Heaven Made
Authors: Saralynn Hoyt
Heaven Made
A Historical Romance
By
SaraLynn Hoyt
By Saralynn Hoyt aka Sheryl
Hoyt as Featured in the December 10th issue of Time Magazine
Heaven Made: Ghost meets
Downton Abbey
London, 1905
Desperate and penniless,
Sabrina Tremaine must flee her grand home with her daughter before her
brother-in-law mistreats them both. Little Alice believes her papa’s ghost is
helping the two find a new home. Ford Northcliffe is an absent minded scientist
only concerned with his experiments. His house in chaos since his mother’s
death, he desperately needs a fine lady to run things. The employment agency
that brought them together is in cahoots with a local psychic, Madame Lou. The
medium is under strict instructions from the spirit world to make a match of
these two regardless of the obstacles they face, including a deathbed vow and
murder most foul. With the help of the mystical matchmaker, the two have fallen
into the trap of a forbidden passion and a consuming love that neither can
deny. But there are insurmountable obstacles in the way of their happiness and
it will be up to the spirits of the dead to guide their destiny.
Published by Sheryl Hoyt
Copyright @ 2012 Sheryl Hoyt
Kindle Edition
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This book is a work of fiction. While references may be made
to actual places or events, the names, characters, incidents, and locations are
from the author’s imagination and any similarity to actual living or dead
persons, businesses, or events is coincidental.
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Published in the United States of America
North Bend, Washington
This book contains adult language and situations.
ISBN: 978-0-9853292-4-2
To Phil, my loving husband. You always loved my writing, even
that first book that I like to call the kitchen sink book (because it had
everything but the kitchen sink in it). You've supported me through all the
craziness and let me live my dream. Thank you I love you for that and all the
other things you bring to my life.
Editor: Annie Seaton
Cover art by: Steena Holmes
Critiqued by: Deborah Schneider
Chapter One sample: Dangerous Heart
London
1905
Madam Lou sat expectantly in her tea shop, covered from
head to toe in multi-colored scarves embellished with hundreds of beads and
spangles glittering and seemingly dancing in the flickering candlelight. Only
her eyes were visible to a casual observer, their clear blue-green color vivid
against her shapeless form. Pulling her deck of well-worn tarot cards from
their wooden box, she unwrapped the old black silk from around them, and set the
cards on the damask draped table next to an array of crystals and stones.
Reverently, Madam Lou lit the special incense, allowing its sweet tangy scent
to fill the room as she started to chant an ancient rhythm that would instigate
the trance that opened her mind to the spirits and their wishes. Before her on
the table were two newspaper clippings; obituaries, one a year old, the other
two. One was that of a young man, and one of an old woman. Madam Lou shuffled
the timeworn cards carefully and spread them out upon the satin tablecloth.
Allowing the spirits to guide her hand, she pulled a card from the pile and
placed it on the man’s obituary. The Tower. Someone’s world was falling apart.
She pulled the second card for the woman’s clipping. The Hanging Man. No
surprise. Someone could not see their world as it really was and the blessings
they had. It was time to embrace the new and give up the old. She drew the
final card and turned it over between the man and the woman. The Lovers. Madam
Lou let out a deep sigh of satisfaction. Another successful match. Now the work
began.
"That’s right, my pretty, Scottish lass, don’t fight
me. You should be enjoying this. After all, I don’t think my brother hardly
touched you in his last years."
Gerald’s hot breath, stinking of brandy, nearly made Sabrina
Macaulay Tremaine gag. "Half Scottish," she muttered under her
breath. Her brother-in-law tried to kiss her, but she managed to turn her head,
feeling his soft, wet lips slide across her chin instead. Although she deftly
avoided his mouth, his great fat body pinned her to the bed, making it
impossible for her to move out of the way of his pinching, probing fingers. They
were in the bedroom that had once belonged to her departed husband. It was a
masculine room that Sabrina had helped to decorate when times had been better
and they weren’t concerned with money. The deep green velvets and dark mahogany
wood that filled the large boudoir were all expensive and of the finest
quality, and she noticed that since Gerald had moved into his brother’s suite
of rooms, he had only added to the opulence with gold trimmings, fine crystal
vases and other lavish odds and ends.
"Yes, squirm a little," he said, moving his thick,
chubby fingers underneath Sabrina to squeeze her bottom painfully. "You’re
going to thank me later. You and that pretty little girl of yours. Who would
have thought my brother could produce such a lovely child?"
Sabrina stiffened at his words. He couldn’t mean what she
was thinking, could he? But as a meaty hand closed on her breast and a thick
knee started to pry her thighs apart, she began to have her first serious
doubts about Gerald Tremaine’s proposal of marriage. He had come to her as soon
as was proper after Edward’s funeral and offered his protection, even moving
into the house and taking over paying the servants’ back wages and other
mounting bills. She had been so grateful for her brother-in-law’s generosity,
considering her husband had gambled away every dime of both of their
inheritances before committing suicide. Edward had been a disappointment in
many areas. Thankfully, he had at least been a loving father to their daughter,
Alice. But now, as she was about to give herself to the only person who stood
between a life of luxury and a life in the streets, she was beginning think it
might not be worth the price.
"What do you mean, about Alice?" Sabrina asked,
trying to push the great beast of a man off of her.
"You know," Gerald answered, panting now and
reaching for her other breast. "In a few years, she’ll be a ripe little
thing."
Sabrina couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Not only was
this man going to take a less than willing bride to his bed, but he was
actually contemplating raping his own niece. The bile rose in her throat and
Sabrina nearly retched at the thought. Here she had believed she was saving
herself and her daughter from starving to death by agreeing to marry her
brother-in-law, when in reality she was putting them both in the worst sort of
danger. She had to get her emotions under control and figure out a way to save
herself and her precious Alice from the likes of Gerald Tremaine.
"Get off of me, you animal." Sabrina pushed and
shoved at his bulk. All she managed was to have her skirts hiked higher around
her hips, making his job of taking her that much easier.
He grunted, trying to position himself above her and
maneuver his body to plunge into her unwilling flesh. Sabrina struggled
valiantly, but he was just too big. She tried to prepare herself for the pain
of being taken without want or need. Closing her eyes tightly and tossing her
head to the side to avoid another slobbering kiss, Sabrina vowed that as soon
as he was finished with her body, she would take her daughter and leave this
house forever. Even living in the streets would be better than this. She could
feel him against her vulnerable thigh, pushing closer to his destination.
Sabrina opened her eyes, resigned to her fate, but what she saw gave her the
strength to fight one last time. A heavy crystal vase was just inches past her
reach, sitting on a table next to the bed. If she could just get the big oaf to
move a little to the left—she wriggled in what she hoped was a seductive manner
and got about halfway there.
"Just a little closer," she murmured to herself.
"Oh yes, little one, almost there." Gerald could
only hear himself.
This time Sabrina thrust her hips up hard, sending them in a
bounce close enough to the vase to barely grab the lip of it with her
fingertips, and nearly pulling her arm out of its socket in reaching for it. She
swung her arm down bringing the crystal vessel crashing down on his balding
head just as he was about to penetrate her womanhood.
"What the hell?" Gerald roared, rising up and
rolling off Sabrina’s trembling body. He brushed at the few hairs remaining on
his round head and gave her a look of disbelief. "You stupid bitch! You’ll
pay for that."
Sabrina cowered on the big four poster bed. It was as if she
had barely scratched him with the blow. Then she saw him sway, just a bit, but
it was enough for her to regain her courage. She pushed herself up off the bed
cautiously and looked around the room for another weapon. There was a copper
bed-warmer near the hearth, undoubtedly filled to the brim with coal. Gerald
enjoyed his wealth fully. Unfortunately, it was too far away to be immediately
useful.
"If you cease this now, Sabrina, I might be willing to
forgive you this temporary lapse in your judgment. We can call it a case of
pre-wedding jitters." Gerald was very convincing as he stalked her around
the bed, inadvertently placing himself between Sabrina and the door. "Your
punishment will be meted out in a private manner. Who knows, you may even enjoy
what I have planned."
Sabrina doubted that very much and she couldn’t imagine what
the man even meant by his words, having lived a genteel life, but she
instinctively sensed it was not proper or decent. She looked toward the door,
keeping her eyes on her foe. Maybe she could make a run for it. But she
couldn’t risk Gerald raising the alarm. Then she would never stand a chance of
getting Alice and fleeing wearing nothing more than her nightclothes and with
no means of income. No, she had to bash Gerald on the head again. Harder this
time, so she would have an opportunity to pack a bag and find some money. She
knew he carried little on his person, but maybe she would get lucky tonight and
find something of value she could sell. Pasting a smile on her face, Sabrina
laughed nervously, hoping Gerald would be fooled.
"You’re right, of course," she said, edging her
way back toward the fireplace. "I’m just upset about Edward’s passing and
leaving us with nothing. I really am ever so grateful to you, Gerald. It’s just
that maybe we should wait until we are married."
Gerald laughed and rubbed his head where the vase had barely
bruised him. "You are a clever girl, aren’t you? Want to make sure the
store is bought before handing out the goods. Well, my little Scottish miss, I
don’t blame you. Smart thing to do. But I can assure you that I have every
intention of marrying you. Hell, I would have done so years ago if your father
had only been a little more patient. I was on a trip to the Orient when he
married you off to my worthless brother. I was furious when I returned and you
were already breeding Edward’s offspring. Was that the last time he touched
you, my pretty Sabrina? Are you starving for a man’s attentions? Come here and
let me show you how forgiving I can be."