Braving the Storm
All three of the Love at a Lighthouse stories, portray the stormy weather that is prevalent in the Thousand Islands. Emma’s engagement is no different. Here’s an excerpt for you to enjoy
Ada wrapped her arms around Emma’s middle and held on tight. “I hate storms. The thunder. The lightning. I cannot sleep alone. Papa and Grandma always let me sleep with them during thunderstorms, but they’re not here. I can’t be alone in a storm. I just can’t.”
Emma smoothed her rumpled hair and gave her a squeeze. “I don’t care for storms either, sweetheart. Let’s climb into your papa’s bed and snuggle in together. How does that sound?”
Ada pulled back and stared at her as if she spoke a different language. “In Papa’s bed?”
Emma slipped off the bed and gently tugged the child to her feet. “It was your papa’s idea.”
A huge grin rose on the girl’s face, and she ran to her father’s bed, jumped on it, and slipped under the covers as Emma slipped off her wet robe, praying the child would welcome her comfort.
For several moments, Ada held the covers tightly around her neck as if to keep Emma out of the bed. But when another huge thunder boom shook the house, she flipped the covers back.
Before the child could change her mind, Emma joined Ada in the bed that should rightly be her own. She ran her hand on the crisp sheets she’d washed and ironed that day, but when thunder rumbled and lightning flashed yet again, Ada grasped Emma’s hand and clung to her, shaking like a leaf.
Emma smoothed her hair. “There, there. I’m here. I will always be here for you. There’s no need to fear.”
Ada’s eyes narrowed, and she shook her head. “You can’t promise that. Lila’s parents were killed in a storm, and she became an orphan.” The girl whimpered, unconsciously admitting the reason for her fear.
Emma’s stomach churned, empathy growing in her. She kept her tone soft, gentle. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Ada, but such a tragedy rarely happens. Who is Lila?”
Ada wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. “She’s my friend at school. She lost her parents when lightning struck their house and burned it down, and now she lives with her nasty old-maid aunt when she’s not in boarding school with me.”
“Goodness. Well, I’m glad she has you as a friend, but don’t worry about the storm. Under your papa’s keen eye and hard work, he won’t let anything happen to us. Now, why don’t we get some sleep, and before you know it, it’ll be morning and the storm will have passed.”
About the Love at a Lighthouse series:
Emma’s Engagement (book three)
Emma Row embarks on a journey that will test her resilience and love. She marries Michael Diepolder, the Rock Island Lightkeeper and widower, a man who seeks a companion for both himself and his eleven-year-old daughter, Ada. But as she steps into the role of lightkeeper’s wife with a heart full of hope, little does she know that the idyllic setting conceals challenges that will shake the foundation of her happiness. Isolation creeps in, compounded by Ada’s determination to keep her father all to herself. As a storm looms, Emma must grapple with the difficulties of being a stepmother and lightkeeper’s wife. Will she find her place, or will the tumultuous waves of doubt and isolation tear them apart?
For Michael, Emma is not just a wife but the hope for his future. But the lighthouse life and being a stepmother proves harder for Emma than he ever imagined, and Ada’s animosity only intensifies it. When the lighthouse inspector questions Emma’s place due to her Canadian heritage and Ada become deathly ill, the very foundation of their family is shaken. Can their family find solace and unity on this tiny island? Amid the swirling tempest of challenges, Emma, Michael, and Ada must discover the strength within themselves and each other to weather the storm. Emma’s Engagement is a poignant tale of love, resilience, and the enduring bonds that can form in the most unexpected places. This fictional story is based on the actual lives of Michael and Emma Diepolder.
Julia’s Joy (book two)
When Julia Collins reluctantly sets foot on Sister Island, compelled by her grandmother’s will, she is intent on claiming her inheritance and moving on. But when she experiences the peaceful, faith-filled island life and connects with the handsome lightkeeper, William, Julia finds herself confronting her open wounds from her parents’ deaths.
William Dodge, lightkeeper of Sister Island, harbors a heart hardened by a past betrayal. Between that and his chronic pleurisy, he wants nothing to do with love. But when Julia arrives on the island bursting with vitality and unconventional notions, William’s world is turned upside down. As she chips away at the walls William has built for himself, he finds his reluctance waning. But just as love begins to blossom between them, Julia is faced with a tempting proposal from a prominent Brockville family. Will she succumb to societal expectations or choose the richness of her island life and the love of the steadfast lightkeeper?
Libby’s Lighthouse (book one)
Elizabeth Montonna, daughter of the Tibbett’s Point Lighthouse keeper, thought she’d love the lighthouse life forever—until her mother, on her deathbed, reveals a long-buried secret. Now Elizabeth’s world has been turned upside down, making her question if she’ll ever truly belong and be loved. But when a dashing young sailor appears on her shore, wounded and disoriented, she finds purpose in helping him recover. Although the man knows nothing about his past or identity, his kindness and character steal a little more of her heart each day. If only she knew his full name.
When Owen awakes on the shore of Lake Ontario with no knowledge of who he is, or where he was headed when his ship wrecked, he has no choice but to accept the hospitality of the lighthouse keeper and his lovely daughter. But as Owen works to repay their kindness, and his relationship with Libby turns into something more, he knows their budding romance can go no further until he uncovers his past. With each passing day, Owen inches closer to discovering the secrets of his identity, but will the revelations bring him closer to Libby or tear them apart forever?
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