Loving Liza Jane

With her usual wit and passion, Shar introduces her readers to Liza Jane Merriwether. The story of Liza is one of determination and grace, told with delightful attention to detail and emotion. Shar’s readers will love this first book and look forward to reading more from the Little Hickman Creek series.

—Jean E. Syswerda
Former Editor & Associate Publisher, Zondervan Bibles
Co-author of the best-selling book, Women of the Bible

Once again, Sharlene MacLaren has written a well-crafted story with very real characters whose journeys are far from perfect, but full of hope, faith, and love for God. Readers will identify with the mistakes the zealous, lovable, yet obstinate, Liza Jane Merriwether makes along the way. And they’ll sympathize with Benjamin Broughton, the English farmer, who tries to manage his property, care for his motherless daughters, and guard his heart against the willful new schoolteacher.

A colorful lot of characters, the simple, kindly folk of Little Hickman Creek, Kentucky, will endear themselves to MacLaren’s readers, luring them to the next book in the series. Loving Liza Jane introduces not only the small, spitfire teacher and the tall, handsome widower, but a host of other fascinating and amusing individuals. Simply put, Loving Liza Jane is the key that unlocks the door to more adventure.

—Mary Hawkins
Author of the 4-in-1 inspirational romance,
Australian Outback, and the bestseller, Australia

A hero reminiscent of Lancelot and a heroine as stubborn as Annie Oakley make Loving Liza Jane an engaging romance.

—Ane Mulligan
Reviewer for noveljourney.blogspot.com

Loving Liza Jane, the first installment in MacLaren’s Little Hickman Creek Series, is a sweet and involving story of two people so determined to do God’s will that they sometimes forget to seek what it might be. The relationships are touching and deep, the characters are believable and inviting, and the town of Little Hickman feels like home.…Loving Liza Jane is a great choice for any lover of romance or historicals.

—Roseanna White
Senior Reviewer, Christian Review of Books

When I first received Loving Liza Jane, I thought it would be just another prairie romance novel….However, this was not the typical story at all, and though it contained the basic sketch of characters, it strayed from the usual outline. I enjoyed the variation from typical plot scenarios and experienced more than a few surprises in this one!

The author made this novel shine….Wonderful story! I can’t wait for the sequel!

—Michelle Sutton (pen name)
“writing truth into fiction”
http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com

Loving Liza Jane is a delightful romantic excursion into “yesteryear,” a story that reads like Anne of Green Gables meets Laura Ingalls Wilder.

—Kevin Lucia
www.titletrakk.com

Publisher’s note: This novel is a work of fiction. References to real events, organizations, or places are used in a fictional context. Any resemblances to actual persons,
living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Loving Liza Jane

First in the Little Hickman Creek Series

To contact the author, Sharlene MacLaren:

e-mail: [email protected]

website: www.sharlenemaclaren.com

ISBN-13: 978-0-88368-816-8 • ISBN-10: 0-88368-816-6

Printed in the United States of America

© 2007 by Sharlene MacLaren

1030 Hunt Valley Circle

New Kensington, PA 15068

www.whitakerhouse.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

MacLaren, Sharlene, 1948–

Loving Liza Jane / Sharlene MacLaren.

p. cm. — (Little Hickman Creek series)

Summary: “Feisty Liza Jane Merriwether discovers that God is the ultimate Matchmaker when she moves to Little Hickman Creek, Kentucky, to become the new schoolteacher; she meets a widowed farmer who falls in love with her, but he has already sent for a mail-order bride”—Provided by publisher.

ISBN-13: 978-0-88368-816-8 (trade pbk. : alk. paper)

ISBN-10: 0-88368-816-6 (trade pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Teachers—Fiction.
2. Widowers—Fiction. 3. Mail order brides—Fiction. 4. Kentucky—Fiction.
I. Title.

PS3613.A27356L68 2007

813’.6—dc22

2006100116

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical—including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system—without permission in writing from the publisher. Please direct your inquiries to [email protected].

To Kendra and Krista,

Precious daughters,

Cherished friends.

August, 1895

Twenty-one-year-old Eliza Jane Merriwether, better known as Liza, had never been one for self-pity. No sir, if things didn’t go her way, which often they did not, she simply sucked in a deep breath, held her head high, gathered up her skirts, of which there were many, and marched forward, gaining fortitude with every step.

This, however, took the cake, tested her endurance, if not her dwindling courage, to its very limits. More than once, she’d had to ask God if He was sure about the direction He was sending her, and every time she received some form of affirmation. Still, she couldn’t help but speculate.

The hot August sun beat down on Liza’s shoulders, its relentless heat seeming to burn a hole straight through the material of her cotton gown. Dust gathered on her brow and eyelids, the grime mixing with beads of perspiration that she fruitlessly dabbed at with her now soiled handkerchief.

Just where was this town of Little Hickman, Kentucky? And how many more bumps along the dirt track, which the driver had taken the liberty of calling a road, must she submit herself to before reaching her destination? If there was one rut, there had to be at least a million, every one into which she was certain Mr. Brackett had managed to drop a wheel.

“Hang onto yer hat, little lady,” called the driver as they flew over another bump. Too late, Liza grabbed for her fancy bonnet, only to watch it fly to the dusty earth below, turn over onto its side, and roll like a wheel into the nearest mud hole.

“My hat! Stop, Mr. Brackett. I need my hat.”

“Sorry, ma’am; ain’t got ’nough time to go back. ’Sides, the thing is flat-out ruin’t by now.” His words were lost to the hot, driving wind, as he veered into the next rocky bend, making no effort whatever to slow down his rig, if anything, encouraging his team of draft horses to gather more speed.

“What? Well, I never! I purchased that hat at Wentworth’s Department Store in Boston along with this fine dress just before departing. Surely you can imagine how much I paid for it.” Of course, she wouldn’t mention the fact that after days of wearing it she would have liked to have dispensed with it altogether.

Mr. Brackett inspected her, his beady eyes narrowing to mere dots on his round, bulbous face. His jowls waggled with every bounce of the springs beneath his rotund body; and although Liza tried not to stare at him, she couldn’t help but notice how much he resembled an overgrown ox.

“Lady, where we’re headin’ you ain’t gonna be needin’ no highfalutin’ hat,” he said with a laugh just before slowing the horses’ pace. The one called Puddin’ snorted appreciatively and threw his head sideways.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your opinions to yourself,” she said, sitting ramrod straight to accentuate the statement.

Mr. Brackett’s bulging arms flopped to and fro as he handled the reins. Throwing her a swaggering, mostly toothless grin, he said, “I’ll keep that in mind, miss.” To this, he laughed so hard and loud that spittle flew from his mouth and with it a shot of the foulest breath she’d ever whiffed.

Liza took advantage of the next several miles of quietude Mr. Brackett afforded her by glancing out over the colorful landscape, grasslands dotted with wildflowers, low mountains in the distance, an outlying pasture accommodating a sprinkling of cows and horses, a ramshackle barn, and a deserted meadow that looked to have once been farmland.

To say her trip from the Cape had been an easy one would have been an outright lie. Still, she couldn’t deny it’d been interesting; certainly, it warranted a newsy letter to Aunt Hettie and Uncle Gideon upon her arrival. Of course, she would leave out the parts about sleeping next to a grizzled old man on the overcrowded train, refusing to eat one more sliver of beef jerky and cold beans offered by Mr. Brackett when there was nothing else to choose from, and coming upon a rattler when she’d run into the bushes to relieve herself. Aunt Hettie would have a conniption fit if Liza were to enlighten her on every aspect of her journey.

Why she’d thought it necessary to purchase a new outfit for her travels was beyond her. Everything was all but ruined; add to that her now missing hat. She’d so wanted to arrive in Little Hickman making a good impression. Oh, she’d make an impression all right, but it would be far from good if folks were prone to make judgments based on appearance. They would want a proper, genteel lady to teach their children, not someone completely disheveled, as she now obviously was. Well, bother! They’d hired her to be the new teacher sight unseen. They would just have to accept what arrived.