St. Croix Chronicles contains the two sequels to Beyond the Fury. Beyond Expectations features Elaina Torgeson as protagonist, while Beyond the Distant Horizon details Madeline s story near the conclusion of World War I.
Excerpt
Excerpt from Beyond Expectations
“The book…” His voice was suddenly choked with emotion, and Elaina knew her intrusion had not just generated anger but something far deeper. What had she done? It wasn’t the first time her curious nature had gotten her into trouble, but this time she didn’t know how she could possibly make amends.
“The book,” Jacob said again, his voice stronger. “I know you have it, Elaina. How much of it did you read?”
Elaina swallowed hard as she finally met his gaze. “I’m sorry, Jacob. I didn’t mean to—”
“You didn’t mean to,” Jacob interjected. His eyes flashed with anger. “For one who didn’t mean to, it certainly looks as if you had been reading for quite some time.”
“I didn’t realize—”
Jacob lifted his hand as if to silence her, and Elaina stood quietly, fearful of what he might say next.
“That book belongs to me,” he finally said. “You had no business reading it.”
“But Jacob, I didn’t know,” she tried again.
“It doesn’t matter.” He didn’t raise his voice, but his tone was severe. “What was written there should have given you some clue. You could have at least had the decency to respect my privacy… Ruthie’s privacy.”
His last words came in a whisper and he turned his back to her. Her heart instantly went out to him at the pain she detected in his hushed tone. She recalled the wrenching pain contained within the pages of the journal as well and wished there was some way she could relieve him of his battling emotions
But there was no easy way to approach the matter. She wanted to be gentle in her questioning, although she feared he might recoil even at the most harmless inquiry. So with a prayer in her heart, she dared to speak.
“Who is Ruthie?”
The stable was quiet except for the shuffling of a restless horse in a nearby stall. When Jacob finally turned to her, his eyes were glazed with tears. Elaina had never seen a man cry before, and to know that Jacob was struggling in this way brought tears to her own eyes.
“My wife,” he said softly. “Her name was Ruth.”
Elaina slowly brought the journal forward, and her hands trembled as she held the book out to him. But to Elaina’s surprise, he didn’t reach for the treasured volume. Instead, he stared at her for a long moment, his earlier anger now replaced by some indefinable emotion.
“I truly am sorry, Jacob,” Elaina whispered. “I shouldn’t have even looked at the journal. It wasn’t my place.”
“No, it wasn’t,” he said as he finally reached for the book. He turned the volume over in his hands as if to assure himself that no harm had come to it. Then he looked at her. The tears were gone, but the pain that emanated from his eyes was so strong that Elaina felt her breath catch in her throat.
Without another word, Jacob turned and walked away. Elaina could only look on as he left the stable, journal in hand. She wished there was something she could say that would change what had just happened, but there was nothing she could say or do that would change the fact that she had crossed a line of no return. Would she be able to regain Jacob’s trust after this?
Excerpt from Beyond the Distant Horizon
“Mama?”
Madeline stopped at the entrance to the kitchen when she felt Leah tug on her skirt.
“What is it, honey?” Madeline asked as she bent down to the child’s level.
Tears came to the girl’s eyes as Madeline leaned in close. “I’m not hungry,” she whimpered as she buried her face against her mother’s shoulder.
“Does your stomach hurt?” Madeline asked. She desperately hoped Leah wasn’t feeling ill, but she had to know.
The little girl nodded as she began to cry in earnest. “It hurts bad, Mama… really bad.”
Madeline gathered Leah into her arms and carried her toward the twins’ bedroom. What was she going to do now that Leah was feeling ill? The child’s symptoms were different from Aaron’s, but what if Leah had the influenza, too? How could she possibly make the child feel better? She felt so helpless, and Leah’s crying only made her feel worse.
“It’s all right, Leah,” she said softly as she settled the girl into bed. “Mama will get you something to make you feel better. Try to sleep until I come back, okay?”
“But Mama, it hurts,” the child cried.
“I know, honey,” Madeline said as she brushed the hair away from Leah’s flushed face. The child was already burning up with fever, and Madeline found it hard to comprehend how quickly the illness had advanced. She had paid little attention to the children throughout the day, and now she chastised herself for her negligence. She should have noticed that Leah was feeling poorly before the sickness escalated. Guilt washed over her with intensity; not only was she responsible for Aaron’s illness, but now Leah was sick, and she had probably been sick for hours without her knowledge. Mothers were supposed to care for their children, and she had failed. Now the household would suffer the consequences.
Ireland 1947. Seven weeks of relentless snow. Guard Eamon Foley is searching for a missing child.
At Toby Appleyard’s farm, he discovers the kitchen littered with dead cats. And the skeletal remains of a woman. Upstairs, Toby is dead in his bed.
First Place Winner in historical fiction in the Purple Dragonfly Awards for excellence in children's literature, and named a U.P. Notable Classic.
Feel like you are in the moment nearly 100 years ago with a young girl, daughter of Finnish immigr
