Chapter One

Anabelle sat on theedge of the narrow bed she shared with her sisters, their three forms huddled together. Isabelle's eyes, usually brimming with a gentle light, were dulled by the weight of their reality. Rosabelle, ever the pillar, held her sisters' hands, her touch a feeble comfort against the chill that seeped through the thin floorboards.

Ana's gaze drifted to the window, the glass blurred with the remnants of past storms. Her fiery red hair, starkly contrasting to the drab surroundings, spilled over her shoulders untamed and wild. Each shout from their father that rose from downstairs punctured the quiet, and with every harsh syllable, her fists tightened. Knuckles white, she felt the simmering anger within her fighting for release, an inferno caged by circumstance.

Her jaw set, a silent rebellion against the timbers that groaned beneath the strain of their father's wrath. The man's voice, once a lullaby in her childhood memories, had become a herald of dread.

Izzy shivered beside her, and Rosie's grip grew firmer, a lifeline in the storm. Ana knew they could not weather this tempest much longer. This small room, swathed in sorrow and the residue of dreams deferred, could no longer contain the breadth of their yearning—a yearning for dawn after the darkest of nights.

Ana's whisper cut through the stifling silence, a strand of audacity against the backdrop of despair. "We must leave tonight," she murmured, her gaze burning into Izzy and Rosie's solemn faces. "There is nothing but sorrow for us here."

Her sisters' eyes, mirrors of her resolve, nodded mutely. With each word Ana spoke, a delicate blueprint of their escape unfurled in the dimness. She outlined the plan with precision. They would slip away into the night and venture beyond Beckham.

"Freedom awaits us," she promised.

In the corner of the room, a satchel lay open, its mouth gaping for the remnants of a life they would soon discard. Ana moved toward it. She reached first for the photograph, the image of their mother etched with sepia tones. A gentle touch traced the contours of the woman's smile before Ana nestled the photo amidst the sparse contents of the bag.

Next came the journal, its leather cracked with secrets and shared aspirations. Here lay the sketches of dreams. Within those scribbles, laughter and love lingered, a memory of how life was with their mother. Ana placed it atop the photograph, promising herself that they wouldn't give up on their dreams, even now, with their mother gone.

The bag was light. It bore the essence of three lives intertwined with all that the triplets had from their past.

"Time to go," Ana whispered, her grip on the satchel firm. She turned to her sisters, and together, they stepped toward the threshold into a life of freedom, no matter what hardships it may bring.

The wooden steps creaked under their weight. With each step they took, they worried their father would hear and his rage would be out of control once again. Ana firmly believed that if their mother hadn't been there to protect them, they all would have died as infants.

"Who's there?" he asked, more an accusation than a question.

Ana stilled, her hand reaching back to still Izzy and Rosie. She fixed her gaze on the shadows ahead, willing them to swallow the three of them whole.

"Quiet now," she mouthed to her sisters, the words a silent prayer. She took a step, then another, her movements deliberate.

She could feel Izzy and Rosie close behind her, their presence a heat at her back. Their eyes caught the scant light, wide orbs reflecting both the fear of what they fled and the anticipation of the freedom that beckoned just beyond the door.

"Girls?" The voice again, closer now.

Ana held her breath, pressing forward, the weight of years bearing down upon her slender shoulders. The darkness was a blanket around them, thick and suffocating, yet it was also a shield, helping them escape.

Ana's fingers found the cold metal of the doorknob, each heartbeat thundering in her ears a silent drumroll for the moment they had awaited. Behind them, their father's footsteps grew louder, and Ana said a silent prayer they would get away. All three of them had to escape together. They'd shared a womb, and they would share their lives. Their futures.

"Quickly," she urged.

Izzy and Rosie pressed close, a triad of trembling bodies yearning for the other side. The door's hinges groaned, a reluctant participant in their flight. Ana's grip tightened, knuckles white with the fear their father brought by merely being.

Then, the footsteps halted—a predator sensing its prey on the cusp of escape. Ana stilled, everything inside her begging her to move quickly. Each second seemed to take an eternity as they waited for just the right time to run.

A gush of cool night air embraced them, the scent of freedom mingling with the earthy aroma of the outside world. They stumbled out, the world suddenly vast and scary.

Their breaths came fast, misting in the air as if their very spirits sought to break free from the confines of their chests. The night wrapped around them, a cloak woven with threads of uncertainty and hope.

Ana led the charge, her red hair a fiery banner in the moon's pale light. It was done. Now they must run to the next town. Beckham. It meant freedom.

Ana's gaze cut through the gloom to find Izzy's, whose eyes shimmered with unshed tears, reflecting the starlight. So much had been endured in silence, so much pain held at bay by sheer will. Yet now, as their gazes locked, words were unnecessary. There was understanding—profound and complete. They were survivors, each scar a sign of their strength.

The night air, crisp and laden with the scent of pine, brushed against their skin, whispering of vast open spaces and possibilities. There were so many possibilities. They just had to get away from the farm to see them.

Ana led her sisters away from the silhouette of their childhood prison. Each step was a quiet rebellion, each breath a taste of liberty. The unpaved path beneath their feet crumbled like the remnants of a life they wished to forget.

As they reached the edge of town, they drew in a collective breath of relief. They'd made it this far. Now they had to make lives for themselves. They had money for train fare, and they'd go with no plan if they had to. The more distance between them and their father, the safer they would be.

"Look," Rosie murmured, her voice barely a thread in the fabric of the night. The candlelight beckoned, an ember of hope in the vast sea of their uncertainty.

Ana's fingers reached for her sisters', their grasp a silent oath. They were entwined, not just by blood, but by the shared resolve to create a different future for themselves. She felt the weight of their trust as she guided them toward the light.

They moved to the general store, each of them saying a silent prayer that they would find what they needed. A place to go. A future. They sat on the bench in front of the store, looking at one another, wondering what they should do next. They were near the train station, but they had to wait for the ticket office to open.

Hours later, they spotted a familiar face. Elizabeth Tandy had grown up on a farm near their father's, though they'd known her younger siblings better than her. When she saw the three of them there, she stopped.

"You're the Winslow triplets, right? You're the only triplets in the entire area. What are your first names?"

Ana smiled. "I'm Anabelle, and these are my sisters, Isabelle and Rosabelle."

"It's good to see you all again. I heard about your mother. I'm so sorry for your loss," Elizabeth said softly.

"Thank you," Ana replied.

"What are you all doing here in town?" Elizabeth asked. She knew the triplets were rarely allowed to go into town as well as everyone else in town did.

Ana looked at her sisters for a moment. "Our father is not a kind man. Mother kept us safe, but as you know..." Her voice trailed off. She couldn't yet admit out loud that their mother was dead. It hurt too much.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes for a moment before nodding. "Come with me."

Rosie was the first to stand, but then Ana and Izzy followed suit. "Where?" Ana asked.

"To my home. I have an idea on how to keep the three of you safe. But I have a feeling being in the middle of town is a place your father will easily spot you."

Ana sighed. "We have money for train fares..." And they did. Mother had given them money from selling her wedding ring. She'd known she was going to die, and she said there was no reason they should die with her.

"Do you know where you'll go?" Elizabeth asked, raising an eyebrow.

When the three sisters all shook their heads, Elizabeth said again, "Come with me."

They walked with her through the quiet streets of Beckham until they reached Elizabeth's house on Rock Creek Road.

They stepped across the threshold, and Ana felt as if there was safety closing around her.

Elizabeth led them to the back of the house, to the last door on the left. She moved behind the desk in the room, and they took seats on the sofa that faced the desk.

The room was cluttered but it was an organized clutter. It was obviously a room that was used for work, and slightly messy out of necessity. Ana sat between her sisters, holding their hands and watching Elizabeth, wondering exactly what she had in mind for them.

Elizabeth smiled. "I don't think any of you know what I do for a living."

The three sisters looked at one another, shaking their heads in unison. "No, we don't," Rosie said softly.

"I'm a matchmaker. I send women west to marry men who are looking for wives."

Ana's eyes narrowed as she realized what Elizabeth was thinking. "You want us to become mail-order brides."

"Only if that's what you want," Elizabeth said softly.

"We have to be together," Ana said. "We're stronger together than apart."

"I have three letters from men who all live in the same town and decided to write me together. Would you be willing to read them and then make your decision?"

Ana looked at her sisters, who both nodded. "All right. We can do that."

Elizabeth handed the sisters three letters. They each took one and read it carefully. "I have yours," Rosie said to Izzy.

"I think I have yours," Izzy replied.

Ana read her letter, and she knew she had the letter she was supposed to have. Her heart reached out to the man who sent it across the miles, and she knew he was meant for her.

Dear Prospective Companion,

My name is Dr. William Mercer, and within the quiet solitude of this early morning, I am reaching out with a hope that this letter will find itself with a woman who is interested in changing her life as well as my own.

Hope Springs, nestled amidst the towering peaks and verdant valleys of the great state of Colorado, is a community built on the silver that is found in the mines near here. In my role as the town's physician, I have had the privilege of witnessing the strength and tenderness of the human spirit, of being there in moments of joy and sorrow. It is a life rich in purpose, but I find myself alone in a world where people are meant to pair off, two by two.

It is with a gentle, yet earnest heart that I seek a companion to share in the beauty and trials of this life. I long for someone with whom to share the quiet moments, the simple joys that fill the days—be it a walk through the aspens or the comforting silence of a snow-covered morning. A woman whose presence would transform the mere walls of a house into a home, filled with laughter, warmth, and the soft glow of shared dreams.

I envision a partner who cherishes kindness, values empathy, and holds a deep appreciation for both the vulnerability and strength found in caring for others. Life here is a tapestry of breathtaking beauty and stark challenges, and I seek one who is ready to stand by my side to share a future that honors both our individual journeys and our path forward.

In you, I hope to find not only a wife but a true partner in every sense of the word—a confidante, a source of mutual inspiration, and a co-custodian of the compassionate values that guide my practice and my life. Together, I believe we can build a life marked by love, understanding, and a deep commitment to the well-being of each other and those around us.

If these words speak to your heart, if you too dream of a life built upon the foundations of love, respect, and shared purpose, then I eagerly await your reply. Let us take the first tentative steps toward a future where, side by side, we may discover the depth of connection and the boundless possibilities that await us.

With hopeful anticipation and a heart open to the promise of tomorrow,

Dr. William Mercer

Hope Springs, Colorado

After reading the letter once more, Ana hugged it to her chest. "I found the letter that was meant for me."

"I won't mince words," Elizabeth said. "The journey itself isn't difficult, as train tracks are stretching across our great nation, but life in the West isn't as easy as it is here."

"We understand," Rosie said softly. "But the gentleman who wrote this letter is the man I intend to spend my life with."

Izzy nodded. "I agree. We want to go."

"Such journeys are not without peril," Elizabeth continued. "The West is a land of extremes—of fierce beauty and fierce challenges. But it would be a place away from your father, and you would be safe there."

Their collective breaths seemed to hold, suspended in the space between longing and fear. The prospect of leaving everything they knew loomed large, yet the more they considered Elizabeth's proposition, the more the tendrils of possibility wound through their doubts.

"I'm sure this is what we're meant to do," Ana said. "Mother taught us to have faith. And it's faith we need now. Faith that this path may lead us to a place where we're not watching over our shoulders in fear."

Izzy lifted her chin, eyes alight with a tempered spark. "We're going West," she affirmed.

"West," Rosie agreed.

"I'll wire the three gentlemen and ask them to fetch you from the train station in Hope Springs. I think we need to get the three of you on the next train out of town."

Ana nodded. "We have no wedding dresses."

"The men won't mind. They need wives, and they don't expect them to come with wedding dresses. These gentlemen all have what they need, and they'll be able to provide what you need as well."

Elizabeth walked to the closed door of her office, and called out, "Bernard!"

A tall man with blond hair was there a moment later. "What is it?" he asked, nodding politely to the three sisters.

"These three sisters need to leave town right away. I'm sending them to the three men in Colorado whose letters we received a few weeks ago. I'll need you to drive them to the station and stay with them until they are safely on the train."

Bernard nodded. "Yes, of course."

Elizabeth smiled. "Misses Winslow, this is my husband, Bernard."

"It's nice to meet you," Ana said, her sisters nodding their agreement.

Bernard looked at the carpet bag they carried with them. "Is that all you have?" he asked.

Rosie nodded. "Yes, it's all we have between us."

"We know it's not much," Izzy added.

Bernard nodded. "I'll have the buggy ready in fifteen minutes, and we'll go straight to the train station."

Ana felt her heart thundering in her chest as she nodded. "We're ready when you are."

They said their goodbyes to Elizabeth, thanking her for her help. "We'll forever be in your debt," Rosie whispered as she clutched Elizabeth's hands. "Thank you."

Once they were all in the buggy on the way to the train station, it hit Ana how quickly their lives were changing. "Never again will we be able to walk down by the creek and dip our feet into its cool depths."

"Never again will we have to be afraid to walk downstairs in the morning," Izzy said, shaking her head.

Rosie took each of their hands in her own. "But we'll always be together. We can't ask for more than that."

As they reached the train station, they all piled out of the buggy while Bernard bought their tickets. Then he waited with them until the train came fifteen minutes later. "Be safe," he whispered as he escorted them to the conductor. "But more importantly, be happy."

As they got onto the train and Rosie and Izzy sat together, Ana sat down opposite them. None of them had ever been on a train, and it felt strange to watch Beckham disappear out the window, but it was good. They were free.