shivered at the memory of her in his arms.
Six months. It’s been six months since… since Victoria died.
The dimness of the barn fit his mood this morning as he saddled his horse to fix some fencing in the east pasture. Mounting the big gelding, he jammed his heels into the side of the powerful animal, and the horse broke into a full gallop within seconds. The gelding's hooves pounding into the dirt beneath him and the rush of air in his ears, usually helped to quell the memory of his wife, but today nothing seemed to dissipate the guilt surrounding him.
Victoria haunted him last night in his dreams again, calling to him to help her, but he couldn't reach her. She was always too far away with her hand outstretched, beseeching him. He had dreamt the same dream almost every night since her death, but last night it was different. No longer was it Victoria crying for him to help her. After the first few moments of the dream, the image changed. Now, it was the big, green eyes of Lily, the beautiful teacher, which disturbed his sleep.
Rain fell from the sky as he flew across the hills and valleys of his property. Pelting him with big drops, the rain soaked him to the skin in a matter of minutes. Instead of heading to the fence he knew he needed to repair, he headed to the hill with the big oak tree just past the river.
The horse skid to a halt beneath the tree and its rapid breathing filled the silence. The rain continued to come down in large drops as Seth slowly approached the stone resting beneath the tree.
He touched the cold marble and knelt beside it then traced the letters with his fingers while hot tears scalded his cheeks. “Victoria Marie Sanford.
Beloved wife and mother. Born 1851. Died 1883. Aged 32 years.”
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
Love’s Sweet Surrender
43
She had gone riding that morning in the south pasture as was her usual routine. Victoria loved to ride alone in the mornings. She said it helped her to clear her head.
When she hadn’t returned home by early afternoon, he went looking for her. He had found her not far from where her grave now stood. Victoria had been lying on the ground in a pool of blood, her horse nowhere to be found.
He picked her up in his strong arms and cradled her against him, then rode as fast as he could without hurting her back to their house.
During the ride, she whispered how she'd come across some men squatting on their land. They had built a campfire and were laughing and joking as they passed around a jug of whiskey. When she had approached them, she could see lots of money on the ground. She said she must have startled them, because one of the men became enraged, pulled his colt revolver and shot her in the chest. They had taken her horse and left her for dead.
Seth’s eyes glazed over with the hatred he felt and the pain in his heart.
It was so unfair! She had everything to live for, and everything had been taken when they killed her. She was no longer there to be his loving partner or a mother to their children.
For several months after her death, he spent days with his gun tied to his thigh. He set up rocks on fence posts, and he would practice, practice and practice some more, until his aim was just right. Before Victoria's death, he hadn't much use for guns, but it had become a part of him. The cold steel of the revolver in its holster never left his side. One day, he would find the men who were responsible for her death, and he would make them pay with their lives.
He sat next to her grave for some time before he realized the rain had stopped, and the sun was beginning to set in the sky. When he had gone over the events in his mind again, he could hear her voice crying for help. God he hated that sound! He should never have let her go off alone that morning. If he had been there, if only he had been there, he might have been able to stop it. It was his fault, and now he would
Six months. It’s been six months since… since Victoria died.
The dimness of the barn fit his mood this morning as he saddled his horse to fix some fencing in the east pasture. Mounting the big gelding, he jammed his heels into the side of the powerful animal, and the horse broke into a full gallop within seconds. The gelding's hooves pounding into the dirt beneath him and the rush of air in his ears, usually helped to quell the memory of his wife, but today nothing seemed to dissipate the guilt surrounding him.
Victoria haunted him last night in his dreams again, calling to him to help her, but he couldn't reach her. She was always too far away with her hand outstretched, beseeching him. He had dreamt the same dream almost every night since her death, but last night it was different. No longer was it Victoria crying for him to help her. After the first few moments of the dream, the image changed. Now, it was the big, green eyes of Lily, the beautiful teacher, which disturbed his sleep.
Rain fell from the sky as he flew across the hills and valleys of his property. Pelting him with big drops, the rain soaked him to the skin in a matter of minutes. Instead of heading to the fence he knew he needed to repair, he headed to the hill with the big oak tree just past the river.
The horse skid to a halt beneath the tree and its rapid breathing filled the silence. The rain continued to come down in large drops as Seth slowly approached the stone resting beneath the tree.
He touched the cold marble and knelt beside it then traced the letters with his fingers while hot tears scalded his cheeks. “Victoria Marie Sanford.
Beloved wife and mother. Born 1851. Died 1883. Aged 32 years.”
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
Love’s Sweet Surrender
43
She had gone riding that morning in the south pasture as was her usual routine. Victoria loved to ride alone in the mornings. She said it helped her to clear her head.
When she hadn’t returned home by early afternoon, he went looking for her. He had found her not far from where her grave now stood. Victoria had been lying on the ground in a pool of blood, her horse nowhere to be found.
He picked her up in his strong arms and cradled her against him, then rode as fast as he could without hurting her back to their house.
During the ride, she whispered how she'd come across some men squatting on their land. They had built a campfire and were laughing and joking as they passed around a jug of whiskey. When she had approached them, she could see lots of money on the ground. She said she must have startled them, because one of the men became enraged, pulled his colt revolver and shot her in the chest. They had taken her horse and left her for dead.
Seth’s eyes glazed over with the hatred he felt and the pain in his heart.
It was so unfair! She had everything to live for, and everything had been taken when they killed her. She was no longer there to be his loving partner or a mother to their children.
For several months after her death, he spent days with his gun tied to his thigh. He set up rocks on fence posts, and he would practice, practice and practice some more, until his aim was just right. Before Victoria's death, he hadn't much use for guns, but it had become a part of him. The cold steel of the revolver in its holster never left his side. One day, he would find the men who were responsible for her death, and he would make them pay with their lives.
He sat next to her grave for some time before he realized the rain had stopped, and the sun was beginning to set in the sky. When he had gone over the events in his mind again, he could hear her voice crying for help. God he hated that sound! He should never have let her go off alone that morning. If he had been there, if only he had been there, he might have been able to stop it. It was his fault, and now he would
Similar Books
