February's Theme: Love Letters
March's Theme: Kidnapping
HOLLOW
HEART
Madeline
Andrews is a grown up orphan. Sam Wilding made her feel part of his life, his
family and swore he’d come home to her when the war ended, but he didn’t
return. With the Valentine’s Ball just days away, the Wildings encourage
Madeline to move forward with her life and open her heart to the possibilities.
But Madeline is lost in old love letters and can’t seem to let go.
Excerpt:
Madeline
folded the letter and slipped it back into its envelope. Her heart ached as she
put the envelope back into the box. She placed it with reverence on her dresser
beside the picture of Sam and her, laughing into the sun on that beautiful
summer day, years ago. She twisted the gold ring with the little heart-shaped
ruby around her left ring finger. Sam had given it to her the day he left for
deployment to Europe. He said it was a promise ring. The ring would remind her
of his love, his promise to return, and his pledge to wed her when the war
ended. A sigh escaped her. None of his promises had come true.
Excerpt:
“C’mon, fess up. I can tell you’ve been reading those old
letters and digging up misery again, haven’t you?”
Madeline sighed as she collapsed in the chair opposite Juliet.
“Yes. I confess.” She smoothed out the skirt of her dress and avoided Juliet’s
gaze. “I can’t help it. It’s just so hard to believe he might really be gone,
that he may never come back.” She swallowed against the rising tide of emotions
gathering in her throat. “I feel so empty inside, as if someone has hollowed
out my heart with a pocket knife. I can’t imagine my life without him in it. If
I just knew he was alive and in the world somewhere, I could bear it.”
Juliet reached over and patted Madeline’s hand in comfort. “You
have to stop this, Madeline. Somehow, you have to come up with the courage to
go on with your life. I want you to go to the Valentine’s dance and just open
up to the possibility that there may be a Mr. Right out there for you besides
Sam. If you don’t, you’re going to wither away into a crone like that old Mrs.
Havisham in her wedding dress with her dried up wedding cake in Great
Expectations.”
“What are you suggesting I do?”
“Go to the Valentine Ball. Just go and dance a little.”
Madeline stood and walked to the window to stare out at the
white landscape below. “What earthly good would that do?”
Juliet left her chair to join Madeline at the window. “You’re
too young and beautiful to closet yourself away like some old hermit. You need
to get dressed up, fix your gorgeous, wavy black hair, put on some lipstick and
enjoy a dance or two with some handsome men. God knows, there’re plenty of
cowboys to go around, here in Hazard.”
Excerpt:
Joey glanced through the kitchen window at the snow falling in
the yard. “I’ll do it right away. I wouldn’t want any of Dad’s patients sliding
off the road into the ditch. When Mom and Juliet come home, they’ll need a
clear road, too. I’d feel terrible if anything happened to them.” He turned
back to Madeline and took the broom and bucket of cleaning supplies from her
and followed her down the steps to his father’s office. “Did Juliet talk you
into going to the Valentine Ball?”
Madeline smiled. “Who could resist the persuasive powers of
Juliet Wilding? It’s like trying to take down a brick wall with a wooden
spoon.” They both laughed.
“I’m glad. It won’t be so bad, and I can tell you for a fact all
my cousins will be standing in line for a dance. Before you’ve had a dance with
those idiots, I’ll take a turn first, before you’ve suffered too much damage.
Hope you don’t mind some broken toes. None of us can dance worth a hoot.”
“Thank you, Joey. It makes me feel better to know I’ll be
surrounded by men who are like brothers to me.” Madeline gave him a friendly
swat on the arm.
“You can count on us to get you into trouble or get you out.”
He spoke as he headed back up the steps toward the kitchen. “Well, guess I
better get on a warm coat and hat and get out to the tractor. Get busy with those
mops and brooms, girl; daylight’s wasting.” With a chuckle, he disappeared
beyond the kitchen door.
Diverse
stories filled with heart
