Ecstasy's Promise (Historical Romance) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Constance O'Banyon
Tags: Fiction, adventure, Romance, Historical, Adult, Action, Western, Texas, South, wealthy, ranch, 18th Century, Enemy, american revolution, destruction, American West, ECSTASY'S PROMISE, Sherman's Troops, Farraday Plantation, Yankees, Grandmother, Union, Burned Plantation
Victoria.
The interior of the barn was dark, with only the faint light of the moon shining through the open doorway. Bodine unsaddled the horses. He took a blanket and spread it on a pile of hay, which he had smoothed out for Victoria. She sat wearily down on the pallet.
"I am sorry we have nothing for you to eat," he said.
"Do not worry about that. I am sure that I have eaten since you have."
"Lie down," he told her gently. "You are weary. I want you to try to get some sleep." She curled up on the pallet while he spread a second blanket over her. She was tired. Never in her life had she been so utterly exhausted.
Bodine sat down with his back against the wall, his gun across his lap, his eyes and ears alert to any sound that might mean danger.
Victoria was quiet for so long he thought she had fallen asleep. Then she spoke softly. "The war is lost, isn't it, Bodine?"
"Yes," he replied simply. He heard her sigh. Then she closed her eyes. He sat for a long time, lost in thought. He had to decide what was the best course for them to take. He loved the small golden-haired girl with a fierce devotion. She was very like her mother, and if fate had not been so unkind, she might well have been his own daughter. Then the answer came to him. He knew what he must do. He would tell Victoria his decision in the morning. He would take her to Texas.
It would be a long hard journey, filled with many dangers, but he knew it was the only place where she would be safe.
The next morning Bodine woke Victoria before daybreak. He saddled the horses while she went to the well and washed her face. He led the horses out of the barn and stood waiting for her.
It was a cold crisp morning. The grass was wet with dew. Victoria stood looking at the ruins of Five Hills in the early-morning sun. It was still smoldering. She could feel the heat from it warm her cold body. She turned and looked at Bodine. "What now?" she asked him. As always when she needed guidance, she turned to Bodine. He was the rock from which she drew her strength, and he had never let her down.
"I have given it a lot of thought," he answered, "and the only thing I can see to do is take you to your grandmother in Texas."
She looked at him in surprise. "Texas is a long way from here, and I do not even know my grandmother."
"Your grandmother is one of the finest women I know. She will be delighted to have you. She is alone, as you are. You are the only family she has left."
"I am not alone, Bodine. I have you."
He smiled. "So you do, Imp."
She walked over to a wooden bench and sat down. "Tell me about my grandmother," she said.
"That would take some telling." He sat down beside her and stretched his long legs out in front of him. "Alice Anderson is probably one of the kindest women I have ever met. She is much loved by her neighbors. In fact, most of them call her Mammaw, affectionately. She took me in when I was a ten-year-old boy with no home of my own; she made me a part of her family. She had two children—a girl, your mother, and a boy who died in infancy. Your grandfather died fighting for Texas' independence from Mexico."
"I know you worked for my grandmother, Bodine."
He nodded. "She has a small ranch, which she put me in charge of. Though she treated me more as a son than a ranch hand."
"Why did you leave Texas and come to Georgia?"
He was quiet for a moment. "When your father came to Texas on a business trip, he met and married your mother. Your mother asked me to accompany them to Georgia and I agreed. I never intended to stay permanently, just long enough for your mother to settle into her new home." He spread his hand out and studied his fingernails before he answered. "One thing led to another, and the first thing I knew I was running Farraday Plantation for your father."
"My mother asked you to stay, didn't she, Bodine?"
He looked at her and nodded. It finally came to Victoria. She wondered why she had not seen it before. "You loved my mother, didn't
The interior of the barn was dark, with only the faint light of the moon shining through the open doorway. Bodine unsaddled the horses. He took a blanket and spread it on a pile of hay, which he had smoothed out for Victoria. She sat wearily down on the pallet.
"I am sorry we have nothing for you to eat," he said.
"Do not worry about that. I am sure that I have eaten since you have."
"Lie down," he told her gently. "You are weary. I want you to try to get some sleep." She curled up on the pallet while he spread a second blanket over her. She was tired. Never in her life had she been so utterly exhausted.
Bodine sat down with his back against the wall, his gun across his lap, his eyes and ears alert to any sound that might mean danger.
Victoria was quiet for so long he thought she had fallen asleep. Then she spoke softly. "The war is lost, isn't it, Bodine?"
"Yes," he replied simply. He heard her sigh. Then she closed her eyes. He sat for a long time, lost in thought. He had to decide what was the best course for them to take. He loved the small golden-haired girl with a fierce devotion. She was very like her mother, and if fate had not been so unkind, she might well have been his own daughter. Then the answer came to him. He knew what he must do. He would tell Victoria his decision in the morning. He would take her to Texas.
It would be a long hard journey, filled with many dangers, but he knew it was the only place where she would be safe.
The next morning Bodine woke Victoria before daybreak. He saddled the horses while she went to the well and washed her face. He led the horses out of the barn and stood waiting for her.
It was a cold crisp morning. The grass was wet with dew. Victoria stood looking at the ruins of Five Hills in the early-morning sun. It was still smoldering. She could feel the heat from it warm her cold body. She turned and looked at Bodine. "What now?" she asked him. As always when she needed guidance, she turned to Bodine. He was the rock from which she drew her strength, and he had never let her down.
"I have given it a lot of thought," he answered, "and the only thing I can see to do is take you to your grandmother in Texas."
She looked at him in surprise. "Texas is a long way from here, and I do not even know my grandmother."
"Your grandmother is one of the finest women I know. She will be delighted to have you. She is alone, as you are. You are the only family she has left."
"I am not alone, Bodine. I have you."
He smiled. "So you do, Imp."
She walked over to a wooden bench and sat down. "Tell me about my grandmother," she said.
"That would take some telling." He sat down beside her and stretched his long legs out in front of him. "Alice Anderson is probably one of the kindest women I have ever met. She is much loved by her neighbors. In fact, most of them call her Mammaw, affectionately. She took me in when I was a ten-year-old boy with no home of my own; she made me a part of her family. She had two children—a girl, your mother, and a boy who died in infancy. Your grandfather died fighting for Texas' independence from Mexico."
"I know you worked for my grandmother, Bodine."
He nodded. "She has a small ranch, which she put me in charge of. Though she treated me more as a son than a ranch hand."
"Why did you leave Texas and come to Georgia?"
He was quiet for a moment. "When your father came to Texas on a business trip, he met and married your mother. Your mother asked me to accompany them to Georgia and I agreed. I never intended to stay permanently, just long enough for your mother to settle into her new home." He spread his hand out and studied his fingernails before he answered. "One thing led to another, and the first thing I knew I was running Farraday Plantation for your father."
"My mother asked you to stay, didn't she, Bodine?"
He looked at her and nodded. It finally came to Victoria. She wondered why she had not seen it before. "You loved my mother, didn't
Readers choose
Sarina Adem
Fiona Cheong
Belart Wright
Kresley Cole
Myla Jackson
Carly Phillips
Isabella Brooke
J. F. Jenkins