0 (1) Historical Fiction: DONOVAN

TITLE: DONOVAN
GENRE: Historical Fiction

When empathic Irish immigrant Adam Donovan kills a bank robber in the Arizona Territory, he never imagines he’ll fall in love with the outlaw’s sister. Now, if they are to have any chance of happiness together, Adam must ferret out the secrets of her tragic past and tame her nightmares before they drive her into madness.

Jesse Travers stood in the doorway of the ramshackle cabin, breathing deeply to settle her nerves. The old man inside by the fire was querulous today. He can’t help it. Any more than he can help being old. Or crippled. But God help us if this day doesn’t end soon.

The clearing where the cabin stood was too quiet. No breeze stirred the aspen leaves. No birds trilled, no squirrels scampered. Even the brook ran silently. Only the occasional glimpse of buckskin in the sycamores showed there was life outside the battered log walls of the cabin.

The old man always said that animals knew where there was danger and ran away. So maybe it‘s nothing--maybe it’s just too hot for April. Maybe that’s what makes me feel so sick.

Then into the utter silence came a faint clip-clop, clip-clop.

No one should be coming. No one ever came. The hoofbeats closed in. She tasted the sharp metal of fear. She grabbed an old Henry rifle and moved onto the sagging porch, into the shadow of its roof.

Round the edge of the cottonwood grove, the horse came into sight. Its rider had dark hair, dark clothes, a dark gun sitting low on his left hip. There isn’t anyone in the Territory who doesn’t know who he is. And where he comes from. Squaring her shoulders and raising the rifle, she took a single step into the light.

“Donovan.” It was more accusation than query.