Fresh Fiction Excerpt of AGAINST THE WIND by Amanda Cabot
“Where are we headed?” Josh directed his question to the woman who’d rescued him. The water she’d given him had relieved some of his discomfort, but the damage to his head must have been more severe than he’d realized, because he thought he recalled her saying she would set his leg. Obviously, he’d been mistaken. With her caramel-colored hair and those deep blue eyes, not to mention her self-assured air, Miss Vaughn was striking. But she was no more capable of setting his leg than Winifred.
Miss Vaughn turned slightly. “We’re going to Sweetwater Crossing. It’s about an hour away. Once we arrive, I’ll be able to set your leg. As far as I can tell, the lump on your head will heal itself.”
It hadn’t been his imagination. Miss Vaughn had indeed claimed she would set his leg. “You’re a doctor?” Josh knew there were a few lady doctors, but he hadn’t expected to encounter one here.
Grandfather would have approved of Miss Vaughn. She had the cool composure he claimed was essential. If she had the business connections he craved, Grandfather would deem her worthy of being a Porter bride, but once she admitted she was a physician, he would . . . Josh tried but failed to imagine his grandfather’s reaction to that revelation.
“She’s your only choice.” The older woman spoke for the first time, bringing Josh back to the present. “My husband was the town’s doctor, but . . .” She paused for a second before saying, “He’s gone.”
Of course. Josh should have realized that the unrelieved black clothing she wore was widow’s weeds. “I’m sorry.” He struggled to recall the widow’s name. “Mrs. Carrigan.”
She shook her head. “Sheridan.”
“I’m sorry for the mistake and for your loss.”
When the widow returned to staring at the road ahead of them, Miss Vaughn gave Josh a small smile. “It’s understandable. If you’re in pain, it’s hard to think about anything else. Names aren’t important at a time like that. I’m Louisa Vaughn.”
Josh nodded as the sun slipped behind a cloud, dimming its brilliance. At least his memory hadn’t dimmed. “I remembered your name.” And that each mile they traveled took them farther from the spot he’d last seen Zeus. Where was he? A horse as well trained as Zeus didn’t simply wander away from his owner.
Oblivious to the direction Josh’s thoughts had taken, Miss Vaughn spoke. “It’s good that you recalled part of our conversation. I’m not a full-fledged doctor, but I have set several broken bones, including a tibia. Yours is badly broken—I won’t deny that—but I believe I can ensure that you’ll walk again.”
Josh frowned at the realization that, even when he’d worried about dying from lack of water, he hadn’t considered that he might not regain his mobility. “How long will it take?” He still had three and a half months before he had to be back in New York, but time had a habit of passing more quickly than he expected. If he was going to recreate the recipes he’d lost or find others to replace them, he’d need every minute of those three and a half months.
“You’ll be in a cast for at least six weeks,” the almost-doctor told him. “Once you learn how to use crutches, you should be able to walk.”
“But not ride a horse.”
“No.”
“What about driving a buggy or wagon?” Josh couldn’t imagine spending a month and a half in one town.
“It would be difficult, particularly at first. Driving wouldn’t be a problem, but climbing in and out of the carriage would be a challenge. I don’t recommend it.”
The bad news seemed endless. No horse. No recipes. Six weeks of boredom. Josh settled back on the seat, trying to ignore the pain that continued to radiate up his leg and the sense that his plan for convincing Grandfather he was the man to control P&S was doomed. He couldn’t have come this far to lose.
Excerpt from AGAINST THE WIND by Amanda Cabot. Copyright © 2023
AGAINST THE WIND by Amanda Cabot
Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing
Doctor-in-training Louisa Vaughn has no intention of remaining in Sweetwater Crossing. She’s just there for a few days to help a friend. But she can’t abandon the injured man she finds at the side of the road. Until his broken leg heals, she’ll serve as the town’s doctor and midwife. She may not be fully qualified yet, but surely she’s better than nothing.
Josh Porter’s plans to win his grandfather’s challenge and fulfill his father’s final wish to gain full control of the family business hit a roadblock when he breaks his leg. But his enforced stay in Sweetwater Crossing gives him new ideas about the expansion of the company into new territory–ideas Louisa could help turn into reality.
If only the town were more accepting of Louisa’s talents! Someone is determined to convince her to abandon her dream of healing others. Can Josh help her uncover the person behind the threats before it’s too late? And is there any future for them together when neither of them plans to stay?
Romance Historical [Revell, On Sale: October 3, 2023, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780800740658 / eISBN: 9781493443444]
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About Amanda Cabot
Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of A Stolen Heart and A Borrowed Dream, as well as the Texas Crossroads, Texas Dreams, and Westward Winds series. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best. She lives in Wyoming. Learn more at at her website.
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