Heaven Made, page 1
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
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher.
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
DEDICATION
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.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Editor: Annie Seaton
Cover art by: Steena Holmes
Critiqued by: Deborah Schneider
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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
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Chapter One sample: Dangerous Heart
Chapter One
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.
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."
Gerald sat back on the big four poster bed and began to slowly pull the sash of his robe loose. Sabrina wanted to look away, but she knew that she had to play this game out to the end. Her daughter’s well-being depended on it. Smiling with what she hoped was shy submission, Sabrina reached up to begin unbuttoning her gown while at the same time maneuvering herself so that she stood directly in front of her weapon of choice, hiding it from her foe. One button, two buttons, three—
"That’s better, my dear." Gerald practically purred. His gaze was fixed on her bosom.
Sabrina eased one hand behind her back and grasped the wooden handle of the metal pan warmed from the nearby fire. Her other hand continued its seductive wandering path, stopping only to fondle herself. This had the desired effect of causing her odious brother-in-law to close his eyes in ecstasy for a brief second. Not long enough for her to attack this time, but if she could just get a little closer and he let down his guard for just a moment longer—
"See, I knew you were an eager little vixen just pretending to fight me. I think you’re going to enjoy the games I have planned for us."
It was working. Gerald thought she had planned this as some sort of entertainment for his pleasure. Thank God she’d found out what sort of depraved man he was before she had submitted to him. Sabrina shivered with revulsion even as she smiled at him. With a deep breath to steady her nerves and give herself the strength to continue with what she must do, for her daughter’s sake, Sabrina pulled her nightgown open and bared herself to her brother-in-law. As she expected he was so overcome by the sight of her exposed breasts that he didn’t even let out a yelp as she reached behind her and swung the bed warmer into the side of Gerald’s thick skull.
The look of surprise on his face chilled her. At first it looked as if the heavy weapon had done less damage than the vase, but then his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed onto the bed. Sabrina quickly buttoned her gown back up before reaching over to check and see if Gerald was still alive. The blood on his neck frightened her, but his breathing was still strong. It was going take a lot more than a tiny, half Scottish lass to kill a bull of man like him.
Searching his clothing and the room as thoroughly as time allowed, Sabrina was able to come up with twelve pounds, a gold pocket watch, a diamond tiepin and a ruby ring. She wasn’t proud of herself for stealing the items, but she didn’t exactly feel guilty either. After all, Gerald had never helped Edward run his business. Sabrina wouldn’t be surprised if he had actually contributed to its demise. It would be just like him to have taunted Edward into failure. If she could, she would pay the money back, but protecting her eight-year-old daughter was her priority now. If that meant she had to steal from a man like her odious brother-in-law, then so be it.
She searched the wardrobe one last time hoping to find a stash of money somewhere. Running her fingers along the smooth wood, Sabrina thought she might find a secret hiding place. It would be just like Gerald to be so untrustworthy of his staff. An indentation caught her fingertips and as she pressed it Sabrina felt it give beneath the pressure. Suddenly a small drawer whooshed out of the frame. This is it, she thought with excitement surging through her blood as she searched the contents of the small space. But much to her disappointment, there were only papers in the secret compartment and no funds.
Sabrina was about to close the hidden drawer when some words on one of the documents caught her eye. She saw Edward’s name and her own along with columns of numbers. Financial figures of some sort. She didn’t have time to read them now, so Sabrina quickly scanned the papers and took only the documents that had hers or her dead husband’s name on them, hoping Gerald would not notice they were missing. An ominous shiver went up her spine. For some reason, Sabrina knew these papers were extremely important.
A low moan emanated from the bed and Sabrina quickly checked to make sure Gerald was not regaining consciousness. She gave him a hard shake, but he just rolled over and began to snore. She left him sleeping soundly and went to her own room to dress in warm clothes and pack her meager belongings.
After Edward had died nearly two years ago she’d sold her finer clothes and all of her jewelry in order to pay the staff and keep food on the table. Thankfully, Gerald had stepped in in time to keep the rest of the household intact. Of course he said he intended to buy her new gowns and jewels after they wed. But for now, all she had left were some plain mourning dresses and other essentials, and the gold locket her very English mother had left to her many years ago. Her room was still opulent, though. She had enjoyed decorating it in a jumble of French themes, concentrating on Louis XIV furnishings and shades of blue. Taking one final glance around the suite where she had spent much of the last ten years, Sabrina turned her back on her old life and went to find Alice in the nursery.
Her beautiful daughter was only eight and Sabrina had no idea how she was going to explain to the child that they had to leave their big warm home in Hanover Square and find refuge in the cold dark streets of London. Would Alice understand the sacrifice they had to make? Sabrina dreaded the task ahead of her.
Setting her own bag and small hatbox down in the hallway, she straightened her spine, pasted a bright smile on her face and entered the familiar rooms of the nursery. The schoolroom was empty and quiet and Sabrina detected the gentle snore of the governess who had been with them for the past six years. A good woman who didn’t deserve to lose her position under such circumstances. There were so many regrets in this decision.
