Joshua Leonard

Joshua Leonard appears in West of Forgotten.

At five years old, Joshua Leonard is still young enough to find wonder in a peppermint stick and a handful of toy soldiers, but life has already taught him things no child should have to learn. He is a small, thin, tow-headed boy with tight, bright-blond curls, freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks, and blue-gray eyes with more blue than his mother's gray eyes. His clothes are often a little too small, a reflection of the hard financial circumstances at the Lazy L.

Joshua is curious, observant, and sensitive, with a streak of stubborn courage that looks remarkably like Rachel's. When accused of stealing candy he didn't take, he doesn't simply accept the accusation. Frightened though he is of the candy maker, he squares his shoulders and insists, "No, sir!" when Harrison asks if he stole.

He loves his mother fiercely and wants to help her, even when she's determined to protect him from the burdens she carries. He has a beloved old tomcat, enjoys penny candy, and can be thoroughly distracted by toy soldiers, a tiny cannon, or the possibility of seeing a litter of beagle puppies.

But Joshua isn't merely the cute little boy in the story. He has already experienced fear, uncertainty, and the consequences of other people's choices. Even so, he hasn't lost his capacity for trust or happiness.

And then Harrison Taylor rides into his life.

For a little boy who has never had a father in his home, Harrison's quiet strength, patience, and willingness to protect the people Joshua loves will become something very important.

Joshua may be only five years old.

He's going to have a lot to do with turning a ranch into a family.