Delsie Radford's sister, Lillie, is getting married in
eighteen
days, and Delsie must hurry to California to fulfill her
mother's deathbed wish: to keep the family together. Lillie
was disowned by their father, who deemed her husband
unworthy of her, and she followed the poor farmer she loved
to California. Delsie is at the Pony Express Stables in
Missouri, she needs the fastest rider to make it to the
wedding on time; Myles Patton is the man for the job, and
Delsie wants to ride along with him. Myles tells her the
voyage cannot be done in the time frame she wants, but when
she offers him a huge amount of money, Myles reconsiders
her
offer. He is saving his money to buy a ranch, and that
would
be a tremendous help. He says that after one day, he'll let
Delsie know if they will continue. Delsie is a wealthy girl
from Pennsylvania, and Myles he's sure she won't last a
single day, let alone 1800 miles on horseback. But he's the
one who's surprised, and he agrees to take her all the way
to California, if only to make sure she's safe.
THE EXPRESS RIDER'S LADY is a romance, but also an exciting
voyage through the American West of 1860s. I experienced
the
awe, the dangers, the roughing it as much as Delsie
through the author's vivid descriptions. Delsie is a
wonderful character; she is not the adventurous kind, and
yet she accepts her fate stoically to complete her mission.
She must ride astride, sleep
outside, learn to cook, which
impresses Myles. He knows how pampered girls can be. He
almost married one, but her father refused. He understands
Delsie's predicament only too well, and it is one of the
reasons why he helps her. Myles is a good man, he's
reliable
and honest, and he and Delsie get along very well. Slowly
both begin to wonder if there could be more after they've
reached California.
There are a few wonderful secondary characters, and I love
the relationships between all of them. The romance between
Myles and Delsie is not easy, because of the perils they
face and their hesitation because of the uncertainty of
their respective future, but it is so satisfying in the
end,
because what they discover is what they really believe in
as
well as what true love is all about. Ms. Henrie weaves a
tender and realistic love story, rich in historical facts.
THE EXPRESS RIDER'S LADY is another terrific read by Stacy
Henrie!
Westward Wedding Journey
Delsie Radford is going to make it to California, no matter
the danger or difficulty. Her father may have kept her and
her sister apart, but Delsie refuses to miss her sister's
wedding-even with only eighteen days to get there. And she's
found the perfect escort in Pony Express rider Myles Patton.
Myles can't believe it when a pretty socialite hires him to
take her cross-country through rough terrain and dangerous
territory. Surely she'll quit before they reach their
destination-he's known girls like her before. But the longer
they ride together, the more Myles notices Delsie's toughness
and kindness beneath her polished exterior. And though they
may be worlds apart they might just be perfect for each
other.