A Tender Hope

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A Tender Hope, AmandaCabot, Catherine Castle Wednesday Writers series, excerpt from A Tender Hope, historical romance

Today’s Wednesday Writers blog guest is best-selling romance author Amanda Cabot. Amanda will be sharing an excerpt from her historical romance A Tender Hope and a tidbit of conversation she overheard from a couple of her characters. Welcome, Amanda!

Thanks, Catherine.

Like many towns, Cimarron Creek has an active grapevine and its share of busybodies. I happened to listen in while the biggest busybody of all, whom I’ll call Mrs. BB, cornered Thea Michener outside her home.

Mrs. BB: Welcome to Cimarron Creek, Mrs. Michener. I can’t tell you how delighted we all are to have a new midwife. You know we needed one.

Thea: I’m happy to be here.

Mrs. BB: You’ll excuse me for saying this, I’m sure, but you’re not quite what I expected.

Thea: In what way?

Mrs. BB: You’re younger than I thought, and well … I know you’re a widow, but you’re not wearing black.

Thea: I can assure you that I’m well trained as a midwife, and just because I put my widow’s weeds aside doesn’t mean I don’t regret my husband’s passing.

Mrs. BB: Hmm … How did he die, if you don’t mind my asking?

Thea: That is a rather personal question, Mrs. BB, but since you asked, I might as well tell you that he was shot.

Mrs. BB: A robbery?

Thea: Perhaps, and now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk about something else.

Mrs. BB: I heard another lady came with you and that she’s from Paris, France.

Thea: Your information is half right. My companion is Aimee Jarre, and she’s from France, but not Paris. She lived in a small town called Maillochauds.

Mrs. BB: And why did she come to Texas?

Thea: Personal reasons.

Mrs. BB: I see. You don’t want to say anything more. That’s all right. It might be my imagination, but she looks a bit familiar. I know I’ve never seen her before, but she reminds me of someone.

Thea: It must be your imagination. Either that, or she has a double. I’ve heard that somewhere in the world, each of us does.

Mrs. BB: Do you believe that?

Thea: I’m not sure. I’ve certainly never met my double, but I suppose it’s possible.

Mrs. BB: So, what is Miss Jarre like? She is “Miss” Jarre, isn’t she?

Thea: Oh, yes. She’s waiting for the coup de foudre to strike.

Mrs. BB: Coo duh what?

Thea: It’s the French term for lightning strike. Aimee’s mother told her that sometimes love is like that. You see a man for the first time, and in that instant, you know that he’s the one you’re meant to marry.

Mrs. BB: I never heard of that. It wasn’t like that when I met Mr. Mrs. BB, but I reckon it could be possible. Do you believe in that coo duh whatever?

Thea: No, I don’t. Not anymore.

Mrs. BB: Why not?

Thea: I’m sorry, Mrs. BB, but I really need to go now.

Poor Thea. Not only was she confronted by a woman who wanted to know too much about her past, but though she had no way of knowing it, before the week was over, she would have discovered that the story about having a double was true. Unfortunately, the circumstances of learning that were more tragic than Thea could have imagined.

By Amanda Cabot

As far as Thea Michener is concerned, it’s time for a change. With her husband murdered and her much-anticipated baby stillborn, there is nothing left for her in Ladreville. Having accepted a position as Cimarron Creek’s midwife, she has no intention of remarrying. So when a handsome Texas Ranger appears on her doorstep with an abandoned baby, Thea isn’t sure her heart can take it.

Ranger Jackson Guthrie isn’t concerned only with the baby’s welfare. He’s been looking for Thea, convinced that her late husband was part of the gang that killed his brother. But it soon becomes clear that the situation is far more complicated than he anticipated—and he’ll need Thea’s help if he’s ever to find the justice he seeks.

Excerpt

She was trying to run away from him. Jackson Guthrie scowled as Ladreville’s sheriff told him the woman he’d tracked this far had left town only hours before he arrived. Somehow—and he didn’t know how, since there’d been no sign of the rest of the Gang—she must have realized that he was searching for her. Admittedly, the story that she’d accepted a position as a midwife in another town sounded plausible, but the timing was suspect. It was more likely that with her husband dead, she’d decided to operate from a different location.

The Gang had done that before. That was part of what made finding them so difficult. They kept moving, and when they weren’t robbing stagecoaches or trains, they simply disappeared from sight. Three men and a woman. The Gang of Four. And unless his hunch was totally wrong, she was one of them.

She was running. Jackson didn’t doubt that for a minute. What she didn’t know was that she couldn’t outrun him. Texas Rangers always got their man, or in this case, their woman.

Want to read more? You can find A Tender Hope bt Amanda Cabot at Amazon

About the Author:

Amanda Cabot’s dream of selling a book before her thirtieth birthday came true, and she’s now the author of more than thirty-five novels as well as eight novellas, four non-fiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city. Her inspirational romances have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists, have garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and have been nominated for the ACFW Carol, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers Best awards. A popular workshop presenter, Amanda takes pleasure in helping other writers achieve their dreams of publication.