Sweet Saturday Samples - October 5, 2013

Welcome back to Sweet Saturday Samples. In this tidbit from my work-in-progress, Gone For a Soldier, Miss Ella Ruth Allen makes an attempt to redeem herself with the man she loves and foolishly cast aside due to her pride.
~~~

Once the girl who was the closest link she had to Benjamin left her to herself in the back room, Ella Ruth crossed her arms on the desk and rested her forehead upon them. At last, after all the waiting, she had received the directions to which she could write to him, and she had no idea what words to put on the paper.

Whatever she wrote, it must appeal to his sense of fairness, and must convince him that she had undergone a true change of heart. She knew she had done wrong by him, but it wasn't enough to convey only that important message. She had to somehow soften Ben's heart toward her, for she knew she had caused him such pain that he would guard it most carefully against further hurt from her.

"I was so unbelievably heartless to you, my love," she whispered. "I refused to acknowledge how the world was changing."

She raised her head and took the pencil in her hand. There was plenty of paper in the pocket folio. She would simply have to try setting down what was in her heart, and if the first try did not suit, she would make another attempt . . . and another, and another, until she had it right.

She took several deeps breaths, licked the tip of the pencil, and poised it above the top of the sheet of paper.

Her fingers seemed to have no bones, and she dropped the implement. It rested where it had fallen, rebuking her for such absurd folly.

She hung her head. This was a senseless endeavor, foolish and vain. He would never forgive her.
~~~

I hope you enjoyed this sample from my work-in-progress, Gone For a Soldier, set during the American Civil War. Thank you for visiting. I love to read your comments, so if anything in the sample compels you to speak up, rest assured that I eventually read what you write and will reply, if needed. Questions? I'm open to them, too.

Please come back next Saturday for another sample. Thank you!