Prologue
Cicely Grace Cassidy was born to a wealthy man, Patrick Darcy-Cassidy and wife, Muriel O'Clannan. The couple had a very upstanding life in Blueblood society. They lived in Ireland before moving to America to experience the new world at its best. He took his wife and three daughters: Regan Ann, Lily Rose, and Cicely Grace. They settled in New York, where at the time most of the wealthy stayed and made a decent living.
Patrick's brother, William Darcy-Cassidy and his wife, Emma Fitzpatrick and their two children, Anna and Peter had also joined him in America to make a living on the new land. They had taken the reins of a new country. He and his brother worked hard in their field, quickly raising their status and income above others. They invested what they had in rebuilding in the New World, creating the Darcy Construction Company, Cassidy Shipping, DC Trading Co., Darcy-Cassidy Land owners and Property Holders.
Everything was going well up until Anna turned five when her family was attacked by heathens. Left with no parents, Grace's parents raised Anna and Peter. This was the first tragedy in her life; another had been at fifteen when she was with Grace at the stables. She had been helping Grace break in a horse. It had turned for the worse when the horse broke free, bucking and knocking Anna back into the fence where her throat connected violently with the railing. The accident damaged her voice, leaving her barely whispering and having learning to sign to communicate. The accident had also brought heavy guilt to Grace, who has never stopped thinking it was her fault for the accident even with the reassurance from her cousin that things happen and no one was at fault.
Both Grace and Anna had been best of friends their entire lives. Growing up together had made them sisters more than anything. The two were inseparable. Each girl grew up with their own characteristics and charm, but you never messed with either one without retribution from the other. Their closeness to one another was a fierce force to reckon with. If one got in trouble, the other backed up either one's story. They've always had each others back.
In the year 1858
When Grace turned sixteen, months after Anna's accident, her father had informed her she was betrothed to Henry Winthrop, an aristocrat who took a fancy to her. Not liking this one bit, Grace told her father and then man NO. It was something her father had pre planned with the aristocratic families, to have his daughters betrothed to the best blood. His niece would be heading down this road also but he knew not many would take in a 'damaged' woman without a heavy payment to the man who would accept such a bride. Grace took no part in what her father wanted for her. Being of an independent mind and stubborn sense she decided to leave. Taking the dowry that was hers and the money she saved from allowance, she spent a couple months planning her escape from the rich society to go on her own.
When her father approached her with Henry Winthrop, she had spat on the ground by their feet, telling them she would not marry a man she was betrothed too and did not love, knowing it was only to secure their position in society. Grace cared nothing about society. Her father had told her she was no daughter of his and that from that point on she was disowned, blackened from the family.
Fine with being disowned, Grace set off to leaving. She had gathered her belongings and the clipping advertisement about abundant land and gold in the West. She was going to the West to live on her own, to make a life for herself without her fathers help.
Anna overheard what Grace planned on doing and she confronted her, asking to go along for the ride. Grace was reluctant at first, she did not want to burden her cousin with the decision she had made. But Grace knew Anna would follow her, no matter what, so she agreed. Leaving her father, Henry, and the rest of the family behind, the girls set out as independent women striving for an existence of their own.
The two girls traveled, living on their own, working here and there. Anna was a beauty but she had the wits and stamina to fight through the toughest of challenges out in the West. Grace was the same in many aspects but had a harder grit. When not being sociable she was off doing her own things, erecting businesses as they went; small little shops to earncash.Grace had a knack for landing herself in many claims and business deals and became a prominent owner of quite a bit of land where ever they traveled.
One of Grace's favorite pastimes was gambling; she loved a good game of poker. With her habit and their socializing, the girls had met many people along their way, making a good life for themselves. While passing through Tennessee, Grace had met a man named Navic, an Indian. They became very good friends and in the great words of Navic, their paths were meant to cross.
Another notable man they met was Markus Timberland when they were on route to the Black Hills. Grace took a liking to him, despite most others did not with his unsettling disposition. He had, in turn, taken a liking to Grace. This unlikely friendship took a turn to partnership in business.
Timberland had grown tired of some things in his life and he wanted a change. Timberland had already decided he was giving everything to Grace, but the pair had decided to make it look like they had bet over it. They played a game of poker and Grace agreed to go with the plan and pretended to think she would not win, but the cards spokeotherwise. Out of sheer luck, she had won the game with a royal flush. Timberland played it off well, even when she won it fair and square. The two of them drew out the partnership to take care of the claims in the Black Hills and the claim in Charming, California.
Making it known to others that had their nose in their business, ones he did not like at all, they mustered up the ruse that he was giving the claim of land and the store he had there as payment he owed her for losing the game to her. Grace had known of his plan about this, so she followed along and agreed. After all, no one really needed to know the real reason as to how they worked out the terms.
Grace's part of the bargain was to promise to keep the California land out of the hands of anyone else except herself. She promised she would hold up her end of the deal and with her cousin, she would make the trip to California to stake claim and take over for him. Timberland did not care how long it took them to do this. He knew his California assets would be in good hands until they got there.
Grace and Anna left the Black Hills to travel west to California with other pioneers to settle down. It took them some time between their pit stops to other towns in between. During these years, Grace managed to acquire other established lands and ownership over several business partnerships on many mining companies from across the land. It was a specialty that procured her name to reputation within the landowners, miners and prospectors.
The two women fought hard to establish themselves in a man's world. They never backed down and created a wake of good reputation and good standing among the patrons who graced their businesses, trade store and bookshops within the towns and camps they had lived in. Ten years later, they moved to Charming to where Timberland's trade shop resided. The shop was a run down place that had an old man named Elroy running it, Elroy was Timberland's brother-in-law, partner and keeper of the store and land until the new owners arrived. He had recently received word of the two women coming to claim shop.
Charming in 1868 is one of the quieter mining towns in California. The town is always being fought over by the rich and most popular; between the outfitters and the upper class fighting for land rights and reputations. A lot of people come and go in town. Clay Morrow and his family owns a saloon, a restaurant and an inn in town, he also owns a cattle and horse ranch. Being one of the few outfitters in town, he often contends with Oswald for cattle and horse rights but most times they partner up in businesses.
There are other prominent names around. Ethan Zobelle, is not a welcomed man with his cigar shop and his hands heavy bent on taking over Charming for his own greed. The townspeople have had to defend their lives and land to keep him from taking hold of everything.
David Hale is the young brother of the Mayor Jacob Hale. Chief Wayne Unser and Deputy David Hale are the law of the town, though at times their law is often blinded by those who have hands in their pockets.
The two doctors in town are Filip Telford, aka Chibs, who is usually assisted by Tara Knowles, and old man Mark Hunter. Chibs and Hunter butt heads quite often, though respect one another. Chibs' main job is that of doctor but he runs with the Morrow outfit whenever he can.
Clay Morrow and his outfitters are a prominent fixture in the town; keeping the bad out of the town and making sure that the town of Charming is protected by those who wish to destroy it. The outfitters that work for Clay are a mix of old and middle age men: Piney Winston, Bobby Munson, Alex Trager aka Tig, his brother David Leon Trager aka Happy. A few younger guys work for Clay as well: his step son Jax Teller, Jean Ortiz aka Juice, Kipp Epps aka The Kid and later to be known as Half Sack, Opie Winston, and Chibs' younger adopted brother, Eddie Hayes. While some in the outfit are blood kin, they all consider themselves brothers.
Morrow's crew often buttheads with Ernest Darby's crew and Markus Alverez's outfitters, when they decide to make trouble for the town.
LuAnn Delaney is the Mad'am of the Cara Cara Brothel in town, which resides above the Teller-Morrow Saloon. Otto Delaney, LuAnn's husband, usually is found there running the place, as well as the Delaney Inn and gun shop.
Down from the Saloon, the Teller Inn is run by Gemma Morrow, late wife of John Teller, one of the partnered cattlemen that was close with Clay Morrow. Her son Jax, now in his mid twenties, has been raised by her current husband Clay since the age of fifteen.
The Winston Restaurant is run by Donna Winston and Mary Winston, wives of Opie and Piney Winston.
There are various shops in the town that you can go to for many things. If you need a hair cut and a shave go to Floyd's, women go to Rose's Salon. There are a few tailors for dresses and nice suits, gun shops and trade stores for just about anything you need. There are places for blacksmithing, livestock, and leather working. In Charming it is all at your fingertips; one of the last towns before going into the wilds for gold or mountaineering.