“No, no, thank you. I’m fine. Just felt like something crawled up my spine there for a moment.”
Years of living with a smelly man and bearing his children had flashed before her eyes. She wanted to marry a man for love, not desperation.
Her mother frowned, obviously not happy that Caroline was not participating in the ham discussion. This was the chosen son-in-law, and Caroline was resisting her mother’s choice with all her being.
“While I clean up the dishes, why don’t you two take a stroll in the yard?” her mother said, beginning to gather the plates from the table.
“Great idea,” Levy said. “I brought my harmonica, if you’d like to hear me play.”
Joy of joys. Did he think that was going to help her overlook his dirty fingernails and smelly clothes? And good grief, did her mother not see he’d tracked mud on her rugs? Caroline would bet her next trip into town his house was nothing more than one big ole pig sty.
“You know, maybe I am coming down with something. I’m starting to feel a mite poorly. If you don’t mind, Levy, could we postpone our walk for another time?”
His face fell. She didn’t dare look at her mother’s face, knowing it would be filled with rage.
“Of course, Caroline.” Levy stood and glanced about uneasily. “I’ll be heading home. Maybe we can do this again soon.”
Her mother walked to him. “Levy, I’ll invite you over again next week. Maybe we could play some cards after dinner. Let you and Caroline spend some time getting to know each other.”
He glanced at Caroline. She gave him her best, don’t even bother smiles. She didn’t want to marry this man.
As soon as he was out the door, her mother turned on her. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, missy, but he’s about your last chance at marriage.”
Caroline flipped her long black hair away from her shoulders. “I’m barely twenty. That’s not ancient.”
“Caroline, I’m serious. You need to marry that man. He’s good, he’s decent, and I’m not going to be around to support you for many more years. It’s time you found a husband. I’m going to talk to him next week, and we will announce your engagement soon afterwards.”
Taking a deep breath, Caroline stared at her mother, anger rushing through her like a flash flood. “Momma, you’re not making this decision for me. I’ll find my own husband, and it won’t be Levy Mutscher.”
Her mother faced her, her hands on her hips. “I’ve given you plenty of time, and you’re not even interested in looking at a man. Next week, you’re engaged.”
“That’s not true. I’ve been looking.”
“No, you’ve been spending time with Ruby, learning how to shoot, instead of learning how to be a good wife.”
“I just want to be able to take care of myself.”
“Well, I’ve done the looking for you, and Levy Mutscher is a fine man. And he would love for you to be his wife.”
Caroline shook her head, stunned at how far her mother had gone behind her back to find her a husband. “No, Mother. I’m not marrying him.”
Her mother took a deep breath. “Then you have until next week to find me someone better.”
Turning on her heel, Caroline walked to her bedroom. No, she wouldn’t be here next week to announce her engagement. She wouldn’t be here in the morning.
The time had come for her to go out on her own. Ruby had trained her—she knew how to shoot, she knew how to ride, she knew how to scout for criminals. Now it was her turn to go hunting as a bounty hunter.
Look for Deceived December 2015
Thank You For Reading!
Dear Reader,
Sometimes a story just flows from your fingertips out onto the pages and sometimes the author wonders why did I want to write about these characters. While I thoroughly loved these two people, I struggled with balancing the amount of religion to show in the story. Putting a preacher with a soiled dove was difficult while trying to show his faith and heal her enough that she could become a preacher’s wife. Jackson developed into one of my favorite characters simply because I loved how he overcame a terrible childhood. Hannah has always been a tough character to write as I can’t imagine being sold into that lifestyle. Together they stretched me as a writer and I hope you enjoyed their story.
The next Lipstick and Lead book, Deceived is Caroline’s story and has been pushed out until December due to being asked to participate in some other authors projects that are top secret. Be sure to check back to see if those projects are available. One will come out late September and the other one in November.
I have one small request. If you’re inclined, please leave a review. Whether or not you loved the book or hated, it-I’d enjoy your feedback. Reviews are difficult to obtain and have the power to make or break a book.
Here is a link to my author page on Amazon. You can find all my books listed there along with soon a video and other interesting information. Click the follow button to learn when a new book is released.
If you enjoy western historical authors, please join the Pioneer Hearts group on Facebook. This is a fabulous group of readers and authors who enjoy westerns. We have lots of fun and there is always something going on.
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Reading one of my books is like spending time with me, and I just want to say Thank You from the bottom of my heart.
Yours in Drama, Divas, Bad Boys and Romance!
Sincerely,
Sylvia McDaniel
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Other Books by Sylvia
Western Historicals
A Hero's Heart
The Burnett Brides Series
The Rancher Takes a Bride
The Outlaw Takes a Bride
The Marshal Takes A Bride
The Christmas Bride
Boxed Set
The Burnett Brides
Lipstick and Lead
Desperate
Deadly
Dangerous
Daring
Determined
Deceived – December 2015
Scandalous Suffragette Brides
Abigail
Bella – November 2015
Callie – December 2015
Southern Historical Romance
A Scarlet Bride
American Brides Series
Katie – November 2015
The Surprise Brides
Ethan – October 2015
The Cuvier Women
Wronged
Betrayed
Bequiled
Boxed Set
The Cuvier Women
Desperate
In 1880 Zenith Texas, the McKenzie sisters, Meg, Annabelle and Ruby find themselves penniless after the death of their father. When the bank threatens foreclosure, the women realize they need a way to support themselves. They have three options; marriage, women’s work or… following in their papa’s footsteps.
After her failed proposal of marriage, Meg McKenzie, turns to her dream of being a seamstress and discovers its not all its cracked up to be. Sweet and practical Annabelle McKenzie gives waitressing, a whirl, but soon wandering hands shove her out the door. The youngest of the McKenzie sisters, Ruby has her rose-colored glasses tarnished when she discovers cleaning houses can be hazardous to her virtue.
Spectacularly fired from their traditional jobs, they have no choice but to follow in their father’s footsteps-bounty-hunting.
Bounty Hunter Women –They Always Get Their Man.
Available now on Amazon
Rancher Takes a Bride
In Fort Worth, Texas, Rose Severin, runs a seance parlor where she speaks to the dead or at least she pretends to until she can earn enough money to get out of this cowboy town and become a famous actress like her mother. Travis Burnett is resolved to rid the western town of imposters like Rose. But Eugenia thinks the fiery Rose is just the woman for her obstinate son. She schemes to
keep Rose at the family ranch where Travis soon realizes that the supposed spiritualist is more than just a pretty swindler.
Available now on Amazon
Author Bio
Sylvia McDaniel
Sylvia McDaniel is a best-selling, award-winning author of western historical romance and contemporary romance novels. Known for her sweet, funny, family-oriented romances, Sylvia is the author of The Burnett Brides a western historical western series, The Cuvier Widows, a Louisiana historical series, and several short contemporary romances.
Former President of the Dallas Area Romance Authors, a member of the Romance Writers of America®, and a member of Novelists Inc, her novel, A Hero’s Heart was a 1996 Golden Heart Finalist. Several other books have placed or won in the San Antonio Romance Authors Contest, LERA Contest, Golden Network Finalist and a Carolyn Readers Finalist.
Married for nearly twenty years to her best friend, they have one dachshund that reigns as Queen Supreme Dog and a good-looking, grown son who thinks there’s no place like home. Sylvia loves gardening, shopping, knitting and football (Cowboys and Bronco’s fan), but not necessarily in that order.
Currently she’s written eighteen novels and is hard at work on number nineteen. Be sure to sign up for her newsletter to learn about new releases, contests and every month a new subscriber is entered into a drawing for a free book.
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You can write to Sylvia at P.O. Box 2542, Coppell, TX 75019 or visit her website.
Copyright
Copyright © 2015 by Sylvia McDaniel
All Rights Reserved
Published by Virtual Bookseller, LLC
Cover Art by Lyndsey Lewellen
Edited by Andrea Dickinson
eBook formatting by Ink Lion Books
Release date: September 2015
This book and parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author and publisher, except as provided by the United States of America copyright law. The only exception is by a reviewer who may quote short excerpts in a review.
Table Of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Other Books by Sylvia
Desperate
Rancher Takes a Bride
Author Bio
Copyright
Determined: Western Historical Romance (Lipstick and Lead series Book 5) Page 17