Zenobia glanced at Winston. “He said my stepfather tricked my mother into giving him access to her accounts and then he misled me about her will. The lawyer helped him. Apparently, that’s my money my stepfather’s been spending.”
She leaned against Callum. “Not that I need it, you understand, but my stepfather shouldn’t have had my parents’ estate. I’ll bet there were bequests to servants and charities that he ignored.”
Callum hugged her shoulders. “We’ll get it all straightened out, honey. Now that he’s in jail, your stepfather will lose his power.”
She turned to Callum. “Before we go home, I want to see the baby. Come with me.”
Callum took her hand. “I’ll go with you. I’m not letting you out of my sight for a long time.”
Andrew and Marcy accompanied them and they went into the main house where Edwina beamed at the four of them. “Let me take you upstairs so you can meet my grandson. He is just precious.”
Chapter Twenty Three
September 1888
Zenobia held the chamber pot as she heaved again.
Callum handed her a moist cloth. “I’m sorry, honey.”
“This isn’t happening as much as at first. I think I’m getting over the morning sickness part of this pregnancy.”
“I had no idea being pregnant was this hard on a woman—or her husband. Makes me feel helpless.”
She smiled at him and set down the chamber pot and replaced the lid. “Oh, you helped, husband, or I wouldn’t be in this predicament.”
He patted her on her rear. “I mean helpless now to make you feel better.”
She hung the wet cloth on the washstand rung. “Having you as my husband does that. I appreciate you letting me hire Dilys for Marcy and Nora for us.”
He chuckled. “Let you? Your money pays for them just as it’s paying Nate Johnson to make more furniture. You also paid for the supplies for building more rooms onto the house.”
“Our money, please.” She leaned her head against his broad chest.
“Your father was a wise man to set up his will as he did. If your mother hadn’t been sick, the money was protected from men like Beveridge.”
“Poor mother. She was so lonely after Daddy died. She waited three years to remarry, but my stepfather charmed her. He was careful to always flatter and pretend to pamper her, even when he was seeing other women. I wonder if she knew he cheated on her.”
“If she was as smart as her daughter, she did—especially before she grew sick. If you really want to know, you’ll have to ask her lady’s maid next time you write her.”
“Nellie will probably tell me. Mother never would have let me know if she was unhappy, but I think she’d confide in Nellie.”
“You’ve safely secured your parents’ estate, given bequests to servants and charities, and still saved a lot for the future of our children and Andrew and Marcy’s. You should be proud of yourself for your unselfishness.”
“You can’t be proud of being unselfish or you undo it. I’m pleased, though, that we were able to help so many people.”
“Helping Winston’s parents was a big step in forgiveness, honey.”
“They raised their son to love and care for them even if he did fall prey to my stepfather’s ruthlessness. Adding to their distress wouldn’t have helped anything. Now at least they have a place to live and enough to get by for the rest of their lives.”
“I’m glad that lawyer is in jail with Beveridge. Violating your father’s will and your mother’s trust was unforgivable. I hope he and Beveridge rot in jail.”
“My sentiments times ten. I never trusted my stepfather but I thought our family attorney was a friend. Money changes people.”
“Not always. Greed changes them, though. Money didn’t change you. You’re still the perfect bride I wanted.”
“Me? Oh, Callum, you are the most wonderful husband in the world. I never dreamed I could be this happy.”
“The best is yet to come, honey. Stick with me fifty or sixty years and see.”
“That will be perfect, just perfect.”
Dear Reader,
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Read Caroline’s western historical titles:
Mistletoe Mistake, sweet Christmas story set in Montana
Loving A Rancher Series, all sweet, all set in Montana, formerly in Debra Holland’s Montana Sky Series of Kindle World, re-released in July 2018.
Amanda’s Rancher, No. 1
The Rancher and the Shepherdess, No. 2
Murdoch’s Bride, No. 3
Bride’s Adventure, No. 4
Snare His Heart, No. 5
Capture Her Heart, No. 6
The Rancher’s Perfect Bride, No. 7 (new)
Patience, Bride of Washington, American Mail-Order Brides Series #42
Bride Brigade Series: all sweet, set in Texas
Josephine, Bride Brigade book 1
Angeline, Bride Brigade book 2
Cassandra, Bride Brigade book 3
Ophelia, Bride Brigade book 4
Rachel, Bride Brigade book 5
Lorraine, Bride Brigade book 6
Prudence, Bride Brigade book 7
The Surprise Brides: Jamie, sensual, released simultaneously with three other of The Surprise Brides books which are: Gideon by Cynthia Woolf, Caleb by Callie Hutton, and Ethan by Sylvia McDaniel, each book about one of the Fraser brothers of Angel Springs, Colorado
The Kincaid Series: Sensual, set in Texas
The Most Unsuitable Wife, Kincaids book one
The Most Unsuitable Husband, Kincaids book two
The Most Unsuitable Courtship, Kincaids book three
Gabe Kincaid, Kincaids book four
Stone Mountain (Texas) Series:
Brazos Bride, Men of Stone Mountain Texas book one, Free, sensual
Buy the Audiobook here
High Stakes Bride, Men of Stone Mountain Texas book two, sensual
Buy the Audiobook here
Bluebonnet Bride, Men of Stone Mountain Texas book three, sensual
Tabitha’s Journey, a Stone Mountain Texas mail-order bride novella, sweet
Stone Mountain Reunion, a Stone Mountain Texas short story, sweet
Stone Mountain Christmas, a Stone Mountain Texas Christmas novella, sweet
Winter Bride, a Stone Mountain Texas romance, sweet
McClintocks: set in Texas
The Texan’s Irish Bride, McClintocks book one, Free, sensual
O’Neill’s Texas Bride, McClintocks book two, sweet
McClintock’s Reluctant Bride, McClintocks book three
Daniel McClintock, McClintocks book four, sweet
Save Your Heart For Me, a mildly sensual romance adventure novella set in Texas
Long Way Home, a sweet-ish Civil War adventure romance set in Georgia
Caroline’s Texas Time Travels
Out Of The Blue, 1845 Irish lass comes forward to today Texas, sensual
Tex
as Lightning, sweet, 1896 woman rancher comes forward to today
Texas Rainbow, sweet, 1920s flapper comes forward to today April 2018
Texas Storm, sweet, WWII WASP comes forward to today, May 2018
Contemporary Western Hearts Facebook Group
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Caroline’s Contemporary Titles
Angel For Christmas, sweet Christmas tale of second chances, sweet
Texas Caprock Tales:
Be My Guest, mildly sensual with mystery, sensual
Grant Me The Moon, sweet with mystery,
Snowfires, sensual, set in Texas
Home Sweet Texas Home, Texas Home book one, sweet
Caroline’s Mysteries: (Texas)
Almost Home, a Link Dixon mystery
Death In The Garden, a Heather Cameron cozy mystery
Take Advantage of Bargain Boxed Sets:
Mail-Order Tangle: Linked books Mail-Order Promise by Caroline Clemmons and Mail-Order Ruckus by Jacquie Rogers, set in Texas and Idaho
The Kincaids, Books 1-4 in one set, sensual, Texas
Under A Mulberry Moon, nine-author sweet western historical anthology, July 2018
Musings and Medleys, free gift from the authors of Under a Mulberry Moon, includes recipes, excerpts, blurbs, covers, and author bios.
The Cinderella Treasure Trove, free gift from Glass Slipper Sisters, authors who write fresh takes on fairy tale themes.
About Caroline
Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a small office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their rescued cats and dogs. The books she creates there have made her an Amazon bestselling author and have won her several awards.
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