Sweet Saturday Samples - Aug 18, 2012

Welcome to Sweet Saturday Samples. The morsel from Spinster's Folly below is a continuation from last week. I hope you enjoy it.
~~~

An hour later, Pa did call a halt for dinner when the company came upon a stream with a pebbled bottom. After the boys watered the steers in the stream, they drove them up the southern bank and onto a grassy area. Then they watered all the horses and picketed them nearby on the grass.

Marie opened the saddlebags, spread a cloth on the bank, and put out tin plates and cups for her father, her brothers, and herself. She unwrapped the cornbread and beef she and Ma had prepared and put a portion of each on the plates. Then she went to the creek, upstream from the place they'd crossed, and dipped a bucket into the water.

She had almost carried it back to the eating area when Albert swooped in, snatched the bucket, and poured the water over himself.

As he wiped the water from his eyes, Marie cried out, "You oaf! That's drinkin' water!"

"Works just as well to cool me off," he said in a sneering tone, shaking himself like a dog to make Marie wet.

"Bertie, I'll get you," she cried, and picked up the bucket to hurl at him.

Rulon restrained her arm, and thrust the container into Albert's stomach. "Fetch clean water," he barked. "Now."

"Ah, you're no fun." Albert rubbed his abused belly. "You sound just like Pa, orderin' me about."

"That's enough," Pa said, coming onto the scene. "Do as your brother says. Fetch fresh water."

Albert scowled and muttered, but did as he was bidden, stalking to the creek and back with ill humor.

Marie's hand trembled as she ate her meal. Although she was in good health, the sun, wind, dust, and insects all had combined to sap her strength during the morning's drive. Her muscles ached from unfamiliar use. She wondered how she would fare for the rest of the day, and the morrow's trek, as well. However did I forget to bring my bonnet? She regretted that she'd been in so great a haste to leave this morning that she gave no thought to effects of the sun.

She scratched surreptitiously at a fly bite on her neck. Her cheeks burned from sun exposure, and her throat was dry and scratchy, no matter how much water she drank. She raked her fingers through her tangled hair, with little success at smoothing it. Then she sighed.

I'm surely going to make an impression on Tom Morgan, and not for the better!

~~~
Thank you for visiting. Come back every Saturday for more samples. Now, use this list to go to other blogs for more Sweet Saturday Samples. I know the authors enjoy comments as much as I do, so don't be shy.

Copyright 2012 Marsha Ward

Sweet Saturday Samples - Aug 11, 2012

Welcome to Sweet Saturday Samples. Here's another bit from Spinster's Folly. I hope you enjoy it.
 ~~~

  As Marie drove the steers closer to the Southerners' settlement on the Cuchara River, her good humor abandoned her. Nervous foreboding rushed in to take its place.

Bess must have sensed her unease, for she stopped moving forward, turned her head, and looked inquiringly at Marie. Marie looked back at the mare, her stomach flip-flopping with anxiety. Bess shook her head and whinnied. The herd disappeared into a draw, tails flicking the flies away. Marie sighed.

"Let's keep up, good horse," she said, reaching forward to pat the animal on the neck. "I'm nervy enough without getting left behind." She bumped her heels on Bess's flanks, and finally persuaded her to move forward after the steers again.

Rulon's head came up out of the draw, followed by his body, then his mount. When the entirety of him came into view, Marie could see the relief spreading over his tanned face. He waved, and beckoned to her in a "come along" gesture. She waved back, and urged Bess into a lope.

"Trouble?" Rulon asked once they were riding together down the slope of the draw.

"No. Bess took a notion that I needed a rest." She laughed, then reflected on the thinness of the sound. It would not convince a careful listener that she had merriment in her soul. "No matter," she added.

Rulon glanced over at her, studied her face for a moment. "You do look a mite peaked, Sis, not to mention sunburnt." He cocked an eyebrow. "Pa says by and by we'll be nooning for a bite to eat and a rest." He nodded at her then. "You just keep up, you hear?"

When she nodded in reply, he clucked to his horse, and it jumped forward across the bottom of the draw and up the other side.

The noon stop couldn't come fast enough to suit her. It would be a welcome relief from the sun and the dust and the flies. Marie wiped her sweaty, dusty forehead with the back of her hand, then realized her face was tender to the touch. Sunburnt indeed, she thought. That's my own folly. She sent Bess into a bit more speed to rejoin the herd, wishing she'd thought to borrow a hat, or at least, to bring her sunbonnet.

~~~

Thank you for visiting. Come back every Saturday for more samples. Now, use this list to go to other blogs for more Sweet Saturday Samples. I know the authors enjoy comments as much as I do, so don't be shy.

Copyright 2012 Marsha Ward

Coming soon

I think I am close enough in the process of finishing to post a teensy bit of the front cover for my forthcoming novel, Spinster's Folly. You can see it over there in the sidebar:

Sweet Saturday Samples - August 4, 2012

Welcome to Sweet Saturday Samples. I've received comments and critiques back from my beta readers, and have begun the final rewriting on Spinster's Folly. Here's a scene I've changed to reflect a new wrench I've thrown into the cogs. I hope you enjoy it.
 ~~~

The tread of men's boots in the kitchen made Marie's stomach quake. The time of reckoning had come.

Even Rulon's recent exhortation couldn't make Marie raise her head to seek out Tom Morgan's eyes as the men folk trooped into the room.

"Make yourself comfortable, Rod," Mr. Morgan said. Marie heard Pa sit down, but Mr. Morgan remained on his feet. "Mrs. Morgan, our neighbor has a proposition," he said.

Marie wanted to flee. She bent forward to place the rattling cup and saucer on a table that was barely within her reach, as she didn't want to dump the tea onto the floor. Where was Tom? Had he accompanied the two men into the parlor? A hand clasped her shoulder and she jumped.

"Steady," came a whisper.

Rulon.

"Chin up."

She tried, but couldn't achieve the task.

"You girls go sweep out the kitchen and wash up the dishes," Mr. Morgan continued.

Marie heard the footfalls as Louisa and Melissa scurried out of the room without a word.

"Rod Owen thinks it's time Tom took a wife."

Marie inhaled so violently that she squeaked, but the sound was masked by Mrs. Morgan blurting, "Oh my! That's a bit . . . sudden."

"I understand he's twenty years of age," Pa said. "It's high time he got hitched in double harness."

"He's proposing that Tom ask Miss Marie for her hand," Mr. Morgan said.

When Mrs. Morgan made no response, and no one else ventured to speak, Marie felt as though she could not breathe. The silence continued, except for inhalations. Exhalations. All but hers.

When she could not bear to hear the breathing of those in the room while she suffocated, Marie glanced up at last. Tom leaned against the wall, his arms folded, staring at her. His frown was an arrow to Marie's heart.

"He's only a boy," Mrs. Morgan said, at last.

"He's old enough," Ed Morgan answered. "What do you say to that, Thomas?"

"I ain't got a choice?" Tom asked in a clipped tone, glancing at Mr. Morgan.

Marie looked at the man, and seeing his pursed lips, looked back at Tom.

He turned a stony glare in her direction. "It appears to be decided," he said. Ice dripped from his voice. "We're to make a couple, Marie."

Marie's heart sank. He'd left off the customary "Miss," as though he spoke to an inferior soul. He won't love me, she thought, panic filling her chest. He'll never love me. She wanted to melt down into the horsehair seat cover. She wanted to scream, Rulon, take me home and hide me away.

Pa said, "Good. We'll make plans, then. How about . . ."

Marie shut her eyes and sucked in a burning lungful of air as others in the room took control of her future.
~~~

Thank you for visiting. Come back every Saturday for more samples. Now, use this list to go to other blogs for more Sweet Saturday Samples. I know the authors enjoy comments as much as I do, so don't be shy.

Copyright 2012 Marsha Ward