Read Online Ecstasy's Promise (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online Page B
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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"Senorita, my husband will put your father to bed. Then he will ride for the doctor."
Victoria let the woman lead her to the open fireplace, where she sat down on a wooden bench, grateful for the warmth of the fire and the gentle Mexican woman who seemed so kind and concerned.
Soon they were joined by the man. "I have made your father comfortable," he told Victoria. "I will now stable your horse and ride for the doctor. Please do not worry, my wife, Consuelo, will look after you.
Victoria smiled at him gratefully, too tired to even respond. The man took a yellow mackintosh from a nail on the wall and pulled it over his head. Then he opened the door and rushed out into the driving rain.
"I must go to Bodine," Victoria told the woman, Consuelo.
"First, Senorita, you must get out of your wet clothes. It will not help your father if you become ill."
Victoria saw the sense of what the woman said, and slipped out of her wet clothes and into the dry ones which Consuelo provided. Consuelo was much shorter than Victoria and much larger in the waist because she was expecting a child. The dress came up above Victoria's ankles and hung loosely about her waist. She was grateful for it, however, and thanked the Mexican woman.
"You will eat something, now," Consuelo told her.
"No, thank you, I must sit by Bodine."
"Your father will be all right while you eat."
"He is not my father," Victoria told her. "He is my dearest friend."
Consuelo looked at her, puzzled.
"I must go to him," Victoria told her. The Mexican woman did not try to dissuade her, but, instead, opened the door so she could enter the room where Bodine lay.
The man had removed Bodine's wet clothes and covered him with a blanket. Victoria pulled up a stool and sat down beside him. She took his big hand in hers and held it to her face. Her tears fell onto his hand. How still he was, and how pale he looked.
"Oh, Bodine, I could not bear it if anything happened to you." Victoria laid her head over on the bed and prayed to God to save Bodine's life. She did not doubt that Bodine had always been the source of her strength. From him she had drawn the courage to face untold danger. She could not remember a time when he had been ill. He was always so full of life.
Victoria did not know how long she sat there praying, but she was suddenly aware of male voices in the outer room, and a stranger entered the bedroom. She rose to her feet.
"I am Dr. Dan Owens, ma'am. If you will step in the other room, I will examine your father. Manuel told me that he fell from a horse; is that correct?"
"Yes," Victoria said, with tears in her eyes. "Please help him, Doctor."
Victoria left the doctor alone with Bodine and went into the front room. She smiled at the man and woman. "I am so grateful to you both for your kindness," she said weakly. "I do not know what I would have done without your help."
The man brushed this aside. "It was nothing, Senorita."
"Nonetheless, I am grateful. My name is Victoria Lee Farraday, and the man who is injured is my friend, Bodine."
"I am pleased to meet you, Senorita Farraday. I am Manuel Delgado, and this is my wife, Consuelo."
Victoria smiled. "How can I ever repay your kindness?"
"For one thing," the woman said, "you can come over to the fire and warm yourself. Your hair is still very wet."
Victoria allowed the woman to lead her to the fireplace, and she sat on the wooden bench that she had occupied earlier.
"Will you eat now, Senorita?" Consuelo asked.
"No, I cannot eat until I know Bodine is going to be all right," Victoria told her.
"The doctor is a very fine man, Senorita Farraday. He will fix your friend as good as new."
Just then the doctor came out, rolling his sleeves down. He came over to Victoria. She waited for him to speak.
"Your father has had a nasty fall, but he will be fine. He has regained consciousness and is suffering from a mild concussion. He will have a bad headache for a few days, but I have left medication for
Victoria let the woman lead her to the open fireplace, where she sat down on a wooden bench, grateful for the warmth of the fire and the gentle Mexican woman who seemed so kind and concerned.
Soon they were joined by the man. "I have made your father comfortable," he told Victoria. "I will now stable your horse and ride for the doctor. Please do not worry, my wife, Consuelo, will look after you.
Victoria smiled at him gratefully, too tired to even respond. The man took a yellow mackintosh from a nail on the wall and pulled it over his head. Then he opened the door and rushed out into the driving rain.
"I must go to Bodine," Victoria told the woman, Consuelo.
"First, Senorita, you must get out of your wet clothes. It will not help your father if you become ill."
Victoria saw the sense of what the woman said, and slipped out of her wet clothes and into the dry ones which Consuelo provided. Consuelo was much shorter than Victoria and much larger in the waist because she was expecting a child. The dress came up above Victoria's ankles and hung loosely about her waist. She was grateful for it, however, and thanked the Mexican woman.
"You will eat something, now," Consuelo told her.
"No, thank you, I must sit by Bodine."
"Your father will be all right while you eat."
"He is not my father," Victoria told her. "He is my dearest friend."
Consuelo looked at her, puzzled.
"I must go to him," Victoria told her. The Mexican woman did not try to dissuade her, but, instead, opened the door so she could enter the room where Bodine lay.
The man had removed Bodine's wet clothes and covered him with a blanket. Victoria pulled up a stool and sat down beside him. She took his big hand in hers and held it to her face. Her tears fell onto his hand. How still he was, and how pale he looked.
"Oh, Bodine, I could not bear it if anything happened to you." Victoria laid her head over on the bed and prayed to God to save Bodine's life. She did not doubt that Bodine had always been the source of her strength. From him she had drawn the courage to face untold danger. She could not remember a time when he had been ill. He was always so full of life.
Victoria did not know how long she sat there praying, but she was suddenly aware of male voices in the outer room, and a stranger entered the bedroom. She rose to her feet.
"I am Dr. Dan Owens, ma'am. If you will step in the other room, I will examine your father. Manuel told me that he fell from a horse; is that correct?"
"Yes," Victoria said, with tears in her eyes. "Please help him, Doctor."
Victoria left the doctor alone with Bodine and went into the front room. She smiled at the man and woman. "I am so grateful to you both for your kindness," she said weakly. "I do not know what I would have done without your help."
The man brushed this aside. "It was nothing, Senorita."
"Nonetheless, I am grateful. My name is Victoria Lee Farraday, and the man who is injured is my friend, Bodine."
"I am pleased to meet you, Senorita Farraday. I am Manuel Delgado, and this is my wife, Consuelo."
Victoria smiled. "How can I ever repay your kindness?"
"For one thing," the woman said, "you can come over to the fire and warm yourself. Your hair is still very wet."
Victoria allowed the woman to lead her to the fireplace, and she sat on the wooden bench that she had occupied earlier.
"Will you eat now, Senorita?" Consuelo asked.
"No, I cannot eat until I know Bodine is going to be all right," Victoria told her.
"The doctor is a very fine man, Senorita Farraday. He will fix your friend as good as new."
Just then the doctor came out, rolling his sleeves down. He came over to Victoria. She waited for him to speak.
"Your father has had a nasty fall, but he will be fine. He has regained consciousness and is suffering from a mild concussion. He will have a bad headache for a few days, but I have left medication for
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