Read CHARITY'S GOLD RUSH (A Strike It Rich in Montana novel) for Free Online

mountain. “Ready to head back, Sam? Your new ma ought to have something fixed for us to eat by now.” Although she had gotten a late start on the laundry. He hoped he hadn’t married a sluggard. Playing in the creek! What would the woman think of next?
    Maggie hadn’t seemed to need such things as relaxation, other than their nightly winter Bible readings and Sunday afternoons left to plan her chores for the following week . She’d worked from sunup to sundown with nary a complaint.
                  Gabe shook his head and headed for the house. He stopped by the barn. Meg and Charity tugged the metal washtub across the yard. What did they have up their calico sleeves?
                  “Charity?”
                  “Thank the heavens!” Charity released her grip on the handle. “Could you help me drag this to the creek before your lunch burns?”
                  “Why?”
                  “So I can rinse the clothes.” Charity spoke as if he were slow-witted. “There’s no sense in heating up water when the day is beautiful and the creek is running.”
                  “But, that’s not the way—”
                  She stuck up a finger. “I suggest you do not finish that sentence. There is one thing we need to get straight. I am not your former wife, nor will I do everything the same way she did.”
                  “But—”
                  The finger remained as rigid as a mountain pine. “Enough, Mr. Williams. Will you help me or not?”
                  “Of course, I will.” He wasn’t a scoundrel. With a grunt, he hefted the tub and marched to the creek. He dropped it and turned. “Can we eat now?”
                  Charity narrowed her eyes and growled. “It’s on the stove. Help yourself.”
                  Obviously he’d said something wrong again . B ut for the life of him, Gabe had no idea what. When the little spitfire’s eyes sparked like emeralds, and her brogue deepened, he knew he’d better change tactics, and change them fast. But she sure was pretty when she was spitting mad. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
                  “When I’m finished with the laundry. Wouldn’t want to jeopardize the day’s schedule , would I? ” Charity flounced around and stomped off.
                  Gabe glanced at his children . Meg shrugged, and Sam looked as clueless as Gabe felt. There wasn’t anything left to do but go fill their plates .
    ###
                  Charity should have stayed and eaten lunch. Her stomach grumbled as she swished clothes in the clean water. She eyed the opposite bank. If she strung a rope, and securely attached the articles of clothing, she could let the water do the work while she panned for gold. Her gaze settled on the flecks in the sand. There was a lot of gold here, she just knew it. Buried beneath the surface like eggs laid in straw.
                  She plunged her hand into the sand and clutched a rock. Bringing it to the light, she almost shrieked at the gold strands weaving through the rock. It was easier than she’d expected. She’d be rich! She stilled. Half of whatever she found would belong to Gabe. It was his land after all, and he was her husband, even if in name only. She dropped the rock into her pocket. That meant she’d have to mine twice as much. She didn’t mind sharing, as long as she got her fair share.
                  “Charity?”
                  She gasped and spun, nearly falling backward into the creek. Clutching her pocket, she took a deep breath. “Gabriel . ”
                  He held out a hand. “Please, come eat.”
                  The offer was tempting, but she’d gone with only two meals a day for most of her life. “I really should finish here. This afternoon, I need to get the