Janet Barton - Somewhere to Call Home

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An Impossible Choice

Some might call it a proposal. Violet Burton knows it’s blackmail, and she refuses to give in. She won’t marry the unscrupulous banker who holds the mortgage on her Virginia home. Instead, she’ll find employment in New York City, earning enough to pay her debts before returning home. Virginia’s where she belongs....even if reconnecting with childhood friend Michael Heaton makes her long to stay permanently at his mother’s boardinghouse.

The freckle-faced little girl Michael knew is now a lovely woman. Helping Violet find her way is a simple act of friendship—at least at first. But soon he’ll do anything to keep her safe, and hope she’ll see that the home she seeks is one they can share together.

“Do you miss Ashland, Michael?”

“Sometimes I miss the times I lived there. But nothing there is the same now, and I’ve come to love living here in the city. It took a while, but now I feel this is home. What about you? Do you plan on going back to Ashland?”

“Oh, it’s still home for me. And of course, once I pay off the mortgage, I’ll be returning.”

Violet’s words didn’t really surprise him, though they did seem to put a pall on his mood. He knew the whole reason she was here was to earn enough money to get her home paid off. But he was going to have to warn his mother against becoming too attached to Violet so that she didn’t take it too hard when she did leave. And he couldn’t let himself enjoy her company too much for the very same reason.....

About the Author

JANET LEE BARTONwas born in New Mexico and has lived all over the South, in Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. She loves researching and writing heartwarming stories about faith, family, friends and love. Janet loves being able to share her faith and love of the Lord through her writing. She’s very happy that the kind of romances the Lord has called her to write can be read and shared with women of all ages.

Janet and her husband now live in Oklahoma, and are part of what they laughingly call their “Generational Living Experiment” with their daughter and her husband, two wonderful granddaughters and a Shih Tzu called Bella. The experiment has turned into quite an adventure and so far, they think it’s working out just fine. When Janet isn’t writing or reading, she loves to travel, cook, work in the garden and sew.

You can visit Janet at www.janetleebarton.com.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee;

he will be with thee, he will not fail thee,

neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

—Deuteronomy 31:8

To Tamela Hancock Murray and Tina James

for making a dream come true;

To all my LI and LIH author friends,

who have encouraged me to keep trying;

To the Bards of Faith and the OCFW chapter

for their encouragement and support;

To my husband Dan and my family

for their unending love and support;

And, most of all, to my Lord and Savior

for showing me the way.

Contents

Prologue

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

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Teaser Chapter

Prologue

Ashland, Virginia

May 1895

Violet Burton sighed with disappointment as she left the mercantile. How could things have changed so much in such a short time? Only moments ago, on her way to the post office, there’d been a help-wanted sign in the store’s window and another one in the milliner’s shop. Evidently, she wasn’t the only one seeking employment in her small hometown, for both positions were filled by the time she got through picking up her mail.

She walked along the main street, her gaze searching the windows of the businesses on each side of the street. When she spotted a sign in the café across the way, a flicker of hope nudged her to gather up her skirts to clear them from the dirt road and hurry across. However, just before she reached the door, the sign was yanked right out of the window. Violet’s hope sank once more, but she entered the establishment anyway.

She walked over to the proprietor, who was putting the sign under her cash box. “Good morning, Mrs. Wheeler. Has the position been filled already?”

The woman looked down at the floor and back up at Violet, her face a bright pink. “I’m sorry, dear. But I’ve decided I can’t afford to take anyone on today.”

It seemed an odd way to word the answer to her question, but Violet didn’t feel she should press. Since her widowed mother’s illness and death a few weeks earlier, she knew firsthand what it was not to be able to afford things. And if she didn’t find employment soon, she’d be able to afford even less. Worst of all, she could lose her family home if she couldn’t come up with the money to pay the mortgage her mother had taken out on the house as her illness progressed.

Violet nodded and sighed. “I understand. But if you should find that you do need someone after all, please keep me in mind.”

The woman opened her mouth as if to say something, but seemed to change her mind, closed her mouth and only nodded instead.

Disheartened, Violet turned to leave, but just as she reached the door a thought came to her. She turned back and walked over to the woman she’d known all her life. Violet didn’t want to put her on the spot, but she had to know. She kept her voice low and asked, “Mrs. Wheeler, by any chance, did Mr. Black tell you not to hire me?”

The older woman looked around to make sure none of her customers were within hearing distance before giving a curt nod. She motioned Violet closer and whispered, “He holds my mortgage, Violet. I can’t afford to make him mad.”

“I see.” All too well.

“I’m sorry.”

There were tears in Mrs. Wheeler’s eyes, and Violet knew she was sincere. She reached out and patted her on the shoulder. “It’s all right, Mrs. Wheeler. I don’t blame you. Thank you for being honest with me.”

Still, Violet felt the flush of anger flood her cheeks when she turned to leave, her stride strong and purposeful as she went outside and crossed the street to the bank. With each step she took, her outrage grew. If Harlan Black thought this was the way to win her heart, well, he had better think again!

“Miss Burton, how nice to see you,” the receptionist said as she entered the building. “What can I do for you?”

“I’d like to speak with Mr. Black as soon as possible, Miss Bancroft.” Violet tried to keep the irritation out of her voice, but she had a feeling she failed as the woman took one look at her and stood.

“I’ll tell him you are here.”

“Yes, please do that.”

The receptionist hurried back to the banker’s private office while Violet tapped her foot as she waited.