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Father by Design
After the Civil War, newspaper editor Peter Carpenter insists he’ll never marry or raise children in such a troubling world. His commitment to bachelorhood only intensifies as he and his lovely assistant, Trudy Martin, search the ravaged Shenandoah Valley for his missing widowed sister-in-law and her baby.
Ever the optimist, Trudy refuses to embrace Peter’s bleak outlook. Unfortunately, that doesn’t diminish her deep feelings for him—feelings she knows he’ll never reciprocate. But when Peter and Trudy become responsible for two war orphans, will Peter still keep his heart closed to his newfound family...or can he find hope in fatherhood?
SHANNON FARRINGTON and her husband have been married for over twenty years, have two children, and are active members in their local church and community. When she isn’t researching or writing, you can find Shannon visiting national parks and historical sites or at home herding her small flock of chickens through the backyard. She and her family live in Maryland.
Her Rebel Heart
An Unlikely Union
Second Chance Love
The Reluctant Bridegroom
Frontier Agreement
Handpicked Family
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk
Handpicked Family
Shannon Farrington
ISBN: 978-1-474-08446-8
HANDPICKED FAMILY
© 2018 Shannon Farrington
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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“I am sorry for any inconvenience I have caused you in coming here, but I promise you my scheming days have ended.”
Peter drew in a breath, hesitant to acknowledge her former feelings.
“It’s over and done with now,” he said. “I have made my position clear. If you will accept it, then we will speak no more of it.”
Accept that he never wanted a family, that he didn’t want her? Trudy would be lying to herself to say his rejection didn’t still sting, but yes, she had accepted it. “Very well,” she said.
He offered her a curt nod. With no further business, Trudy turned and left.
Give her marks for candor, Peter thought as he watched her walk away. And for grit. She was fast becoming his right-hand man—or woman, rather. She was definitely staff material—efficient, freethinking... But it comes at a price. He stopped that thought, reminding himself then that the matter had been settled.
Still, his thoughts betrayed him. In another time, in another place...
Thank you so much for choosing Handpicked Family, my final book with Love Inspired Historical. Writing this Civil War series has been a wonderful journey, one I could not have completed without the help and support of many people. I am so thankful to my family for their prayers and loving encouragement, and also my church family and friends for their enthusiasm. I am especially appreciative of my extraordinary editor Elizabeth Mazer, who was willing to take a chance on me, all of my readers who picked up one of my books, and Wanda Lee and Melinda, my faithful pen pals, whose kind letters always arrived just when I needed an encouraging word! Most of all I am grateful to the God of Heaven and Earth who holds each of us in the palm of His hand.
Writing may require solitude but it is hardly a solitary process. Each of you has played a crucial role in the crafting of my stories and in my daily life. For that I will forever be thankful! May your lives be blessed as much as you have blessed mine!
I hope you enjoyed Peter and Trudy’s adventure. For information on any of my future writing endeavors, please follow me on Twitter @_SFarrington.
Until we meet again,
Shannon Farrington
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow... and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
—Ecclesiastes 4:9–12
For Erin
A modern-day, mission-minded angel of mercy
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