Sam dropped by with a huge smile, holding hands with Sarah Alden, Reverend and Mrs. Alden’s daughter.
“Levi, I was hoping you all would be back soon. Sarah has agreed to be my wife, and I want you to be my best man.”
Vivienne jumped up and hugged Sarah. “Congratulations. I’m so happy for you two.” She looked at Sam. “It’s about time you asked her to marry you. I think half the town had a bet on when you’d actually propose.”
Sam raised his eyebrows. “What was your bet?”
Laughing, Vivienne said, “I’ll never tell.”
“Mom and Dad said it would be another six months before you got up the nerve.” Sarah chuckled. “I’m glad it didn’t take that long. They keep telling me that they aren’t getting any younger and want a passel of grandkids.”
Putting his arm around Sarah, Sam lowered his voice and said conspiratorially. “I’m thinking we could have an even dozen.”
Sarah playfully pushed him away. “Whoa, hold your horses, Sheriff. I don’t think so.”
***
They had a wonderful afternoon, and Vivienne smiled as they rode home in the back of the wagon that David and Henrietta had driven into town.
She leaned against Levi, and he put his arms around her. Life was perfect. Sure, they’d have their ups and downs like everyone else, but their love and bond were strong. They’d make it through any storm life threw at them.
Vivienne looked at the sleeping children curled up together, sound asleep. She turned her head and kissed Levi’s cheek. “I love you.”
He squeezed her. “I love you.”
OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 5 FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Grab my new series, "Brides of the Untamed Frontier", and get 5 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!
Hello my dears, I hope you enjoyed the book and the Extended Epilogue! I will be waiting for your comments here. Thank you 🙂
I really enjoyed the book. It was great. I’ve read some books. Are yours all have been enjoying thank you Charles Delaney.
Thank you so much, Charles Delaney, I’m really glad you enjoyed the book! It means a lot to hear that you’ve been enjoying my other stories as well.
Enjoyed the book immensely I’ve read a lot of your books. They all are great thank you.
Thank you again, Charles, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the book and have read so many of my stories. Your support truly means a lot!
Really wonderful
Thank you, Susan! I truly appreciate your kind words.
Very well written and the twist and turns are great. It was very entertaining.
Patty
Thank you so much, Patty! 😊 I’m so glad you enjoyed the twists and turns and found the story entertaining. Your kind words truly mean a lot!