VOW UNBROKEN Historic Christian Romance, set in 1832 Texas
Book One of the Texas Romance series
Main Characters : Susannah Ruth Abbott Baylor (29), Patrick Henry Buckmeyer (34), Rebecca Ruth Baylor (9), and Levi Bartholomew Baylor (14)
Premise : Love and determination conquers all on the Jefferson Trace.
Synopsis : A young widow hires a veteran with a bad reputation to help her get her cotton to market, and sparks fly–but can she marry a man without the blessing of her estranged father?
Read a bit from Chapter One:
He took the pinch of cotton Sue offered and rubbed it between his short, pudgy fingers. “I’m truly sorry, Mis’ess Baylor. Two cents is all I can pay.”
She seethed, but forced at least a show of civility. “Mister Littlejohn.” She spoke in a stiff staccato. “A week ago. Before everyone left. You promised three-and-a-half to four cents a pound! You said depending on the quality. That is the main reason. The biggest reason. That I didn’t go with the others.”
The man smiled. “Oh, I might have said two-and-a-half or maybe even three, but things change. You know that.” She couldn’t stand being talked down to, especially by such a lying loafer. “I wish I could help you, but two cents it is. I mean, besides, anyone can see.” He held the sample up. “It’s shoddy lint.” He shook his head. “Pardon me for saying, Mis’ess Baylor, but a granger you are not.”
“Anyone can see its excellent quality, you mean.”
A bit of breeze, a very little bit, stirred the top layer of dust from the street; it cooled her skin, but her insides still steamed.
He stuck out his bottom lip. “I’d advise you to take my offer. I can pay half now, the rest when I return.”
Sue studied his face while a hundred calculations ran through her mind. He certainly didn’t look like the weasel he’d turned out to be. Her cotton was as good, if not better, than any of the loads that left last Thursday. She reached up and massaged her neck, then lifted her braid to let some air dry her sweat.
She glanced over at her wagons. Levi had Becky laughing hard. The children would be so disappointed. Maybe if —
No. She would not allow this thief to take advantage of her family. How could he even think to? The loathsome, immoral oaf! She’d worked too hard getting her crop in. Everyone had, even her nine-year-old Becky. Why, at two cents, she’d hardly realize any profit at all after the extra seed and what she paid the pickers.
She squared her shoulders and determined anew, faced him again. “I’ll accept three-and-a-half cents per pound. All cash. Not a fraction less.”
“Two cents, ma’am. Half now, half when I get back.” He jingled the coins in his vest pocket.
Perspiration trickled down to the small of her back. The sun, though its climb had barely began, already shone bright on the eastern horizon and heated the mid-September air so that every breath scorched her throat. Much like Jack Littlejohn, it offered no mercy. And like the air, her throat held no moisture, though she needed to swallow.
“You’re wasting my time. Good day, Mister Littlejohn.” She whirled and headed toward her wagons. Her face burned, and she knew full well that it had turned red. How dare that man!
A grubby hand grabbed her arm, and, whirling her around, jerked her to an abrupt stop. She yanked away from his grasp and glared; she wished the fire inside her would somehow leap forward and set the despicable excuse of a human being ablaze.
“Keep your cheating hands off me.”
He almost looked apologetic. “Be reasonable, Mis’ess Baylor. Two cents is a right fair price. Besides, who else you going to sell to?”
She swatted at a fly buzzing about and adjusted her hat, never taking her eyes from the man’s. “I’ll burn my cotton before I’d sell it to the likes of you.” She stopped next to her wagon and faced the second one. “Levi, we’re going.”
“But Aunt Sue –“
Doing everything in her power to keep from bursting into angry tears, she glared. Never, never, never would she give that horrible man the satisfaction of seeing her lose control. She kept her voice calm and steady.
“Levi, now!”
She climbed aboard and probably struck the reins against her mules’ backs a bit too forcefully. The poor animals hadn’t lied to her. She made a point to sound sweet. “Get up, now, Dex.” She clucked. “Hey, now, Daisy.”
She wanted to scream but held it all in.
The wooden wheels creaked under the load. Metal clanged against metal. The harnesses strained as the four animals snorted and urged the two wagons, heavy with all her hopes and dreams, into motion.
Plans had been to camp out, spend a night there in the heart of the community. Plans had been to order the children a pair of new shoes and a bolt or two of fabric for some new clothes.
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But as she knew all too well, plans often changed.
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