The mayor’s wife, Fairlady Halliwell, had fallen victim to a number of accidents in the past few months. Far from enduring the torment of spousal abuse, she had been mistreated every time by Charles Holcomb, himself. Her weak-spined husband had, upon Holcomb’s demand, turned her over to him for a one-sided affair, the cost of which enabled Stenton Halliwell to keep his official position.
The young girl from the orphanage, Mattie Jamison, who had almost died as the result of a self-inflicted abortion, had worked in the Holcomb Mansion kitchen for some time. There, alone and unprotected, she had been accosted by Holcomb in a back hallway and violently raped, which had resulted in her pregnancy. Sick, hurt, miserable, she had been ready to take her own life rather than live with the stigma of her employer’s attack.
The multiple injuries to multiple children had been deliberately inflicted by those from whom they were supposedly learning a trade, both as punishment and as warning.
The ranch belonging to Jessamine’s parents had been quickly purchased, after their mysterious murders, by a shell corporation run by Holcomb. He wanted the land, the water rights, and the mineral rights, and had killed her family to achieve it.
It would take a team of bookkeepers many a sleepless night to straighten out all these twisted affairs, and attempt to right all these wrongs.
But Whitfield would go on. With Holcomb and his corruption eliminated, it would rise above the sludge, elect new officials, see the culprits hauled off to prison—or hanged.
Meanwhile, Ben intended to stay right here. He liked the community and the people; he felt he could do real good in this place; and he had found a home. And, not soon enough, a wife.
Holcomb’s Mansion was being refurbished and reborn into an adjunct of the original orphanage, to be named Madonna Bellini Children’s Home. The Yancey Corporation, consisting of ten board members, unanimously voted to fund the whole operation as a good-will effort for the entire town.
Healthy changes were made, satisfactory to all. Children would be given a choice of trade or higher education, and whatever employment was provided was also paid for. Monies were deposited directly into accounts set up for each child, to be given out upon graduation.
The wedding of Jessamine Barclay Lassiter and Benton Joseph Yancey took place in the newly established chapel of the Children’s Home, on a crisp sparkling fall day in early November. The scent in the air and the color of the leaves reminded visitors of a Midwestern apple harvest.
“Could the bride be any prettier?” asked Liz of her husband, only half-humorously.
Radiant in a gown embroidered with love and white silk from bodice to hem, Jessie spoke her vows proudly, confidently, her voice sprigged by joy. Several of the young orphanage residents, talented with their needles, had sewed hundreds of tiny seed pearls over the full hooped skirt in a labor of affection and respect.
“Sure she could,” whispered Thomas.”She could be you.”
Which was, of course, the perfect response.
Under the sweet fragrant spell of lavender and lilies, the Rev. Nathaniel Yancey was delighted to perform ministerial duties for his nervous brother and about-to-be new sister-in-law.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” he told them both with a broad smile, in the age-old ending to one chapter and the beginning of another. “Kiss her, Ben!”
Farther back in the small chapel, young Rob Yancey grimaced. “Holy Cow,” he muttered to his father. “Seems like there’s always somebody gettin’ married. How many more of these things will I have t’ go to?”
His stepmother, Goldenstar, glanced his way with raised brows; a couple of his aunts sent him reproving stares; and his father and nearby uncles snorted with suppressed laughter.
Leaning slightly sideways, Matthew whispered, “Didja see that look you just got from the women in this family?”
Wary, Rob nodded. “Ahuh.”
“Happens a lot, son. I think they all put up with us Yancey males, on sufferance, and they wanna make sure we know about it. So just deal with weddin’s, b’cause we got a few more t’ go yet. And understand that, one of these days, your turn will come, too.”
The End
Thank You
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About the Author
Morris Fenris was born into a poor family in the Fiji Islands. Thanks to his own grit, determination and the support of his loving parents, he was able to embark on a journey that has seen him attain a good education and work in many parts of the world.
Morris has been writing since childhood, drawing on his experiences in life and emulating the styles of his favorite authors.
Morris enjoys reading and writing in a wide range of genres and has plans for many more books. If you’d like to get in touch with this author, please message him on Twitter at #MorrisFenris or find him on Facebook.
Book List
Links to other books by Morris Fenris:
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Montana-Christian-Christmas-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00GU2DJBO
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-California-Christian-Christmas-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00MK9UGSA
http://www.amazon.com/Lifetime-Morris-Fenris-ebook/dp/B00FG0WJB2
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Christmas-Vampires-paranormal-Christian-ebook/dp/B00G7GBIL6
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Christmas-Heart-Warming-Forgiveness-Togetherness-ebook/dp/B00GHPFYO4
http://www.amazon.com/Family-Life-Heart-Warming-Relationship-Togetherness-ebook/dp/B00GM2Y0TM
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Heart-Warming-Holidays-Forgiveness-Togetherness-ebook/dp/B00G1XIORG
http://www.amazon.com/Adults-Books-Christmas-Stories-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B00GR0SFOU
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Fantasy-Adventure-paranormal-Paranormal-ebook/dp/B00IOMHKFE
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Beginnings-Christian-Christmas-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00OPE4NQE
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Young-Christian-Christmas-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00PB09BUO
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Christmas-Reunion-Christian-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00PVCLLT6
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-High-Road-Western-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00QH2FD98
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-High-Road-Book-Matthew-ebook/dp/B00RAT7DYK
http://www.amazon.com/James-Yancey-Western-Mystery-Romance-ebook/dp/B00S3YP280
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Christian-Christmas-Fiction-Cathedral-ebook/dp/B00RF6UNXG
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Yancey-Western-Mystery-Romance-ebook/dp/B00T727PKK
http://www.amazon.com/Travis-Yancey-Western-Mystery-Romance-ebook/dp/B00U1DALKU
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Romance-Nathaniel-Yancey-Taking-ebook/dp/B00UZOWEIW
A Western Romance: Benton Yancey: Taking the High Road (Book 7) (Taking The High Road Series) Page 11