Chasing the Sun (Land of the Lone Star Book #1) , livre ebook

Baker Publishing Group - Tracie Peterson

Découvre YouScribe en t'inscrivant gratuitement

Je m'inscris

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

128 pages

English

Vous pourrez modifier la taille du texte de cet ouvrage

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

A propos
Informations
Extrait

Description

Tracie Peterson Embarks on a New Texas SeriesWhen her father disappears in war-torn Mississippi, Hannah Dandridge finds herself responsible not only for her younger siblings but for the ranch her father recently acquired on the Texas plains. Though a marriage of convenience could ease her predicament, she determines to trust God for direction.Wounded soldier William Barnett returns to his home only to discover that his family's ranch has been seized. Though angry and bitter at this turn of events, he's surprised to discover that it is a beautiful young woman with amazing fortitude who is struggling to keep the place running. Hannah, desperate for help, and William, desperate to regain his family's land, form an uneasy truce. But nearby Comanche tribes, the arrival of Confederate soldiers, and a persistent suitor all threaten the growing attraction that builds between them. Will they be able to set aside their own dreams and embrace the promise of a future together?

Informations

Publié par	Baker Publishing Group
Date de parution	01 mars 2012
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781441269997
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0432€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

© 2012 by Tracie Peterson
Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means for example, electronic, photocopy, recording without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4412-6999-7
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
This is a work of historical reconstruction; the appearances of certain historical figures are therefore inevitable. All other characters, however, are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
The internet addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence.
Cover design by Jennifer Parker.
Cover photography © Hugh Beebower/Corbis.
To Ted and Marietta Terry
for their unfailing support and witness for God.
Thank you for your friendship.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
About the Author
Books by Tracie Peterson
Back Ads
Back Cover
1
Texas October 1863
H annah Dandridge struggled to keep her voice even. “Father . . . has been taken . . . prisoner?” She lowered her voice and inclined her head forward. “Mr. Lockhart, why would the Yankee army take my father . . . a civilian . . . into custody?”
The bearer of bad tidings dabbed his high forehead with a folded linen cloth, the unusual warmth of the day causing beads of sweat to form at the man’s receding hairline. “I do apologize, Miss Hannah. The information my man managed to obtain was reliable, but not as detailed as I would have liked.”
“But there would be no reason to take Father prisoner.” She folded her hands and leaned back once again. “He’s a good man and a fine upstanding citizen.”
“Beggin’ your pardon, Miss Hannah, but he’s a Confederate citizen, and Vicksburg has fallen to the Yankees. The Yankees control the whole of the Mississippi River and the travel upon it. Why, there are renegade bands of soldiers marauding throughout Louisiana and Texas.”
It had been six weeks since Hannah’s father left their ranch in Texas to go to Mississippi. In that time she’d anxiously awaited word that he had reached her grandparents’ house in the war-torn town of Vicksburg.
“But that makes no sense. He’s not a soldier and certainly not a threat to anyone. He’s only going there to see to my grandmother.” More likely, he had gone to bury his mother beside her husband and Hannah’s brother Benjamin, both of whom had died the previous June when the Yankees attacked Vicksburg. It had taken two months to get word to the Dandridges regarding the deaths of their loved ones. In that same letter they were told that Grandmother Dandridge was ill most probably dying. Hannah’s father had been beside himself.
Hannah got to her feet and Lockhart did likewise. She walked to the large window, praying he would remain where he stood. She didn’t want to be fussed over. Raising the window, she prayed for a gentle breeze to ease the temperature. Any flow of air, however, was absent. She took note of her younger brother and sister playing in the courtyard. They seemed unbothered by the warmth of the day.
Andy was eight and Marty just five. How could she tell them that their father might never return home? She turned back and looked at the man her father called partner. Their joint efforts in real estate and law had proven to be successful, despite the war. But Mr. Lockhart wanted to extend the partnership to include Hannah. She gave a sigh. Lockhart wasn’t a bad fellow, and she supposed an old maid of twenty-four should be honored that any man would look at her with thoughts of marriage.
“Miss Hannah . . .” Lockhart made his move and came to join her. “I hope you aren’t worrying about the future. You know that your father considered me an honorable man.”
“Yes, Mr. Lockhart, I do realize that. I am certain you are most honorable.”
He smiled and rubbed the back of his hand across his mustache. “Your father knew or rather, knows how I feel about you. I will see to it that you and your family are provided for. You needn’t worry.”
“Sir, I was hardly worried about myself.” Hannah wiped at a tear. “Father . . .” She knew if she said more she’d break down. “You must excuse me.” Hannah felt his gaze upon her even as she turned to walk away.
“We must do whatever we can to help Father,” Hannah said, reaching the arched entry of the room. “But for now, say nothing to the children. I don’t want them to know what’s happened.” She paused at the hall and turned toward the open front door, hoping Mr. Lockhart would take the hint to leave.
“Of course not.” He crossed the room in quick, precise steps. “Miss Hannah, given this news and trouble with the Comanche, I must insist that you move with the children to Cedar Springs. You can stay at my place. There is more than enough room, and with my servants, no one will consider it inappropriate. I will, in fact, take my residence to the hotel to further dissolve any rumors.”
“Sir, that is completely unnecessary. I do not intend to leave the ranch. If your news is wrong, Father will return here or at the very least send word to me here. I will remain.”
“You can hardly remain here on your own,” he protested. “The Comanche and Kiowa uprisings have left many a man dead.”
“But most of those attacks have come to men out on the open range,” Hannah countered. She had no desire to leave the ranch for Mr. Lockhart’s house.
“Miss Hannah, you have your siblings to consider, as well. It could prove fatal ”
Hannah held up her hand to halt his comments. They would never see eye to eye. He was twice her age and worried overmuch about everything. There would be no reasoning with him or hoping he might see things her way.
“I have a great deal to tend to, Mr. Lockhart. I do hope you’ll excuse my bad manners and show yourself out. If you should want further refreshment before your ride back to Cedar Springs, please see Juanita. She’s just out the back door in the summer kitchen.”
“Miss Hannah, I hope I didn’t offend you.”
She turned and pasted on a smile. “Of course not. I appreciate that you have brought me the news. I do hope you will do your best to see Father returned to us. Perhaps we should inquire in Dallas. Since he has helped the Confederacy, perhaps they could arrange for my father’s release.”
He bobbed his head, but his expression suggested he didn’t believe it would do any good. “I will see to everything,” he said. “I will not rest until we know what has happened. I give you my word.”
“Thank you, sir.” Hannah curtsied. She could see that he wanted to say something more, so she hurried on. “I simply must get to my tasks.” Without waiting, Hannah broke with etiquette and scurried away. Her mother and grandmother would be deeply ashamed of her behavior, but Hannah couldn’t help it. Mr. Lockhart would only try to persuade her to leave the ranch.
She made her way out the side door and across the yard to check on the laundry. Lines of clean sheets hung dry in the still air. To her surprise Pepita, Juanita and Berto’s youngest child, hurried across the yard with a basket on her head.
“No, Miss Hannah. Mama send me to get them.”
“That’s all right, Pepita. I’ll help you.” Hannah reached up to take one of the sheets from the line. She needed to keep busy, and she needed to think.
The Barnett Ranch, as it was called, had been her home for less than a year. Hannah had come to Texas with her father and young siblings five years earlier, much to her dismay. She hadn’t wanted to leave her childhood home in Vicksburg there she could be close to her grandparents and brother. There, she had friends and a life of ease. When her stepmother died giving birth to Marty, everything changed. After that, her father wanted only to leave Vicksburg and his memories. His jovial nature became more serious; he thought only of work and making money. Her beloved papa was only a shadow of his former self, and the man who had come to replace him seemed cold and unfeeling.
Hannah’s brother Benjamin and their grandparents had tried to talk John Dandridge out of leaving especially with two young children, one only an infant. Grandmother had offered to let the family remain with them while their father traveled west to grieve, but he would have none of that. His children were his responsibility. At seventeen, Benjamin stood his ground and told their father he wouldn’t leave Vicksburg. A terrible fight ensued . . . a fight that hadn’t been resolved before Benjamin lost his life defending Vicksburg.
Hannah frowned at the memory of those days. In Vicksburg she had been nineteen and carefree, engaged to a wonderful young man, now long dead to the war. Unfortunately, the war hadn’t initially separated them her father had managed that on his own. When he went to Hannah’s fiancé and demanded the engagement be broken or extended indefinitely so that Hannah could care for her siblings, she was livid. She carefully rehearsed what she would say to her father for hours. When he finally arrived home, she marched to the barn, ready to declare her anger and refusal to be obedient to his wishes. Instead, she found her father bent over his horse’s neck, in tears. His pain was raw and heartbreaking. . . . It was