Historical Romance
The Year is 1800.
A young man makes weapons for the
defense of America, still a fledgling nation. He also protects his heart from
the allure of a young woman who seems so far above his station in life that he
cannot win her.
The lady fights her own war against
loneliness and grief. Despite her finery and airs, she is drawn to the young
armory worker, who is distant yet disarming.Love is the not the only entanglement. The nation's enemies are afoot. They creep within the very walls where America’s defenses are being forged. Who are they? When will they strike? Who will survive their terrorism?
Intrigue of the heart and intrigue
of the times are only part of this compelling story—Book 3 of the Deer Run Saga. This series finale is a
gripping mix of romance and deception, faith and forgiveness, transgression and
trial.
Excerpt:
Why did Father ask me to come here. I
just want to go home.
At the
thought of home, Susannah nearly burst into tears.
I cannot cry here. Certainly not in view
of complete strangers.
She turned
away from the kettles, widened her eyes and sniffed sharply. Refusing to give
in to her grieving heart, she refocused on the task at hand.
The satiated
workers began to vacate the tables one-by-one. Susannah watched most of the men
stretch their limbs and pat their leather work belts before heading toward the
wood frame of the new church building. But Green Eyes remained at his table,
eating slowly.
Clearing away
the dirty plates, Susannah felt someone’s hands gently grab her arms from
behind. Missus Ashley was at her side, her sparkling smile brimming with
mischief.
“Miss
Dobbins, why don’t you sit for awhile? You’ve been working so hard and you are
still recovering from your long journey to Springfield. Come sit here, my
dear.”
Much to
Susannah’s horror, Missus Ashley navigated Susannah over to the table where
Green Eyes sat. He was obviously laboring to finish his first plate when Missus
Ashley plopped Susannah down on the bench next to him, much too close.
She quickly
inched away.
“Miss
Dobbins, I would like you to meet Mr. Daniel Lowe. He is one of our fine
workers at the armory as well as a regular congregant of First Church. A fine
Christian man.”
Susannah
narrowed her gaze.
She wanted to
say, “Is that so?” Only her mother’s training in manners rescued her from
inflicting insult.
She cleared
her throat.
“So pleased
to meet you, Mr. Lowe.”
“Miss.”
“There. Now
you are acquainted, I shall return to my tasks.” Missus Ashley gave a
positively mischievous grin to the two before heading back to the kettles.
An awkward
silence followed the departure of Missus Ashley, though Susannah could hear the
woman giggling in the distance with another cook.
Side-by-side,
they both looked down at the table. Susannah fidgeted with her thumbs and Mr.
Lowe nervously rubbed his hand through one side of his hair. Just when Susannah
thought she could not take the tension any further, the workman spoke up.
“Miss
Dobbins, it is quite obvious how…uncomfortable…you are in my presence. Please
do not feel obliged to remain here and entertain me.” His voice was
surprisingly smooth and well spoken. Not at all what she imagined.
She glanced
up at his eyes, which were fixed upon her. She cleared her throat.
“Mr. Lowe, it
is not that I am uncomfortable…” She closed her mouth when he began to shake
his head and gave a low, dismissive grunt.
“Please, Miss
Dobbins. There is no need to explain. ’Tis quite obvious that I am not…shall we say…well-suited to your station
in life.” His face grew sober and he rubbed his head as though it were in pain.
“It is not
just your station, sir…”
“Ah, see, I
was right.”
She flustered
and sat up straighter. “That you are a workman notwithstanding, your behavior
of last night was appalling. I find it quite shocking that you would carry on
with your drunkenness and then make a mockery of helping to build a church. The
Lord’s meetinghouse!”
Mr. Lowe glared
back. He kept his voice low but his words were pointed.
“Is it your
custom, Miss Dobbins, to display yourself at your window for all to see?”
Susannah
gasped and threw her hands across her bodice.
“How dare you
accuse me of such behavior! I…I…was merely preparing to retire for the night
when I was disturbed by you and your drunken friends.”
His gaze
penetrating her to the core, Mr. Lowe leaned closer.
I wish his eyes were not so disarming. He was leaning so close she could feel
his breath.
“You seem to
so easily pass judgment on me, Miss Dobbins.”
She thought
she saw pain glaze across his expression. He continued. “You know naught of me.
And perhaps it is better that way…for both of us.”
He grabbed
his cloth napkin and wiped it fiercely across his mouth. Throwing it on the
table, he stood up and lifted his long legs one at a time over the bench.
Grabbing his hammer from his work belt, he stormed toward the construction
site.
She sat there
for a moment, heart pounding and temples throbbing.
Insufferable man!
Author
Bio:
Elaine
Marie Cooper is the author of The
Road to Deer Run (Finalist in Next Generation Indie Book Awards for
Religious Fiction, Honorable Mention in Romance at 2011 Los Angeles Book
Festival) and The Promise of Deer Run (Romance Winner for 2012 Los Angeles
Book Festival, Finalist in Religious Fiction for ForeWord Review Book of the
Year). Cooper is also a contributing writer
for Fighting
Fear: Winning the War at Home by Edie Melson and has a short story,
“The Tea Set,” in the romance anthology, I Choose You. She is a wife, mom,
GiGi to triplets, and a registered nurse. Her historical fiction, Fields
of the Fatherless, will be released in 2013 by Lighthouse Publishing of
the Carolinas.
Reviews/Notices/Awards
This is a stellar read of the early
American period. Elaine Cooper is a gifted wordsmith who brings the era to life
vividly and leaves you wanting more. Bravo! — Laura Frantz, Author, Love’s
Reckoning
“A plot
to wound the baby nation of America, trusted friends who turn into enemies,
death, faith, and life, all blend into a tragic yet beautiful tale of life and
passion in 1800.” — Lisa J. Lickel, Author, The Map Quest
“It's no wonder Elaine Marie Cooper is an award-winning
author. Her writing shines with an artistic flair to blend deep-heart issues
with light romance, love and adventure. Danny and Susannah capture the heart
with their innocent love, yet honor and faith. Their story resonates with
courage, commitment, faith and victory.” —Janet Perez
Eckles, Author, Simply Salsa
Legacy of Deer Run is a truly beautiful, heart-warming tale that will appeal to readers who enjoy historical romantic Christian fiction. — Lynn Dove, Author, the Wounded Trilogy
Elaine, why did you write LEGACY OF DEER RUN?
Legacy was the third and final book of
the Deer Run Saga that begins in 1777. This novel, set in 1800, brings the
story of the British soldier that became an American in Book 1 (The
Road to Deer Run) full circle, as we follow his oldest son into
adulthood, intrigue, and romance. It was a culmination of my vision to see this
story, loosely based on my ancestors, come together as readers could hopefully
understand Early America in a way that brings our history to life. It was a joy
to recreate in words the lives of those who worked so hard to ensure the
success of the fledgling United States of America!
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