Dual Devotions, page 1
Cover image © Alexey Kazantsev / Trevillion Images
Cover design by Emily Remington
Cover design copyright © 2024 by Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published by Covenant Communications, Inc.
American Fork, Utah
Copyright © 2024 by Sarah L. McConkie
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any format or in any medium without the written permission of the publisher, Covenant Communications, Inc., PO Box 416, American Fork, UT 84003. The views expressed within this work are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Covenant Communications, Inc., or any other entity.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, names, incidents, places, and dialogue are either products of the author’s imagination, and are not to be construed as real, or are used fictitiously.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Name: Sarah L. McConkie
Title: Dual Devotions / Sarah L. McConkie
Description: American Fork, UT : Covenant Communications, Inc. [2024]
Identifiers: Library of Congress Control Number 2023936126 | ISBN 978-1-52442-387-2
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/ 2023936126/
First Printing: February 2024
ISBN: 978-1-52442-387-2
To Joanna, Claire, Hyrum, Danny, and Evelyn—
May you love fiercely and forgive often.
Praise for Sarah L. McConkie
“If your next weekend read is Dual Devotions by Sarah L. McConkie, you’re in for an unexpected treat. Set against the backdrop of one of my favorite eras, this lovely Victorian romance is both charming and tender as two families navigate betrayal and loss. Will the unexpected reunion between Charlotte and Alex be the moment that breaks apart their families forever or the bond that repairs the fragile threads of redemption? This journey of surprising twists filled with budding romance, complicated relationships, and endearing forgiveness will keep readers turning pages well into the night.”
—Heather B. Moore, USA Today bestselling author of Hannah
“Dual Devotions is a memorable, romantic tale of two people who are forbidden from being together. The compelling character growth, relatable faith arc, and rich historical detail are seamlessly written and enhance the depth of the story. From the first page, Alex and Charlotte stole my affection and sympathy, and their hard-won happy ending is deeply satisfying.”
—Anneka R. Walker, bestselling author of the Matchmaking Mamas series
“Dual Devotions is a unique story with wonderful characters. I loved the details of life in Northumberland, both from the upper and lower classes. Charlotte is a strong heroine with a kind heart, and Alex is a perfect hero: brave, honorable, and chivalrous. And the romance is very swoony.”
—Jennifer Moore, author of the Blue Orchid Society series
“McConkie delivers a romance full of forbidden love, high stakes, and fascinating history. I loved it.”
—Esther Hatch, author of the Proper Scandals series
Acknowledgments
A manuscript cannot become a book without many early readers. I am grateful to my critique group, especially Rebekah Goodman and Amanda Taylor, for giving me feedback. Thank you to my mother, Robin Rowley, and thank you to Rike Henderson, Ashlee Zilles, Jenna Augustin, and other beta readers as well. A huge shout-out to Anneka Walker: I look up to you in so many more ways than just writing. I’m so grateful for Kami Hancock, whose editorial abilities are almost as limitless as her kindness and encouragement. Thanks for being there for me. To Daniel, thank you for your faith in me. You always make me feel greater than I am. Lastly, I am forever indebted to my Savior, Jesus Christ, for His Atonement. Because of Him, we can forgive others and be forgiven in turn.
“Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it.”
—attributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Chapter 1
Otterburn Castle, Northumberland, 1841
Despite her petite nearly twelve-year-old frame, Miss Charlotte Roylance prided herself on her ability to outrun most boys. Her titian braids flailed around, fueling her determination as she tore down the hill and into the forest of her family’s estate. Today, despite her best efforts, no amount of strength equaled her older brother’s speed. Christopher had grown up a great deal during his second year at Harrow.
“Wait for me!” Charlotte called, still trying to keep pace as he glanced over his shoulder and then continued his quick clip with his best friend, Alexander Jenkins. It was just like them to leave her behind, but this time she would not have it.
At last the trees grew thick, the path proved tenuous, and moss-covered logs and uneven ground forced Christopher and Alex to slow as they maneuvered deeper into the woods, giving Charlotte time to catch up. She was near enough now that she could hear the satisfying sound of their labored breathing just ahead of her.
“You are always ruining our plans,” Christopher spat over his shoulder as he reluctantly acknowledged Charlotte’s proximity.
“I am not.” Charlotte panted, her hands braced on her knees. “I knew you were going to explore the ruins.” She heaved another breath. “I’m the one who wrote to you about them, Christopher, so—”
“Poppycock. What could you know? I’ve always known they were there.” Her brother stopped and eyed his little sister with the contemptuous glare of a much superior fourteen-year-old.
He was lying. Deliberately, and in front of Alex, to make her seem inferior. How many times had Charlotte written to him these past months, trying to impress him with her clean penmanship and interesting stories, only to be rewarded like this? Embarrassed and enraged, she tried for a fearsome rebuttal, but instead her eyes welled up with tears.
Christopher stood with his arms crossed at the forest line of their family estate. “Alex and I have been dreaming of this place the entire last term at Harrow. We studied the medieval Scottish invasion, for heaven’s sake! I won’t let you spoil our day.”
From the corner of her eye Charlotte noticed Alexander’s blue eyes shifting between her and Christopher. Afraid he’d echo her brother’s words and send her away, her heart dove into her shoes as she stole another glance at him. The future of all her happiness hung in the balance, dependent on his words.
Alex squared his shoulders and boasted a confident, lopsided grin. “Let her stay.”
“Are you mad?” Christopher groaned, raking a hand through his mop of red hair, its shade much more vibrant than hers. “You really think she should come with us?”
“Come off it, Chris, and leave her be.” Alex let out an agitated sigh and stood his ground, arms crossed. “Despite the fact that she is a pesky girl, I heard little George say she’s found real treasure here. I trust your sister, so I say she stays.”
Had her little brother George really bragged about her? Having an older brother and two younger ones was indeed her greatest trial, but if six-year-old George had said as much and it saved her now, she’d give him her pudding for a week.
Alex flicked his disheveled brown hair out of his eye as he tapped his toe and stared at her. “So is it true, Stars? Where exactly is it?”
She laughed, having forgotten that silly nickname. Alex had teased her mercilessly about her freckles since she could remember. The affliction of freckles had not been eased when he’d claimed her face reminded him of constellations in the night sky.
She raised her head high. “It’s more than true. I’ll show you as much.” Without waiting to see the boys’ reaction, she pressed into the forest ahead of them.
As her boots crunched over fallen logs and the hem of her dress rubbed against the mossy stones, she found herself just a hair grateful for Alex. Despite his use of his somewhat insulting nickname for her, he was the one and only boy she didn’t hate. Such a fact was fortunate, she admitted begrudgingly, because he was to be her intended, according to their mothers. How she was supposed to digest such rankling information, she did not know. But as she led the boys toward the path, she recalled Alex’s sure-of-himself face, no longer round after his time at Harrow, as he’d spoken up for her. He looked to be a few inches taller than she remembered, and if she had to admit it, he wasn’t bad-looking at all. Thank heavens.
Alex wasn’t awful; he was brave and kind.
In comparison, Christopher proved the chief offender as far as boys went. Her hands balled into fists. Just yesterday she had longed for her brother to return, hopeful that he’d include her in his summer jaunts with Alex. Now she wondered at her foolishness. She wouldn’t mind at all if he were thrown out with the bathwater.
Even so, she dearly wished to show both boys what she had found and perhaps even unearth more treasures. Sneaking out from her lessons had been no small feat, and she must enjoy this afternoon, for her governess, Miss Gardner, was sure to punish her dreadfully tomorrow.
They pressed on as a silent lot for several more minutes. The bracken-covered floor caused the air to feel heavy with damp. Dappled light filtered through the ever-thickening trees, but Charlotte knew right where she was.
“Here.” She walked into a small circle of trees near a clearing and stooped down to a large, shallow circle of dirt near the oldest tree. The space wasn’t more than fifteen feet by fifteen feet, and she hoped the partially dug-up dirt and moss, wi
She’d always loved this small patch of ancient trees, their trunks more gnarled than the rest of the forest. Somehow they felt sacred, as if the very branches of the trees themselves held secrets. For as long as she had dared, this was the place she’d stolen to every time she’d wanted quiet. But only a few months ago, when she’d laid her back against the biggest tree and picked up her book, she’d noticed out of the corner of her eye something glinting. That had led to digging, then discovery, and finally sharing her find with her brother via a letter. The pieces she had found were rusted and broken, but they seemed like pieces of weaponry. She’d even sent a bit of one in a letter to Christopher.
The trees had told their story—this clearing had been a battlefield.
Alex came near her and reached down into the large space. He rubbed a bit of the dirt between his fingers, feeling the consistency, and then started digging in the pit. Christopher dug next to him, still grumbling that they should have left Charlotte behind. Alex simply shook his head. When he glanced at her and raised his eyes in exasperation at something Christopher said, Charlotte had to stifle a laugh. After nearly half an hour, Alex paused, a large scoop of earth in his hand.
Charlotte held her breath. In her hours of digging before today, she’d found sword tips and hilts and various remains of weaponry, but whatever he was sifting out of his palm was small and colored and definitely not made of metal.
He continued brushing as he knelt down. The tiny something flickered with light. Another moment and Alex lifted between his thumb and forefinger a small stone the color of old blood, cased in a thin line of silver. “My goodness, Stars, you were right. This place is a treasure trove.”
His acknowledgment felt good, though Charlotte thought she deserved a little more excitement from him. Never once had she found a jewel here. Alex sat back on his heels, lifting the jewel to eye level to examine it. The edges of the casing appeared tarnished, but the stone itself was still intact. The entire thing was just smaller than a thumbnail.
Charlotte stared. “I can’t believe you found something so quickly. A stone too. It seems valuable—”
The faint sound of yelling pulled Charlotte from her wonder. She held her breath, but the voice wasn’t Miss Gardner, or any female. It sounded like her father, low and urgent and calling for Christopher and Alexander. If he found her here, having scarpered away from her governess and lessons, he’d have her head. She shrank into the shadows and behind the nearest tree just before her Father came into the clearing. Once she heard his footsteps stop, she peeked out as far as she dared.
“I should have known you’d go into these woods.” Father was out of breath and staring at Christopher.
“I did not think I’d be missed, Father,” Christopher said with all the practiced deference of a firstborn son.
Charlotte had never seen her father enter the forest without a hunting party or flanked by many of his rich associates. And never on an errand to fetch one of his offspring.
“I came to inform your friend that he must go home at once.” Now Father’s wrathful eyes turned toward Alex. “Mr. Jenkins, you are never to set foot on this property again. Your father and mother will be taken within the hour to the debtors’ prison in Alnwick. Any friendship that existed between our families is forever expunged.”
Alex stumbled backward. “No, sir, you can’t mean—”
“I was at your house, Mr. Jenkins.” Father’s mouth pressed into a tight line. “Heaven knows I am one of the men to whom he is indebted, not that I called in those large sums.” He sighed, the first bit of sadness eking through his stoic exterior. “But enough other men have asked for their money to cause your family utter ruin. I fear your life will never be the same, and we can no longer associate with you. Now, be gone. And never come back.”
Charlotte strained her head out a little farther, and the gold buttons on Alex’s coat glinted in the light. It was a fine jacket, to be sure, just like everything he wore. She’d always assumed the Jenkinses were even wealthier than her own family.
Alex had no reply. Not a single rebuttal to her father, and his flesh seemed to turn to stone, pale and hard. Had he feared this would happen? Or known it would? He didn’t even look at Christopher. He simply slid one hand into his trouser pocket and moved slowly down the path past Charlotte, as if she’d never existed.
When he passed, she turned her gaze toward Christopher, whose head kept darting between his friend and his father. He took two strides toward Alex, but Father hissed, “Christopher, not another step!”
“But, Father, please—”
“No!” Charlotte could feel the coldness in her father’s tone. “You have a duty to our family.”
Alex paused on his way, looking back at them, and Christopher’s eyes filled with heaviness. His face contorted as every muscle in his body went taut, frozen in turmoil. In the tight silence, Charlotte waited, hoping Chris would be brave. She couldn’t stand up to her father, but maybe he would. But after a few more seconds and a defeated sigh, her brother squared his shoulders and turned his back on Alex. His chin pointed in the direction of the house, and his steps made quick work of the distance until he was at Father’s side.
Once Christopher had retreated, Alex continued down the lane. Charlotte marveled at how the boy maintained so much dignity as he continued down the path.
“There’s a good lad,” Charlotte heard her father tell Christopher. “I know you will always do what is best for our family.” His voice dropped, but not so low that she couldn’t make it out. “We’ll have a devil of a time keeping ourselves above reproach with all of this. Most of the town knows I encouraged Jenkins to take on his riskier investments. Supported a few deals, even.” His voice and their footsteps grew fainter. “Now we must act as though we never knew them. We cannot let them threaten our reputation in any way, ever. Promise me you will always protect our name.”
Charlotte glanced at Alex, who stopped again, his back still turned as he clearly listened to the conversation behind him.
Christopher cleared his throat, and in a firm voice he said, “Of course, Father. I am a Roylance.”
Charlotte wanted to cry. She’d never been strong enough to push back against Father; he’d never listen to her. But couldn’t her oldest brother at least try to influence him?
She thought back on his time before Harrow. She’d watched him grovel before Father before, but his easy acquiescence now was a revelation of his true character. Did his friend mean nothing to him at all? Alex shouldn’t have to pay for his father’s misdeeds.
As she watched Alex, and despite such a direct slight from his friend, he squared his broad shoulders. Suddenly he seemed to Charlotte as grown up as a man. With his head held high he moved in the direction of the sloping hill that led to his home.
All at once Charlotte’s body caught up to her thoughts. How could her father do this? And Christopher too? They both seemed to always get their way, to boss people around and care for no one but themselves.
She stepped out from behind the tree and tried to make her footfalls as quiet as possible as she hurried to catch up to Alex. When she thought she was close enough to him not to have her father or brother hear her, she sucked in a breath and called quietly, “Wait!”
Alex continued walking, as though his stone pallor had rendered him deaf.
She sprinted until she stood in front of him, blocking his path. “I don’t care what your father did or where he and your mother have gone. Why does that matter anyway?”
“Leave me alone.” He tried to push by her, but she scurried around again to block his way. She watched his face, his brows lowering in defeat, his posture suddenly dejected. “Oh, Stars.” Alex’s eyes shone dark and watery. “You’re too young. You wouldn’t understand why it matters.”
Indignation mingled with her already heightened emotions, and she crossed her arms. “I am not too young.”
