Under a Mulberry Moon: Z. Abbott

He’ll risk his future to save her.

After the death of her mother in 1882, Eliza Wells goes to live with her grandmother, Caroline Arnold, whom her parents named as her guardian. Not long after. her grandmother has a stroke. The next thing Eliza knows, her uncle, Joseph Wells from California, whom she has never met before except through letters, arrives in Ohio and whisks her away for a visit with family while her grandmother recovers.

At first Eliza enjoyed visiting her cousins in California. Now she grows concerned at her uncle’s repeated refusals to arrange for her transportation home. A millwright like her father was before his death, he pleads the demands of his business. The longer she stays, the longer she must wait to start normal school in Ohio and begin her training as a teacher. Her grandmother has not replied to any of her letters, so she can no longer look to her to help her.

March of 1883, Caroline is slowly recovering from her stroke. In the previous eight months she has received no response to her letters from either Eliza or Joseph. Her attorney informs her Joseph Wells filed court papers seeking to be named as Eliza’s guardian and administrator of her trust fund until she comes of age.

Caroline hires Kit Halsey, a former railroad detective, to go to California, find her eighteen year-old granddaughter, and bring her home. He agrees, for what he will receive in pay for the job will put him through law school.

Joseph discourages Eliza’s desires to further her education. He urges her to spend time with his business associate, Edward Dillingworth, over fifteen years her senior. Eliza does not care for Edward. The only man for whom she feels an attraction to is the new mill worker, Kit Halsey.

As startling details from the past come to light, Eliza realizes her uncle’s true motivation and intent. The only one she can turn to for help to escape him is Kit—if he is willing to put his life on the line to save her.

Short excerpt:

Her composure regained, Caroline once again turned to face Kit. “Will you accept this assignment, Mr. Halsey? I assure you, I will make it financially to your benefit, and you will be performing a great service to me and my granddaughter.”

Kit considered what he was being asked to do and slowly nodded his head. “Yes, Mrs. Arnold. Assuming Mr. Bower and I can come to terms agreeable to us both, I will take on this task of helping you with your granddaughter.”

Caroline heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Mr. Halsey. You may contact Mr. Bower to learn the particulars of what we know, and what we expect. I look forward to learning what you find. You must be discreet, I know, but please keep me apprised of your progress until she’s home.”

“I will definitely stay in contact with your attorney.”

“Thank you. I believe that will be all for now. If on your way out you will ask my housekeeper to send my nurse up, I will appreciate it.”

Caroline turned away to signal her dismissal.

~o0o~

Kit Halsey’s gaze never left Caroline Arnold as he slowly rose from his chair. He agreed to accept this short-term job, hoping it would prove interesting and as financially lucrative as Mrs. Arnold indicated it would.

Kit realized one of the keys to his success as a railroad detective had been he possessed good instincts. He hoped those same instincts would serve him well once he passed the bar and practiced law.

Right now, his instincts screamed to him the old woman had not told him everything there was to know about this case.

About Zina Abbott:

Zina Abbott is the pen name used by Robyn Echols for her historical novels. A member of Women Writing the West and Western Writers of America, she currently lives with her husband in California near the “Gateway to Yosemite.” When she is not piecing together novel plots, she pieces together quilt blocks.

Connect with Zina Abbott: