Today I am hosting my good friend and wonderful author Allison Merritt and her soon to be released book The Convict and the Cattleman.
She has supplied links at the end of her excerpt for your convenience. Please visit her and tell her how much you enjoyed this. And check out her other books on Amazon.
Blurb: His love is the key to her release.
Sentenced
to seven years of servitude in the penal colony of New South Wales, Bridgit
Madden is thrust into a world unlike anything she's known, dangers she never
imagined and enemies with their own interests at heart. Certain that the
conviction has ruined her chances of ever having a real family, she is fearful
of her future.
Despite
his reluctance to take in a convict, Jonah Andrus, a grazier and pioneer
cattleman, needs a servant to care for his orphaned niece. When presented with
Bridgit, who is far too beautiful and distracting, he initially tries to
refuse. However, with a busy cattle station to oversee, he needs help right
away.
Upon
her first meeting with Jonah's niece, Bridgit immediately falls in love with
the girl and becomes entwined the mystery surrounding her birth. As she gets to
know her employer better, Bridgit makes it her mission to remind him that
family is priceless. When it seems as though she might have found the place she
truly belongs, their love is threatened by lies and deceit, and both of them
might lose everything they hold dear for a second time.
Excerpt:
“There, there. Bridgit will be along any second. She
knows how to take care of you. Uncle
Jonah will drop you. You’re too small.”
Surprised by his own admission, he stared helplessly
at Olivia. When was the last time he’d paid her any attention? She’d grown and
he hadn’t noticed. Babies did; he knew well enough from watching his calves
during the summer. The baby he remembered was tiny, wrinkled and didn’t look
like anyone. Charlotte, exhausted, but elated, had smiled proudly.
“Isn’t she beautiful, Jonah?”
Recalling her voice made his heart pound. The silly
girl didn’t have a sense of shame. She’d been nervous when she admitted her
tryst and the subsequent pregnancy, but she had defended her child. Not unlike
one of his cows. They protected their young fiercely.
He hadn’t found the words to answer her question.
All he saw was Rob Langnecker’s face. The desire to kill him had blotted out
everything else. Langnecker had ruined his sister, left her alone with a
bastard child and went off chasing other skirts. She’d died in the room where
Bridgit slept, believing he’d come back for them.
If I ever catch him.
Jonah ran his hand down his face.
“Is something wrong?”
Bridgit’s warm hand closed around his. Pity shined
in her eyes.
“The chores are waiting.” Clammy sweat dampened his
shirt.
She tugged his hand. “You need to stay. You’ll
regret it if you don’t. Go sit down.”
He didn’t understand why he obeyed, but he sat in
the rocking chair by the window. His father had crafted it for his mother years
before Jonah was born.
Bridgit lifted Olivia, nestling her into his arms.
The cries eased to a whimper.
“Hold your arms like this. You’ve got to support her
head.”
“I know.” Charlotte had insisted he hold Olivia
hours after her birth. He remembered it clear as day. Accepting the chubby
baby, he was surprised at her weight.
She’d been so small. “She’s healthy.”
It was more a question than a statement. Olivia
gazed at him, eyes wide. Her fingers toyed with one of his buttons.
“Aye. Growing like a weed. She’s learning to roll
over.” At his confused look, she explained, “That’s good. She’ll be crawling
before long. She talks to me and follow things with her eyes. Everything she’s
supposed to do.”
“Good. Charlotte would be glad.” His voice sounded
choked and he cleared his throat, hoping Bridgit hadn’t noticed.
She lifted the bottle. “Here. Feed her. Tip it up,
so the air gets in the bottle.”
He let her show him what to do, surprised again when
Olivia grasped the bottle with her tiny hands. Her features were clearer now.
Charlotte’s nose and chin. Those couldn’t be his ears, could they? Dark blue
eyes stared up at him, then drifted shut as she suckled greedily. Her eyes were
the only resemblance he could find to her father.
Bridgit kneeled beside the rocking chair and swept
dark locks from the baby’s face. Her hand settled on his knee. “There. She’s
happy now.” A wistful smile played across her face.
A jolt ran through him. With Olivia snuggled against
his chest and Bridgit beside him, the moment belonged to a family man.
Links:
Author
bio:
A love of reading turned Allison Merritt
into an author who writes historical, paranormal and fantasy romances, often
combining the sub-genres. She graduated college with a B.A. in mass
communications that's gathering dust after it was determined that she's better
at writing fluff than hard news.
She lives in a small town in the Ozark Mountains with her
husband and dogs. When she's not writing or reading, she hikes in national
parks and conservation areas.
