Chapter Two excerpt from No Gentleman Is He

No Gentleman Is He, the first book in the Sons of Liberty series by Carley Bauer and Lynette Willows was released by TirgearrPublishing on March 7. 

Monday I posted an excerpt from Chapter 1. Today I am posting an excerpt from Chapter 2.
Cover Blurb: 

Young, adventurous and widowed in a new land, Cassandra Courtney Brooks finds her dream of raising a superior breed of saddle horse slipping away with the death of her husband. Left with four horses, living in a tavern attic, and her scant savings depleting, she resolves to see her vision through to fruition by accepting the scandalous position of steward at Varina Farms.   Born in the image of his native ancestry, Colton Rolfe’s savage blood runs through his veins. Scorned by his father, Colt grew into a man of ill temperament whose only interest is the wild equine beasts on his plantation. His desire to breed his horses with the superior Thoroughbreds of the newly widowed Cassandra Brooks leads him to abandon societal rules. Colt’s growing resentment toward the Crown and his assistance to Sons of Liberty missions is complicated by the discovery that Cassandra’s father is a titled English nobleman.

Cassandra is soon forced to question the wisdom of her decision when she finds herself enamored with her employer. As fiery passion grows between them, Cassandra realizes her own spirit of independence, love of the land, and the savage man who is so much a part of it.   As the threat of war comes ever closer, wills are tested through gunfire, treachery, danger, and kidnapping. Does Colt dare trust Cassandra with Sons of Liberty secrets? More importantly, can he trust her with his heart? And will Colt ever trust Cassandra enough to love her as she longs to be loved?

Bauer, Carley; Willows, Lynette (2013-03-05). No Gentleman Is He (Sons of Liberty) (Kindle Locations 10-15). Tirgearr Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Excerpt from Chapter 2.

Colton entered the stables, his eyes quickly adjusting to the dark. He followed the lamp light and soft voice soothing the distressed mare. His gaze settled on the young woman kneeling in the small stall, her skirts littered with sopping straw, the mare’s waters having broken. His attention moved to the straining mare. “Get out of the way, woman,” he ordered, grabbing her shoulders in his hands and pulling her away from the mare.

“Sir!” Cassandra objected, not only to his rough handling but the manner in which he took control. His push, while not cruel, landed her on her tender behind. She opened her mouth to object further and then promptly closed it.

Despite his gruff manner, he took expert charge, kneeling by the prone mare. His head bowed, he concentrated on the mare’s contractions, oblivious to soiling his fine clothing. Under his experienced hand, the mare quieted. From the corner of his eye, the woman glanced up, relief in her eyes to see Jackson enter the stall. Colton knew he could be intimidating but Jackson obviously calmed the woman.

“Jackson,” she breathed, welcoming the familiar man walking toward her.

She fussed with her skirts while Jackson patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Your mare is in excellent hands, Cassandra.” Jackson grinned and winked. “No one in Virginia is any more capable.” She nodded, apparently taking some comfort in his words.

Colton shifted his position to the back of the horse, took one look and said brusquely, “Get the box stall ready!”

“Sir, Dom will not approve of us using…” she started.

“Now!” he barked, cutting her off then turning to snatch the halter from a nail on the stall wall.

 Jackson chuckled and extended his hand, assisting Cassandra to her feet. “What my friend Colton so eloquently means is he doubts Dom will object to us using of the box stall. I believe you mentioned once to me he has a financial interest in this foal?”

 “Yes, he does,” she said, ineffectually brushing off her skirts.

“We need room to move around if you want live offspring,” Colton snapped, fitting the halter on the mare. “Dom’s objections be damned.” While flabbergasted by his abrupt manner, Cassandra obeyed his order by rushing to the larger box stall to lay fresh straw and ready it for the mare.

 “Jackson, make yourself useful by standing at her rear,” Colton instructed Jackson. “C’mon, old girl, get up.” His voice was still firm but held soothing encouragement. He gently patted the mare’s chest to rouse her. When Colton looked up, Cassandra stood in the doorway, observing the mare struggle to her feet. Ignoring the way the woman looked at him, he continued patting the mare’s chest while he tugged the halter. He waited when the mare started to quiver with contractions. “What do you see back there?” he asked Jackson.

Jackson peered under the mare’s tail. “Feet,” he said somberly, confirming his earlier suspicions. “Damn,” Colton cursed. He turned the mare, pulling on the halter once the contraction subsided. “C’mon, ol’ girl, we are moving you to roomier quarters.” He led her from the stall, past a worried Cassandra with barely a glance in her direction.

Tune in on Friday when I will post an excerpt from Chapter 3!

What people are saying about No Gentleman Is He:

I absolutely loved this book. I don't usually read revolutionary era books. But it looked intriguing so I read it. This was such a terrific story with strong characters and an accurate story line. I felt as if I was there living in those exciting, yet hard times, when this country began its journey to independence. It really retells the american history. It had everything you want and more. A beautiful love story and an exciting book, you really feel for these people in those times. I can't wait to read the next one!!...Dana

Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. This is a great, historical romance. Colton is a bit of a Rhett Butler, he's dark and misunderstood by society. Cassandra, on the other hand, is no Scarlett and I mean that in a good way. She is a strong, smart, independent woman who is not afraid to take care of herself. I admire the way she refuses to run to a man to save her. Colton's respect and admiration for her strength add depth to his character. I also really enjoyed the interactions between Cassandra's parents at the end of the novel. Perhaps there could be a prequel down the road about their relationship?...Barb

I just finished reading "No Gentleman Is He", it really is a must read. I was wary when my wife suggested I read it. I looked at the cover. Was it a love story or was it based in historical fact? She assured me the book had enough of both to please any reader. Let me say, I wasn't disappointed. It has a cast of characters, both main and secondary, whose personalities are so well defined and consistent from beginning to end that I found myself feeling at times, I was eavesdropping on the action from somewhere in the scene. Voyeurism comes to mind as I think of the love scenes. The story takes you on an emotional journey that leaves you wanting and waiting for the next adventure....Cole

Get your copy of No Gentleman Is He from Kindle or SmashWords today! Available soon through iTunes, Kobo, Nook, Bookstrand and OmniLit.