Love Her Softly

Chapter One

Chapter One

Kentucky 1873

The scent of burnt potatoes hung heavy in the evening air. Smoke from their ruined supper made Emma's eyes water as she cowered behind the table.

"Who burned my damn supper!?" her father bellowed—his angry voice echoing off the rickety cabin walls.

Silas Hawke was a giant oak tree of a man with a terrible temper and a heavy hand.

Carolyn Hawke, Emma's mother, hung her head as she stood before her husband. "I'm sorry. I can make more."

A resounding crack filled the cabin as Silas swung out and struck his wife sharply across the face. Emma winced as Carolyn fell to her knees and clutched her welting cheek.

"Do ya think I have money fer wasted food? Do ya want to throw my money away?"

Before Carolyn could respond, Silas kicked her and she fell onto her back on the dirt floor. Emma screamed as her father kicked her mother's battered body over and over and over again.

Silas had always been angry and abusive but this was different. The liquor on his breath was stronger and his temper greater than Emma had ever known it to be before.

He was going to kill her mother.

Emma leapt to her feet and ran for him. "Papa, stop! Yer gonna kill her!"

He didn't seem to hear her as he continued to beat his wife's body with his worn leather boots.

Emma wished her mother would have fought back years ago against the devil of a man. She wished her mother could have found the strength to get away from the monster. But the woman had never put up any fight against her husband's abuse—and now that was going to cost her her life.

In an act of pure desperation, Emma leapt upon her father's back. Silas roared with rage. He forgot about his attack on Carolyn and turned his attention to his only child.

"Ya ungrateful, brat child!" he exclaimed, reaching behind him in a desperate attempt to pull Emma off. "Ya dare lay yer hands on me?"

Emma was in no hurry to feel his angry fists striking her again—but enough was enough. The man had to be stopped!

Silas spun in wide circles and Emma held tight.

Bellowing his frustrations, Silas ran backward and rammed Emma against the wall. The breath rushed from her lungs. Pain dazed her and her grip on her father fell away.

As Emma fell to the dirt, Silas whirled to face her. "How dare ya attack me...." He growled, rage flashing in his hard brown eyes.

"Ya were killin' her...." Emma gasped, struggling to pull air into her stunned lungs.

Silas snorted. "She's a worthless whore. Never was a good wife. Burnt meals and a messy home... and only one waste of a child came from her womb."

Emma felt tears on her face. Tears born of anger and fear. "Please pa... Me and mama, we do the best we can..."

Silas glared before stooping low and swinging his fist hard. It connected solidly with Emma's jaw.

Stars exploded in her head and the world spun. She was faintly aware of her father storming from the cabin into the late February cold. As the door slammed shut behind him, Emma fell to the floor and her world went black.