THE WIDOW OF ROSE HILL BY MICHELLE SHOCKLEE
Published by Smitten Historical Romance
an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
2333 Barton Oaks Dr., Raleigh, NC 27614
ISBN: 978-1-946016-40-9
Copyright © 2018 by Michelle Shocklee
Cover design by Elaina Lee
Interior design by Karthick Srinivasan
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For more information on this book and the author visit:
http://www.michelleshocklee.com/
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination or are used for fictional purposes. Any mentioned brand names, places, and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners, bear no association with the author or the publisher, and are used for fictional purposes only.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.TM.
Brought to you by the creative team at Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas (LPCBooks.com): Robin Patchen, Pegg Thomas, Brian Cross, Judah Raine, and Lucie Winborne
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Shocklee, Michelle
The Widow of Rose Hill / Michelle Shocklee 1st ed.
Printed in the United States of America
PRAISE FOR THE WIDOW OF ROSE HILL
Michelle Shocklee not only writes about history, she puts the reader right in the middle of it. With characters so real they feel as if they are going to step off the page, this novel is one you won’t be able to put down. From the first page until the last, the reader will be drawn in to a story that keeps the pages turning. If you love history, especially the Civil War period, do not miss this novel!
~Kathleen Y’Barbo
Best-selling author of The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck
The Widow of Rose Hill illuminates the turmoil of a nation in the aftermath of war and creates a portrait of healing, restoration and hope.
~Allison Pittman
Author of Loving Luther
Praise for The Planter’s Daughter
Shocklee’s novel carried me to a past time, a unique culture, and held me captive. Its realistic setting, believable characters, and gripping storyline—told honestly yet never wallowing in ugliness—came together into a beautiful tale about following one’s conscience regardless of the cost. Kudos to Michelle on a lovely, heart-stirring debut.
~Kim Vogel Sawyer
Award-winning author of My Heart Remembers
Dedication
For my sons, Taylor and Austin My joy. My pride. My heart.
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer.
Psalm 18:2
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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CHAPTER ONE
Williamson County, Texas
June 1865
“I declare, Carolina, I believe we will positively melt before the day is finished with us.”
Seated on the swing on the wide front porch that graced the big house of Rose Hill plantation, Natalie Langford Ellis cooled her face with her favorite lace fan until the muscles in her arm cramped. Not even the uppermost branches of the great oaks near the house stirred in the sultry afternoon air. Nary a cloud floated in the clear blue sky to offer a brief respite.
“Yes’m.” Carolina mopped her ebony skin with a damp cloth. From her place in a worn wicker chair near the rail, the young servant leaned forward to catch the whisper of a breeze that might venture past. “Summer jest gettin’ started, but we’s already feeling the misery. Don’t ’spect it’ll get better ’til after harvest.”
With the toe of one slipper, Natalie lazily propelled the swing back and forth, the groan from rusty chains blending with the song of dozens of cicadas high in the tree branches. Childish laughter drew her attention to the sun-scorched lawn just down from the house where two small boys—one white and one black—played with a reddish-brown dog, the three of them rolling and chasing and generally doing what little boys and dogs do best.
Natalie smiled despite the uncomfortable trail of sweat trickling down her back. She loved to watch Samuel play, all innocence and goodness, free of the heavy burdens his mother carried. “I believe my son will require two tubs of water to wash the filth from him tonight.”
Carolina chuckled. “Master Samuel shore don’t take pleasure in bath time. Says if Isaac don’t have to bathe, why should he?”
“Moses bathes his son in the creek, only he calls it swimming, so Isaac is none the wiser.” Natalie glanced toward the vast cotton fields west of the house. “Speaking of Moses, he should be here by now.”
Dozens of slaves dotted the rolling green landscape, busy at their tasks in spite of the warm afternoon. Reflected sunshine glinted here
