For the Love of Country: A Pair of Historical Romances

By Vanessa Carvo

Losing A Child Then Her Heart To The Rancher In Idaho - An independent woman who has lost her son and husband travels to Idaho to become the wife of a rancher who is frustrated when she won’t let him understand her, or even help with the day-to-day chores of the household. Both want the same thing but he doesn’t know if they will ever achieve it.

Sabotaging Her Own Marriage, is about a Victorian woman who dislikes the pick for her husband that her parents made, and does her best to make him think she’s uncouth and unworthy of being his wife.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365454721

Book preview

For the Love of Country: A Pair of Historical Romances

For the Love of Country: A Pair of Historical Romances

By

Vanessa Carvo

Copyright 2016 Quietly Blessed & Loved Press

Losing A Child Then Her Heart To The Rancher In Idaho

Synopsis: Losing A Child Then Her Heart To The Rancher In Idaho - An independent woman who has lost her son and husband travels to Idaho to become the wife of a rancher who is frustrated when she won’t let him understand her, or even help with the day-to-day chores of the household. Both want the same thing but he doesn’t know if they will ever achieve it.

Derrick McCoy frowned. He was losing the light, and he still had at least an hour’s worth of work ahead of him. Running an errand that morning had put him behind, and he would have to work faster tomorrow to get everything finished.

The last of the golden rays spread out across the fields, and for a moment, he found himself lost in the sight. The farm was doing well. The potatoes were holding their moisture, the cows were producing well, and he had three pregnant mares from the same stallion. All the hard work he’d put in the last five years was finally paying off. Serenity Acres was turning a profit.

You listening, McCoy? a gruff voice demanded.

Derrick turned to see his neighbor and best friend, Joe Sanders, glaring at him.

Nope. Focusing on my work, he answered with a smile.

Work? You were staring off into the sunset like some fool, Joe pointed out.

Joe and Derrick had been friends for years. Serenity Acres had belonged to Joe’s family, but Joe, the only heir, had been more interested in taking over as sheriff. Joe’s uncle had previously held the position, and when it became apparent that Joe wasn’t going to take over the family business, his father had offered it to Derrick.

The McCoys had, at one time, owned their own land, but Derrick’s grandfather had gambled everything away one night leaving the McCoys to work as farm hands rather than farm owners.

Derrick always felt like he owed everything to Joe’s father. When the man had passed several years ago, he promised that he’d give up everything to make that ranch brilliant again.

And he’d done just that.

What do you want, Sanders, Derrick said as he started back to the house.

Lily wants to invite you over for dinner. Little Bailey has been asking for you for a whole week now. He’s about to drive me up the wall.

Derrick smiled. Bailey was Joe and Lily’s six-year-old son, and that kid had a fascination with woodwork. Derrick, just trying to entertain the boy, had showed him some woodcarvings he’d done in his spare time, and now that’s all the kid could talk about. He wanted to do woodcarvings just like his godfather. Derrick thought it was cute. Joe thought it was an irritation.

As it happens, I’ve been working on something he might like. Maybe he can give me a few pointers on how to finish it.

God almighty. I wanted to deputize that boy when he was older, not watch him notch wood, Joe said with a frown.

Well, your father wanted a farmer, and you wanted to ride horses and boss people around. I guess it’s karma, Derrick said good naturedly.

Joe opened his mouth to reply, but he snapped it shut when he realized he didn’t have anything to say. He grunted.

So you’ll be there when you wash up?

Derrick nodded. Lily was an excellent cook, and it was rare that he would pass up the chance of a meal from her.

I need to check on my mares first. I should be over there in an hour or so.

Take your time. I need to feed Lawson. He picked another fight over at Skinny’s Market, and I’m making him stay the night in the jail to cool off. One of these days, he’s really going to go off the rails.

He still think Skinny is overcharging him for everything?

He doesn’t have to think it. It’s true. Skinny’s got some grudge against Lawson, and he’s hiking up his prices for him. It wouldn’t be so bad if we had another grocery. I told Lawson he was going to have to send the girls down to do his shopping. Their little feud is getting ridiculous.

Lawson and Skinny (no one knew his real name) Hawkers were cousins. At one time, when they were kids, they were both in love with Sally Barracks, and they’ve been fighting over her ever since. The real irony was that Sally was a bit of a loose girl, and while she’d dated both men, she ended up marrying some city dweller. She didn’t even live in the town anymore, but it did nothing to cool the bad blood between the two men. They went at it at least once a month.

You outta just let them dual it out. Then at least you could have some peace.

Joe shook his head.

Nope. I want them to suffer as long as they’re going to make everyone else suffer. I’ll see you in a bit.

Derrick nodded, and they parted ways.

He checked on his mares. All three seemed content, and they let him run his hands over their fattening bellies. The stallion kicked restlessly in his stall. It was like he didn’t want to be separated from his family. Derrick patted his nose and gave him a few extra treats. The stallion had done well, and they both knew it.

The Sanders household was full of chaos by the time he’d washed up and made his way across the fields. They lived on the next property over. Lily was in the kitchen yelling at Joe, and Joe was trying to wrangle the little ones. Besides Bailey, they also had Phillip, a toddler, and Sarah, an infant. Things were always lively there, and Derrick loved it.

He grasped the run-away toddler and tossed him in the air.

No dinner for you if you escape, he said warningly.

The boy gave him a toothy grin and blew some spit bubbles.

I lost the baby, Joe said in a panic. I lost the baby!

Derrick turned around and saw the infant belly crawling behind the sofa. He sat Phillip down, pulled the couch out, and swung the baby girl up.

I got her, he said.

Joe nabbed Phillip and smiled with relief.

I don’t know how Lily does it all day, he whispered.

With more class than you, Joe Sanders, she said as she stood in the doorway.

Woman,