Wednesday, December 3, 2014

A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT


I should have titled this article, A Letter to A President, not a letter to THE president, because this is not about any particular president. It is not about politics either. It is a letter to all presidents—past, present, future. I think the Bible clearly states that we are to pray for our leaders, bless our enemies and do good to those who spitefully use us.
I’d planned to send a copy of this letter to the current president, and I hope he reads this article. However, I wrote a letter to a president once, and he never got it, as far as I know. I did get a letter from one of his assistants, thanking me for the letter.
Christians can and sometimes do disagree with the views of a leader on a list of issues. Nevertheless, I think we should pray for them merely because the Lord asked us to do it. For me, that is reason enough.
Thanks for listening, and I hope you will pray for our leaders too.
Molly

Dear Mr. President,
Greetings from South Texas. I am writing to let you know that I am  praying for you. In fact, my husband and I pray for you and all our leaders every night. We are Christians, and the Bible says to pray for our leaders. So as long is we are alive on this earth and able, we will continue to pray for you and all our leaders as we have been doing. To me, it is a comfort to know someone is praying for you. Maybe that is the same with you.
The television is often full of bad news, but I am writing to give some very good news. No matter what you might have done or not done in the past, you can be forgiven and your sins washed away.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, (Jesus) that whosoever believe in him will not perish but have everlasting life.
Book of John, chapter three and verse 16

All you have to do is repent of all your sins and really mean it, be baptized and believe by faith that God’s only begotten son, Jesus, has come in the flesh and is coming again. Your free ticket to heaven was bought and paid for when Jesus shed his precious blood on a cross, dying in your place and mine—dying for all those who truly turn to him. Jesus is like the doorway to heaven, and nobody goes to God he Father except through that door—through Jesus.
Nobody is perfect. We have all sinned. I know I sure have. However, I changed my final destination from hell to heaven by repenting of all my sins, being baptized and making Jesus my Lord, Savior and King.
Hell is real place, and nobody has to go there, if they are willing to take these simple steps.
I just prayed for you and will be praying for you again and again.

Molly Noble Bull



Monday, November 24, 2014

A MIRACLE -- Really and Truly


By Molly Noble Bull

Good morning.
Today is November 24, 2014, and this morning I clicked on The Jerusalem Report and found The Spot Report inside. I love the spot reports because they are always so insightful. But lately, every time I click on these reports from Jerusalem, the sound won't work, making it impossible to hear the report.
The problem was never caused by my computer sound system. The sound worked with other clicks. Only the Spot Report clicks wouldn't work.
But Praise God, THIS morning when the Spot Report came in, I refused to fret about it as I normally do. Instead, I cried out to the Lord in prayer in the name of Jesus, asking Him to make the Spot Report work so I could hear it.
And guess what? The sound worked perfectly. Honest. 
Miracle? I think so. 
Not only that, but when the report ended, there was a place to click on, So now, I am able to hear some if not all of the Spot Reports I missed.
God is good—all the time, and He answers prayer.
Go to YouTube. Write in Dr. James Hutchens - November 23, 2014.
The video is about the End times.


http;/youtu.be/cSas2EDlm8o


   



Friday, October 17, 2014

GATEHAVEN, A Scary October Read




Are you looking for an October novel that will scare the living daylights out of you and teach you a lot more about the Bible at the same time—spiritual warfare vs. the occult? If so, then Gatehaven by Molly Noble Bull is for you. 
Set in a scary mansion in the north of England in 1784, Shannon Aimee, a young and naïve peasant girl living in Luss, Scotland, is offered a proposal of marriage from the handsome and wealthy Earl of Northon, and he invites her to Gatehaven, his family estate in England, to meet his mother and grandmother before the marriage takes place. Her family and her childhood friend, Ian Colquhoun, see danger ahead and try to persuade her not to go. However, she refuses to listen—until she realizes that the doings at the mansion are more than meets the eye.
Will Shannon and Ian be able to save themselves and their loved ones before it is too late? Or will the forces of evil win?
Gatehaven by Molly Noble Bull is a Christian Gothic Historical, and it won the Grand Prize in the 2013 Creation House Fiction Writing Contest as a manuscript and was published in trade paperback and as an e-book in March 2014.
Click below, take a look and read the first part of the novel for free.
Molly is offering 30 free Kindle e-books to anybody living in the United States. Leave a comment and an email address to win.  
Then read “The Strange, The Supernatural and Blood Moons,” Molly’s scary article in the October issue of Book Fun magazine. 

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

FEAST OF TRUMPETS


By Molly Noble Bull  

From sundown on Wednesday of this week (September 24, 2014) to sundown (September 26, 2014) will be Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and also called The Feast of Trumpets. (See the 23rd chapter of Leviticus.) Please pray during that time for your safety, the safety of your family and for the safety of our nation.
Even though Daniel was anything but an evil person, he repented of his sins and he repented for the sins of his nation, Israel, when Israel was in danger as we are now. See Daniel Chapter 9 and verse 20.
They say that the Feast of Trumpets is a two day feast because nobody knows the day or the hour. Some say that the Rapture will take place on a Rosh Hashanah, but nobody knows which one. Join me and others in prayer starting at sundown on Wednesday continue as often as possible until sundown on Friday of this week. Perhaps the Lord will hear from Heaven and heal our land.


Monday, August 4, 2014

MEET MY FRIEND, Pearl Nsiah-Kumi



by Molly Noble Bull

Pearl Nsiah-Kumi is a multi-published Christian Author, and she has put together an inspiring book titled Get On Board and Stay On Board, a collection of poems, short articles and short Bible studies based on scripture. 



Her book is meant to encourage non-Christians, pointing them to the Lord through faith in Jesus Christ, and to help Christians find a closer relationship with God. She is also a very sweet and understanding lady.
Pearl believes in eternal life, and her book gets readers ready for Heaven.
Click Here to Get Your Copy: http://www.pearlkumi.net  
The cost is great too--only 99 cents during her book launch.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

WELCOME TO JOHN 316 World Blog Tour


My name is Molly Noble Bull, and I am a published author. Here is the cover of my newest novel.



John 3:16 is a scripture from the New Testament of the Bible. John 3:16 marketing network is the name of a group of Christian writers interested in marketing their work and started by Lorilyn Roberts, Go to one of the web sites below to learn more.

   I was nominated for this project by children’s author, illustrator and speaker, Elizabeth Paige. www.moldableclay.com. Elizabeth is the mother of four, lives in Colorado, is President of Moldable Clay Publishing and also has a ministry. Here's an example of one of her books for children in English. She also has a version of the book in Spanish.



I am still married to my college sweetheart, Charles Bull, and we have three grown sons and six grandchildren. We live in South Texas.



But the most important person in my life is someone I have never seen with my physical eyes. His name is God Almighty. I call Him God the Father, and contrary to what the Ancient Alien theorists say, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Book of Genesis, chapter 1 and verse 1. 

The first person God created was a man named Adam, and from Adam’s rib, He formed a wife for Adam named Eve. These two created beings, Adam and Eve, lived in a perfect place called The Garden of Eden. But when they sinned against God by doing something God asked them not to do, Adam and Eve were no longer perfect in God’s eyes. They became sinners, and all their descendants were sinners as well. The Lord had no choice but to remove them from the Garden of Eden.
Book of Genesis, chapter 3 and verse 23.

But God Almighty is kind and gentle. He wanted to help man. The only way He could do that was to allow His only begotten son to be born of a virgin woman, grow up and die for the sins of all the descendants of Adam and Eve.
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, and whosoever believeth in him will not perish but have ever lasting life.
Book of John, chapter 3 and verse 16—(John 3:16)
NOTE: To merely believe that God and Jesus exist is not enough. Even Satan and his demons believe that God and Jesus exist, and they will spend all eternity in hell. In order to spend everlasting life in Heaven with God, you must repent of all your sins and follow Jesus by doing what the Bible says to do instead of what man says to do.
God made us. As our maker, He alone knows what is best for us.  

.   As a Christian writer, what am I working on now? 
Good question. I am always working on several writing projects at once in various stages of development. Currently, I am promoting Gatehaven, my scary Gothic historical novel with a strong Christian message. http://bit.ly/Gatehaven. I am also writing the sequel to Gatehaven. So far, I haven’t come up with a title for the sequel yet.
But as I write a novel, I also think ahead to the books, stories and articles I will write next.
   
.   How does my work differ from others of its genre? 
Most writers select a genre and stick to it—non-fiction, short stories, romance novels, suspense novels, thrillers, mysteries, westerns and fiction books for children. I’ve written and am writing many kinds books on all kinds of topics, including non-fiction, suspense, western romances, short stories, articles and books and stories for children.  

.   Why do I write what I write?
I am a born again Christian. I write what I believe the Lord wants me to write. Therefore, I don’t write sexy novels and do write family friendly Christian novels.

.   How does my writing process work?
I’ve only had writers block once in my life, and it happened at a time of great sadness and a sense of great loss. I could not write during that time, and was unable to finish a novel under contract. By the time I was able to write again, the book publisher stopped publishing fiction novels. The book never came out.
So without writer's block most of the time, I write whenever I can find the time. However, my husband, family and home duties must come before my writing, always. That is one of the things I learned from all my years as a writer—God first, my husband second and my children third. My writing comes fourth or maybe fifth.

.   Tell us about your upcoming books.

As I mentioned earlier, I write in several different genres. Gatehaven was a Gothic suspense novel with a strong Christian message. My next book is a Christian western romance titled When the Cowboy Rides Away, and it will be published by Elk Lake Press in later 2014 or early 2015. 
The Winter Pearl is a historical western set in Colorado in the eighteen eighties. 


  
Bride and Blessings is a modern day Christian westerns set in the Texas Hill Country. The Winter Pearl and Brides and Blessings were published by Love Inspired. 

My website is www.mollynoblebull.com  To find all my books, write Molly Noble Bull in the search slot at online or walk-in bookstores. 

Thursday, May 1, 2014

MAKE A WEAK PLOT STRONG

By Molly Noble Bull



Take a look at Gatehaven.
 A published author once told me that my stories were weak because I didn’t know how to plot, and she was right. I didn’t—until I learned to line-plot. In a nutshell, a line plot is the plot for an entire novel in one sentence.
Yep. I said one sentence.
To be honest, that sentence is often very long.
Here’s how it works.

Part One of a line-plot
.   Names the viewpoint character.
.   Introduces the opposing character.
.   Tells the viewpoint character’s goal.
.   Part One ends with the word because.

Why because?

The word because forces the author to develop a major conflict so strong it seems impossible to resolve.


Part Two of a line-plot
.   Part two tells why the major conflict cannot be resolved by answering the because question—telling why the viewpoint character cannot reach his or her goal.  

Now, let’s write a line-plot. It can be fun once you get the hang of it.
There are several genre’s to choose from when writing a plot in one sentence. Besides the romance novel, there are westerns, science fiction novels, thrillers and more, and in each plot there are always two sides—the good guys and the bad guys.
At first, I had a hard time understanding how there could be two sides in a sweet romance. Romance novels are stories about love. Right?
Wrong.
All novels are about conflict. Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl. Without conflict, there is no story. So let’s start with the romance novel and name our viewpoint character.
Let’s call her Laura Ames. 
.   Laura is our main/viewpoint character. The story is told through her eyes.
We also need another character, Rob Branson.
.   Rob is our opposing character.  
Now, Laura tells her goal.
.   Laura’s goal is to have Rob in her future.
.   Though Laura and Rob have feelings for each other, their romance can never end happily ever after BECAUSE . . . .
.   Unknown to Laura, Rob is engaged to Susan, Laura’s older sister.

Plot in one sentence.

College freshman, Laura Ames, is honored when her secret crush from high school, Rob Branson, starts showing an interested in her after she joins the university debate team, but her dream of a future with Rob can never end happily BECAUSE unknown to Laura, Rob is engaged to Susan, Laura’s older sister.

Part Three of a line-plot tells how the story ends—tells how the major conflict is resolved. In a romance, Laura and Rob would somehow get together. But in a mainstream novel, they might go their separate ways.

Remember the published author that told me my plots were weak? Well, now she insists that plotting is one of my strongest points as a published novelist. Maybe line-plotting will work for you, too.

(479 words)

Bio: 
Molly Noble Bull is a multi-published, prize winning author and a native Texan, publishing novels with Zondervan and Love Inspired. In 2011, Molly and four other authors published The Overcomers; Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities via Westbow Press, and it was a finalist in the Women of Faith contest out of almost 6,000 entries. Sanctuary, Molly's long historical, won the 2008 Gayle Wilson Award for Excellence and tied for first prize in the Winter Rose contest that same year. Gatehaven, her Christian Gothic historical, won the grand prized in the 2013 Creation House Fiction Writing Contest as a manuscript, and it was published in trade paperback and as an e-book on March 4, 2014.
Turn on your sound. Click below to see and hear Gatehaven’s sort of scary, one minute book trailer.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRa4h167wHU&list=UUSud14a5OCxl_vBBb1IAf7Q&feature=c4-overview    


Take a look at GATEHAVEN and check out my plotting skills for yourself.


Sunday, April 13, 2014

PASSOVER and 4 BLOOD MOONS

By Molly Noble Bull

Passover begins at sundown on Monday, April 14th, and ends at sundown on Tuesday, April 15th. But when the moon comes up on the night of April 14th, something very exciting will happen. The first of four lunar eclipses, called blood moons because of the red color, will appear in the sky.
Lunar eclipses take place fairly often. However, blood moons are special to Bible believers when four blood moons appear on the seven feasts of the Lord found in the Book of Leviticus, chapter 23. If history is our guide, something very important will happen to the Jewish people and the Nation of Israel near these blood moons.
Pastor Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries went to a U.S. government web site to see if there was a connection between four blood moons and historical events and reported his findings in an article in the May 2008 issue of Prophecy in the News magazine. Since then, John Hagee and other pastors have studied his findings and found them to be true.
.   As a result of his research, Pastor Blitz found that four blood moons occurred on Passover and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) in 1493, and this happened to be the year that all Jews were expelled from Spain via the Spanish Inquisition. Certainly, this was a bad time for the Jews. However, one year earlier in 1492, Columbus discovered America, providing a safe-place for the Jews and all God’s people.
.   Mark Biltz learned that a series of four blood moons also appeared in 1949-50 which was a year after Israel became a state again after almost two thousand years.
.   The third set of four blood moons took place in 1967-68 which was the year that Israel liberated Jerusalem after the Six Day War and took possession of the Temple Mount.
.   And the fourth set begins at sundown on April 14th.
Here are the dates for all four up coming blood moons.
.   Passover, April 15, 2014 
.   Feast of Tabernacles, October 8, 2014 
.   Passover, April 4, 2015
.   Feast of Tabernacles, September 28, 2015
Lunar eclipses are said to be warnings to Israel. Solar eclipses are said to be warnings to the entire world, and there are two solar eclipses in 2015.
.   Adar 29/Nisan 1 > March 20, 2015
.   The Feast of Trumpets > September 13, 2015
According to Mark Biltz, the Jews sing Psalms during Passover, beginning with Psalm 113 and ending with and including Psalm 118. As a Christian, I plan either to read those verses or sing them on Passover too.
#  
UPDATE: A full moon is scheduled for tonight, April 14, 2014. However, the eclipse will not take place until after midnight, making it on April 15, 2014. One Central, Two Eastern time. 
#   


:


Take a look. Take a look at Gatehaven by Molly Noble Bull
   

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Why Emma Right wrote DEAD DREAMS

By Molly Noble Bull 





.   Okay, Emma. Let’s hear it. Why did you write a scary sounding book like Dead Dreams?

Emma:
I wanted to write a story for young ladies on the cusps of adulthood, but who are not quite there yet. I wanted to explore possibilities that could be present in each young person as she travels in this journey of self-discovery and finding out for herself, when enough is enough; that limit that separates what's acceptable from too dangerous; and the possibilities these choices could lead to.
I have always enjoyed a good thriller mystery so I wanted to write a young adult book that has a strong message yet is still filled with intrigue. Hence, Dead Dreams.

.   Is it part of a series, Emma? 

Yes.

.   Who is your favorite character in the book?

There are two main characters in Dead Dreams—one being the more main protagonist. I like Brie O'Mara. She's innocent and has led a sheltered life, and suddenly she's eighteen, and moving out after being coddled by her parents. This new-found freedom is exciting and despite the hardships--mainly about money, since she wants to fend for herself and not accept too much help from her parents--she plods on and stays positive. In fact, maybe she is too positive, in a naive way. I could have been her. Each person could face a silver platter that looks so tantalizing and bright, it'd be almost stupid to refuse, especially if the person offered this option is young and inexperienced?

Excerpt:

Prologue





THEY SAY EACH dead body, a human corpse, has a scent all of its own, a sweet-sour smell. A cadaver dog picks up the odor as clearly as a mother recognizes a photo of her child. Of course, I wouldn’t know, for I am no dog. I might as well have been, the way I’d stooped to yield to my basic instincts. My mind wandered to her, what her unique smell would be when, and if, they ever were to find her.




****************************



After what happened, I decided to write out the events that led to that day and details in case I’d missed something, or might need it for defense, or in case they found me dead. My relatives might need to piece together the things that had spiraled out of control, if they wanted to put me to rest, to forget me altogether. That would be least painful for them. I nodded to myself as I sat in the car. I thought of my most favorite girl in the world: Lilly. At least Lilly’d have my dog, Holly, to remember me by.

My friends used to call me Brie, short for Brianna. But, I could
hardly count anyone a friend any more. I’d have to resort to back- watching if I wanted to survive.


.   Where can readers get your books?

Dead Dreams will be free from April3- the 6th for four days on Kindle. Both the paperback and the e-book versions are only available on Amazon. Keeper of Reign is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and all other major retailers.


Title: Dead Dreams
Author: Emma Right
Series: Dead Dreams #1
Publication: August 26th, 2013
Category: Young Adult (YA)
Genre: Psychological Mystery Thriller

Author Bio:

Emma Right is a happy, Christian housewife and home-school mother of five living in the Pacific West Coast of the USA. Besides running a busy home, and looking after their five pets, which includes two cats, two bunnies and a Long-haired dachshund, she also writes stories for her children. When she doesn't have her nose in a book, she is telling her kids to get theirs in one.
Right worked as a copywriter for two major advertising agencies and won several awards, including the prestigious Clio Award for her ads, before she settled down to have children.



DEAD DREAMS, Book 1

Genre: YA CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER/MYSTERY,
Synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Brie O’Mara has so much going for her: a loving family in the sidelines,  an heiress for a roommate, and dreams that might just come true. Big dreams—of going to acting school, finishing college and making a name for herself. She is about to be the envy of everyone she knew. What more could she hope for? Except her dreams are about to lead her down the road to nightmares. Nightmares that could turn into a deadly reality.

Book Trailer:

Music Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM7MI_3vqyo&list=LL5LsDxBbyw8P6SUMsc-edgA 

   LINKS   (

   LINKS   
Youtube  https://www.youtube.com/user/YoungAdultAndKids




Monday, March 24, 2014

Lena Nelson Dooley's Interviews Molly Noble Bull

Also, read Page One of Molly's Christian Gothic Historical, GATEHAVEN.


Recently, Lena interviewed Molly, regarding Molly’s new novel, Gatehaven. This article is a copy of that interview.



Here is that interview.

.   Lena said, “God has really been moving in your writing life.”

Molly: Yes, He has. For one thing, the Lord is teaching me to lean on Him. For example, I am constantly losing things, especially my glasses. After looking and looking, I finally stop and pray, asking for the Lord’s help in finding the lost object. And do you know what? I usually find it within a few seconds—often in the very place I looked previously.
That’s the Lord. When He says “Ask and you shall receive,” He means it.

.   “What do you see on the horizon?”

Molly: I read a lot of Bible prophecy, and I think American and Israel are headed for some rough sailing soon. But as a Born Again Christian, I know that the Lord has a place of safety ready for those who truly follow Him.
As for the novel we will be talking about today, Gatehaven won the grand prize in a fiction writing contest in 2013 while still a manuscript. So I have high hopes for that book upon publication because Lena Nelson Dooley endorsed it..

.   Tell us a little about your family.
My husband and I met and married before I finished college. We are still married and have three wonderful sons and six fantastic grandchildren.

.   Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?
Before I started writing I read mostly science fiction. But after I started writing to sell, I read one or two romance novels a week and less science fiction. Now I read mostly what I call “way out” Christian non-fiction which is like science fiction except it is true and biblical. Currently, I am reading a 557 page book titled Ex-Vaticana: Petrus Romanus, Project LUCIFER and the Vatican’s Astonishing Plan for the Arrival of an Alien Savior by Cris Putnam and Thomas Horn. 

.   What are you working on right now?
I am promoting Gatehaven at the moment; so my creative writing is in a safe-box in one corner of my mind, waiting to be opened when the job is done. I have the rights to The Rogue’s Daughter, one of my sort of old Zondvervan novels. The Rogue’s Daughter is a western set on a huge cattle ranch in South Texas in 1890. I plan to update it and sell it to Amazon as an e-book, and I already have my new cover.

.   What outside interests do you have?
I love to read, of course. I am also interested in history, especially the history of my ancestors, and we host a Bible study in our home most weeks. I once loved to travel, but since my husband’s stroke a couple of years ago, we don’t leave the house much anymore. But since I am a novelist, I fly away to exciting places every time I write a book.
 
.   How do you choose your settings for each book?
That is an interesting question because I never really thought about that. As I mentioned, I am interested in genealogy, and I discovered that some of my ancestors were French Huguenots. It is not surprising that I set Sanctuary, another of my historical novels, and Gatehaven in Scotland and England where my ancestors settled before coming to America.

.   If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?
That’s easy. I would love to spend an evening with Jesus because he is my Savior, Lord and King. 

.   What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?
My maiden name is Noble and my married name is Bull; so I write under three names, Molly Noble Bull. In hindsight, I wish I was either Molly Noble or Molly Bull. It would take up less space on the cover of a book.

.   What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?
I like to eat, especially sweets and Mexican food, and often overeat. But the Lord seems to be saying Everything in moderation. He also says, if you love me, keep my commandments.

.   What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?
Never give up.
Never give up.
Never give up.

.   Tell us about the featured book?
Gatehaven by Molly Noble Bull
Have you ever known a teenage girl so in love with love and a bad prince charming that she was unable to see her true prince? If so, you should connect with Shannon Aimee as she and Ian Colquhoun battle an evil Frenchman with dark secrets and evil desires. Set in Scotland and England and ending in the state of South Carolina in 1784, Gatehaven is a scary Gothic novel with a strong Christian message that will keep you reading to the last page.

Click below to see and hear the book trailer for Gatehaven.

.   Please give us the first page of the book.

Page One of GATEHAVEN by Molly Noble Bull 

A country estate in Northern England
Early January 1784  

Monsieur Etienne Gabeau wasn’t his real name.
His name was Leon Picard. But Etienne Gabeau was the only name he’d answered to since making England his home.
He stood at a window in his sitting room, smiling inwardly as he looked out. “The haunting presence that surrounds your mansion always amazes me, my lord.”
The young earl made no reply.
“Christians who read the Bible might say the atmosphere at Gatehaven is quite the devil’s doing. We both know why.” Leon/Etienne’s laugh had mocking overtones. He pulled his dark cape closer to his thin, shriveled body. “It’s a bit chilly tonight. Surely you must have noticed.”
“Of course I noticed.” The earl laughed from across the room. “An icy rain was coming down when I arrived. You might have to put me in a spare bedroom for the night, Monsieur. And why did you mention the Bible? Who among our circle of friends pay any mind to it?”
“A point well taken.” The Frenchman pushed back a curl from his eyes.
His thick mass of dark curly hair had more white strands than black, making Leon look older than his forty-five years. But twenty years ago, he was called handsome.
“Still,” Leon continued, “to the local villagers your estate is quite mysterious. It reminds me of structures I saw in France, growing up. And who can forget the red gate which gave Gatehaven its name?”
“When did you learn of the red gate, Monsieur Gabeau?”
“I learned the secret when your late father was the earl. You were but a boy then.”
Lightning cracked the night sky. Thunder boomed.
 “I saw it again, my lord.”
“Really?” The earl’s weak smile indicated that he was mildly interested. “What did you see?”
“Gatehaven…during that flash of lightning.”
Someday I will have Rachel and own Gatehaven as well, Leon vowed mentally.
The earl cleared his throat. “I’ve decided not to go to Scotland after all, Monsieur.”
“Not go?” Leon turned around in order to face him. “You must go.” Leon Picard limped to his high-backed leather chair near the fireplace, tapping his cane on the pine floor as he went. “You will go.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“I said that you will go.” Leon hooked his cane on the arm of his chair. Then he sat down and reached for the portrait on the small table beside him. “I demand it.” Leon’s words, spoken with his usual French accent, hung heavy in the air.
The earl didn’t answer.
Leon thought that Edward Wellesley, the Earl of Northon, looked stiff—as if he’d suddenly turned to stone. At last the earl gazed at Leon from a chair facing his.
“Demand?” The muscles around the young earl’s mouth slowly relaxed. “You have crossed the line, sir. Besides, I cannot go to Scotland. I have pressing business here. However, a French gentleman like you should enjoy such a journey.” His smile was edged in sarcasm. “Why not go yourself?”
“On these crippled legs? I think not. Besides, she would never receive me.”
“I am sorry. But it would be impossible for me to leave the country at this time.”
Leon turned, gazing at the fire flickering and popping in the hearth. “You want the money, do you not?” He looked back at the earl like a hungry cat that cornered a mouse.
“But of course. You know I need money to pay my gambling debts.”
      “Precisely.” Leon didn’t miss the fleeting expression of fear that crossed the younger man’s face. “I recently bought all your debts. I will destroy them all, but only if you do exactly what I say. At dawn on the morrow, you will set out for Scotland. And do dress warmly, my young friend. It will be cold out.”
          #

.   Lena asked Molly how to be found on the Internet. Molly replied below. 

Website: 

Blog:

Goodreads:
Molly Noble Bull

Facebook:
Molly Noble Bull

Twitter:
Molly Noble Bull @ Mollyauthor 

Pinterest:
Molly Noble Bull

To buy Gatehaven, click here.
.   http://bit.ly/Gatehaven 

.   Below is a copy of the cover of Lena's newest novel, Catherine's Pursuit. .



.   Please leave a comment about anything having to do with this article.

.   Lena endorsed Gatehaven. Scroll down to the article below, and read Lena endorsement of the book.  


  


Saturday, March 22, 2014

GATEHAVEN Endorsement 1: Lena Nelson Dooley


Gatehaven by Molly Noble Bull was endorsed by best-selling author Lena Nelson Dooley.



Here is what Lena had to said about Gatehaven.   

A dark, gothic novel with interesting characters and a strong Christian thread woven through it. Gatehaven is a wonderful read for lovers of gothic novels, and I am one. Thank you, Molly Noble Bull, for this page-turner.
—Lena Nelson Dooley is the multi-award-winning author of the McKenna’s Daughters Series and Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico   


Find Gatehaven at Amazon.com. 

http://bit.ly/Gatehaven  





Thursday, March 13, 2014

GATEHAVEN: Part 10 of 10

This will be the last installment of Gatehaven:
Divided into10 Parts.  
Gatehaven,  the entire book, is available in trade paperback
and as an e-book at  Amazon, Barnes and Noble,
Christianbook.com and wherever books are sold   


               Part Ten of Ten

Shannon wiped moisture from her right eye with a white linen cloth. “Ian, why would the earl treat us as if we were servants? I don’t understand why he walked away.”
“Remember, he said he had important business to discuss with his mother and grandmother. Perhaps he did.”
“But I am to be his wife.”
“I know.”
Ian nodded as if he understood how terrible she felt. Shannon felt very close to him.
“I hate to worry you,” Ian went on. “But you must consider the possibility that the earl is not the man you think he is.”
That did it.
Shannon tensed, glaring at Ian. It was one thing when she listed the earl’s shortcomings. But she refused to hear them from anyone else.
“Do not start on that topic again, Ian. It is disloyal to the man I love.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I was looking for a reason for his strange behavior—not condemnation.”
“Your loyalty is to be commended, even if slightly misguided, and you are certainly loyal.”
She put her hands on her hips. “I have the feeling I have just been insulted.”
“Take my words any way you wish, lass.”
“The earl is still the man I love,” she insisted. “He is just—he is behaving strangely because he failed to tell his family about me before I arrived. That must be the reason. He needs time to explain who I am.” She forced another smile. “Then everything with be splendid again—as it was in Scotland.”
“For your sake, I hope you are right. Still, I think you should give some thought to my conclusions. Not all people are good, you know. Some only pretend to be good in order to achieve a particular goal.”
Shannon put her hands over her ears. But it was too late. She’d already heard what he said.
She dropped her hands. “You are only three years older than I am, Ian. How did you become suspicious at such a young age?”
“Have you forgotten that I spent part of my growing up years at a school for boys in England?”
She hadn’t forgotten about the time Ian spent in England. Those were the loneliest days of her girlhood.
“Was it very bad here—in England?”
“Not entirely. But there was one boy. We called him Eddie.” Ian shook his head. “Until today, Eddie had not crossed my mind in years.”
“And was Eddie unkind to you?”
“Yes, lass, he was. But not just to me. Eddie was cruel to several of the boys—especially those who were younger or not as rich as he.”
“But surely you do not think that Edward—surely you cannot think the earl is—”
He shrugged. “I am not sure, but I have every intention of finding out. But for now, I need to check on my bags.” He glanced toward the door. “I will meet you in the garden behind the mansion shortly. And then we will go inside the mansion and eat.”
#
Unless somebody had moved it, Ian’s luggage was still stacked on top of the carriage he arrived in. But before he would worry about that, he needed to find the guardhouse where he would store his bags and spend the night.
Certainly he couldn’t count on the earl for help. He’d had suspicions about the British lord since the day he arrived in Luss, but never more than when he and Shannon talked with him earlier. It was the arrogant way the earl had cocked his head, as if looking down at them, and that had caused Ian to remember Eddie’s blue eyes. He’d seen a flash of anger behind the earl’s eyes, and he had a feeling that Eddie recognized him, too.
While helping the portly footman with Shannon’s box, he’d learned the location of the guardhouse. Ian was determined to go there as soon as possible.
At the corner of the mansion, he was about to take the path to the left when his body slammed into something.
Ian froze. Then his jaw hung loose. He’d collided with a middle-aged gentleman. The man, dressed in black, fell back, landing in a bed of pink flowers that edged the north wall of the mansion.
“Pardon me, sir.” Ian offered his right hand. “Let me help you up.”
The man pressed his thumb and forefinger to his forehead. Ian thought he looked dazed—perhaps bewildered. He finally reached out and allowed Ian to help him to his feet.
The man must have dropped his cane as he fell. It lay on the walkway near the flowerbed. Ian brushed dust and dirt from the man’s dark jacket and handed him his cane.
“Are you all right, sir?”
“I—I will be.” The older man had a heavy French accent. “As—as soon as I have time to catch my breath.” He peered up at Ian’s face. “I am Monsieur Etienne Gabeau. And you are the young man in the carriage behind Rach—behind the earl’s carriage. I saw you and the lady when you arrived—from Scotland, I believe.”
“Yes.” Ian took the man’s free arm. “My name is Ian Colquhoun.”
“Ca—”
“My surname has what some might call an unusual spelling, but it is pronounced Ca-hoon. Let me escort you to wherever it is you were planning to go.”
“I had planned to inspect the earl’s flower beds behind the mansion and then meet him and one of his guests there. But I’ve had some unfortunate outcomes today and would rather not try for a third. I think I shall get in my carriage and have my driver drive on home.” A black carriage was parked on the road to the north of the mansion. “My estate is not far from here.”
“Should we tell the earl what happened, sir? I could go and tell him. The earl might want to contact a physician before you leave.”
“That will not be necessary. I have no need of a physician. And I visited briefly with the earl earlier. I had planned to leave soon anyway.”
“Then please allow me to walk along with you to your carriage. It’s a nice day, and I should like a stroll before eating my noon meal.”
“I should enjoy the company,” the Frenchman said.
Ian thought he looked a little shaky. Ian would walk the older man to his carriage, and he looked forward to inspecting it and the team of black horses he saw in the distance. The man dragged one of his feet as they trudged along. Ian couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.
“Sorry we met under such unfortunate circumstances,” Ian said, “but I’m glad to make your acquaintance. I would offer my hand in friendship, but it might be best if we put that off until we reach your carriage.”
The older man nodded, and then he looked up at Ian. “And where were you going in such a hurry, Mr. Colquhoun?”
“To the guardhouse. I need to find a place to sleep tonight. I am to be the vicar’s new assistant and will be residing at the vicarage. But I was told that he is currently on holiday. I hope to find lodging in the guardhouse until he returns.”
The man with the French accent smiled. “So you are the one. I thought that might be the case. The vicar told me to keep an eye out for you. He didn’t know exactly when you would arrive, and he hated to leave without knowing. But a close family member is gravely ill. He needed to be at her side immediately. So I told him I would look after you until he returned.” He glanced at Ian’s hand on his arm. “But it looks now as if you are taking care of me.”
Ian laughed. “It is the least I could do after knocking you down as I did.”
“You must stay with me until the vicar returns.” The Frenchman nodded yet again as if to confirm it. “Yes, I insist. The vicar would be put out with me if I allowed you to stay anywhere else, and I have many extra bedrooms. Not only that, but I live near the vicar’s cottage.
“I have been lonely since the vicar went away and would appreciate the company. Besides the earl and his family, the vicar is my oldest friend since moving here from France.”
“I appreciate your kind offer, sir. But I cannot put you out like that by accepting.”
“Nonsense. You will accept and stay with me until the vicar returns. I refuse to take no for an answer.”
Ian didn’t like being forced to do something he might not want to do. At the same time, he needed a place to stay, and the gentleman’s dwelling seemed like the perfect solution. He was about to accept when the earl stepped out from behind a stone wall and strode toward them.
“Oh, here you are, Monsieur Gabeau.” The earl smiled at the older gentleman, but when he turned to Ian, his smile vanished. “Mr. Colquhoun.” He sent Ian a sharp look and gazed back at the older man. “My mother and my grandmother told me to tell you that the upcoming meeting we have all been waiting for will be held here at Gatehaven as planned. We would like for you to help us decide the time and the exact date before an announcement is sent out.”
The muscles around the Frenchman’s face tightened, and his thick lips turned down. Ian imagined sparks shoot out of the older man’s eyes, and those sparks were aimed at the earl.
“As I told you in the library, my lord. I am not feeling my best today and have much to do at home. Mr. Colquhoun has promised to reside with me until the vicar returns.”
Reside with him?
Ian had fully intended to accept the Frenchman’s offer, but he hadn’t put that conclusion into words yet. It bothered him that Monsieur Gabeau spoke as if he had.
Edward looked shocked. “Monsieur Gabeau, you cannot mean that Mr. Colquhoun will be staying at your estate as your guest.”
“Yes, but only until the vicar returns. He will keep me from feeling so lonely in that big old house. I want to get Mr. Colquhoun settled in as soon as possible.”
“I can see that you are eager to be on your way,” the earl said. “But if you would be so kind as to put off leaving for—for a say an hour—and share a meal with us, I would appreciate it. I wish to speak to you alone on matters of utmost importance.”
The Frenchman’s jaw tightened. “I am a busy man, my lord, and not feeling my best. I will agree to delay my trip home for one hour—no more.”
“One hour should be plenty of time, Monsieur.”
He turned to Ian. “If you will show McGregor, my driver, where your bags and boxes are located, he will help you load them onto my carriage. I will join you shortly.”
“I will help him load my belongings into your carriage as you suggested, sir, and then I will visit that garden you mentioned. I also understand that a meal is waiting for me in the kitchen, and I am looking forward to that as well.”
“Excellent.” The Frenchman motioned to the portly guard that Ian had talked to earlier. “McGregor, help this gentleman load his bags into my carriage. I should be back in about an hour, and then you will drive us home.”
“Very good, Monsieur.”
As he limped away with the earl at his side, Ian shook his head. Apparently, some sort of hostility was going on between the earl and Monsieur Gabeau.
Not only that, the Frenchman had said his portly driver was named McGregor. The driver had seemed friendly enough when Ian saw him for the first time with the young maid at Gatehaven, but the Colquhoun and McGregor clans had never gotten along. Would his friendship with the driver continue if he knew that Ian was a member of the clan Colquhoun?

Ian had assumed that the Frenchman was a commoner. Normally, an earl would assume the dominant position in such cases. But the Frenchman took the high road—strange, to say the least. Ian didn’t know what this was all about, but it would be interesting to find out.   

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

GATEHAVEN: Part 6 of 10

By Molly Noble Bull 


Shannon already missed Andre, her baby brother, and they had only been gone a little over an hour. Andre had looked a bit small for a newborn on the day he was born, and Shannon was the first to hold him. Ever since, she’d felt guilty that she might have caused the baby to arrive too soon. Nevertheless, Andre thrived on his mother’s breast milk, and Mama predicted that one day Andre would be as tall as his father and his brother, Peter—and as handsome, too.
At least Ian finally agreed to study under the vicar at Saint Thomas Church. He was traveling with them, which made leaving home for the first time easier.
Shannon still didn’t know why her mother was so afraid for her to go to England. The English were certainly different from the French and the Scots, but not that different.
The middle-aged spinster, Miss Foster, had been living in the family’s hunting lodge in Scotland since her parents moved there when she was a child. Miss Foster claimed to enjoy visiting the earl’s family in England and said she could hardly wait to get there.
Shannon confessed to Miss Foster in whispers that she loved the earl. However, he hadn’t said much to Shannon or to his aunt since they left her village. He hadn’t seemed especially interested in the few comments Shannon made during the long ride in his expensive-looking carriage.
Like the earl, Ian never talked much. However, he was always willing to listen. Shannon was glad that Ian and Polly, Miss Foster’s maid, and Dickson, the earl’s valet, were traveling in the carriage right behind them and that she would be seeing Ian often once they arrived in England.
Nevertheless, she missed hearing the sound of the earl’s deep baritone voice. Maybe he kept quiet because he would rather that Miss Foster not hear what he had to say. Still, he looked at Shannon longingly now and again. For the present, she would have to settle for that.
She’d hoped to discuss marriage plans with the man she loved during the long trip. But his aunt kept discussing other topics—dark, disturbing ones—that would probably cause Shannon to have bad dreams at the end of her first day of traveling.
Stranger still, her father had made an odd comment shortly before she climbed up in the carriage beside her chaperone.
He’d hugged her real close and said, “Do you know the meaning of the word wiles, Rachel Shannon?”
“Wiles? No, Papa, I do not.”
“I was told it means beguiled. Your brother thinks the earl has beguiled you.” Her father handed her a sheet of parchment folded in half. “I have written a scripture from the Bible regarding this matter, and I want you to set it to memory. Will you promise to do that?”
“I will read the scripture verse, Papa.”
But she refused to promise to remember it.
“I love you.” Her father kissed her on the forehead. “Godspeed. And may the Lord go with you.”
“And go with you and Mama, too.”
She’d put the parchment in the sack her mother had fashioned to match the gold material in her dress. She loosened the gold string and pulled out the message, written at her father’s desk with pen and ink.
Put on the whole armor of God, she read, that you may stand against the wiles of the devil. Book of Ephesians, chapter six and verse eleven.
 Shannon shook her head. The message held no meaning for her. How could someone put on the whole armor of God? Where would she find such a garment? The earl had told her of metal clothing that men once wore into battle and that he kept such an item of clothing at his hunting lodge. He’d urged her to come to his hunting lodge and see it for herself, but she never had.
She folded the parchment and put it back in her carrying sack.
They traveled through what appeared to be a hilly wilderness where trees were seldom seen. Everything she saw looked new and fresh. Shannon couldn’t get enough of merely gazing out the windows on first one side of the carriage and then the other.
But she missed Ian and looked forward to visiting with him when they stopped for the night. He knew a lot about the Bible. Maybe he would tell her the meaning of the scripture verse.
Miss Foster began a discourse on the merits of owning a crystal ball and the insights she’d gain from hers. Shannon hadn’t known what a crystal ball was or its use until her chaperone volunteered to tell her. However, the explanation sounded odd to say the least, and a bit unsettling. Shannon turned her thoughts to a different kind of ball—the ball in Luss held on the day she met the earl for the first time.
She was standing with her father and mother, waiting for Ian Colquhoun to claim his dance. However, she’d thought of nothing but the handsome Earl of Northon since he entered the hall. She found herself dreaming of meeting him, but at first, he neither sought her out nor glanced in her direction.
The young earl appeared to be searching for someone. Obviously, Shannon wasn’t that person.
All at once he walked right in front of them.
Shannon sucked in her breath.
He wore a long, black coat over the finest white shirt and dark breeches she’d ever seen. What looked like a diamond glittered from his frothy cravat.
“Rachel Shannon,” her father said.
“Yes, Papa.”
The earl had started to walk off, but he turned and looked right at her.
“We will be leaving the ball soon,” her father added in French. “Dance with Ian once. And then we will go.”
Shannon’s eyes seemed to connect with the young earl’s sky blue ones, and his with hers. He looked at her as if she was the only woman in the room, and then he disappeared into the crowd. She never expected to see him again, and when Ian returned to collect his dance, she gladly accepted.
“This will be my last dance of the evening,” Shannon explained as Ian escorted her back to her parents. “Papa said we would be going home now.”
But as soon as Ian walked away, the earl and Laird Colquhoun, the leader of the Clan, walked up and joined them. Laird Colquhoun introduced Shannon and her parents to the earl, and he managed to convince Shannon’s father that it was much too early to consider leaving the ball.
All eyes turned to Shannon Aimee when the earl led her out for a country dance. Their eyes probably opened even wider when he asked her to be his partner a second time.
“I wish to dance every dance with you,” he whispered in a breathy tone.
“But this is the second time you called me out, my lord. It would be unthinkable for us to dance again.”
His wide grin warmed her heart. “I know a bench where we can sit and talk. I am eager to learn all about you, and the bench is very private, indeed. Nobody will be able to hear us. Yet your parents can watch us from afar—as you would expect them to do.”
Shannon never expected her father to agree to such an arrangement. However, Laird Colquhoun convinced him to accept. And her father’s attention never moved from that bench during the time that she and the earl sat there talking.
“Miss Aimee,” Miss Foster said, cutting in on her recollections. “Are you enjoying your journey thus far?”
“Oh yes, ma’am—very much so.” Shannon returned her chaperone’s brief smile and gazed at the earl, hoping he would make some sort of comment. When he glanced her way, she continued. “Lord Northon, where will we be spending the night?”
“At an inn your father mentioned. But on the morrow, we will stay at an inn near a chapel I would like for us to visit. I am sure you will find it as interesting as I do.”
“Then we will be attending church?”
“Church?” He laughed. “I said we will be visiting a chapel—not attending services there.”
Shannon turned her head at an angle. “If we will be visiting a chapel, why not attend services? I am sure my parents would like that very much.”
“I would not,” he retorted. “We will tour the building—inspect the carvings and other objects of interest there—and then we will leave. I will take you and my aunt back to the inn, and I will attend an important meeting with friends from the village.”
Shannon nodded. “I see.”
But she didn’t.
The earl had seemed so aloof since they left Luss—almost as if he was a different person. It had to be because Miss Foster hung on their every word. Things would return to normal once they arrived at his estate.
Shannon had thought—hoped—that she would be having her supper that evening with the earl. She’d dreamed that they would share a table for two—that he would whisper sweet love words as he had done in Luss. But that did not happen.
The earl left the inn as soon as they checked in.
Later, Shannon sat at a table below stairs long after Miss Foster turned in for the night, hoping the earl would return. Ian sat with her.
“To keep you from being lonely,” Ian said.
During the long evening, Shannon told Ian of the message with the scripture verse in it and asked if he knew its meaning. He confessed that he did not.
Then Ian reminded her of their happy childhood in Luss and told a funny story or two—perhaps to cheer her up. Soon she felt a lot better, and when she actually laughed at some of his remarks, she realized that a merry heart really was like a medicine.
#
Peter Aimee stood just outside the circle of light coming from lamps—lamps that hung from a tree and from the eves of the Lion’s Inn. His sister, Shannon, as well as the earl and his party were staying the night at the inn. Peter would be sleeping in a field nearby on a blanket he’d brought from home.
He’d followed the earl after he left the inn to another establishment further on where he heard loud music coming from inside. He peeked in a window and saw a lot of men drinking from large mugs. The earl was one of them. And young women showed their ankles as they danced on a lighted stage.
Peter saw enough to know that the earl was up to no good. He’d mounted his brown horse and headed back to the inn. He wanted to check the time when the earl returned and the condition he was in when he staggered inside.
The entry door to the inn opened. Ian Colquhoun stepped onto the stoop out front.
“Ian,” Peter said from the darkness. “I’m over here.”
“Peter?”
“Yes. Over here.”
Peter watched as Ian moved toward him.
“It’s awfully dark out here, my friend,” Ian said, “and the dim light coming from the inn helps but a little. Will you join me at a table inside? You must be starving.”
“True, I am hungry. But it’s too risky for me to be seen at an inn where my sister is sleeping. She would be furious if she knew I followed her here. I have no wish that the earl find me here either.”
“Shannon was very tired and went up to bed.” Ian shrugged. “I cannot say where the earl might be.”
“I can. I followed him, and the earl went out for a night of drinking. I doubt he will return until the early hours of the morning.”
“Then I see no reason why you cannot come inside.” Ian motioned toward a path at the side of inn. “There is a back door to the eating area. Go around to the back, knock, and I will open the door. We will take a table near the door. And while we talk, you can eat your supper.”
Peter nodded. “I might regret this, but I am too tired and hungry to argue. I will knock on the back door shortly.”
“And I will open it as soon as you do.”
#
Ian went back inside.
The plump, middle-aged woman who had served their supper stood just inside the door. She sent him a toothless smile.
“Lass,” Ian said as if he thought he was talking to a much younger woman, “please send someone to the table in the back a bit later. I will be likin’ to eat another bowl of stew.”
The woman laughed. “Eatin’ again, are ya?”
He nodded and grinned.
“You’re a handsome, lad, you know. But if you keep eating two suppers a night, you’ll soon be lookin’ like me husband.” She motioned toward the rotund little man with the bald head standing behind the counter.
Ian couldn’t keep from laughing. “Wait a few minutes before bringing my order. As I said, I’ll be hungrier by then.”
The woman’s loud giggle echoed all around him as Ian hurried to the back of the eating area. After a moment, he heard a knock and opened the door.
“Come in while nobody is watching.” Ian motioned to the table nearest the door. “We will sit there.”
Ian pulled out a chair and sat down. Then Peter did.
“The mutton stew is good here.” Ian grinned. “In fact, it is the only meal they serve.”
“Then I feel sure I will be having stew.”
They both laughed.
“We will not be traveling all the way to Edinburgh on the morrow as I would have thought,” Ian said. “We will only be going as far as the village of Rosslyn. The wife of the innkeeper here is a talker, and she told me a little about strange doings in that village.”
“Strange doings?” Peter leaned forward in his chair. “I am eager to hear what she said.”
“Well, the innkeeper’s wife claims that Rosslyn is known as a place where the wee people live—as well as ghosts and goblins. And she says that she knows for a fact that a Black Mass was held there once.”
“A Black Mass, did you say?”
“You heard right.”
Peter’s forehead wrinkled. “So why would the earl be stopping there on his way to England?”
Ian shrugged. “I have not one idea in my mind.”
“I will travel to Rosslyn before ya—if I can,” Peter said. “I want to find out what business the earl might have in Rosslyn and more about the village. I don’t believe in the existence of fairies and the like, but the Black Mass concerns me. I have heard of odd happenings around here, and I want to know more about all of this.”
That night before blowing out the light in his room, Ian read his pastor’s second letter again—the one from the vicar in England.
Dear Pastor Petit,
I was delighted to hear from you. However, I was sorry to learn that you are related to the murdered woman. Please accept my belated condolences. Most of what I know is hearsay, and as men of God, we cannot condemn a person to prison without two witnesses. I have none. Here are the facts I do know to be true.
The murder of your cousin, Magdalena Petit, took place in the English village of Cert. A well-dressed Frenchman, a man in the clothes of a monk, and two or three other men spent the night of the murder at an inn in the village.
A young barmaid employed at the inn told the innkeeper that the handsome young Frenchman she found so interesting said he was born in England of French parents. However, the monk told someone else in the village that they had only recently arrived in England from France. Another witness stated that he saw a monk and two other men walking away from the area where Magdalena lived after the fire started, but nobody saw who started the fire or who killed Miss Petit.
The next morning after the murder, the Frenchman and the other strangers moved on. They were never seen again.
You said in your letter that your late cousin was a French Protestant or what you would call a Huguenot. Could that have been the motive for your cousin’s death? Or was it perhaps for reasons unrelated to religion?
Some in my parish are telling tales of witchcraft in our midst and of young girls disappearing and never being seen again. I am sure it is merely idle talk started by gossips with little to keep them busy at home. Still, I do wonder. Do some members of your congregation report such mischief as well? Or is this unique to my parish?
Ian shook his head, folding the letter in half. He’d tried to convince Shannon’s parents not to let her go to England. But after they met Miss Foster, they gave their permission.
Apparently, the earl’s aunt made a good first impression. Ian could only hope Shannon’s parents were right about the woman, but he had doubts. He put the letter with the others and tried not to think about the missing young woman the vicar mentioned.
Each time he read one of the letters, he became more convinced that he was a part of an important mission. The letters were keys that fit unknown locks. Doors needed to be opened if he hoped to save Shannon and find a murderer. Somehow, he knew he must act as a watchman on the wall until his mission was complete--no matter how long it took.
For now, he would read and study the Bible, and then he would go to sleep.

#

To read Part 7 of the Gatehaven series, go to Emma Tcheau's blog. The address is below.

http://www.emmaright.com/Blog/tabid/92/ID/166/Christian-Book-Excerpt-Tour-for-Gatehaven-and-Giveaway-to-win-100.aspx


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Then scroll down and read "Welcome Back, Teresa Slack."