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Category: Historical Fiction/Romance
Description: Multi-EPPIE Award-winning author Sherry Derr-Wille returns with the second volume of her Double M Series, the historically sweeping family epic DOUBLE M: THE KENDRICKS. With the new millennium on the horizon, Mike Mallon is a senator in Washington DC, while Nevada Jennings is looking forward to a life and family with Marion Howe. In this book, Katie and Steve Kendricks lead the Double M into the twentieth century. After Katie's death Steve is left alone to watch as their children grow to adulthood to face World War I and the consequences that tragic battle brings about. When their son, Mallon, refuses to return to the Double M after the war, the ranch becomes the responsibility of Suzanna and her husband, Clay, along with Nevada's son, Ralph, and his British war bride, Barbara. Together they work to bring prosperity to the ranch and peace between the children who grow up together in the same was as Suzanna and Ralph did a generation earlier.
eBook Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press, 2007
eBookwise Release Date: April 2007

4 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [319 KB]
Words: 70250
Reading time: 200-281 min.

"Besides the drama of the family saga, the lure of THE KENDRICKS is how deftly the surrounding history is woven into the story. If anything, time moved too fast, for I found myself wanting to spend more time with each character. So, I?m moving right on to THE PARKHURSTS, the next episode in the Double M chronicles."--Robin, Romance Reviews Today

"If you enjoy Barbara Taylor Bradford's sweeping family epics, but are a little short on time, this might be considered the 'light' version of one of those."--Amanda Kilgore

"Besides the drama of the family saga, the lure of THE KENDRICKS is how deftly the surrounding history is woven into the story. If anything, time moved too fast, for I found myself wanting to spend more time with each character. So, I?m moving right on to THE PARKHURSTS, the next episode in the Double M chronicles."--Robin, Romance Reviews Today

Chapter 1

Nevada Jennings sat on his horse and looked down on the Double M Ranch. A light rain started to fall and through the drizzle, he could see the men scurrying for shelter.

Steven Kendricks, with his wife Katie, now occupied the ranch house. Construction on another house for Steve's brother, Carl, started less than a week ago.

On the opposite hill, Nevada's best friend, Mike Mallon, stood in the old cemetery with his wife, Maggie. Mike and Nevada built the Double M and Mike owned it. Now he lived in Washington D.C., where he served as a United States Senator.

Nevada reached into his coat pocket to assure himself the ruby ring, which once belonged to his mother, was still there. Secure in the knowledge he hadn't lost it, he turned his horse toward town.

Throughout the ride, which certainly wasn't a long one, Nevada wondered if he would make it. Inside his chest, his heart pounded wildly. Perhaps he wasn't ready to ask Marion Howe to marry him. Perhaps once he told her the truth about himself, she would not want anything to do with Ralph Madison's bastard. Marion was a proper lady, the daughter of Corbit's founder, Ned Corbit and the widow of Jake Howe.

He would have turned around right then and there, but he now sat in front of Corbit's, the town's general store, and Ned Howe saw him.

"Good morning, Nevada," Ned greeted him. "I see you didn't forget."

"Forget? Forget what?" Nevada asked, completely baffled by Ned's statement.

"Ma's birthday, of course," Ned said and laughed, making Nevada feel all the more foolish. "You did forget. Well, just don't let on that you forgot. She wouldn't understand."

Nevada thanked Ned and smiled as he bounded up the steps two at a time. He remembered the first time he saw the store, over thirty years earlier. Then the stairs led to the hotel. Now the area housed separate living quarters for Marion. The old hotel had been replaced by the more elegant Corbit House, which was built closer to the train station.

At the top of the stairs was Marion's door. Softly, he rapped, almost hoping Marion wouldn't answer.

"Come in," she called.

Nevada opened the door and saw her working in the kitchen. "Good morning and happy birthday," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Why thank you. How did you ever remember it was today?"

"I didn't, Ned told me when I rode up."

Marion laughed, putting him at ease. How could I have been afraid of Marion? "I've come for a special reason. Can we talk?"

He could tell Marion's curiosity had been aroused. "Of course we can. I just made some soup. We can talk over dinner."

Nevada hadn't thought about how close to noon it had gotten. His stomach rumbled, but he thought it was nerves. It could be it was just hunger. He was still contemplating his conclusion when he heard the mantle clock strike twelve.

He took a seat at the table and watched as Marion busied herself at the stove. He thought she'd never sit down but at last, she sat across the table from him.

The soup was steaming hot, giving him the time to say the words he had been practicing all the way to town. Before beginning, he took a deep breath. "Marion, I've come to ask you to marry me. I don't want you to answer until I tell you about myself."

"Why, Nevada, I've known you for more than thirty years. What can you possibly tell me?"

"Just let me finish. I was born in 1847. It doesn't take a genius to realize I'm fifty years old. I know it's not important, but it's a place to start. My mother was a cook for a very prominent lawyer in Philadelphia. I grew up thinking my father had deserted me before I was born. The Madisons, at least Ralph and his daughters, were good to us. I was raised with the same educational benefits as their own children, Clara, Amy and Estelle. Clara and Amy were older than me and Estelle was five years my junior. In 1862, when I was fifteen, my mother died. We buried her on the same day. That was when Judy Madison kicked me out of the house. I'll never forget it. All during the funeral, it rained. As we left the cemetery, Judy informed me that from that point on, I would help the groom in the stable. It meant quitting school. Ralph was very generous about my education. I had dreams of becoming a lawyer. I jumped from the carriage and walked back to the house. It gave me time to think. Without my mother, I knew nothing tied me to Philadelphia. Who was I anyway? I was James Prentice, the son of Elizabeth Prentice, and heaven only knew who else. What right did I have to even consider a life as a professional man?"

He paused briefly to compose his thoughts before continuing. "The more I walked, the more I thought. It was hard to decide who my father might be, since I looked so much like my mother. In my heart, I knew it was Jennings, Ralph's groom. He was a good man and I saw no shame in being his son. It had never bothered me until then, but I was alone and grieving. As I left the carriage, I heard Judy refer to me as Elizabeth's bastard son. At fifteen, her words hurt. Later that evening, I returned home and packed. I hardly slept that night, trying to decide what to do. I could stay in Philadelphia and become an apprentice for some trade. At least I could stay in contact with the girls. I realized I had fallen in love with Clara. The more I thought about it, the more foolish the idea became. By dawn, I decided my future lay in the West. Since Ralph gave me access to his library, I had read many books on the subject. The excitement of it made my decision all the easier."