Sons of Honor Box Set by Lynn Donovan

Author:Lynn Donovan [Donovan, Lynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798672386416
Published: 2020-08-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter One

Founder’s Day, Lantern, Texas 1881

Jacob pushed his gal, Charley Chance, in the swing at Uncle Harrison’s homestead, just like he did when they were kids. There were three swings hanging now from the huge cottonwood tree where there had been only two. The Lantern family grew bigger, and newcomers caused the town to grow even larger. Founder’s Day Dinner had become a huge affair. Jacob almost felt guilty for taking up the swing when there were so many young children running around. But he had his reasons.

“Remember when you kissed me, right here at this swing, and we promised someday we’d get married?”

She straightened her limbs, making the swing go higher than what he pushed. It wasn’t until the swing came back and he pushed her again that she answered him. “Yeah, but we were… what? Ten or eleven then? You said you wanted to be a doctor, and we’d get married, and have four children.” She paused. “A boy and a girl, and twins like you and Jonah.” She laughed. “But, Jacob, I didn’t realize then that you becoming a doctor meant you’d want me to leave Lantern.”

“It’s just four or five years, Charlene.”

“Do. Not. Call. Me. Charlene!”

“I’m sorry. Your mother calls you Charlene. I would think now that you are twenty-five you’d drop your childhood nickname.”

“It’s not just a nickname. Charley is who I am. Charlene is who everybody else wants me to be.”

He pushed her again and considered what she meant.

Finally, he spoke again. “I guess, when we were little, I thought I could just study with Momma and be a doctor. That’s a lot like how she became the town doctor. But nowadays a person can’t just read everything he can get his hands on and start practicing medicine, like I’ve done. Ya gotta actually go to a university and earn a degree. Only… that’s real expensive.”

“Times have changed. For the better, I s’pose.” She put her feet down and stepped out of the swing. “I don’t want to stop you from achieving your life’s dreams, Jacob. Go! Go to university, get a degree in medicine. Be a doctor!”

“But—” he held the rope attached to the swing seat. “I want you with me, as my wife.”

“I-I can’t leave Mother. She’s not well. Hezekiah, I mean Daddy, is great with her, but… she needs me.”

Jacob hung his head. “But— I love you, and… we sealed it with a kiss.”

“We were children!” She walked away from him. He stared at her with the rope still in his hand.

“I’ll go with you to Boston, Jacob.” Abigail Drucker slipped up behind him. “I ain’t got nothing holding me back here in Lantern.” He turned to glare at her, but his eyes ran down her womanly, shapely figure. His throat suddenly went drier than the Odessa Dessert. “Th-thank you Abigail. I appreciate it, but—”

She twirled a lock of hair around her finger. “I know… you’re in love with that Charlene Chance. You’ve always been sweet on her. Too bad she’s not sweet on you.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.