The Golden Bride Read online

  PRAISE FOR THE GOLDEN BRIDE

  “Kimberley Woodhouse is a master at historical romance. It’s nearly impossible to find her equal.”

  –Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author of

  The View from Rainshadow Bay and the Rock Harbor series

  “Once again Kimberley Woodhouse spins a charming story of love, mystery, and adventure. Set against the backdrop of the gold rush in California, Kim shows us the life of greed and corruption so evident in the desires of man to get rich quick, while giving a beautiful example of God’s mercy and truth. I encourage my readers and anyone else who enjoys a fun and inspiring read to get their hands on a copy of The Golden Bride.“

  –Tracie Peterson, bestselling author of

  the Golden Gate Secrets series and many others

  “Kimberley Woodhouse is a must-read for me! Her grasp on historical fiction is delightful, and the stories she weaves leave me eagerly anticipating her next tale!”

  –Jaime Jo Wright, Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning

  author of The House on Foster Hill

  “Kimberley Woodhouse does it again. The Golden Bride is filled with mystery, history, and intrigue that will keep the reader glued to each page from cover to cover.”

  –Darcie J. Gudger, author of the Guarded series, SPIN, TOSS,

  and CATCH (spring 2019)

  “Kimberley Woodhouse’s commitment to historical integrity, paired with her luminous storytelling, makes her an author to both trust and cherish. Any book with her name on it is a book I need to read.”

  –Jocelyn Green, award-winning author of Between Two Shores

  © 2019 by Kimberley Woodhouse

  Print ISBN 978-1-68322-891-2

  eBook Editions:

  Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-68322-893-6

  Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-68322-892-9

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

  All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

  Cover Image: Ildiko Neer / Trevillion Images

  Published by Barbour Books, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com

  Our mission is to inspire the world with the life-changing message of the Bible.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  DEDICATION

  This book is lovingly dedicated to Kayla.

  I could gush about how beautiful you are inside and out and how you inspire me every single day, but I’ll try not to embarrass you. Avid literature enthusiast, language student, and theology buff, you never cease to amaze me with your love for the Lord and your passion for learning. You’ve faced more adversity in your young life than most people ever have to deal with in an entire lifetime, yet you smile and shine God’s love to everyone around you. I’ll never be able to tell you how proud I am of you and how very thankful I am that God gave you to us. It’s amazing to get to be your mom. I am so excited for the journey you are on, and I miss you like crazy.

  1 TIMOTHY 1:17 (scripture in Greek)

  Τῷ δὲ Βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων, ἀφθάρτῳ ἀοράτῳ μόνῳ Θεῷ, τιμὴ καὶ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων· ἀμήν.

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Epilogue

  William Lytton married Mary Elizabeth Chapman (Plymouth 1621)

  Parents of 13 children, one who was Lucas

  Lucas Lytton (born 1625) married Anna Andersen (Massachusetts 1649)

  Luke Lytton (born 1652) married Martha Baker (Massachusetts 1675)

  Luke Lytton (born 1677) married Ingrid Sjursen (Massachusetts 1699)

  Luke Lytton (born 1700) married Patience Martin (Virginia 1730)

  Faith Lytton Jackson (born 1742) married Matthew Weber (Virginia 1775)

  George Benjamin Weber (born 1776) married Elizabeth Turner (1798)

  Caroline Weber (born 1799) married Horatio Livingston (1816)

  Olivia Livingston Brighton (born 1829)

  Dear Reader,

  I’m so glad you’ve joined us for the next installment in the Daughters of the Mayflower Series, The Golden Bride.

  In 1849, California was a wild and crazy place. Not only had the territory gone from Spanish to Mexican to US control, but crime and violence had taken over most of the area as people flocked from all over the world in search of their fortunes in gold. California’s native peoples had been mistreated, many of them were brutally murdered, and the territory was in desperate need of government, all while it barreled toward becoming the thirty-first state in the United States.

  San Francisco—formerly named Yerba Buena—quickly became one of the world’s greatest ports. Tens of thousands of people descended on the area in just a matter of months. This is where we come to our story.

  If you’ve read any of my other books, you know that I am a history buff. I love introducing true history to people through fictional stories in hopes of sparking interest in our great past. It has been a joy to receive the stacks of letters, emails, and Facebook messages from readers who are excited about our great country’s history, and it encourages me to learn that I have done my job. It is my hope that this story will do the same for you.

  While I did a lot of research into the background of San Francisco for this book, please remember that it is a work of fiction. I’ve used the names of some historical characters and streets, as well as included many historic events in the story, but please see the note at the end of the book for details about what truly happened and what I created for the world of The Golden Bride.

  As always, I pray this story blesses you.

  Enjoy the journey,

  Kimberley

  No matter how much he thought he deserved to be one, Olivia Brighton’s husband of six weeks was not a king. Just because he’d been named after the thirteenth king of Judah didn’t mean he was destined for greatness as well. Even if that’s what his father had told him. And saying it over and over didn’t make it come true either.

  His namesake was a righteous ruler and godly man, but Hezekiah Brighton was neither. Nor was he rich, honest, or even smart, for whatever that was worth. And it wasn’t worth much. Hezekiah wasn’t worth much.

  Shame washed over Olivia for a moment, and she grimaced at her thoughts.

  As she stood beside their covered wagon and looked out toward the horizon, Olivia sighed. Guilt had been her constant companion these past few weeks. It seemed like every time she turned around she was having to repent. Lord, I’m
sorry. Forgive me for my horrible thoughts toward Hezekiah.

  No matter what kind of man he was, he was her husband. She was the one who had agreed to marry him after she’d only known him a day. He’d been so handsome, attentive, and charming. Even though she’d had plenty of doubts about him, his offer to help and promise to take her to San Francisco so she could be near her brother had made her jump in with both feet faster than she could say her new name.

  She should have spent more time in prayer about it, but she missed her brother, Daniel, the only family she had left. It had been years since she’d seen him, and her heart ached for family. That was not a good excuse to marry a complete stranger, though, no matter how good-looking he was. But after Mama and Daddy had died so suddenly, her options had spiraled down to nothing. And there had been debts to pay.

  What did she think would happen even if Hezekiah honored his promise and took her to San Francisco? It’s not like all of a sudden she wouldn’t be married to him anymore. And she definitely couldn’t just up and leave and go live with her brother. Why hadn’t she thought this through? It was so unlike her to grasp at straws. What would she tell Daniel? He was sure to be disappointed when he met Hezekiah.

  If they ever made it there and the two men in her life actually met … That was a mighty big if. Her husband’s detours were getting out of hand.

  In the still of the morning air, Olivia shook her head of the negative thoughts. She’d made a mistake and would have to live with it. She needed to make the best out of the situation and pray that the man she married would eventually get them to San Francisco and provide for her. Or at the very least yearn to be a better man.

  While worry had never been something she struggled with in the past, her new marriage had given her a fair share of it. Hezekiah hadn’t stuck with the same thing for more than two days in a row. Almost every day he’d come up with a new scheme—his next get-rich-quick idea. They’d done little more than drive around in the wagon for six weeks, always looking for a new way to find his fortune.

  The sun fully crested the horizon, its rays warming her face. Breakfast wouldn’t make itself. Olivia wasn’t sure they had enough food to last them through the day, but they could at least start off with a decent meal. Hezekiah had taken off with one of the horses an hour earlier saying something about his plans, but Olivia hadn’t truly been listening. Every day it was the same. He’d get up and go off and come racing back with news of whatever they were about to plunge into next. They’d eat breakfast, and then they’d head out with the wagon. By the time they reached the destination, the jobs were gone, the money was gone, or Hezekiah simply had changed his mind and told her that the next day he would find whatever it was he was looking for.

  Like clockwork, she heard the hooves of their horse running toward her. Wiping her hands on her apron, she realized that Hezekiah hadn’t been late for one meal. See? At least he was dependable in one area. Maybe that was what she should do to turn her attitude around. Try to find one positive thing about her new husband each day. She could do that. Maybe.

  “Olivia!” Hezekiah’s shout broke through her thoughts, and she turned to him and pasted on her dutiful-wife smile.

  “Good morning. Are you hungry?” She pumped enthusiasm into her words.

  “I sure am.” He hopped off the horse and tied it to the wagon. Placing his thumbs under his suspenders, he walked toward her and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ve got great news. We’re headed to San Francisco.”

  The shackles of doubt and worry fell off her like a burdensome weight. “Really? We’re finally going?” She could hug the man.

  “Yup. The rumors are true. There’s plenty of gold there, and I aim to get my share of it!” He sat on the ground and started wolfing down his plate of food.

  Maybe he didn’t deserve a hug after all. But what did it matter? They were headed to San Francisco! After she told Daniel the truth, maybe he could help. There was hope on the horizon. She doubted there was enough gold there to amount to much anyway. Hezekiah was always blowing things out of proportion.

  “We’re only a day or two away, and I need supplies, so we’ll stock up as soon as we’re done here. Then tonight or tomorrow we’ll camp outside of town so that I can get started the first thing in the morning.”

  “That sounds like a good plan.” Forcing her breathing to remain steady, Olivia kept her excitement at bay. She would show Hezekiah her support and allow herself to rejoice that she would finally see her brother again. As joy and relief mingled in her mind, another emotion swelled in her abdomen.

  Grief.

  Mama and Daddy were gone, and she didn’t know if Daniel had received her letter. How would he take the news? What if she had to tell him in person? So many things had happened that had brought her to this place. What would he think of her decisions? Would he blame her?

  “I’ll need you to work at your brother’s restaurant for a while to support us.” Hezekiah broke through her thoughts. “Just until the gold starts coming in.”

  Of course he would. She shouldn’t have told Hezekiah about Daniel’s prosperous business, but she’d offered to get a job there, thinking it would motivate her husband to get them to San Francisco faster. “That’s fine. I don’t mind hard work.” And it would keep her busy. Maybe that would help the ache of loss fade.

  He slurped up the last of the gravy off the plate. “It’s just for a little while. We’ll be rich before ya know it, and we’ll have a passel of kids.” The tone of his voice sounded convincing, but Olivia knew better. “Let’s get packed up so we can get supplies. It’s going to be a great day.” Hezekiah rubbed his hands together.

  Yes, it would be. She was on her way to San Francisco.

  Miles and hours later, Olivia stretched her legs beside the wagon. Foolish man. He’d spent every last penny on supplies for his gold digging but hadn’t bothered to replenish any of their food stores. She had enough to make a pan of biscuits, and that was it, so Hezekiah had gone off to hunt something for dinner.

  Olivia wouldn’t hold her breath. The man had tried to hunt numerous times and never came back with anything. Looked like biscuits would have to do at least until they made it the rest of the way into San Francisco tomorrow. Looking in the direction of the town, Olivia could only hope it wasn’t that much farther. Between getting stuck in the mud, Hezekiah spending entirely too much time buying supplies, and then his penchant for getting lost, she doubted they could even make it tomorrow.

  Once again ashamed for her negative thoughts, Olivia plopped down onto the grass. This wasn’t her. She’d never been such a negative Nellie. How had six weeks changed her so much?

  Lord, I need Your divine help. I don’t know how to deal with all this. I want to honor You with my thoughts and my actions. But I don’t think I made a good decision marrying Hezekiah, and now that I’ve got to deal with the consequences, I’m a mess. Help my attitude. Help me be a good wife. Help us to find our way to Daniel’s. And forgive me, Lord. Please.

  As she poured out her heart to the Lord, Olivia felt a bit better. It didn’t change the circumstances, but she knew she needed to get herself back on a more positive track. She couldn’t continue down this path of negativity and complaining.

  Daddy had always teased her about her skepticism and her partiality for sarcasm, but her life had been full of family, love, laughter, and quick wit back then. It had balance. Now there wasn’t much to be happy about, and her pessimism had gone to an extreme. It wasn’t good, and she knew it. But how could she fix it? Confessing it every day just made her feel worse and like more of a failure.

  A shot rang out in the distance. Lifting her head toward the sound, she convinced herself to be positive. Perhaps Hezekiah had gotten them some meat for dinner after all. She could always hope. Standing up, she went back over to where she’d started to set up camp for the night. She should get everything going so that when he came back to their wagon, she could make them a meal. And maybe she could work on her attitude with Heze
kiah and show him some encouragement and support. The Bible did say that a contentious woman was like a dripping rain. It also said that it was better to live in the wilderness than to live with a contentious woman. She didn’t want to be that—even if her marriage was less than ideal.

  Olivia just needed to find herself again. Starting now. Maybe God could still bless her marriage if she looked at it as a chance to make up for her mistakes.

  When the biscuits were finished and she’d done all she could to tidy up and get everything ready for the night, Olivia looked off in the direction she’d heard the shot. Maybe he hadn’t shot anything after all. But watching the sun sink in the western sky made her nervous. Hezekiah had never been late for a meal. Until now.

  Maybe he’d gotten something large like a deer. That would take him a while to clean and drag back to camp, wouldn’t it? Sitting down next to the fire, she was overtaken by weariness. She’d just sit down for a spell and wait for him to return.

  The howl of an animal brought her awake in an instant. How long had she been asleep? The night sky was illumined by a canvas of stars with the moon shining high above. Rubbing her eyes, she tried to get rid of the cobwebs of sleep left in her mind. Olivia jumped to her feet and looked around. She’d been resting up against the wagon wheel this whole time, and the crick in her neck was proof. Looking around, she spied the pan of biscuits still sitting by the fire. But no Hezekiah. What if he’d gotten lost again? Or had been attacked by a wild animal?

  The thought made her gasp, and she put a hand to her throat. As much as her husband wasn’t ideal, the idea of anything happening to him sickened her.

  With a quick cleanup of the camp, Olivia decided she had to find him no matter what. She placed a couple of hard biscuits into her apron pocket, grabbed the lantern, and climbed onto their other horse, Buttercup. Lord, please let me find him. Please.

  She pointed the horse in the direction from which she’d heard the shot. Hezekiah might be well beyond that place now, but at least it gave her a place to start.