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    A Fallen Woman Finds Grace
    A Fallen Woman Finds Grace
    A Fallen Woman Finds Grace
    Ebook69 pages1 hour

    A Fallen Woman Finds Grace

    By Darlene Carson

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Against all odds, a fallen woman finds true love--until her past comes calling.

    Rita is on the run. After escaping from an Omaha bordello, where she'd been held captive for months, Rita takes refuge in a hotel with her captors hot on her trail. The only thing that saves her from being returned to her former life is rancher Joe Marks, who steps out of his room and into her life.

    When Joe sees a woman in trouble, he helps out. In this case, it got him more than he bargained for, since Rita needs more than just some momentary assistance. He gives her shelter on his ranch, and soon he begins to feel more than just charity for this mysterious beauty. But will her past destroy their future?

     

    A sweet and clean historical Western story with a happy ending.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLoveBlessed
    Release dateOct 3, 2015
    ISBN9781519925190
    A Fallen Woman Finds Grace
    Author

    Darlene Carson

    Darlene Carson writes stories of love and forgiveness, about characters who are flawed and imperfect--just like us. Her tales are full of people who may have a spiritual bent, but who also struggle with their faith at times--just like us. In addition to writing her own stories, she is an editor with LoveBlessed. LoveBlessed features sweet, clean stories written in family-friendly language--in other words, books you wouldn't be embarrassed to be caught reading!

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      Book preview

      A Fallen Woman Finds Grace - Darlene Carson

      Part 1

      OMAHA, NEBRASKA

      September 8, 1867

      Rita poked her head out into the hall and quickly glanced both ways. The hall was empty. None of the other girls were to be seen, nor any customers, nor either of the Jurgens. Now’s the time, she thought, and she eased the door shut softly, then pushed the bolt into place. Midmorning wasn’t the best time to make a break for it—the middle of the night would have ensured that fewer people were about who might see her—but Nan had convinced her that it would be too dangerous.

      Imagine trying to get past the Jurgen boys without anybody around to distract them, Nan had said. You’re going to get caught for sure. Let me help you.

      And so, here she was, waiting for the pieces of their plan to fall into place: the carriage would arrive, Nan would keep the boys occupied at the front door, and Rita would climb out the window to secure her escape. Once in the carriage, it would be a short ride to the livery, where she would hire a driver to take her down to Lincoln, and she would leave Omaha behind forever. It was a seamless plan. At least, I hope it is, she thought. Then again, I’ve had a plan or two that didn’t turn out at all like I intended.

      She sat down on the bed and took a deep breath as she looked around her room. It was hard to believe that she was about to finally leave it behind. Good riddance. This has been more of a prison cell than anything else. Ever since she started working for Hetty nearly a year ago, she had stayed in this room. She could remember how wonderful it seemed the first night: the room was warm, the bed was soft, and Hetty made sure that she had plenty to eat.

      The second night was different. Talk about plans gone wrong, she thought. No girl ever dreamed of working for Hetty, but then again, hunger and the Nebraska weather convinced her to try things she’d never expected to. What had started as a desperate bid to survive the winter had turned into a near-prison sentence. She was only permitted to leave the house in the company of Hetty and the Jurgen brothers, and that was usually only to help out while running errands. Other than spending a little time in the high-fenced back yard when the weather was nice, she might as well have entirely disappeared from the world.

      Only girls like Nan were allowed to leave unaccompanied. Nan, however, had been working at Hetty’s for over a decade and wasn’t going anywhere. She had a life sentence. Her freedom to leave, however, was coming in handy now, since she had volunteered to go for the carriage—which, by the way, was overdue.

      Where is she? Rita murmured as she went to the window and stared out. They had decided that it would be best to have the carriage wait across the street, not directly in front of the house. Still, although they had decided on ten o’clock, the street was empty.

      Rita took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Surely they’re just delayed, she thought. Everything’s fine. She took a moment to reopen her traveling bag and double-check her belongings. There was some clothing—not much, but then she didn’t own much. One didn’t need an extensive wardrobe when Hetty and the Jurgen brothers prevented most girls from leaving the premises. She dug under her clothing and felt for the small velvet bag at the bottom. Still there. She could feel the roll of bills and the several coins contained within. It wasn’t a lot; the girls earned a pittance from their work, and Hetty had the uncanny ability to tell when a client had left a tip, but Rita had managed to stow away a little cash for a moment just like this one. She closed the bag and breathed deeply again.

      Rita!

      In a flash, she felt herself flooded with nervous energy. The voice that had cried out in the hall was one that she knew well. It was Nan, and if things had gone right, then she never would have shouted like that inside. Hetty hated noise.

      Rita leaped toward the door and yanked the bolt aside, then pulled the door wide open. Nan was being rushed up the stairs by Keith Jurgen, who towered behind her, holding both of her arms. For all the world, it looked like he was driving a plow as he forced her along.

      Run, Rita!

      Rita didn’t run. She couldn’t. It felt as if her blood had been swapped with ice water at that moment. Her whole body was frozen. It’s over, she thought. After this I’ll never escape. What a fool I’ve been.

      You stay right there, Keith growled as he got Rita in his sights. You two are both coming to explain things to Miss Parr.

      It was almost funny how the Jurgen brothers both

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