Dirt Poor But Rich In Love: Four Historical Romances

By Vanessa Carvo

The Cowboy Farmers In California & The Two Sisters From North Carolina - Two sisters from North Carolina head for two brothers in California, cowboy farmers, little knowing how one brother may never recover from an abusive childhood which made him extremely shy.

The Cowboys Teach The Spoiled Canadian Twin Sisters About Ranch Life - Two spoiled and formerly rich sisters from Canada end up in Oklahoma with two cowboys and lead very different lives with different goals.

Elise & Harmon’s Story - A wealthy rancher wants a wife and children more than anything in the world but is worried that a woman might only seek him out because she’s interested in his wealth.

Finding Work In America - A woman from Liverpool moves to America and to a pre-arranged job. The thing is – she doesn’t find out what the true purpose of the place where she works is until later, when an accident will change her life forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365341953

Book preview

Dirt Poor But Rich In Love: Four Historical Romances

Dirt Poor But Rich In Love: Four Historical Romances

By

Vanessa Carvo

Copyright 2016 Quietly Blessed & Loved Press

The Cowboy Farmers In California & The Two Sisters From North Carolina

Synopsis: The Cowboy Farmers In California & The Two Sisters From North Carolina - Two sisters from North Carolina head for two brothers in California, cowboy farmers, little knowing how one brother may never recover from an abusive childhood which made him extremely shy. 

I’ve got to get out of here Kat! I can’t take this one more day. I’m going to go crazy. Why do we have to stay here and continue taking this abuse, Liz cried out at her sister and best friend. They were together in their bedroom.

I know, but where are we going to go, Kat asked her older sister.

Older by only a few hours, Liz was far more outspoken than Kat. She was also the leader of the two. Wherever Liz went, Kat followed after fully trusting that Liz would never steer her wrong. She knew Liz always had her best interests at heart.

If we leave, what will happen to him, Kat spat out the word ‘him’ as if it were a sour piece of candy.

Do you know what, Kat? I honestly don’t care. Has Ben ever cared about us, Liz asked as she looked away.

The answer to that question was too hard to answer. She couldn’t remember their father ever really being concerned about them. As long as she could remember, he’d constantly thrown it up in their faces how it was their fault he had lost his wife. If they hadn’t been born, she would still be alive.

The real truth was she had cancer. The doctor said it was a miracle she was able to carry twins at all. In the beginning of the pregnancy, she was healthy and fine. After the birth; her body was so weak there was no way she could even get up out of bed. Her body had spent so long fighting for the two babies inside of her, once they were born, her body had no strength left to fight for her own life.

After their mother died, the twins had been raised by a series of caretakers over the years. Their father’s bitterness at losing his wife drove him to drink. The two sister’s had stopped calling him ‘dad" years ago. He was no dad to them as he rarely worked and when he did, they were odd jobs. He’d work just enough to pay all of the bills up and make them begin to feel like a real family then, for some reason or another, he’d quit and they’d go broke again. He suffered from depression and not knowing how to handle it, he would take it out on his girls.

His family had struggled with the stigma of mental illness for several generations. His parents rarely talked of the fear that darkened the lives of their parents and the secrets they’d tried to keep from everyone around them. People were scared of the mentally ill. The only way of dealing with them in their time was to basically banish them from society.

Ben’s parents continued the cycle and kept their problems hidden. This led Ben to refuse to get help for something as common as depression. Instead, he’d struggle until the darkness overcame him and then he’d take it out on the wrong person.

Trust me Kat. I’m going to get us out of here, one way or another, Liz said, looking out the window at the rainy North Carolina night.

They both heard the familiar sound of a bottle being opened. They both rolled their eyes. Another beer, the night was going to get worse before it got any better.

Liz knew she should talk to Kat before turning in the final draft, but she also knew that Kat wouldn’t agree. She had to follow through on her promise and get them out of their situation. Her plan was a desperate act but she didn’t feel there were many options left to them. They didn’t have a decent education between them and no skills to survive on their own.

Across the continent, two brothers sat looking out their window. The bright California sunshine mocked the darkness that plagued them.

Calvin, I’m going to figure this out one way or another, you mark my words, Charlie told his younger brother.

Though older only by twelve minutes, Charlie had been forced to take the lead in caring for both of them and their mother. Their mother was mentally ill. Their father had never been a part of their lives. The few times Charlie did ask about his father, it set his mother off on a rant for hours. Afterwards, he’d always swear he’d never ask again. Some days his mother was fine and acted like a normal mother but other days, the two boys were forced to hide from her fits of unexplainable rage.

Growing up with their mother’s constant paranoia had been a harrowing experience. Their mother, Rita created a fantasy in her own mind thinking that if anyone found out she had two sons, they would take away one of them. She was convinced she was only allowed to have one child. The two boys were never to be seen outside the house together. Rita made the decision to send only one of the boys to school. The other would remain at home with her.

At first, Charlie was sent to school, but being identical twins, the boys eventually came up with a plan where they would take turns going. Rita was never aware of their deception and being uneducated herself, she didn’t seem to notice or care that her son’s marks were poor. Since no one in town knew there were two sons in the family, the boys lived a strange double life. Their few friends never learned their secret and when they were old enough to quit, they just stopped going at all.

Their rundown farm was located far away from town and their mother didn’t have any friends. Visitors were extremely rare and when they did come around, the boys had been trained from a very young age for one of them to hide in the closet. This was also a kind of a game for them. They knew their lives weren’t like other people but it was just a part of living with their mother’s illness. They’d learned early on it was better not to upset her

One day Charlie came home from town and found Rita gone. Calvin told him she had decided to go into town herself for something. Charlie was quite worried as she rarely left the house anymore for any reason without one of them along. He sat and waited for her to return for several hours.

Right before sunset, there was a knock on the door. Charlie cast a worried glance over at the closet as he walked to the door. Calvin had hidden himself away at the sound.

Charlie opened the door to find himself face to face with the sheriff.

Hey there, son. Are you here alone, he asked.

Charlie gulped hard.

Y…yes sir. Is everything okay? he asked.

He knew the sheriff was there because of his mother. The sheriff took his hat off.

Son, how old are you, he asked.

I’m eighteen.

Charlie felt the need to explain because he was constantly told how he looked much younger than he actually was.

Well, I have some very bad news. Your mother was picked up in town today and sent off to the hospital, he told Charlie.

Charlie wasn’t surprised. He realized his mother’s actions weren’t normal. She was sick and needed help.

Is she alright? Can I go and pick her up, Charlie asked, following the sheriff outside.

That’s not how it works, son, the sheriff said as he continued to walk to his horse. When the doctor says she’s better, he’ll let her out. Until then you take care of yourself. From what I hear, things haven’t been easy for you.

Charlie stopped in his tracks. What did the sheriff mean by that?

As the sheriff got onto his horse and left, Charlie went back into the house.

Calvin, Calvin, come out. It’s safe now. They put mom in the hospital, so we’ve got the house to ourselves, he called.

There was no movement from inside the closet. Worried, Charlie turned the light on. He found him in the corner, crouched down and shivering.

Calvin, come on, he held out his hand for his brother to take.

Calvin shrank away from his touch.

What’s the matter Calvin, Charlie asked his little brother. He bent down and placed his hand on Calvin’s shoulder. Calvin shocked him, and possibly himself as well by letting out a blood-curdling scream.

Calvin, what’s the matter with you, Charlie shouted, jumping back with a start.

Fine, look, I’m leaving the door open. I bet you’re hungry, am I right?

Calvin didn’t even look up. Instead, he stayed in the corner all curled up in a ball. He was mumbling nonsense and Charlie couldn’t understand a word he was saying. He backed himself away, wondering what was wrong with his little brother. Calvin stayed in the closet the rest of that day and all through the night.

The next morning there was a knock on the door again. In a house unused to having visitors, this was a strange and unsettling sound. Charlie didn’t know what to think about this strange turn of events. He wasn’t prepared to deal with another visitor.

Stay quiet Calvin, I’ll come get you when they’re gone. Don’t come out until I say.

He rushed to the front door. He gasped when he realized who was at the door. The same sheriff who stopped by earlier was back.

Sheriff, what a surprise!

Charlie knew he looked guilty. His face was red. He could feel it. He had a thin layer of sweat all over his body. He probably looked like he had been running around hiding things.

Is everything okay, son, he asked Charlie, looking at him suspiciously.

Charlie hated the way the man kept calling him ‘son’. He didn’t have a father and wasn’t about to have one now.

Yes, sir. I was just upstairs when I heard someone at the door, so I ran all the way down. I guess I need to get into shape, huh, sheriff, he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Look, I wrote down the information you need if you want to come and visit your mother. I put it on the back of this pamphlet I found.

He handed Charlie a pamphlet and turned to leave.

Charlie had no words to express his thanks to the kind sheriff. His mother’s fears had isolated the family from being a part of the community. He wanted to prolong this contact with another person for a bit longer.

Did you happen to see her tonight, or no?

He tested his luck with him.

By the way, I’m sorry sir, what is your name, he asked the sheriff.

"Sheriff Mitchel, and no, I didn’t. They only allow family members to visit with patients. I’d be happy to take you there to see her if you’d like to go.

Charlie’s faced brightened up.

I’d love that sir, he said.

In the morning, I’ll come by around eight and take you there personally to see her.

The sheriff left and Charlie got busy making something to eat for his brother and him.

Calvin, I’m cooking breakfast now. Coast is clear. I’d love it if you came in here and joined me. Mom isn’t here. She’s not coming back Calvin, so please come out here.

He all but begged his little brother as he began to rustle around the pots and pans. He hoped hearing the dishes moving around would make him come out if nothing else. It didn’t make Calvin come. Not that day, and not for a long time.

Charlie couldn’t understand why his brother wouldn’t come out of the closet. He’d sit by the door and talk to his brother about anything he could think of but his brother stayed silent. He knew Calvin was coming out of the closet when he was out of the house and eating meals and doing stuff, but as soon as he heard Charlie coming in the house, he’d run back into the closet. It was like their past had somehow caught up with them and they were back to being only one person or something. Charlie was deeply afraid his brother was sick like their mother had been. He didn’t know what he could do about that.

He