*Author's Note*

Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows. I'm so glad to read that so many of you like and enjoy this story.

One of Perry's old friends from law school in Louisville makes an appearance in this. His name's Senator Billings Brooksdale and his face claim is Robert Downey Jr. His part in this chapter is the stepping stone for Nova/Cap.

Well this is it, the last chapter in this book. Well, please read and enjoy.

Refuge 'Cross The Tug

Moses POV:

Almost a week's flown by since the McCoy boys got killed by the Hatfields shootin' squad, tied to the pawpaw trees. Can't say that I really missed Tolbert, couldn't stand the guy even tho he was married to my sister. Pharmer, eh I didn't have any feelin's, good or bad, towards him to be affected by his death. Bud, well I felt bad for him bein' gone. He was quiet, soft spoken, an' was easily coerced into doin' dumb shit by his bad tempered drunk of a brother Tolbert.

Ever since their death Ole Rand'l hangs 'round the law office wit' Uncle Perry all the time. Man only goes home when it's dusk, but mostly cause my uncle urges him too. Jim, well he spends most of his time at Aunt Sally's tryin' to help her out since she's snapped an' is in a deep depression. Losin' her boys was hard on her, too hard. Calvin, well that piss-ant stayed home all the time too. Alifair had taken on the household duties of cookin', cleanin', an' tendin' to her siblin's since Aunt Sally was too heart-sick to do it, instead chosin' to spend her days sittin' in the corner rocker by the window.

My sister tho, well she was carryin' on the best she could. I never saw her break down or shed a tear. That upset the McCoys an' Uncle Perry. They thought that Novella ought'a be besides herself wit' grief. I was actually relieved that she wasn't heart-sick an' mad wit' grief. Personally Tolbert didn't deserve any tears from Novella. Maybe nobody else noticed how hot an' cold Tolbert was wit' her, but I did. Oh, yea, the McCoys were kinda snubbin' my sister an' niece too. Mhm. Nobody, but me, ever went over to her house to visit or check up on her. Our uncle didn't even bother to go see our sister, nope instead he was in his office workin' an' sendin' out Western Unions to somebody.

I skipped school yesterday to visit Novella an' Rihanna. Spent the day wit' 'em, doin' what nobody else has the heart to do. Care. I actually had to go to school today. I didn't want to, but Novella told me yesterday that I better be in class today. I respected my sister's wishes an' tortured myself wit' learnin' an' listenin' to my classmates gossipin' 'bout the dead McCoy boys. Yep, the pawpaw tree killin's was a big gossip topic 'mongst the school kids. They all whispered 'bout what they heard their parents an' other kin say.

I chose to stay out of the whisper circles, but I always kept my ears fine tuned on the gossip. I found that ya learn a lot when you're quiet an' listen in on others.

After school I had'a go to my uncle's law office to work as the file clerk an' to tidy up the joint. As usual Ole Rand'l was sittin' on the leather sofa adjacent to my uncle's desk while Uncle Perry just did some paperwork. I didn't say a word, just walked over grab the files off the corner of the uncle's desk to take to the cabinet in the other room.

"Moses, empty the trash into the incinerator please." Uncle Perry told me as I placed a hand on the small stack of files on the desk corner.

I just nodded my head, signalin' that I'd put the trash into the wood stove, which my uncle properly called the incinerator since he used it to burn the papers an' rubbish that were old or useless. Holdin' the files in one hand I grabbed the small waste basket that was right next to the desk wit' the other and walked out of the room. I went into the room full of filin' cabinets an' decided to put the papers an' folders up first 'fore I had'a deal wit' burnin' the trash. As I filed the documents I listened in on my Uncle Perry an' Ole Rand'l talkin'. Since the walls were thin I could hear everythin' they had'a say.

"Perry, is it gonna be 'nuff money?"

"Don't worry, Ole Rand'l, I'm gettin' more then 'nough money to ensure justice is served."

What the hell are they talkin' bout? Money an' servin' justice? Hell, they ain't makin' no sense to me. I just shrugged an' filed the rest of the papers. Unfortunately, Ole Rand'l an' Uncle Perry's talk just cut out an' ceased after a sentence each.

After I finished puttin' 'way the files I grabbed the trash can off the floor an' went ov'r to the small kitchenette where the wood stove was at. I grabbed a chair from a small table an' dragged it ov'r to the wood stove. I set the can down on the floor, grabbed the fire-poker an' a couple pieces of wood. I opened the stove, tossed in the wood, an' stoaked the fire. Once the flame looked large 'nough I sat down on the chair an' started to pull papers out of the trash can. I was aimlessly tossin' paper after paper into the fire. I don't know how much stuff I tossed into the flames when I grabbed a Western Union out of the can. I saw that it was addressed to my uncle an' was from the capital. The sender was one Senator Brooksdale. Seein' that a senator from Frankfort was sendin' a Western Union instead of a letter to my Uncle Perry made me very curious. So curious that I decided to read the damn thing.

I will be arriving in Pikeville tomorrow afternoon. I have wired the 7 thousand for the Blackberry Creek farm to your account. I must say that even though I am happy to have Novella as my companion in Frankfort as I try to get political backing for your cause I will not tolerate a young child with me. I do not like children. Your great-niece shall stay with you.

Holy shit! Uncle Perry's sellin' my sister out. Hell, I never thought he'd do this. This senator wants my sister as his companion *cough mistress cough* in the state capitol, but that can't happen. I can't lose my sister all cause my uncle's got some kinda shady political scheme up his sleeve.

I can't let this happen, but there's nothin' I can do. I do know somebody that can do somethin' to stop this tho. Cap. I folded the Western Union an' stuffed it into my pocket an' decided that tomorrow instead of goin' to school I'm gonna go to the Hatfield loggin' camp an' ask Cap to help my sister.

My uncle thought that I went to school, but I didn't. Instead I took my horse an' went 'cross the Tug into West Virginia. I wasn't too sure where the lumber mill was, so I had to ask somebody in Mate Creek. The man I asked, the shopkeeper of the general store, prolly thought I was lookin' for work since he told me where the mill was at, but added after the directions the remark of, "But Anse Hatfield only hires men he knows. Neighbors an' kin."

I just nodded at the shopkeeper, left the store, and then went on my way to the loggin' camp. The directions were fairly easy to follow so it didn't take me long to get to the saw mill once I left down town Mate Creek. A bunch of men were scattered all 'bout the lumber site. Some were cuttin' wood while others were mannin' saws an' draggin' logs in an' out of piles. Jim Vance was walkin' 'round wit' Cap, Winchesters slung ov'r their shoulders. Ah, so they were the security for the camp. Nice t'know the best shot in the Tug Valley was armed an' guardin' the place. I bet the ornery beer-bellied musky smellin' uncle's a good shot too.

I wasn't even off my horse good when Jim Vance an' Cap walked ov'r to me, their heavy bootsteps smashin' into the mud encrusted ground. "Lookin' for work? Don't think that lawyer uncle of yours 'll be happy wit'cha bein' a logger for a livin'." Jim Vance remarked to me 'fore turnin' his head to the side an' spittin' out some tobacky juice onto the ground.

"I don't give a shit what he thinks." I scoffed, puttin' my hand into my jacket pocket. "Came here to give this t'ya an' ask that ya do the right thing an' help my sister out." I told Cap as I pulled the folded Western Union out of my pocket and held it out to him.

Silently Cap raised his brow an' snatched the folded piece of paper from me. He quickly unfolded it an' looked it ov'r. I knew the moment what he was readin' struck a nerve wit' him cause his face paled of all color an' his eyes nearly popped outta his head. He showed the paper to Jim Vance, causin' the older man to just shake his head an' grunt out, "Cline's a snake."

"So, are ya gonna help my sister?" I asked Cap as he snatched the Western Union outta his uncle's hands an' stuffed it into his pocket.

"Yea, kid, I'll help out Nova." Cap nodded at me 'fore walkin' off to get his horse so he could go to Kentucky, aid Novella an' Rihanna.

Cap POV:

Goddamnit, what I read in that Western Union Moses showed me pissed me off. How could Perry Cline sell out his own niece, his own flesh an' blood like that to some senator? He's gonna hand Nova off as some high-class whore, which is basically what a companion is to a rich political feller, while he collects seven thousand bucks an' raises Rihanna as his own. Like hell that's happenin'. Damn bastard would get control of her estate cause of that idiot hot-head husband of hers. Seems like bein' widowed ain't the best thing for her right now, an' hard thing is I'm part to blame for Nova bein' widowed an' at her shyster uncle's mercy.

I smacked my horse wit' my hat to get him to go faster, I had just crossed the Tug an' wanted to make sure that I reached Nova's house in time. 'Fore Perry Cline an' that senator does is what I mean. If they get there 'fore I do, well I dunno what'll happen. I didn't wanna think 'bout it either.

I rode an' rode the back woods roads of Kentucky til I reached Blackberry Creek. Nova's cabin wasn't far so I spurred on my horse to get there quick. The only sound in the air was of my horse's hooves gallopin' an' crunchin' 'gainst the leaf scattered dirt road. I tugged on the reigns, slowin' Badger down to a trot as I reached the clearin' that revealed Nova's homestead.

Once I reached the hitchin' post I dismounted, tied up Badger, and quickly made my way up the porch. I didn't have time to knock so I just opened the door an' barged on inside. What I had'a say would make up for my rudeness, that I'm sure of.

Novella POV:

It was early afternoon an' I was makin' my way to the kitchen to make lunch whenever the front door to my house loudly burst open. I looked up, a bit startled, only to see Cap Hatfield quickly enterin' inside. "What're ya do-" I began to ask only to be cut off by his deep rollin' voice announcin', "Moses came to the saw mill, asked me t'help ya." I looked at him oddly as he closed the distance 'tween us while pullin' a folded-up piece of paper from his pocket. "Your brother gave me this, just read it." He held the paper out for me to take.

I took it an' opened it only to see that it was a Western Union sent to my uncle from a senator in Frankfort. Why would I need'a see this an' why would Mo take it an' give it to Cap of all people? Well the only way to find out is to read the thing that obviously holds some sort of importance, if it didn't Cap wouldn't be here right now lookin' like he's 'bout to sweat bullets. I mean he seemed a bit jittery, which was odd for him since he was always so calm an' collected, as he kept lookin' ov'r his shoulder to view the nearby window.

My entire world crashed an' crumbled; the rug pulled out from underneath my feet as I read an' reread the words of:

I will be arriving in Pikeville tomorrow around noon. I have wired the 7 thousand for the Blackberry Creek farm to your account. I must say that even though I am happy to have Novella as my companion in Frankfort as I try to get political backing for your cause I will not tolerate a young child with me. I do not like children. Your great-niece shall stay with you.

I tore my gaze off of the paper I was holdin' shakily in my hand an' looked up into Cap's mismatched eyes only to ask in a panicked tone, "How're ya gonna help me an' my daughter? They'll be here soon, Senator Brooksdale's arrivin' in Pikeville any minute now."

"I'm takin' ya'll wit' me to West Virginia." Cap announced, snatchin' the Western Union outta my hand. Stuffin' it in his pocket he quickly added, "You'll cash in that loggin' claim an' use that house I got."

"What? Cap, ain't that-" I began to say 'fore bein' cut off wit' his deep tone snappin', "Ain't that what, Nova? A bit rushed, brash? Like I don't know. Sam's Hill, this is the only way I know how t'help ya. We got no other choice, ya gotta take refuge ov'r the Tug."

I let out a sigh an' relented wit', "Fine. Let me pack an' then we can go."

"Ya lost your damn mind, woman? We ain't got no time for packin'. We gotta go an' now. Just grab your claim an' Anna." We were gonna be leavin' wit' just the clothes on our backs? Dear lord, did we really have that little time to get out of here by. As if he could read my thoughts the stone-faced shaggy blonde assured me in a calmin' tone, "I'll get some dresses for ya'll t'borrow from my ma. I'm sure in a day or so you'll be able to get to Shifflett's to buy some material an' thread.

"Fine, I'll grab the claim. Just get Rihanna up, she's nappin'." I told him 'fore makin' a beeline to my room in order to grab that claim outta my hope chest.

Meanwhile In Pikeville, Kentucky…

Perry POV:

It was around noon whenever the doorbell dinged, signaling the arrival of my old university friend Senator Billings Brooksdale. There was no doubt that he was a senator with his double-breasted suit jacket, striped vest, and large silk tie. His bowler hat covering his dark near black hair also gave way to his wealthy status. "Billings, how was your trip?" I asked my friend, lifting my head up to look at him.

"My trip was fine, just fine Perry." Billings confirmed with a nod as he walked over to the chair that was in front of my desk.

I was the only one in the office at the moment since I had given Ole Rand'l some money and told him to buy some food and bring it home to his still grieving wife and children. My cousin was all too willin' to do as I suggested. I was glad that it was just the senator and I in the room, what I was going to discuss wasn't suitable for a drunk dirt-farmer's ears.

"That's good to hear, my old friend." I nodded with a slight upturn of my lips. "The land the cabin's on was once my sister's and my niece got it in her marriage to her late husband. Poor man was unlawfully executed for acting in self-defense." I explained to my friend, causin' him to just nod his head. "Sadly, her marriage was a bit rocky at the time of her husband's death. She's mourning, but not as she should."

"Well, the fact that she's not deep in mournin' is fine with me. Will make it much easier for me to bring her back to Frankfort to be my companion as I plead the case of the McCoys' tragedies to the Governor." Millings said with a haughtiness to his rough rollin' voice, leanin' back in his chair as he crossed his legs.

"Yes, that is true." I nodded, leanin' back into my own chair. I rubbed my chin before going on to say in an assurin' tone, "Now, she's very attached to her daughter, but with my assurance that she'll only be in Frankfort for a short time while you get us political backing she should be fine with having me care for the girl."

A large slick grin crossed my friend's dark stubble covered face as he chuckled, "Perry, my sly old friend, she's not coming back here. She's going to be staying in Frankfort with me indefinitely."

"Yes, well, what Novella doesn't know won't hurt her." I smirked right back at Billings. Risin' from my desk I suggested, "Now, let's be off to the farm to explain everything to her."

"Well, that dead nephew-in-law of yours seemed to be a master craftsman. The cabin's build is exquisite." My friend remarked as we entered the clearing the revealed Novella's house and land.

"Yes, he was remarkably good at woodwork. Too bad he was a shiner that spent too much time drinkin', fightin', and seein' a whore on the side."

"Oh, sounds a lot like me when we were at university just without the shiner part." Billings deeply chuckled, a shining mirth of mischief in his eyes.

In our youth he was the wild outgoing playboy friend while I was the proper reserved one. He got into trouble and ran around with all the whores while I had my nose stuck in the books. I saw a few nice young ladies here and there, but I never accumulated the notches on my belt needed to compete with him.

"Yes, well, you grew out of it and became a successful lawyer and a senator." I pointed out as I pulled my buggy to a stop right in front of the porch steps. I noticed that Novella's wagon was on the property so I was confident that she was inside of the house preparin' or havin' lunch. Pulling the parking break, I told Billings, "Let's go visit with my niece." My friend just nodded his head as we both got out of the buggy. "I tutored Novella in the law and she once was my assistant. She'll jump at the chance to be by a senator's side, to help the course of the law run justice through you." I explained as we walked over to the front porch, up the stairs, and over to the front door.

"Good. Now let's carry on, I'd like to be back at my brownstone by dinner time." Senator Brooksdale remarked in a bit of a snip as I knocked on the front door.

Oddly enough Novella didn't answer the door. I let out a silent sigh and knocked once more. "Novella, dear, it's me. Uncle Perry."

When once again I received silence as an answer Billings looked at me and asked, "Are you sure she's home?"

I just rolled my eyes and shot my old friend a dirty look. Of course, she's home, where else would she be? Not like she has any friends other then Roseanna, but since the girl's given birth she's been in poor health and Aunt Betty hasn't been lettin' her take visitors. Nancy's been stayin' 'way from Novella as of lately, a bit disgusted by her past actions and affair.

Comin' to the conclusion that my niece and great-niece must be taking an afternoon nap I decided to just open the door and walk on inside.

"Place is nice and clean. Furniture's beautiful too, not what I expected to see in a farmhouse." Billings remarked as he followed me inside.

"Yes, well, my late nephew-in-law spent every penny he had saved and made shinning to build and furnish this home. He went to Louisville to buy the furniture. Only things he made are in the kitchen, plus he made the cradle for his chil'ren." I explained as I made my way further into the large cabin.

"Chil'ren? I thought there was only a daughter?" Billings curious voice sounded out from right behind me.

"There were sons, stillbirth and infant fever death." I simply explained as I walked over to the door in the kitchen that belonged to the master bedroom.

"Oh, my condolences." I heard the senator remark, his voice holding a tone of genuine sympathy in it, as he followed behind me.

I remembered when at the University of Louisville when I was dorm mates with Billings that he revealed that he lost a few siblings to fever death growing up. That he himself survived the fever twice and the pox as a child. I knew that he felt an instant comradery with my niece's lost. He'd be good for her. Too bad that Billings was too busy chasin' skirts still whenever Novella came of age, if he was more settled like he is now then she'd be Mrs. Brooksdale the senator's wife right now instead of Mrs. McCoy the murdered shiner's widow.

Upon opening the bedroom door and walking inside I found it empty with a pristinely made bed. I did notice right away that Novella's hope chest was open. Curiously I went over to it and peered inside to see what was inside, trying to gauge why it was open and why Novella and Rihanna weren't home. What I saw in the hope chest was a yellow knitted baby blanket and a gold ring, a wedding band to be precise. Missing was the Landon family photo that held tucked in the back behind the frame Novella's quarter share claim to the Hatfield saw mill.

Damnit! Novella pulled a move her daddy, Brenton, would've done. She ran off with that one-eyed bastard, taking her business claim and child with her.

"I'm afraid her lover, Cap Hatfield, took Novella and Rihanna off to West Virginia to live in sin with him. She left her wedding ring in the chest, took her family portrait of her and her parents." I explained, turning away from the chest and walking out of the bedroom back into the kitchen.

"Wait, she's lovers with the man that murdered her husband?" Billings asked as he followed right behind me.

"Yes, but only cause the smooth talker preyed on her at a time when her and Tolbert were having problems. She just lost her son to the fever and her husband was pulling away and seeing a whore in his grief." I explained as I made my way across the kitchen to the main room of the house.

"Perry, my old friend, I think perhaps your niece was fine with her husband's death and might've even been a conspirator in it." I heard Billings tell me as we walked out of the front door. "You said yourself that she's well read in the law." My friend said as we across the porch. As we walked down the steps and over to my buggy he continued his logic with, "If she really wanted her husband alive she would've been writing to politicians or pounding on the doors of local officials to plead for help. Instead she sat back and became a widow."

"Dear god, I never thought of that. She mentioned divorce once, but approving of murder." I shook my head as we got inside of my buggy.

"Perry, your niece is a shrewd one. Having her lover, her husband's enemy, kill him is cold." Billings pointed out as I lowered the parkin' break an' swiftly pulled away from the house. "Since you're my friend I'll still rally for your cause, but you're on your own when it comes to dealing with your shrew of a niece." He told me as we started our ride back to Pikeville.

"Yes, well, I imagine there's only, but one way to deal with her now that I've come to the conclusion that she conspired for the murder of not just her husband, but his brothers as well." I remarked, a hint of sadness in my slick voice.

"Yes, a hard thing to do, but you've got plenty of enough funds to see it through." Billings told me, reminding me that he had wired me seven grand yesterday. Money that'd be used for justice.

Meanwhile In West Virginia…

Novella POV:

I felt like we were ridin' on the road forever. I was sittin' on the horse behind Cap while Rihanna was perched on his lap. The only things I was able to take wit' us was the old photo that I hid my claim papers in and the small money jar I had. We didn't have any time to pack anythin' else, unless we wanted to be caught by my uncle and his friend.

Ick, I still can't believe that my Uncle Perry was gonna hand me over to this Senator Brooksdale to be his mistress so that the man would gather support for some scheme my uncle was cooking up. Worse was the fact that the man wanted my uncle to keep my daughter, to separate her from me. Like hell that's gonna ever happen. Me an' Rihanna are a package deal.

Thank god Moses read that Western Union and had enough sense to run to Cap for help. If not, I'd be gettin' sold off like a damn milk cow right now. I just can't believe my uncle'd do this to me.

After bein' on the mountain roads forever Cap finally steered the horse off the road an' down a small path. I could see from ov'r his shoulder a modest homestead. I could make out that the house looked to be a small starter home similar to the one that the Wallace family lived in. A bit behind the house was a stable-loft styled barn and of course an outhouse.

"It looks nice." I told Cap as we got closer to his vacant property that I'd be rentin' for now on.

"Glad ya think so since this is your new home now." He remarked in his deep voice as we rode up to the hitch post by the front porch. Comin' to a stop he asked, "Ya mind climbin' down first so I can hand Anna to ya?"

"No, not at all." I answered 'fore slidin' down an' off the horse. I walked up a few steps to be parallel to Cap and told him, "Okay, hand her over."

"Here ya go to mama." Cap told my daughter as he lowered her down into my awaitin' arms.

I set Rihanna on the ground an' grabbed her hand while Cap got off his horse. Patiently we stood waitin' as he tied the horse to the hitchin' post. Once the horse was properly hitched he went over to his saddle bag an' grabbed my items from it. Turnin' to me he held them out an' said, "Here's your stuff, Nova."

"Thanks." I grabbed the money jar an' picture frame wit' a slightly lined smile. "I'll give you the claim paper when we're inside, it's behind the frame." I explained as we stood awkwardly in front of each other.

"Yea." Cap simply said 'fore turnin' 'round an' makin' his way ov'r to the porch an' to the front door. Silently I followed him, Rihanna by my side as she continued to hold my hand. "Well, it ain't much, but it'll make do for ya'll." Cap remarked as soon as I followed him into the house.

The main room an' the connectin' kitchen seemed just fine to me. Yes, the table seemed small an' there was only a few pieces of furniture inside, but other then that I was pleased with what I saw. I mean the house was meant to be a newlywed starter home so it not bein' as large an' luxurious as the cabin I'd just fled was to be expected.

I mean I'm pretty sure that Tolbert only went all out and spent all of his money on our cabin cause I was raised in such a grand house in Pikeville. That he wanted me to have some fine things to impress me, to keep me with him. Seems that Cap built a more modest cabin cause he planned on buildin' an' addin' on as his family grew. That he never intended to impress the woman he intended to court with things, but wanted her to pick him for himself and not what he did or didn't stick inside of a house. Too bad he was never able to court the girl he made this house for, I'm sure she would've found this place to be cozy and quaint.

I know that I do.

"It's perfect Cap, really. I don't need a bunch of furniture from Louie-Ville fillin' up a house or fine paintin's hangin' on the wall." I assured Cap as we came to a stand still next to the kitchen table.

"Good t'hear." Cap nodded 'fore pointin' to a door off the kitchen. "That's the master bedroom." Pointin' to the straight up an' down stairwell separatin' the kitchen an' livin' room he added in, "Two more rooms up there."

I nodded and then asked, "Okay, but are there beds in them?"

"Yea, the master and one of the upstairs rooms have beds." Cap answered 'fore goin' on to say, "Outhouse is out back to the left. Out back to the right is the barn, 'hind that is a coop an' a pen. Oh and the wash lines are a few yards after ya exit the back door."

I just nodded 'fore gratefully tellin' him, "Thank ya for lettin' me stay here." Lettin' my daughter's hand go I set my money jar on the table and opened the back of the picture frame. Gettin' the claim paper out I asked, "How much's rent, 20 or 25 a month?"

"No rent. Ya been thru a lot, wouldn't be right to charge ya right now." He told me, takin' the claim paper as I handed it over to him.

"Cap, I can't stay here for free." I protested, watchin' him stuff the claim into the pocket inside of his jacket.

"Ya can for a while. I don't mind." Cap told me, givin' me a look that silently read 'I'm not takin' your money so don't protest'.

"Okay." I conceded 'fore quickly addin' in, "But I do plan on payin' rent eventually."

"I know." Cap simply told me, his deep rollin' tone a bit clipped. "Well, I'm gonna go back home an' scrounge up some things for ya'll. I'll be back soon, sweetlin'." Cap told me 'fore turnin' his back on me, walkin' over to the front door, and out of the house.

Standin' in my new house, my daughter sittin' at the table I was by, reality had hit me that I was alone an' cut off from my McCoy family. The only family outta them that I could count on was my little brother Moses. Hell, now the family an' kin I'd have to get close to were Sawyer, Selkirk, and in extension the Hatfields. I had one friend here in Mate Creek, Vera, and I'd be goin' to her as soon as I could to talk and try to make sense out of my now complex life. I also had Cap for help, which I was thankful for. He didn't have to help, but he was. Whether it was cause my brother asked him or cause he wanted to, I wasn't really sure, but I was grateful for it.

AN:

And that's all folks! I hope ya'll enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. I do have a file with extras and cut stuff that I didn't use in the chapters that I may polish up and post in this book as deleted scenes. I mean who doesn't like deleted scenes lol.

Anyways, Novella has officially defactored to the Hatfield side thanks to her brother and Cap. Perry Cline's shady nature was shown huh. How he uses the money he got from selling Novella's farm out from under her's revealed in the sequel, but I bet ya'll can figure out what he does with the $7,000 or at least part of it.

Ella and Tolbert had a journey full of ups and downs until finally it ended with his untimely death. I hope that ya'll liked how I sketched out and explored Tolbert's character. I tried to make him a bit bipolar or mentally unstable, only way I could figure to have him be quick to anger and cruel, but also be a caring and loving man (at times) to his wife and family. Also, he had a drinking problem since I know that alcoholics had mad mood swings. Tolbert definatelly loved his wife more then she loved him, but that was due to his own actions.

I hope that ya'll liked how Novella's character developed from the beginning of the book to the end of it. In her own way Novella did love Tolbert, but of course held a piece of her heart back cause he always hurt her in some way emotionally and broke her trust. The point when her love for him turned to a flicker from a flame was when their son Tol died, him lockin' her out when the baby was succumbing to the Scarlet fever was the last straw. Oh and his thing with the whore didn't help out either…

The affairs that both Novella and Tolbert had were for completely different reasons. Tolbert had a fear of his Ella dying in child birth (I think I hinted at that at some point) and kinda distanced himself from her intimately, but since she was sleep deprived and caring for a colic baby along with a toddler she didn't really pay it any mind, and sought the services of Misty. There was no emotional connection with Tolbert and Misty, just business that ended up in an unplanned pregnancy. Now with Novella and Cap's affair that happened because Tolbert pushed her away after Tol died and after she helped Roseanna rat him out to Hatfields (he felt betrayed and angry etc). Novella was lonely and in came Cap, but their affair started lead to them caring for each other.

Cap and Nova's story continues in the sequel and as suspected their relationship won't be easy at first. As the title suggests their relationship is based on survival. I need to do a bit of polishing to the first chapter/prologue of Surviving With The Devil's Son, but it's bout a third done right now. I'll try to get it out in a few days.