Shady Springs

About the Book

While working in a garment factory in Chicago, a young woman named Ruth becomes pregnant by the owner’s son. When her baby’s father refuses to marry her, Ruth leaves for South Carolina as the bride of Walter Evans, a man she barely knows. Although Ruth lives a financially secure life, she is unhappy with Walter, because she has fallen madly in love with his brother, James.

After Ruth begins an affair with her brother-in-law, James, she becomes pregnant a second time. James fears the repercussions that his love for Ruth will bring about in his family and decides to move away. When James leaves for the Yukon area, Ruth is left to raise his child, Jane, along with Walter, who believes that Jane is his daughter.

While James is in Alaska, Ruth decides to have a child with Walter in hopes that her husband will feel overwhelmed and ask his brother, James, to rejoin the family in South Carolina. James and Ruth decide to leave together and start life over as a couple, taking their daughter, Jane, with them, but leaving behind Ruth’s eldest daughter, Kathy, and her infant son, Wade. When Walter discovers the missing family members he decides to hurt those who have deceived him. He hires a young woman named Sissy as a Nanny for the two children who were left behind, and he and Sissy become lovers. Once James, Ruth, and Jane are settled into a small resort town in northwest Arkansas, Walter learns that his brother, James, has left an illegitimate daughter behind in Alaska. Walter travels to Alaska and brings the young girl, Anna, back with him to South Carolina. Anna and his son, Wade, are the same age and become inseparable.

James and Ruth purchase a historic home and both work at odd jobs to survive while Walter withholds the money that they are owed from the farm in South Carolina. A neighbor, Mike Crane, develops a romantic interest in James, and he steps into James’ life when Ruth experiences a difficult pregnancy. When Ruth and James lose their baby, Mike Crane offers financial assistance, but not without a large personal cost.

Walter is persuaded to assist Ruth and Jane with money from their farm and the couple build a home in a rural setting. Ruth is depressed, James begins drinking excessively, and Mike Crane begins playing a bigger part in the family’s life. Back in South Carolina Ruth’s son, Wade, longs for a relationship with her and begins corresponding through the mail. At the same time, James’ daughter, Anna begins to write to her father. Anna never meets her father as a jealous husband kills James. Jane becomes pregnant and leaves home to marry a local boy, leaving Ruth to live alone.

After his brother’s murder, Walter becomes financially generous with Ruth, in hopes that he can win her back into his life. Ruth hires a neighbor’s son, Danny, to help with chores around her house, and finds herself in a sexual relationship with a troubled individual. She also realizes that she has feelings for Walter, and acknowledges the fact that remarrying Walter is a possibility in her life.

Ruth’s eldest daughter, Kathy, marries a successful shop owner, Ned Burkhalter, and enjoys a life of leisure. Wade and Anna travel to Arkansas to visit Ruth, and it is apparent that the two are a couple. Walter’s companion, Sissy, begins a kinky relationship with Kathy’s husband, Ned. When Ned and Kathy discover that they are expecting a child, Ned insists on seeing photographs of Kathy’s mother, Ruth. He realizes that Ruth is someone from his past, but keeps this knowledge from Kathy and the rest of the family.

Ruth’s young lover, Danny, begins using drugs and experiencing problems that affect Ruth’s life. Ruth’s daughter, Jane, is also experiencing turmoil in her life, because of her lack of interest in her husband. Jane discovers her true love with Leslie, a female friend.

Wade and Anna

About the Author

Other books by Celia Armstrong: Ozark Cherry Queen Among Monkeys Roshanara Rose Tripp Fantastic Soon to be released: Maplewood Blues