The Medicine Show Man's Daughter and Her Cowboy

By Lelia J. Belle

Lillian feels trapped as the daughter of a patent medicine salesman until a handsome stranger shows up looking for a cure for his sick mother. His friendship opens up a world of love and closeness Lillian has never known, but will she be able to escape her manipulative father and find happiness?
In this story of heartache and curses, love provides the only real antidote.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lelia J. Belle
• Release date: Mar 24, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463193419

Lelia J. Belle

Lelia J. Belle grew up farming and ranching in the Pacific Northwest. A long-time commercial and fiction writer, Lelia enjoys creating new adventures in the American West through her novellas and book series.

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The Medicine Show Man’s Daughter and Her Cowboy

Lelia J. Belle

CONTENTS

About the Author

Newsletter for new book release

CH 1

CH 2

CH 3

CH 4

CH 5

CH 6

CH 7

CH 8

CH 9

CH 10

Newsletter for new book release

About the Author

Hello Readers, these stories are aimed to spark your imagination and stir your soul as you journey on with the heroes and villains of these tales. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Feel free to get in touch with me and share your thoughts on my writings. Your thoughts are valued and appreciated!

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CH 1

Lilian watched as a butterfly landed on the horse’s rump, just above the harness strap. It was a small, yellow butterfly pulsing its wings in curiosity. She watched it intently as it flew away, willing it to come back, envious of its freedom. A spot of beauty and interest like that helped to break up the day’s long travel.

It was late afternoon and the warm day and the slow plod of the horses threatened to put her to sleep. She wished she could lay down in the back of the wagon for a short nap, but her father had already beaten her to it.

He had spent most of the morning grooming his mustache in a hand-held mirror, cursing her when the wagon went over a deep rut and bumped his comb against his face.

Well, hell, girl, can’t you even drive the team in a straight line? he said irritably.

She glanced at his reflection in his mirror. His full mustache, though greying, was still robust. Most women would consider her father to be a handsome man with his strong features, dark eyes and mustache.

The fact he wore a carefully brushed suit and a top hat everyday only added to his appeal. However, the fact he was a traveling patent medicine salesman usually was either romantic or off putting. The women he did lure back to the campfire for the night were just quick romances, never anything more.

Her father had no problem with this arrangement. He was as willing to take advantage of the women on his travels as those who actually bought his bottled cures.

Lillian detested her father at times, particularly when he was trying to charm a woman around their campfire by making a penny disappear in his hand and reappear behind her ear.

Seeing it gave her a twisting feeling in her stomach. She felt wrong watching people be deceived so often, even if they were asking for it.

But the distain was often subdued by her father’s ability to be charming. When he was in a good mood, he could be irresistible.

She recalled him making pancakes for her in the shapes of hearts and monkey faces when she was younger. A game of hide and seek would become magical when she would find him in a silly costume he had not been wearing when the game started.

When they lay on an old quilt under the stars he would give her a taffy or a small candy if she could find the constellations of Orion or Cassiopeia before he did.

His charm always appeared just before he had pushed a person too far. Like a clap of the hands, he could change from being exasperating to winsome. And he always knew the exact moment to make the switch.

He would give an overly generous gift of free NEW, JUST RELEASED medicine to the client who had already bought several tinctures, all of which did not work. The double payment for the overdue money on the horse or the general store tab, always with something special like a Spanish Doubloon or a bill folded