It was to be a honeymoon voyage. Simply a romantic voyage to Paris. Nothing more, for the newlywed couple. A voyage in a lighter than air airship. But now the question was, would they arrive their alive? Or end up in the wreckage of the airship at the bottom of the ocean. The latter seemed all too likely.
From 'Voyage of Abigail.' Book number two in the Legacy of Abigail series.
Ann Lancaster awoke in a fright. Something was wrong. She felt herself about to be tossed from the bed. Laying on her back, with her right hand, she punched Josias who was sleeping next to her. The tossing from the bed did not happen, but the fear of it remained.
Shocked out of a deep sleep, he awoke and instantly sat up in bed. Then he almost fell over, and would have, had he not thrown out both hands against the mattress to steady himself.
The ship was rolling. Rolling severely from side to side. Against the closed window panes behind them, the whistle of angry winds buffeted the glass. They were flying above the ocean through the midst of a storm. And it was no meek storm.
The ship was swinging from side to side, and now a hard bump jolted it, and sent Ann’s heart pounding with fear. “What’s happening, Honey?” she asked, in a hoarse whisper.
“A storm,” he answered, in the low whispery quality which was his voice. “It seems to be a big one.”
“Are we going to be okay?” Josias would have the answers, she knew. He would be able to put things right. It was his duty as her protector to make things safe.
But that was not fair, she corrected herself. He was but a man.
“Aye. We will, Darling.” That was the only appropriate answer he could give. He did not feel the confidence of his answer to her.
He steadied himself, and fighting the side-to-side sway, reached for, and managed to grasp the handset of the telephone on the table by his side of the bed. He put it to his ear and shortly, a voice came over the line from the other end.
“What’s happening, Gilbert?” Gilbert was the captain, and the chief pilot on the voyage, and he was at the helm this night.
“It’s a big’un, Sir,” the pilot answered, saying almost the same thing Josias himself had said minutes before.
Gilbert Flanigan ought to know. He had spent his entire career before retiring, piloting Zeppelin airships back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean. He would certainly know about storms.
“What does that mean?” Josias demanded, a note of harshness in his voice. “Can we weather this one? What are your plans to get us through this?”
“Sorry, Sir. I shoulda been more specific. It is a big storm. No hurricane, of course. But still, a lot of wind, and a lot of rain with it. It’s gonna bump us around a bit. Sorry, for the rough ride Sir. It’s out of my hands to do anythin’ at the present.”
“What more can we do to ease it? Or rather, I should say, keep us up here?” Josias was not put at ease, but he did not want to let any hint of fear come through to further frighten his wife.
“I retracted the sails,” the pilot answered. “Had to send young Whitmore outside to do that. Hated to, but he’s a strong lad and he managed to pull ‘em in with no problem. At this point, all we can do is ride it out.”
Published books by the Author
The Legacy of Abigail series
Harris Wimberly is widowed. It has been three years since the loss of his wife and the loneliness and the grieving remain. To remain solo will not bring his wife back. Nor will picking up his life and trying to move forward into new love. He would love to find love again. But how? It is a different dating world from the time when he dated his late wife.
Anna Forth is raising her thirteen year old son by herself. She is doing her best to balance motherhood and a medical practice. She has no time to find love again. It has been four years since the death of her husband. But that time has not eased the pain of loneliness she feels. Besides, her son needs a father figure in his life.
In another city, a man named Josias has had his life and his dreams destroyed. The woman he loved was taken from him. Together they had built dreams, and he had built a ship. An airship, to be exact. And the reason for building the ship died along with the lady. A lady named Abigail.
Josias Lancaster lives in a world not quite like our own. It is a world with outrageous flying machines, air transportation by Zeppelin dirigibles, steam powered cars, top hats, goggles, and much steam and fog.
But like anyone in our world, he had a dream. A wonderful woman who he loved and who loved him. Together they shared a dream of visiting far away places in the fantastic flying machine he had created.
That dream ended when the woman he loved died suddenly and unexpectedly. Now he has a second chance. New love can be found after loss.
But will the new woman in his life be willing to pick up the old dream with him? Especially, if the flying machine has been named after the lost love.
In this, the first sequel to ‘A Ship Called Abigail,’ the story continues through the new found love of Josias and Ann, and their great adventure which they had not planned for.
No man would ever find Hannah beautiful enough to love. After all, her sister who is much prettier than she is was rejected and left at the alter by a man who left for another. Another whom he said was much more beautiful. If that happened to her sister, what hope is there for Hannah?
But, she does not count on the stranger who comes out of the unknown west. A simple cook on a flying ship and who does not look like her people.
She tends to him as his nurse while he is convulsing from an injury. She finds something stirring within her which is new and strange. But surely, he can't love her. She's not pretty enough, she tells herself. He will leave and return to his people and his home.
But he has different thoughts on the matter.
Sarah Vandergriff knows what she desires in the man of her dreams. That is, as much as the imagination of a fourteen year old girl will know about such things.
Now she’s no longer fourteen years old. Now fully grown, her ideals are exactly the same as they were when she was of that earlier age.
Bryan Wimberly has loved her almost as long as he has known her. What began as the liking of a fourteen year old boy, has now grown to real love in the heart of the grown man Bryan now is. But to Sarah, Bryan is simply her best chum. She enjoys his company and his friendship. But Bryan wants much more. He wants her for his wife.
Life suddenly takes a turn for Sarah. After a horrible accident the man of her dreams no longer wants her. Now she is convinced that no man will ever want her for his wife.
But one man does. He has from the beginning, and he still wants her for his wife. If she would only see him for who he really is, she would know that.
When one is fortunate enough to find a mysterious lamp, rubbing the lamp will free the genie who has been imprisoned within that lamp for a thousand years. Out of gratitude, the genie is empowered to grant you your desires in the form of wishes. Usually three wishes.
But what happen if the genie has a whole different idea about gratitude for his release and your wishes are turned upside down? Instead of good fortune, you receive the opposite. And the genie seems more interested in playing tricks on you than on granting your wishes.
That's what Elijah Weatherspoon found, to his dismay. Seeming all misfortune contrary to the wishes he asks for. He asks for riches. He asked for good health and a long life. He asked for prestige and influence within the circle of important men.
What comes his way seems to be the very opposite. Now his world is turned topsy turvy. And he wishes he had never bought that cursed clock.
Other Novels by Dan Dooley
Penny was murdered by the man she was about to marry. Just before her wedding day. She never got to wear that wedding dress she so looked forward to wearing.
Now the dress remains close by her. Everywhere the dress goes, there she is, lamenting in piteous sorry what will never be.
Now she loves again. Could this time see her in the dress? The problem is, the one she now loves does not want her. After all, he’s among the living. She is not.
God Gave Me You
Published Books by Dan Dooley
Dan Dooley is the author of, to date, seven published books. Six fiction novels and one Christian non-fiction book. A marriage primer. Pre-marital advice for couples soon to be wedded, based on biblical principles and on many years of marriage experience by the author.
The novels consist of 'The Legacy of Abigail' series. A four book series telling the stories of new love found after the loss of widowhood. And touching on a number of sensitive subjects including, blended families, adoptions, starting over, facing death, and learning to put trust in God to know His will for their lives.
Two additional novels, They are, 'Mister Weatherspoon's Unfortunate Clock,' and 'Miss Penny's Wedding Dress,' offer fun reading.
The author's books are available in print form as well as digital (eBook), and audiobook form. Available where you buy your favorite books. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and others. Novels on AudioBook form
God's Design For Your Marriage
For the soon to be married couple, or the newly married couple. Biblical advice your marriage.