Ecstasy's Promise (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon Page A
Authors: Constance O'Banyon
Tags: Fiction, adventure, Romance, Historical, Adult, Action, Western, Texas, South, wealthy, ranch, 18th Century, Enemy, american revolution, destruction, American West, ECSTASY'S PROMISE, Sherman's Troops, Farraday Plantation, Yankees, Grandmother, Union, Burned Plantation
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you for a wonderful birthday, Bodine." She kissed his cheek.
"You deserve much more," he told her. "You have been so brave and have not complained when the going was rough."
"That is because I knew you would take care of me," Victoria told him simply.
"Come," he said, "I am hungry." Bodine pulled her toward the door.
"Wait," she cried, "I have no shoes."
He looked down at her. "It seems I forgot your footwear. How could I have been so remiss?"
"It does not matter," Victoria told him, as she sat on the side of the bed and pulled on her scuffed brown boots. She raised her skirt and looked down at the boots that had been Paul O'Brian's as a child. Then she grinned up at Bodine, "Do you think anyone will notice?"
"I doubt it. When they see the beautiful lady that you are, they will not think to check out your feet." They both laughed and made their way down the stairs and to the dining room.
Bodine had been correct. No one looked at her shabby boots. They stared in open admiration at the beautiful girl on the arm of the giant man who escorted her. Victoria was totally unaware of the sensation she was causing. She had always known she was pretty, but had not given it a great deal of thought. She did not realize that she had grown into a breathtakingly beautiful woman.
The food was delicious as Bodine had promised. Victoria had steak and potatoes dripping with butter, and for dessert she had pecan pie. "This is heavenly," she told Bodine. "I had forgotten that well-prepared food could taste so good."
"You sure ate your fair share tonight, Imp. Are you not afraid that you will bust the seams of your new gown?"
"Not in the least," she told him laughingly. She put her hand over his. "Thank you for a wonderful day, Bodine."
"You have already thanked me, Imp. Now how would you like to go for a stroll?"
Victoria's face brightened. How wonderful it would be to walk leisurely down the street and act like normal people. She nodded her head eagerly. "I would like that very much," she told Bodine.
The streets were far from deserted. There were many people walking about. The street lamps gave off a friendly glow. They saw two men in Yankee uniforms approach them. Victoria drew in her breath as they came near. She felt Bodine put pressure on her hand, as though he knew what she was feeling and was giving her courage. One of the men stepped aside to let them pass, but his companion stood in front of them. His eyes met Victoria's and he smiled at her. She gave him an icy stare. She knew one of them would have to give way to the other, and was determined it was not going to be her. The man spoke:
"I believe you are blocking my path."
"The way I see it," Victoria said coldly, "you are impeding our progress."
"I am sick and tired of you Southern ladies with your mightier-than-thou attitude. You think of us as dirt beneath your dainty feet," he said hotly.
"I can assure you, sir, that I do not think of you at all."
"Come on, Carl," the other soldier said, "leave them alone."
"No, damn it, I will not," he said. "We have the right of the conqueror to be here. Let them walk around me." For the first time his eyes went to the giant man who stood in his path. The cool gray eyes held a threat in them. He knew as surely as if the man had told him, that he was looking death in the face. Without a word, he stepped into the street where his friend waited and let them pass. But the mood of the evening was spoiled so Bodine decided they would return to the hotel.
Bodine took Victoria to her room and saw her inside. "I have been wondering," she told him as he was about to leave, "can we really afford these rooms, Bodine? They must have cost a great deal of money."
He came back and stood before her. "You are not to worry about finances, Victoria."
"But I do."
"Yes, I can see that you do," he said gently. He pulled up a chair and sat down. "Maybe I should tell you how things are. I had no idea you were worried about money."
"It is strange. I
"You deserve much more," he told her. "You have been so brave and have not complained when the going was rough."
"That is because I knew you would take care of me," Victoria told him simply.
"Come," he said, "I am hungry." Bodine pulled her toward the door.
"Wait," she cried, "I have no shoes."
He looked down at her. "It seems I forgot your footwear. How could I have been so remiss?"
"It does not matter," Victoria told him, as she sat on the side of the bed and pulled on her scuffed brown boots. She raised her skirt and looked down at the boots that had been Paul O'Brian's as a child. Then she grinned up at Bodine, "Do you think anyone will notice?"
"I doubt it. When they see the beautiful lady that you are, they will not think to check out your feet." They both laughed and made their way down the stairs and to the dining room.
Bodine had been correct. No one looked at her shabby boots. They stared in open admiration at the beautiful girl on the arm of the giant man who escorted her. Victoria was totally unaware of the sensation she was causing. She had always known she was pretty, but had not given it a great deal of thought. She did not realize that she had grown into a breathtakingly beautiful woman.
The food was delicious as Bodine had promised. Victoria had steak and potatoes dripping with butter, and for dessert she had pecan pie. "This is heavenly," she told Bodine. "I had forgotten that well-prepared food could taste so good."
"You sure ate your fair share tonight, Imp. Are you not afraid that you will bust the seams of your new gown?"
"Not in the least," she told him laughingly. She put her hand over his. "Thank you for a wonderful day, Bodine."
"You have already thanked me, Imp. Now how would you like to go for a stroll?"
Victoria's face brightened. How wonderful it would be to walk leisurely down the street and act like normal people. She nodded her head eagerly. "I would like that very much," she told Bodine.
The streets were far from deserted. There were many people walking about. The street lamps gave off a friendly glow. They saw two men in Yankee uniforms approach them. Victoria drew in her breath as they came near. She felt Bodine put pressure on her hand, as though he knew what she was feeling and was giving her courage. One of the men stepped aside to let them pass, but his companion stood in front of them. His eyes met Victoria's and he smiled at her. She gave him an icy stare. She knew one of them would have to give way to the other, and was determined it was not going to be her. The man spoke:
"I believe you are blocking my path."
"The way I see it," Victoria said coldly, "you are impeding our progress."
"I am sick and tired of you Southern ladies with your mightier-than-thou attitude. You think of us as dirt beneath your dainty feet," he said hotly.
"I can assure you, sir, that I do not think of you at all."
"Come on, Carl," the other soldier said, "leave them alone."
"No, damn it, I will not," he said. "We have the right of the conqueror to be here. Let them walk around me." For the first time his eyes went to the giant man who stood in his path. The cool gray eyes held a threat in them. He knew as surely as if the man had told him, that he was looking death in the face. Without a word, he stepped into the street where his friend waited and let them pass. But the mood of the evening was spoiled so Bodine decided they would return to the hotel.
Bodine took Victoria to her room and saw her inside. "I have been wondering," she told him as he was about to leave, "can we really afford these rooms, Bodine? They must have cost a great deal of money."
He came back and stood before her. "You are not to worry about finances, Victoria."
"But I do."
"Yes, I can see that you do," he said gently. He pulled up a chair and sat down. "Maybe I should tell you how things are. I had no idea you were worried about money."
"It is strange. I
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