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Back The Californians Save as PDF
Chapters (241)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents
  5. Whatever Tomorrow Brings
  6. Copyright Page
  7. Dedication
  8. The Taylor and Donovan Families1871
  9. one
  10. two
  11. three
  12. four
  13. five
  14. six
  15. seven
  16. eight
  17. nine
  18. ten
  19. eleven
  20. twelve
  21. thirteen
  22. fourteen
  23. fifteen
  24. sixteen
  25. seventeen
  26. eighteen
  27. nineteen
  28. twenty
  29. twenty-one
  30. twenty-two
  31. twenty-three
  32. twenty-four
  33. twenty-five
  34. twenty-six
  35. twenty-seven
  36. twenty-eight
  37. twenty-nine
  38. thirty
  39. thirty-one
  40. thirty-two
  41. thirty-three
  42. thirty-four
  43. thirty-five
  44. thirty-six
  45. thirty-seven
  46. thirty-eight
  47. thirty-nine
  48. forty
  49. forty-one
  50. forty-two
  51. forty-three
  52. forty-four
  53. forty-five
  54. forty-six
  55. forty-seven
  56. forty-eight
  57. forty-nine
  58. fifty
  59. fifty-one
  60. fifty-two
  61. fifty-three
  62. fifty-four
  63. fifty-five
  64. fifty-six
  65. fifty-seven
  66. fifty-eight
  67. fifty-nine
  68. sixty
  69. sixty-one
  70. epilogue
  71. Dedication
  72. The Taylor and Donovan Families—1871
  73. Prologue
  74. one
  75. two
  76. three
  77. four
  78. five
  79. six
  80. seven
  81. eight
  82. nine
  83. ten
  84. eleven
  85. twelve
  86. thirteen
  87. fourteen
  88. fifteen
  89. sixteen
  90. seventeen
  91. eighteen
  92. nineteen
  93. twenty
  94. twenty-one
  95. twenty-two
  96. twenty-three
  97. twenty-four
  98. twenty-five
  99. twenty-six
  100. twenty-seven
  101. twenty-eight
  102. twenty-nine
  103. thirty
  104. thirty-one
  105. thirty-two
  106. thirty-three
  107. thirty-four
  108. thirty-five
  109. thirty-six
  110. thirty-seven
  111. thirty-eight
  112. thirty-nine
  113. forty
  114. forty-one
  115. forty-two
  116. forty-three
  117. forty-four
  118. epilogue
  119. Sean Donovan
  120. Copyright Page
  121. Dedication
  122. Visalia and Santa Rosa Families—1876
  123. one
  124. two
  125. three
  126. four
  127. five
  128. six
  129. seven
  130. eight
  131. nine
  132. ten
  133. eleven
  134. twelve
  135. thirteen
  136. fourteen
  137. fifteen
  138. sixteen
  139. seventeen
  140. eighteen
  141. nineteen
  142. twenty
  143. twenty-one
  144. twenty-two
  145. twenty-three
  146. twenty-four
  147. twenty-five
  148. twenty-six
  149. twenty-seven
  150. twenty-eight
  151. twenty-nine
  152. thirty
  153. thirty-one
  154. thirty-two
  155. thirty-three
  156. thirty-four
  157. thirty-five
  158. thirty-six
  159. thirty-seven
  160. thirty-eight
  161. thirty-nine
  162. forty
  163. forty-one
  164. forty-two
  165. forty-three
  166. forty-four
  167. forty-five
  168. forty-six
  169. forty-seven
  170. forty-eight
  171. forty-nine
  172. fifty
  173. fifty-one
  174. Epilogue
  175. Dedication
  176. Willits and Santa Rosa Families—1881
  177. Dear Marcail
  178. prologue
  179. one
  180. two
  181. three
  182. four
  183. five
  184. six
  185. seven
  186. eight
  187. nine
  188. ten
  189. eleven
  190. twelve
  191. thirteen
  192. fourteen
  193. fifteen
  194. sixteen
  195. seventeen
  196. eighteen
  197. nineteen
  198. twenty
  199. twenty-one
  200. twenty-two
  201. twenty-three
  202. twenty-four
  203. twenty-five
  204. twenty-six
  205. twenty-seven
  206. twenty-eight
  207. twenty-nine
  208. thirty
  209. thirty-one
  210. thirty-two
  211. thirty-three
  212. thirty-four
  213. thirty-five
  214. thirty-six
  215. thirty-seven
  216. thirty-eight
  217. thirty-nine
  218. forty
  219. forty-one
  220. forty-two
  221. forty-three
  222. forty-four
  223. forty-five
  224. forty-six
  225. forty-seven
  226. forty-eight
  227. forty-nine
  228. fifty
  229. fifty-one
  230. fifty-two
  231. fifty-three
  232. fifty-four
  233. fifty-five
  234. fifty-six
  235. fifty-seven
  236. fifty-eight
  237. fifty-nine
  238. sixty
  239. epilogue
  240. Books by Lori Wick
  241. About the Author

One morning, the little boy said, the marshall came and took my Pa. Said hed hurt a woman. But he didnt do that, Miss Donovan. I know because hed been drinking and Pa cant hardly stand when hes been drinking, let alone go off in the woods and hurt somebody.

He didnt leave home all day, I told them that. But they wouldnt listen and when he was in jail I was the most scared Id ever been in my life. I hated staying by myself. Even if Pas passed-out drunk, I want him there. When they kept him a second night I snuck into town and slept outside his jail window.

Kate had no words for the sober confession from this child. She put her arms around him and held him close. Joey clung to her and Kaitlin begged God with a renewed burden to use her in the life of the boy.

While Kates relationship with Joey became stronger, the closeness shed always shared with Sean began to wane. It was heartbreaking for her but she knew the steps from boyhood to manhood were awkward and confusing. Some things you couldnt share with your sister.

Kate and Marcail were as close as ever, but Kate found herself dealing with an unexpected well of emotions over Marcails closeness to May. Kates heart asked God if nine was young enough to forget your real mother. It seemed that every week Marcail was with May she became more her daughter and less Theresa Donovans. What would Father say?

It wasnt that Kate didnt love Mayquite the oppositeshe thought the world of her. But she was also having to realize that a 20-year-olds need for a mother were quite different from a 9-year-olds.

And very recently, as with most things in Kaitlins world, she had talked to Rigg about it. They had grown closer just as Rigg had hoped and there werent many things they hadnt discussed. Sometimes in calm logic, other times at the tops of their voices.

The subject of Marcail was the most recent to come on the table and Rigg would never know how close Kate came to throwing her arms around him for his sensitivity.

It was Wednesday night. Rigg, Kate, Sean and Marcail were all walking home from mid-week service; Riggs wagon was undergoing repairs at the livery. When theyd arrived at the church Marcail had gone immediately to May and wrapped her arms around the older womans waist. To watch them youd think they hadnt seen each other for days.

On the way home Rigg seemed almost pensive as he walked at Kates side, Sean and Marcail far in front of them, kicking a can as they went.

Youre quiet, Kate commented.

Just thinking.

About? Rigg was usually very open, giving Kate the freedom to ask without feeling an intruder.

I was thinking about Marc and my mother and feeling rather thankful that your father cant see how little she seems to miss your mother.