A Loving Vow To Be Made (Book 1 of The Loving You Series)

Chapter 1.

Bannock, Montana 1862.

All was quiet for once in the small house that Savannah Eden lived in with her little sister and her father. Their lives were ruined every day because of the violent rambling that their father Jon Eden did every day since her mother's passing. Very little harmony even existed within her family. Not many girls her age would be able to handle what went on behind closed doors in her house. It seemed like every day, Savannah was taking on the bruises and beatings that her father cast her way because she wanted Quinn to avoid the danger. Her father was probably out somewhere getting drunk again, with what means of money she had no idea. They didn't have much left when it came to valuables that once decorated their home when her mother was still alive, and whenever Savannah came into some money, her father would snatch it up so that he would continue to buy more whiskey. Although her father barely shown either of them any love or a kind visage, Savannah knew that deep down her father did love them, he was just in the throes of deep grief for their mother. Ruth Eden was the rock to her husband, it was she who kept him line, it was she who controlled the purse strings in their household, and it was the radiating strength of her mother that shown Savannah that when you got passed the mean looks and the gruff tone, that her father was as gentle as a puppy, when his mind wasn't controlled by the addictive thirst of whiskey. Her thoughts on their lives were interrupted by the tugging of her night rail sleeve. Savannah looked down her side of the bed only to spot Quinn crying and tugging on her sleeve.

"Vannah, are you awake? I had a bad dream, can I sleep with you?"

Twenty-One year old, Savannah removed the covers that were covering her, swung her legs from the bed and sat up, she then picked up her four year old sister and held her within her arms like you would when you were cradling a baby, and proceeded to kiss her in the forehead and began rocking her to sleep.

"Shush, honey there's no need to cry loving, I'm here for you, I promise."

When Savannah heard the gentle breathing of her sister, she knew that the rocking helped put her back to sleep and although Savannah's arms were beginning to fall asleep, Savannah continued to hold her close to her heart. She had to think of a way to survive, she knew deep down that she and Quinn could not continue residing with their father, she had to find a way to live on their own. When she thought about what places she could go and require for her work, her shoulders slumped in remediate defeat, there wasn't much to do here in Bannack. The only buildings she knew of that might be offering work was Miss Nadia's boarding house as a maid, then again there was also the Red Velvet Saloon, but Savannah promised her mother on the day before she died that she would never work in that sort of establishment. Maybe the schoolhouse is looking for a new teacher, she overheard Mayor Moore, talking to his wife Gloria about the need for a new school teacher at church last Sunday. But the only problem that Savannah had with their suggestion was the fact that Savannah only made it till the fourth grade before she had to stop school and help her weak mother raise Quinn when she was an infant. There was also the general store that Mr. Timothy Pearson and his wife Rosie ran. Perhaps they needed some extra help. With that thought in mind, Savannah laid down in bed with Quinn in her arms and promptly closed her eyes and ordered her mind to shut down in order for her to rest.