Tag: romance

Still Waters

On By vequinoxIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Excerpt

Tyne fought back a wave of anger. “Thank you,” she said stiffly.
Her mother’s voice followed her up the stairs. “He said he’d call back
after supper.’’
In her bedroom, Tyne threw off her damp clothes, grabbed a light
dressing gown and headed for the bathroom. That boy, she muttered
under her breath. That Cresswell boy. Her mother was beginning to
sound just like her dad. At twenty-four Morley was hardly a boy.
That boy, indeed.
She bent to turn on the bathtub faucet, and jumped when her
mother suddenly appeared in the doorway. A small woman, Emily
had mousy blonde hair pulled back severely into a bun at the nape of
her neck. Tyne often thought that her mother must have been pretty
as a young woman, but the years had taken their toll. Deep frown lines
creased her forehead, but no soft laugh lines appeared around her
mouth and eyes as there should have been in a fifty-year-old woman.
“If you persist in seeing this boy, Tyne,” Emily said, “you know
what it will lead to, don’t you?”
Tyne straightened her back. “Yes, Mom, it already has. Morley and
I are planning to marry.”
As soon as she said the words she wished she could take them
back. She had not meant to drop such a bombshell in this way, especially
to her timid, anxious mother.
Emily’s hand flew to her mouth, too late to hide the trembling of
her lips.
When she spoke Tyne could barely hear her over the running bath water.
“Oh, Tyne, how could you bring disgrace to our family like this?”
“Disgrace? Disgrace? Is that your word, or Dad’s?”
Emily’s face tightened. “Be careful, Tyne.”
“I only mean … Mom, I can’t believe you would think that by marrying
a good Christian man like Morley I’ll bring disgrace on the
family.”
“He’s not our kind of Christian, Tyne. You haven’t been raised that way.”
“What way? Are we so special? Why should this be an issue between
us? Morley is a good man and a fine Christian. There is no
issue.”
Emily’s voice rose. “I won’t stand here and listen to this. You’re not
my daughter anymore. You’ve changed. That boy has changed you
already.”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1926763068

Water in the Wilderness

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Excerpt

Rachael eyed her suspiciously and did not respond to Tyne’s greeting. Tyne followed the doctor into the kitchen which reeked of decaying food and sour milk.
She saw a small sandy-haired boy sitting at a littered table, barely able to see over the dirty dishes and pots. Bare feet with curled up toes stuck straight out from his chair. He had his chin propped in one hand, while the other clutched a glass half full of milk. He wore pajamas that looked as if they were overdue for a good wash.
Tyne walked across the kitchen, being careful to sidestep the litter on the floor. “Hello,” she said, “you must be Bobby.”
He nodded briefly, but did not reply.
“Have you had your breakfast, Bobby?” Tyne asked gently.
He shook his head from side to side. She glanced at his sister, but before she could speak, Rachael blurted defensively, “He’s had a piece of bread; that’s all there was. He wants some corn flakes but there ain’t any.”
Tyne shot Dr. Dunston a helpless glance, and noticed his normally placid features take on a look of disgust. He peered down at the little girl.
“Where’s your dad, Rachael?”
She pointed to a closed door at the far end of the kitchen. “He ain’t up yet.”
Dr. Dunston strode to the door Rachael indicated and rapped loudly. “Corky! Get up, you lazy son-of … you lazy lout. Your kids are hungry.”
Muffled grunts could be heard through the door, accompanied by the creak of bed springs. “Whatdaya want? It’s still night.”
“It’s nine o’clock, Corky. Come out here, I want to talk to you.”
Whether or not the object of Dr. Dunston’s ire knew who stood on the other side of the door, Tyne had no idea, but she raised her eyebrows when, in only a few minutes, the door opened and a disheveled Corky Conrad emerged.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/192676319X

Ken Kirkby, A Painter’s Quest for Canada

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Excerpt

The idea of moving to Canada became more and more exciting. Oh, to
live in a country that was huge, and sparsely populated, and that seemed
peaceful. You never heard stories about this sort of thing going on in Canada.
I tried to spend even more time with the Canadian ambassador and, given
his passion for fishing, it wasn’t too difficult.
Miloo was the brightest light in his sky. He didn’t know if he was in
love with her – he didn’t know what “in love” meant. He only knew that
some powerful emotion had taken residence inside him that was unlike
anything he had ever experienced. It wasn’t only lust, although that too
played a large part – it was simply that, with Miloo, he found a comfort
that was like coming home. Miloo, had a fire inside her that burned as
bright as his own. When he was with Miloo, he felt as though there was
one other soul on the planet who understood him completely.
Their relationship gradually changed. Miloo told him stories of her
life. She explained that her limp – such a minor impediment – was considered
significant. In Portugal, only the men were allowed to have flaws.
The women had to be perfect.
Ken raged, his anger, as always, flared when he encountered an injustice.
They held hands when they walked and sometimes they stopped
walking so that they could stand with their arms wrapped around each
other. She protested that society would not allow them to be together and
yet she searched him out and welcomed the intimacy.
Then one night, when the tide was low and they walked along the
beach where the water was still warm from the heat of the sun, she suggested
they go for a swim. They took off their clothes and plunged into
the still, moonlit pool. Finally they came together in an embrace and Ken
was lost – they were both lost in each other.
Over the next two years the political situation in Portugal began to deteriorate
rapidly. Secret police, informers and spies were everywhere and
no matter how careful you were, someone was watching and talking.
Ken’s father was unaware that he had a mole in his own office. He had
hired a gem cutter from Antwerp, in Belgium, the world centre of diamond
cutting. His background was a bit shady, but he was an expert in his
craft and Ken Sr. had not inquired too deeply into his background. Lisbon
was the kind of centre that attracted unusual people: the brilliant, the demonic,
and the nefarious – they all gravitated to Portugal’s magic city.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981073573

Water in the Wilderness

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Excerpt

At first she could see only the tossing head of the Holstein cow that Morley had long ago named Jezebel for her nasty disposition. Sparky sat in the straw close to the pen, tail wagging, ears forward, almost begging to be let in to the pen to help. As Tyne walked closer to the rails she saw Morley, bare from the waist up, standing behind the cow with his right arm almost hidden inside of her.
Tyne gasped and Morley glanced up. His face crimson from the effort of the struggle, he said haltingly, “Tyne … you’re up. I … I didn’t get a chance to … check on you.”
Jezebel, tied by a rope to a post, tossed her head, bellowed and tried to land a kick on her perceived tormentor who deftly sidestepped to avoid the flinging hoof.
Tyne raised her voice to be heard above the cow’s deafening bawl. “What on earth are you doing?”
“I’m trying to … turn the calf. It … it was coming backend first.”
“Oh yeah,” Tyne said, “breach delivery. I didn’t know cows did that.” She raised her voice as the big animal lashed out with its right hind leg, missing Morley’s knee by inches. “Morley, can I help? What can I do?”
She started to open the pen gate, but he stopped her with a warning glance. “No, Tyne, don’t come in here, it’s too dangerous. She … she’s not the gentlest cow we have.”
An understatement, Tyne thought as she stepped back. But she felt helpless. She wished Morley had someone to help him because she feared for his safety. But what could she do? She knew of only one veterinarian in the area; most of the farmers were well practiced in taking care of emergencies. But when it came to animals like Jezebel, they needed all the help they could get. Morley had talked of selling the unruly beast, but she was one of his best milk cows and produced excellent offspring.
From her vantage point beside the gate, Tyne saw Morley’s face turn crimson and heard him grunt with one last effort. Then he stepped back and away from Jezebel who interpreted her sudden freedom as a signal to lie down.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/192676319X

Water in the Wilderness

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Excerpt

In spite of her heavy heart, Tyne grinned. Dr. Dunston could lift her spirits simply by being present.
“If you hadn’t been away fishing, or whatever you were doing, you’d know that I got back to work two months ago.”
It was the doctor’s turn to grin. “Yeah, I guess.” He slapped her lightly on the back as he walked by to pick up a patient’s chart. “How’s it going, girl? How’s married life?”
Tyne smiled openly now. “It’s great. With a husband as wonderful as Morley, how could it be otherwise?” She sobered suddenly and indicated the chart he was holding. “I wish it was as great for your patient.”
Grant Dunston tapped the cover of the book-like chart. “Yeah … Lydia. What kind of night did she have?”
For a moment Tyne forgot her distress over Barry in her concern for Lydia Conrad and her children.
“Not good, I’m afraid. It’s not only her surgery she’s concerned about, but she’s worried sick about the children.”
Grant Dunston shrugged, but Tyne knew he wasn’t unconcerned. “Yeah, I know. If it wasn’t for that useless husband of hers ….”
“Dr. Dunston, what can be done for them? I mean, even while Lydia’s convalescing they’ll need care – more than she can give – and obviously she can’t depend on Corky.” Tyne closed a chart and pushed it back into its slot. She turned to face the doctor. “Isn’t there anyone who can take them in for a while? It would help Lydia’s recovery, too, if she knew they were being cared for.”
She realized that Dr. Dunston had been staring at her for several moments with a quizzical look.
“What ..?” she began, but stopped when his puckish features broke into a grin.
“How about you, Tyne?”
Her mouth fell open. “Me? Are you serious?”
“Sure, why not? You’ve got all that land for them to run around, and all those animals to amuse them, and all those good homegrown vegetables. They’d love it.”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/192676319X

Savages and Beasts, a novel

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(Excerpt)

They had almost done the round and Anton realized the place was a huge facility that could house up to 700 hundred kids although at this time there were about 450 as Dylan mentioned: about 200 boys and almost 250 girls from as young as three years old and as old as sixteen. Anton’s work would require him to clean all clothes and beddings of all these kids after the maids had collected them from each dorm; soon as they would get cleaned and placed in bins Anton would then return them to the proper places, situated at the sleeping quarters of the savages and of the teaching and administrative personnel. From there the four maids were responsible to allot them appropriately.

Dylan gave all the instructions he could remember up front confirming that everything else would be learned day after day in practice. With these final words they both went down to the main floor and separated at the front desk, Dylan to his room in the basement and Anton who stood in front of Sister Gladys’ desk.

It was still a beautiful sunny day outside the cold mausoleum as Anton observed the sun rays entering from the top of the door skylight flooding the hallway with optimism and benevolence. Sister Gladys finished the entry she was writing on a thick like a Journal book and upon closing it she said to Anton.

https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/m24q778 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1926763602