Unchanging Love

By Linda Cushman

Susan Winford is a planner—whose ideas always seem to go awry. Like when she finds two boys tossing the mill owner’s cats into the river and tries to stop them. Her determination to reform the boys leads to a series of misfortunes for everyone, especially the handsome miller. Will she win his love or drive him insane?
Levi Kelly makes a good living from his mill on Cottonwood River. Or did until Susan got involved with two mischievous boys. Trouble follows her right into his business, and into his heart. Her innocent attempts to make things better are endearing and vexing. She plays havoc with his heart while unwittingly contributing to the destruction of his mill.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Linda Cushman
• Release date: May 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370932788

Linda Cushman

Linda Cushman and her husband live in rural Polk County, Missouri. Her greatest love is the Lord, who saved her soul and promised a home in heaven. Her children, grandchildren, and great granddaughter are the joy of her life. They have encouraged her to write stories of faith, hope, and inspiration. It is her desire that her writing will help her readers turn to God during life's troubles and trials.

Book preview

Unchanging Love

Linda Cushman

Birthstone Brides Series

Book Five

Cottonwood Falls, Kansas

May, 1873

Unchanging Love

Historical Christian Romance

Book five of the Birthstone Bride Series

Copyright 2017 by Linda Cushman

Cover photo background provided by Chase County Kansas Historical Society

Scripture verses and references are from the King James Version of the Bible

This book is fiction, and is loosely based on the history of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas and the surrounding area. All characters and events are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people or events is entirely a coincidence.

No part of this book may be reproduced or sold without the author’s written permission. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

Smashwords ISBN: 9781370932788.

Unchanging Love

Jewels of deep rich emerald green,

Grace a hand, delicate and serene,

A kind lady blessed with patience in life,

By her husband is a treasured wife.

Cottonwood Falls, Kansas May, 1873

Yeeooow!

The desperate screech made hair on Susan Winford’s neck stand up. The scream carried over the low rumbling of the mill, and it must have come from the back of the gigantic building. She stopped the wagon at the door of Kelly’s Mill, and leapt down then ran around the building to the bank of the river, just above the falls.

Look at her go! Two young boys crouched near some bushes. One of them pointed to the waterfall.

Susan gasped. A cat, swimming as fast as its legs would go, neared the falls. She covered her mouth with both hands, smothering a cry, as the cat was swept over the edge. Her eyes dimmed with tears until she saw it bob up a few yards downstream.

Your turn, Robert. The boys stood, one of them holding a cat in his arms. Throw her out as far as you can. I’ll count to three.

Sonny, the orphan boy the Liston family had taken in, handed the purring cat to Robert. He grabbed the cat by the nape of the neck.

One. Robert held her away from his body and swung her over the ten-foot drop off.

Two.

No! Stop! Susan scrambled down the bank.

The boys turned and stared with big eyes. It don’t hurt ‘em none, Miss Winford. Robert Hawkins, a twelve-year old boy in her Sunday school class sputtered. They don’t mind to get wet. It’s May, and the water’s warm. He held the gray tabby at arm’s length. The cat’s claws were grabbing at anything it could reach. We was just playing.

That isn’t playing. That’s mean. You boys need to find work if you’ve nothing better to do than throw Mr. Kelly’s cats into the river. She reached toward the tabby. See, she’s scared to death.

You take her then. Robert tossed the cat toward Susan.

No! Robert, don’t do that. Sonny’s warning came too late.

Reaction took over, and Susan caught the cat, which sank its teeth into her hand and started clawing her arms with all four feet. Oww! Get it off!

Sonny pounced on the cat and pried its jaws open. He pulled the cat from Susan’s bleeding arms, and dropped it. M-Miss Winford, I’m s-so s-sorry.

Susan stared at her shredded sleeves and battered forearms, blinking. It had happened so fast, and now pain set in.

A thin arm slipped around her waist. Come on, Robert. Help me get her up this hill.

Aw, no, she’ll get me in trouble. Robert kicked a rock into the river. I didn’t know that cat would go crazy like that.

Thank you for your help, Sonny. She turned toward Robert. I’ll think of a way for you to pay for your mistake without getting you in trouble with your parents, and I do hope you’ll learn to be nice to animals.

Just a dumb cat, he mumbled.

C’mon, Miss Winford, let’s see if Mr. Kelly has something to put on these scratches. Sonny guided her up the steep hill, and opened the door to the office. Sit here, and I’ll go find Mr. Kelly. He disappeared through a door into the mill. The grumbling of the mill works grew louder, and dust filtered into the small room.

Her arms burned like fire, and Susan tried to catch the drops of blood with her apron. Why had she volunteered to bring the bags of corn to the mill for her pa? And what had possessed her to try to stop the boys from harming the cats? She sniffed, and fought the urge to cry. Her good intentions always led to a calamity of one kind or another. Now she’d hurt herself and wouldn’t be able to help her mother with the laundry tomorrow. A tear trickled down her cheek, and she brushed at it with bloody fingers. She was trying to wipe her face when the door burst open.

Susan? Levi Kelly’s flour-dust covered, tall frame filled the doorway, and Sonny squeezed in beside him.

I’m so sorry, Levi. She glanced at the spatters on the floor. I’m making a mess of your office.

Sonny said you were scratched up, but I didn’t expect this. Levi’s dust-coated brows drew together over glittering, green eyes as he knelt in front of her and studied her arms.

I was trying to rescue your cat, and she did this to me. Susan pasted on a wobbly smile as she held out her arms. Next time I’ll let them--well, next time I’ll mind my own business. She glanced at Sonny. His drooping shoulders and dejected countenance broke Susan’s heart.

I-I-I’m sorry. I-I wouldn’t throw that cat at you, and I’ll never throw another one in the river. He lifted his chin, and a gleam shone in his eye. Robert shouldn’t either.

Sonny, would you run and fetch the doctor? If he can’t come, run back and let me know.

Sonny ran to the door as he spoke. I’ll go like the wind. Miss Winford, you want me to tie up your horse? He’s eating grass over there by the road.

Yes, please. I forgot about him. She tried to laugh. I brought corn for pa. He needs some feed ground.

We’ll get to that later. Levi stepped to the back of the office, and came back with a pan of warm water from the stove. I hope I have clean towels here. He went to the kitchen area of the office and rummaged through a cabinet.

I’m causing so much trouble. You’re neglecting your work. She winced when she pulled the tattered sleeve of her dress away from her cuts.

You’re more important than bags of ground corn. He set the pan on the desk and dipped a clean cloth in it. He unbuttoned the cuff of her sleeve and gently pulled it up her arm.

It isn’t going to stay out of the way. Do you have scissors? Just cut the sleeves off.

Levi’s sandy curls fell onto his forehead when he nodded, and Susan fisted her hand to resist the impulse to brush his hair back. She gulped a breath of air when he moved away. What was she thinking? She had to learn to control her actions.

***

Levi knelt in front of Susan, a girl he’d known since she was an awkward young teenager. He’d never thought of her as a woman until now, when her firm, shapely arms were bare. He glanced at the brown eyes that followed his every move.

Am I hurting you?

A smile flickered across her face. It stings worse than a thousand bees. You can’t make it hurt worse. She turned her palm upward. This bite is the worst.

"We probably need to soak