by Annie Boone
Abby looked around the room, trying to think of the right words to help her friend. She usually had the perfect responses, but this was an unusual turn of events. “I’m really sorry Trevor has had the bad judgment to marry someone like Miss Porter.”
“Well, he will regret the day he crossed me. There shall be no doubt about that,” Fiona declared with certainty.
“Come here, my sweet,” Abby cooed, patting Fiona’s shoulder encouragingly. “Of course Trevor has made a grave mistake. That’s a very honest statement if I must say so. Never would I suggest differently. Are you not my oldest and most cherished friend, a friend that I hold dearest to my heart? You mean more to me than the sweet air that I breathe. My loyalty is always to you and that shall never change.”
Fiona crossed the room and nestled in beside Abby. “I know you love me, Abby. I know you would never say anything to hurt me on purpose,” she pouted.
“We do need to speak honestly, though, Fiona. I owe you that and you should listen with an open mind.” Abby spoke in an even tone that made her intentions known.
“Of course you’re right,” Fiona replied as she looked away from her friend. She knew she needed to hear the truth but she didn’t really want to deal with it.
“So let me soothe the sting a little bit, dear. He was never a suitable match for you. Your temperaments were much too different for true compatibility.”
Abby wisely failed to mention that both she and her husband, Frank, had pointed out many times that they were very different during Fiona and Trevor's courtship. Those conversations had rarely been pleasant. Most of them had been short and one sided with Fiona walking out of the room when the subject came up.
The simple truth was that men of any temperament were hard to find back home in Pennsylvania since the war ended. Abigail had long been grateful for Frank's asthmatic condition. He was unable to fight alongside so many of his countrymen for the ideals he also held to be sacred. Many of those men had not returned while those who did were often shattered in body or spirit.
Truth be told, Frank's decision to leave their home town and brave the harsh realities of life in the West stemmed directly from his need to prove his abilities to himself. Abigail already loved him dearly and there was nothing he needed to prove to her. They had only been married a few years and there were no children for them yet. Frank insisted that this was the perfect time for them to move.
Abigail was opposed to the idea of moving, especially to a wild Western town, but wanted to make her Frank happy so she agreed. Kansas City turned out to be much different than Pittsburgh and she was still getting used to the differences. It was her fervent prayer they could build a home together now, away from reminders of unhappier times they had faced during the war.
And of course she prayed daily for Fiona to meet a Godly man. Certainly not like the cad Trevor Booker had proven himself to be. Abby patted Fiona's brow with her kerchief and smoothed her wispy dark black hair.
Although Fiona and Abigail were both twenty-three years old, Abby often felt herself be the parent. Certainly since moving to Missouri, with all the unscrupulous conniving hustlers that abounded in the area after the war. It was just bad fortune that Fiona's pretty head was turned by Trevor Booker, a sweet talking devil with a pocket full of money earned at tricky card play. Card playing in itself was considered to lack righteousness, but to be a cheater to boot was downright scandalous.
“The Good Lord in his wisdom has intervened for you,” Abby finished. Seeing the storm clouds gather in her friend's eyes, she felt uncertain but waited to see what would come next.
“But why?” Fiona wailed, “What if I didn't want Him to? Trevor was certainly not perfect, but I’m ready for marriage and my own home. I tire of boarding at Mrs. Taylor's. Though I always said only passion and love would make me happy, even a marriage of friendship and compatibility would do. What you and Frank have would be acceptable for me at this point!” Fiona stopped in the middle of her tantrum, seeing the hurt her unthinking words had caused. “Oh, Abby. I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean that like it sounded.”
Abigail tried to wave it off, but stiffened up and rose to her feet. “I know what everyone said about us. The sickly boy and the plain girl,” she retorted, memories of painful taunts rushing in. “Only together because no one else would have us.”
Fiona hung her head in shame as her friend spoke of the things that they had rarely talked about together. They were best friends, but some topics were best not discussed even among best friends.
“I will tell you that our passion for one another is very real and very precious to me.” Abigail blushed, her pale skin was glowing becomingly. “In Frank's eyes, I am lovely and in mine he is strong. If we have that foundation, friendship, and passion, to build our lives on, then we are blessed beyond what anyone deserves,” she finished.
“I’m very happy to hear that you and Frank are truly in love. I could see it, but I guess I just never considered it. I have been focused on myself. And Trevor. I suppose my focus will have to shift now that Trevor has made alternative plans.” Fiona seemed genuinely contrite.
Abigail nodded and began refolding the delicate garments Fiona had strewn about the small room. Holding a silken lilac hued dress in front of her, she paused. “Where in the world did the money to buy all this finery come from, Fiona Leigh Dearing?” Abby demanded, glad to leave talk of personal matters behind for the moment. “It would take months and months of sewing for Mrs. Taylor's shop to afford all these gorgeous garments.”
Fiona’s chin jutted out in defense before she began to speak. “These clothes are all mine and I bought all of them properly with my own money,” Fiona began defiantly.
Abby looked confused. Then her brow knitted together in question. “What have you done, Fiona?”
At her friend’s accusations, Fiona burst out in laughter. “At least it became my money after I removed it from Trevor's room at the hotel. Before you sermonize me on right and wrong Abigail Witherspoon, may I remind you that Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. He owed me something for the embarrassment he has caused me. I thought that lilac would complement your complexion beautifully. What do you think?”
End of Chapter One
To finish reading, get the book here:
http://www.annieboone.com/friendship
Other Western Romance Authors I Recommend
I enjoy reading Western Romance books and I read often. I thought you might like to see some of my favorite authors so that you can check them out to see if they’re a fit for the kind of reading you love.
Jenny Creek Tanner – Jenny is a country girl who writes about cowboys and heroines who tame them. She’s one of my favorites.
http://annieboone.com/JennyCreekTanner
Lorena Dove – Lorena is a relatively new author who is writing a different kind of Mail Order Bride story. Her heroines are immigrants in her Sweet Land of Liberty series.
http://annieboone.com/Lorena-Dove
Indiana Wake – Indiana is a prolific writer. She has published many books and most of them deal with difficulties faced by the heroines. Her main characters face and overcome the same issues many of us face every day. I love her honest approach.
http://annieboone.com/IndianaWake