Ecstasy's Promise (Historical Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Constance O'Banyon
could do with a bit of lunch, and I would appreciate it if you would have Meg make up a supply of blankets, cooking utensils, and whatever food you can spare that will not spoil. I will explain the reason for it while we eat."
Martha looked at him for a moment and went off to find Meg. Tom O'Brian showed them into the din ing room. Victoria sat down and buried her face in her hands. She was more frightened than she had thought possible. Martha O'Brian came in, carrying a tray of food. She and her husband sat down and waited for Bodine to enlighten them.
He told them all that had occurred the day before. Tom listened quietly, but Martha could not keep from crying. She ran to Victoria and hugged her. "Oh, my poor child! That this should happen to you is beyond belief. Surely there is some way we can tell the truth and see that justice is done?" she said, looking at her husband.
He spread his hands in a hopeless gesture. "If you mean take it to the authorities, I am afraid the Union Army is the authority now, and we can expect no help from them. What do you have in mind?" Tom said, looking at Bodine.
"I am going to take Victoria to Texas to her grandmother."
Martha cried out in protest. "But you cannot take her all the way to Texas!"
"I am afraid I have no choice, Martha. They will be looking for Victoria soon. Maybe they have already begun. I have to get her as far away from here as I can."
Tom patted his wife's hand. "He is right, honey. I see no other course to take."
"Paul will be so worried about you," Martha said, clasping Victoria's hand.
"When he comes home, tell him that Bodine is looking after me, and he need not be concerned for my safety," Victoria said with tears in her eyes.
Bodine rose to his feet. "We really must make haste. It will not go well for you if the Yankees find us here."
Martha O'Brian drew herself up proudly. "They would not dare touch Victoria while she is under my roof."
"They would dare, Martha," Bodine said kindly. "While we have been talking, a plan has been forming in my mind. It is just crazy enough to work."
"What is your idea?" Victoria asked.
"They will be looking for a young woman," he said carefully, "but they will not pay much heed to a young boy."
"What are you saying?" Martha cried in protest. "Surely you do not intend to pass Victoria off as a boy? I will not allow it."
Tom looked at Bodine speculatively. "It just might work at that," he said. Then he turned to his wife. "Martha, run up to the attic. I am sure you will find some clothes that Paul outgrew. Goodness knows, you are a pack rat and never throw anything away."
"No! I will not do it," Martha said stubbornly. "You are not going to dress this lovely girl in ... in boy's britches. It is unthinkable!"
"Martha, we are talking about Victoria's safety. Good Lord, woman, can't you see the danger she is in?" Tom asked in exasperation.
Martha looked at her husband with tears in her eyes. "Oh, Tom, what kind of a world is it when a girl like Victoria is reduced to such a state?"
"Do not worry, Mrs. O'Brian," Victoria said, putting her arms around the older woman. "Come," she urged, "I will go up to the attic with you."
Victoria dressed herself in the clothes that Paul had worn when he was twelve. A white linen shirt was tucked inside a pair of butternut-colored britches. Victoria pushed her foot inside a pair of brown boots that had also been Paul's. Then she stood before a full-length mirror and surveyed her image. A complete stranger stared back at her.
The shirt was loose enough to conceal the fact that she was a female. The tight-fitting pants outlined her slim figure. What would Paul think if he could see her now? she wondered.
Mrs. O'Brian came up beside her and looked her over. "Victoria, it is really not proper. What can Bodine be thinking of?"
Victoria's face turned red. She felt almost naked. Martha clicked her tongue. "I suppose he knows best. These are black days we are living in when a gently bred
Martha looked at him for a moment and went off to find Meg. Tom O'Brian showed them into the din ing room. Victoria sat down and buried her face in her hands. She was more frightened than she had thought possible. Martha O'Brian came in, carrying a tray of food. She and her husband sat down and waited for Bodine to enlighten them.
He told them all that had occurred the day before. Tom listened quietly, but Martha could not keep from crying. She ran to Victoria and hugged her. "Oh, my poor child! That this should happen to you is beyond belief. Surely there is some way we can tell the truth and see that justice is done?" she said, looking at her husband.
He spread his hands in a hopeless gesture. "If you mean take it to the authorities, I am afraid the Union Army is the authority now, and we can expect no help from them. What do you have in mind?" Tom said, looking at Bodine.
"I am going to take Victoria to Texas to her grandmother."
Martha cried out in protest. "But you cannot take her all the way to Texas!"
"I am afraid I have no choice, Martha. They will be looking for Victoria soon. Maybe they have already begun. I have to get her as far away from here as I can."
Tom patted his wife's hand. "He is right, honey. I see no other course to take."
"Paul will be so worried about you," Martha said, clasping Victoria's hand.
"When he comes home, tell him that Bodine is looking after me, and he need not be concerned for my safety," Victoria said with tears in her eyes.
Bodine rose to his feet. "We really must make haste. It will not go well for you if the Yankees find us here."
Martha O'Brian drew herself up proudly. "They would not dare touch Victoria while she is under my roof."
"They would dare, Martha," Bodine said kindly. "While we have been talking, a plan has been forming in my mind. It is just crazy enough to work."
"What is your idea?" Victoria asked.
"They will be looking for a young woman," he said carefully, "but they will not pay much heed to a young boy."
"What are you saying?" Martha cried in protest. "Surely you do not intend to pass Victoria off as a boy? I will not allow it."
Tom looked at Bodine speculatively. "It just might work at that," he said. Then he turned to his wife. "Martha, run up to the attic. I am sure you will find some clothes that Paul outgrew. Goodness knows, you are a pack rat and never throw anything away."
"No! I will not do it," Martha said stubbornly. "You are not going to dress this lovely girl in ... in boy's britches. It is unthinkable!"
"Martha, we are talking about Victoria's safety. Good Lord, woman, can't you see the danger she is in?" Tom asked in exasperation.
Martha looked at her husband with tears in her eyes. "Oh, Tom, what kind of a world is it when a girl like Victoria is reduced to such a state?"
"Do not worry, Mrs. O'Brian," Victoria said, putting her arms around the older woman. "Come," she urged, "I will go up to the attic with you."
Victoria dressed herself in the clothes that Paul had worn when he was twelve. A white linen shirt was tucked inside a pair of butternut-colored britches. Victoria pushed her foot inside a pair of brown boots that had also been Paul's. Then she stood before a full-length mirror and surveyed her image. A complete stranger stared back at her.
The shirt was loose enough to conceal the fact that she was a female. The tight-fitting pants outlined her slim figure. What would Paul think if he could see her now? she wondered.
Mrs. O'Brian came up beside her and looked her over. "Victoria, it is really not proper. What can Bodine be thinking of?"
Victoria's face turned red. She felt almost naked. Martha clicked her tongue. "I suppose he knows best. These are black days we are living in when a gently bred
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