Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Page Length: 252 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Time Slip
Synopsis
The past calls to those who dare to listen…
An invitation arrives; Abbey Coote, Professor of American Studies, has won an extended stay in an historic B&B, Pine Tree House. The timing is perfect. Abbey is recovering from an accident which left her abusive boyfriend dead and her with little memory of the event.
But her idyllic respite soon takes a terrifying turn. While exploring the house, Abbey comes face to face with Mary Foss, a woman dead for 350 years. Through a time/mind interface, Abbey experiences the horrors of Mary’s life, living at the edge of the civilized world in the 1690’s New England.
As Abbey faces her worst fears, she struggles to free them both from the past.
Excerpt
Abbey dropped her satchel and laptop on her bed and kicked off her shoes. She padded across the room and stood before the window, staring out at the scene below. High tide. She smiled at her newfound knowledge of the river. She changed into shorts and a tee shirt and sauntered down to the dock where she sat, legs dangling in the water. A light breeze caressed her skin and rippled the river’s surface. She raised a lazy hand in greeting to the few boats that motored past. This is heaven. Face lifted to the sun, she soaked in the warm summer rays.
“Strawberries.”
“Hum?” Relaxed, she lay against the wooden planks, a folded beach towel behind her head. Her feet kicked back and forth, the chilly water refreshing on her legs. The drone of dragonflies lulled her mind.
“Let us go pick berries, I so long to taste them.”
“Where?”
“Fox Point. Mrs. Jenkins told Rebecca the tip was awash with strawberries, ready to be picked.”
“How will we get there?”
“The canoe, silly goose. We can spend the night with my sister, Catherine. We shall have ourselves a pleasant outing, if only for a day. Does that not sound merry? Let me take you there.”
Abbey sighed and imagined biting into sweet, ripe strawberries, sun-warmed and bursting with flavor. She heard the crunch of gravel as someone walked towards her and the dock. I hope it’s not William come to spoil my fun. The wooden platform dipped under their weight and a dark shadow blocked the sunlight from her body. She wrinkled her face in response and waved the offender away.
“Who are you talking to?”
She cracked open an eye. Jeremiah stood over her, holding a drink. He shook the glass, making the ice cubes tinkle against the sides. “Brought you iced-tea.” He crouched down beside her. “How will we get where?”
Puzzled, she frowned at him and sat up, feet still submerged in the river. “I fail to I understand your meaning, sir.”
“You said, ‘how will we get there’. Where are you going?”
A nervous giggle escaped her. “Strawberries.” She gestured to the opposite shore. “An outing to Fox Point in the canoe, berry picking.” She gave him a coy smile and splashed her feet, like a young child enjoying the water. “Um. Miriam and I. And the baby, we shall take Abraham. Rebecca Edgerly told me they were ripe for the picking.” She winked at him. “The berries, that is.”
His faced paled, and he sucked in his breath. “Abbey? Are you okay?”
“I fear she cannot hear you, sir. She is elsewhere at the moment. You must converse with me.”
Confused, he stared at the woman seated next to him. “And who are you? Mary?”
Her eyes twinkled and a sly smile curled her lips. She reached out and slid a finger down his cheek. “Ah, my handsome friend, you have found me out. What a clever boy you are.”
“What have you done to her? Don’t hurt her.” Panic edged into his voice. “What do you want?”
She fixed him with a hard stare, her green eyes bored into him. “Take her to Fox Point.” With the toss of her head, a sudden change came over her features and she appeared to be asleep.
Where to Purchase
Amazon AU • Amazon UK • Amazon US
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