The Lowells of Spruce Creek

The Lowell Brothers are used to hard luck and hard times. But when they decide to leave their rough-and-tumble neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, they hope their fortunes will change in Spruce, Washington, where they go to mine for gold. But they are not the only gold-diggers. Victor Lowell, the eldest brother, loses his heart to a conniving beauty whose father has cheated them out of the worth of the gold they’ve mined....

When Thorne Lowell sees that the vacant blacksmith’s shop in Fontaine is now open, he realizes that it’s not ranching that has captured his interest. He and the smithy owner form a partnership, and Thorne’s ambitions begin to come true. Penny Abercrombie’s family has fallen on hard times, and when she comes seeking employment, the partners hire her to do their bookkeeping. For Thorne, the presence of Penny in his life makes him realize that even the dream-come-true of working as a blacksmith isn’t enough if it doesn’t include the woman he loves.

Mayor Townsend has plans for Ridge, the makings of a political dynasty. It’s a dream opportunity that includes marriage to the most beautiful and powerful lady in Spruce. Ridge is dazzled by the beauty and elegance of the mayor’s daughter, Miss Robin, but his brothers are offended by the way she addresses people who are not of her status.

The Lowell Brothers have seen a lot of marrying since coming to Fontaine, Washington. Now Carl’s three older brothers all have wives, but romance is a risky business, and Carl is in no hurry to follow in their footsteps! He’s busy building up the general store in Fontaine, and he’s doing quite well in his vocation. But when Harriet Finch, an orphaned girl who was exploited by her own relatives and made to work as a maid in their home, shows up late at night with a broken wrist and a broken spirit, Carl can’t turn her away.

Dennis didn’t figure on marrying, but he finds himself falling in love with Isabelle du Pres, the widowed daughter of his boss. Not able to make his affections known, he yearns for an opportunity to prove his love. When unexplained, troubling things start happening in the rail yard, it seems that Martin Crawler, Isabelle’s father, has an enemy.