Blind Beginnings: Blind Duet, #1

By Susan Horsnell

Will Luke accept his son, Phillip's blindness?
When Phillip is injured in a wagon accident and blinded for life; his father must come to terms with the fact that his only heir will be unable to run his beloved ranch unaided.
He struggles to accept his son is still whole; even the beautiful teacher he employs to help Phillip can't seem to break down Luke's walls.
Then, without warning, there is an event on the ranch that changes their lives forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lipstick Publishing
• Release date: Sep 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223237204

Susan Horsnell

I’m an Australian author who lives in Queensland when not travelling and I write in a variety of Romantic sub-genres, including Western,  Historical, Gay, Mafia, and Contemporary Romance.  I have published over 60 books and novellas, many of which feature strong, independent heroines and rugged, alpha male heroes. Some of my popular series include the Outback Australia series and The Carter Brothers series. My books are known for their well-researched historical details, vivid descriptions of the Australian landscape and real life experiences. My work has garnered praise from readers and critics alike, and I have been a Finalist in both the Rone Awards and Laramie Awards as well as being a multiple times International Bestselling Author and USA Today Bestselling Author. If you're interested in learning more about my books:  Linktree https://linktr.ee/SusanHorsnell   

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Copyright © 2016 by Susan Horsnell

The right of Susan Horsnell to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000

All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical or mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the author.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people are coincidental.

Written by Susan Horsnell

Edited by Redline Editing

Cover by Virginia McKevitt – Black Widow Books

https://www.facebook.com/blackwidowbooks/

Note to Reader

Braille: A system of raised dots which enables the blind and visually impaired to read.

Developed in France by Louis Braille, in 1824 when he was just 15 years old. Braille writing was taught with the use of a metal slate, paper and a wooden handled awl. Raised dots were pressed into the paper to enable the blind and visually impaired to read.

Louis then developed Braille musical notation and published a book about this in 1829.

This book is a work of fiction and although some details are accurate some have been embellished for the sake of the story.

BRAILLE READING CHART

Chapter One

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A close up of an animal Description automatically generated

Texas 1869

Marie, will you please consider it? Luke asked for the third time in twenty minutes. He was tired of constantly having the same argument with his wife.

Marie stood with her hands on her hips and pursed her lips as she listened to Luke plead. "For the last time; I am not going to home school Phillip. I have better things to do with my time. If Meg can’t teach him anymore then he will go to school."

Luke watched as his wife stormed from the room. He would not let Phillip be sent off to a boarding school in Austin, he wanted to teach his son about life on a ranch.

It was the life Luke loved and he hoped his son would too. If Marie wouldn’t home school their son, then he’d hire someone who would.

Marie was a restless soul; he should never have brought her from Austin to live on his isolated ranch.

She was city born and raised, the only child of a wealthy banker and his wife, and she was more suited to the contacts and social life the city provided.

In the beginning, because of her loneliness, he had encouraged Marie to visit the city, but over the last couple of years he suspected she had a lover.

Their marriage was far from perfect; in fact, it was a disaster, but to cheat on him with another man. The pain of betrayal was like a knife twisting in his gut.

Years before he’d fallen in love with her beauty and spirit, but it was this very spirit that had begun tearing them apart after only six months of marriage.

They had not shared a bed or a bedroom for years, an arrangement that suited them both, and they avoided each other at every opportunity.

Luke wasn’t sure what he felt for Marie anymore - indifference, contempt, sympathy; it most certainly wasn’t love. As the mother of his son he had told her he would give her a home with him for as long as she wanted but he refused to pay for lodgings in town where she might be at the beck and call of a lover.

He’d made it quite clear that if that was what she wanted she would have to find a way to pay for it herself or have her lover pay. Phillip would most definitely not join her.

Marie hated the ranch and she had used every trick at her disposal to try to make Luke sell and take her back to the city. It was all to no avail, so she had resolved to stay until Phillip was old enough to be sent to a boarding school in the city; that time had finally come.

She had steadfastly refused Luke’s request to allow him to grow up on the ranch. She had said she would not allow her son to grow up in such a backward place that afforded him no opportunities.

She knew Luke was tired of arguing over it and the sooner she had Phillip ensconced in his school, the sooner she would be free to settle in the city and begin living her life.

Luke strode into the kitchen and found Phillip clutched tight to the bosom of Meg - his cook/housekeeper, and up until now, Phillip’s teacher.

When Phillip noticed his father, he disengaged himself from Meg’s grasp and ran to where Luke had crouched down and now held his arms outstretched. Luke swept his son up and held him close as he stood and walked into the parlour.

Did you hear pardner? Luke was becoming concerned with the effect the frequent arguments were having on their impressionable child.

The arguments seemed to be disrupting the household more and more and Luke was grateful that Meg protected Phillip from them as much as she could.

You arguing again? his brother, Nathan, asked as he marched into the parlour seconds behind Luke. I heard you clear on over to the corral.

Yeah; Marie is still insisting on sending Phillip away to school, but I just can’t let it happen.

Big brother, you can’t force her to keep Phillip at home and teach him. She wants to go back to Austin herself; you know she isn’t cut out for this life.

Luke looked thoughtfully at his brother. Nathan had fallen in love with Marie the first time he'd met her. He had told Luke repeatedly for the first couple of years they were married that if Marie was his wife, he would give up the ranch and take her off to a city for the life she so desperately wanted.

If Nathan didn’t love and respect his brother as much as he did, Luke thought he might have saddled up with Marie and headed off to Austin a few years ago.

Fortunately, as Nathan had grown older, he’d also grown wiser and he could see Marie now for the woman she was. He told Luke she was everything he didn’t want in his wife.

Luke couldn’t, and didn’t want to, leave the ranch he loved more than anything else in the world; except for his son. His father and grandfather had worked hard to build the Circle J Ranch from nothing when they’d first arrived out west from Tennessee. Luke was convinced it was Phillip’s legacy he protected.

Marie could do what she liked.

He’d gladly give her the divorce she’d been asking for lately, but he would never give up his son.

~*~

Marie stomped upstairs and angrily threw some of her belongings into a large suitcase, she would send for the rest of her things once she was settled. I will not stay on this Godforsaken ranch a minute longer than I have to. Her clothes were becoming more and more crumpled as she continued to stuff as much as she could into the case. "I am leaving this place tomorrow and I am never coming back."

Once she was satisfied she had what was needed, she sat on the lid of her suitcase forcing it closed and managed to secure the clips and the straps. She placed the case near the door and stormed across the hall to Phillip’s room.

She pulled a suitcase from under his bed and placed it onto his mattress. She took more care folding his clothes. It wouldn’t do for the school mother to see she’d only thrown them all in.

Marie had been planning her ‘escape’ from the ranch for more than six years now. She had prayed for the time to pass quickly so Phillip could be sent off to school. She couldn’t wait to finally be with her lover of five years in Austin.

While she stood folding Phillip’s clothes, she pondered how she had let herself fall for a man like Luke Johnson She admitted she had been cossetted and spoiled all her life, protected and hovered over by her doting and wealthy parents.

Luke was earthy, unrefined and dangerously exciting to her as a girl of eighteen and she’d fallen in love with his handsome good looks and his tall sculpted body.

She hadn’t considered what life on a isolated ranch would be like. She’d been horrified when he’d brought her to his home as a new bride. It was half an hour from Austin by horse and an hour by wagon.

Marie had been used to living in the centre of Austin where she could indulge in the fast-paced lifestyle of 1880 whenever she pleased. She was adamant that this savage wilderness just would not do and she began to develop a plan for Luke to sell and take her back to the city.

None of Marie’s plans were successful. Threats, tears and cajoling didn’t get through. After she’d given birth to Phillip, she’d been forced to stay longer than she’d expected.

Marie knew how much it would hurt Luke to have Phillip taken away but was determined to make him as unhappy as he’d made her.

The years had taken her love for her husband and turned it into a deep-seated hatred. She wanted revenge, and depriving Luke of his son was the way to do it. She was finally on the verge of getting her much longed for freedom and no-one, neither Luke nor Phillip, would stand in her way.

After closing Phillip’s case she carried it to her room and placed it on the floor next to her own. Just another few hours my darling, Jack and we’ll finally be together. Marie lay on her bed to rest before supper.

~*~

I don’t care what Marie does Nathan, but she’s not sending Phillip off to school. Luke sat down in an overstuffed, brocade covered chair which faced the fireplace and settled his small son onto his lap. I’ll hire a damn teacher for his reading, writing and ciphering. Running of the ranch I’ll take great pride in teaching him myself.

Nathan sighed and folded his long, lanky body into the chair next to his brother.

She’s only doing this to hurt me you know. Luke ran his large calloused hand through his thick mop of dark, curly hair and sent a piercing gaze to his brother. She must really hate me to want to hurt me so badly.

Nathan heard the sorrow in his brother’s voice. He didn’t deserve to be treated the way Marie was treating him He’d try and talk to her later and see if he could get her to soften her stance.

Pa, I don’t wanna go away to school. I wanna stay here with you and Uncle Nathan and Miss Meg and Smoky. Please don’t let Ma take me away. I don’t like her.

Phillip was a miniature version of his father with his thick, dark, curly hair and his piercing blue eyes. Luke saw the pleading in those eyes now as his son looked up at him.

No-one’s gonna take you away cowboy, I promise you. I want you to stay right here with me. How about after I’ve finished branding some of the cattle in the morning we go into Austin and I’ll see what I can do about finding you a teacher? Luke grinned down at his son as he brushed a stray curl from his forehead.

Phillip nodded eagerly. I’d like that, Pa, and I promise you, I’ll learn real hard so you’re proud of me. Phillip appeared much happier as he hopped down from his father’s lap and ran off to play with his soldiers.

Nathan warned his brother, Marie isn’t going to let you keep him here without one helluva fight, Luke. She wants him to grow up a dandy like her friends in town, I’m sure of it.

"She’ll just have to change her thinking. It’s not what she or I want. It’s what’s best for Phillip and what he wants that matters. You heard him; he wants to stay here. When he’s older, if he