Passion Flower: A Pair of Historical Romances

By Vanessa Carvo

Two Sisters and The Family Quilt Go West For Love, is the story of two sisters sent by their parents to California, where one is to be a mail order bride. On the train journey, they meet two men who seem strangely familiar and along the way, grow to like them. The one intended mail order bride fights her feelings, knowing that she is to be married as soon as she gets to the West Coast, but it is very hard when the handsome stranger seems to be interested in her, as well.

Booted From Her House & Joining The Outlaw Gold Miner In The Black Hills Of South Dakota - A young woman is booted out of her house by her stepmother and sent off to South Dakota to be the bride of a man she doesn’t know. He’s a would-be gold miner who made his money by robbing people. Now, he’s on the up and up but always fearful that his past will come back to haunt him. As the couple starts their life together they find a purpose to it that benefits their community, but in the end, the man’s past returns to haunt him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jul 25, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365282430

Book preview

Passion Flower: A Pair of Historical Romances

Passion Flower: A Pair of Historical Romances

By

Vanessa Carvo

© 2016 Quietly Blessed and Loved Press

Base cover photo copyright: romancephotos / 123RF Stock Photo

Two Sisters & The Family Quilt Go West For Love

Synopsis: Two Sisters and The Family Quilt Go West For Love, is the story of two sisters sent by their parents to California, where one is to be a mail order bride. On the train journey, they meet two men who seem strangely familiar and along the way, grow to like them. The one intended mail order bride fights her feelings, knowing that she is to be married as soon as she gets to the West Coast, but it is very hard when the handsome stranger seems to be interested in her, as well.

Mary Beth looked up from the pair of trousers she was mending and smiled. Her sister, Jennifer, was staring out of the window, down toward the harbor. Mary Beth paused in her work for a moment to follow her sister’s gaze. The fishermen were down there, bringing in the day’s haul. Gulls wheeled in the sky, looking for tidbits of fish or lobster from the boats.

Out of all of them, Mary Beth could pick out her father’s boat, the MaryJen. It was a thoughtful combination of her and her sister’s names. She hoped he had a good day out offshore and that everyone on the boat stayed safe. Her father stayed in her prayers constantly.

What do you think it would be like to be out there, sailing over the water, instead of in here, sewing? Jennifer asked dreamily.

You know how it would be, Mary Beth said. Hard work.

Their father had been a fisherman for more than twenty-five years. Mary Beth could see first hand the way his body hurt him from the torturous toiling on the boat. His hands were scarred and weathered, and their favorite bedtime story growing up as girls was the time he rescued his first mate from drowning during a terrible storm.

I don’t think it would be any harder than needlework, Jennifer said in that same dreamy tone. Both require focus and care. And sharp things.

In needlework, you only risk pricking your finger, Mary Beth said. You do know how Mr. Howard lost his eye, don’t you?

He’ll tell anyone who’ll listen, Jennifer said. It makes me ill to think about it.

And that’s what you’d face every day, Mary Beth. So be happy about the needlework.

I’m not unhappy about the needlework, Jennifer protested. I just think that women are more than capable of harvesting the sea. Just as much as men are. Maybe we’d be even better at it.

Mary Beth snorted and got back to the trousers. Jennifer was sweet and loyal as could be, but she sometimes spouted off some strange ideas.

Maybe you’ll marry a fisherman, she said, tying off a knot and finishing the patch. And maybe he’ll let you be first mate on his boat.

I don’t want to marry a fisherman, Jennifer said incredulously. And I’d be captain, not first mate.

Mary Beth laughed outright at that, hoping that Peter, their boss, hadn’t heard. She had worked for him as a seamstress for longer than Jennifer had. As soon as Jennifer had finished with her schooling, Mary Beth had practically begged Peter to take on her little sister. Jennifer was better with something to occupy her time, like a job as a seamstress.

Otherwise, Mary Beth was afraid she’d terrorize mother and father — as well as do harm to the family’s reputation — by marching with the other women around town to push for the right to vote. Jennifer was just the kind to do that.

Those trousers aren’t going to hem themselves, Mary Beth prompted Jennifer.

Indeed, Jennifer said, falling back to her work.

Jennifer was just as good as Mary Beth with a needle and thread, but lacked complete focus. It was just like her to daydream about doing something else, no matter if Mary Beth had stuck her neck out for her to get the job here at the tailor’s.

Let’s work on the family quilt instead, Jennifer said, her voice mischievous.

Mary Beth looked up to scold her and noticed that the trousers were already hemmed. Jennifer would be the better seamstress of the two if she would just keep her mind on the task, Mary Beth realized.

We’re still at the tailor’s, Mary Beth reminded her sister. As long as we’re here, we need to be doing the work that Peter gives us to do.

Do you see anymore work? Jennifer asked, arching her eyebrows.

Mary Beth looked around the room. All of the mending and hemming that had been assigned to them were neatly folded and finished. How had they gotten through that so fast? It was really a blessing to have Jennifer here helping her. Before, when Jennifer was still at school, Peter would work Mary Beth’s fingers to the bone with pieces she had to complete before leaving.

Fine, let’s work on the quilt, Mary Beth said, smiling.

Clearly delighted, Jennifer unfolded it from a large bag. They carried it most everywhere they went, even if Mother was of the opinion that it should be locked in a trunk somewhere unless they were actively working on it. Mary Beth felt that the quilt was safer in her presence. Plus, she liked to work on it whenever she had free time.

They unfolded the quilt, Mary Beth running her hands over each of the panels. They took great pains to make sure everyone in their family tree was represented on the work. It was like a fabric masterpiece, never suited for keeping someone warm or decorating a bed. This was their history, documenting their family and their futures.

Mary Beth smiled at a panel that Jennifer had pieced together — a fishing boat surrounded by crashing waves. In tiny, beautiful stitches, The MaryJen was just visible on the side. It was a tribute to Father, who supported his family through the sea. Most men were fishermen in their little town. That was the way it had always been, though it was growing, now.

More and more opportunities were opening up every day, and Mary Beth found herself hoping that Father would seek out different employment. She hated the way that Mother wrung her hands every time The MaryJen would go out, the most precious cargo it would ever hold being Father. Father had to know how heavily his profession weighed on Mother. It was one of the biggest reasons Mary Beth had no desire to marry a fisherman, when the time came.

In Mother’s opinion, the time to marry was now — for both Mary Beth and Jennifer. It bothered Jennifer most of all that Mother was dabbling in