Amy
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Aug-09-07, 03:55 PM (EST) |
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"Complete Info on Diana's Dell books ready to print"
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LAST EDITED ON Nov-18-07 AT 03:11 PM (EST)
Denim and Lace
ISBN: 0-440-20627-8
Published on May 1990 by Dell Publishing
Copyright 1990 by Susan Kyle
Heroine: Elizabeth (Bess) Ann Samson of Spanish House, Coleman Springs, Texas.
Bess had to relocate to San Antonio after the loss of her father's wealth. She has Scotch Irish blood, is tall, lanky, and shy, had shoulder-length brown hair with delicate blond highlights, and it waved towards her face and down her back with delightful fullness. She has soft brown eyes and a straight nose. (p. 3)
Bess is an only child, 23 years old (p. 4), has been sheltered by a strict father (p. 3), and is lead by her mother. Bess drinks her coffee black. p. 341
Hero: Cade Hollister of Lariat, Coleman Springs, Texas
Cade's father died 10 years ago leaving debt that Cade still was trying to pay (p. 13). Cades operates Lariat, the family ranch, which is over 100 years old. His brand is the Braided L. (p. 3) He wears denim and leather boots and smells of calf and tobacco. (p.4) Cade competes in Rodeos to supplement the ranch's income. (p. 6) Cade is 34 years old (p. 6), has dark, near black eyes (p. 29)with thick lashes (p. 34) and is part Comanche (p. 14). He has strong features but his face was too angular and broad, his eyebrows too heavy, his straight nose too formidable and little crook noticeable at close (p. 34), his mouth too thin and cruel. He has high cheekbones and his hair nearly black and thick and straight, always neatly cut and conventional and neatly combed. (p. 29) His voice had a deep drawling authority and rarely raises it. (p. 29) He has excellent physique, smokes, and hates apologizing.
Blurb:
Two Worlds.One Desire
BESS - Innocent and lovely. Raised in a world of luxury, wealth, and social elegance, she was sheltered in its glitter and shine. But her heart and all her dreams centered on him.
CADE - The hard-muscled, tough-dealing cowboy of Coleman Springs, Texas, he was filled with passion for Bess and hatred for her fashionable way of life.
Once their families had been friends. But dark secrets and scandal swept them fiercely apart into separate worlds. By then it was too late for Bess. Her heart was corralled by a man she thought she couldn't have and she was trapped in a world where she didn't belong. Until that world shattered. And her heart was thrown from the wild bronco of love.
Was Cade there to pick up the pieces out of love.revenge.or only the wild fury of his desire to have her? And even if he did love her, what kind of future could they fashion out of.
Denim and Lace
Children:
By the end of the book, 6 years old Quinn Alexander was born on Bess' 24th birthday
Cade and Bess were expected their second child.
Nell and Mr. Ryker were married for 5 years and had 2 children
Secondary Characters:
Geraldine (Gussie) Samson (p. 37)
Bess' mother was a former stage actress, who had spirit and grace and did not like competition from Bess.
Frank Samson
Bess' father killed himself after a fake investment scheme which Cade investing and lost a lot of money.
Elise Hollister
Cade's mother had gray hair (p. 7), elegant in her way, was tall and slender and had sharp features with kind, dark eyes and a ready smile (p. 8). She loved to cook and sew for extra cash
Robert Hollister
Cade's younger brother was freckled with red hair, was outgoing and was a born flirt. p. 170 Robert handled sales and work on the ranch with Cade.
Gary Hollister
Cade's middle brother had dark eyes and light brown hair (p. 186) was serious, bookish and kept the books.
Maude
Samson's housekeeper, Bess tried to get cooking lesson from her but Gussie would not allow it.
Jordan Ryker
Ryker was tall, husky, and large with thickly lashed dark eyes, chiseled wide mouth, thick black hair neatly combed. He was president of Ryker Corporation. (p. 106)
Anna Ryker
Jordan's mother was from noble Spanish heritage, founding family of San Antonio. (p. 106)
Julie
Dark haired Julie is the office manager of Ryker Advertising Agency. (p. 112)
Nell
Nell works at Ryker Advertising agency and is in love with Jordan. She has dark hair, blue eyes and dresses in vivid colors. Bess decided that Nell is hiding a somber, quiet, dignified woman under her bubbling personality. (p. 117)
Jennifer Barnes
Jennifer is engaged to Gary. They are getting married by the end of the story. Jennifer is only mentioned by the other characters.
Audrey
Robert tells Bess that he is ready to pop the question to Audrey on (p. 353)
Gretchen
Robert's fiancée on p 366
Redhead Cade took to Bess fashion show as a camouflage to keep Bess from watching Cade go to pieces.
Senora Lopez
Senora Lopez is Bess's San Antonio neighbor. She gave Bess a wedding dress that belonged to her dead daughter.
Pets:
Laddie
Cade's cattle dog
Tina
Bess' huge Belgian horse her father bought for her 20th birthday had to be sold. Tan and white draft horse was gentle not mean or temperamental.
Story Line:
Gussie did not want Bess to date Cade. She thought he was not good enough for her. Bess was only allowed to date rich guys which Cade wasn't. Frank persuaded Cade to give Bess riding lesson. Bess fell in love with Cade. Cade rejected Bess when she attempted to flirt with him. He taunted her with his lack of desire because he thought she was teasing him because he was poor and she was rich. Cade did not think he could give her the lifestyle she was used to.
Cade invested heavily into Frank's investment scheme. Unknown to Frank the scheme was illegal and he lost all his and his other investors money. Frank killed himself leaving Bess and Gussie bankrupt and having to support themselves. Cade told Bess to go to San Antonio and find herself a place in life. Before he said goodbye, he gave Bess a small silver ring to reminder her that life goes on in spite of our problems. Bess and Gussie moved to San Antonio to look for work for Bess using her Journalism degree.
Once they arrived at San Antonio, Gussie wanted Bess to find and marry a rich man. She arranged for a dinner date with Jordan Ryker and his mother. Cade visited Bess and Gussie' apartment before the dinner date and admitted to Bess that he was possessive about her. Bess got her hopes up when Cade asked her to wait for him. Bess decided to become an independent, strong woman by getting a job, work hard, and prove to Cade that she was capable of being the woman he needed. Gussie admitted to Bess that she thought Cade will break her spirit leaving her like his mother dominated and poor and she wanted more than that for Bess. There was a major misunderstanding between Cade and Gussie that ruined Elise's and Gussie's relationship. Gussie thought that the past will get in the way and that Cade might use Bess to get back at Gussie. During dinner with the Rykers, Bess explained to Jordan that she was in love with someone else. Jordan told Bess that he was in love with someone who is!
engaged (later in the book we found out it was Nell). Jordan offers Bess a position at his Advertising Agency.
Bess hit it off at Ryker Advertising Agency, but when Gussie went shopping and spend more than Bess' first paycheck, Gussie and Bess had an argument and they decided that Gussie will move out.
Bess was returning her mother's expensive purchased and ran into Cade. They misunderstood each other again by Cade thinking Bess had a rich man to buy her expensive clothes and Bess thinking the brunette on Cade's arm was is girlfriend and not his business acquaintance's wife who was purchasing his best seed bull due to Cade's financial difficulties. Bess decided that Cade's knowing how she felt about him still made unfounded assumption about her character and she did not need him after all.
Bess kept her mind at work. She came out of her shell and concentrated on learning how to live as an ordinary person. She budgeted her salary, moved to a better apartment, and bought a used car. Cade came to visit her. Even though Bess was happy to see Cade, she did not let him see her interest. Cade was surprised by her new coolness, but noticed that she still wore his small silver ring. Bess told Cade that she was over hero worshipping him. After seeing her new apartment, Cade decided that losing her fortune did not put her within his reach. Cade decided that she must be getting financial help from a rich man. Bess defending herself boasted about Stryker. Cade told her Gussie already told him about Stryker because she has been living at Lariat. Thinking about Bess with Stryker, Cade told Bess to get Gussie out of his house. Cade let his jelousy get the best of him and told Bess his version of Gussie's part in his father's death. Gussie was having an affair with his father !
he told her. Out of frustration that Bess was involved with Stryker, Cade kissed her. Bess decided that Cade was too angry and that they should stop kissing. Cade told her that they each wanted each other and there is not a reason that they could not have each other now that she was sleeping with Stryker.
Not wanting Cade while he was angry, Bess ran out of her apartment with Cade in pursuit. Bess now understood Cade's reason for hating her mother. She knew that it would have been impossible for him ever to have cared about her. Bess drove out of the parking lot wildly because Cade was running towards her. Bess pulled out into traffic just as a speeding car rounded a corner and plowed right into the driver's side of the car.
Bess had to be cut out of the car and ended up in a coma. Elise and Gussie came to the hospital and Gussie told Cade that Bess and Stryker were not close and that she lied about their relationship to get Cade to leave Bess along. Gussie saw how much Cade cared about Bess and told him that Bess had a good job and nobody was keeping her and that Bess threw her out. While waiting news about Bess, Cade realized that Bess made him whole and now he was lost. He was trying to build up Lariat in order to offer it to Bess. Cade decided to take Bess back to Lariat to recuperate. He like the way Bess was showing her independence by talking back to him. Before leaving the hospital Bess found out that the accident left her almost impossible to bear children. Children were something Cade always wanted.
On the trip back to Lariat, Cade gave Bess a tender kiss. Bess thought that Cade just wanted her. He did not love her. When they return to Lariat, Robert paid attention to Bess. In order to discourage Cade, Bess allowed Robert to keep her company. Cade did not like Robert's flirting nor Bess reaction to it. Gussie told Bess that Cade cared for her in his own way. Bess told her mother that she like living alone. Cade was hoping that Bess will forget his cruelty and care for him again because he thought that she grew into a woman he could marry. Gussie told Cade about the day his father died. Cade was ready to listen to her side of the story. It was Cade's girlfriend Daisy Brindle that was in the hotel room with Coleman and not Gussie. Coleman set up for Cade to catch them together and Gussie tried to prevent it. Gussie told the story to Bess and mother and daughter made up. Gussie told Bess that she was buying into a talent agency and she was not going to interfere in her lif!
e anymore. Bess told Robert that there is no future for them because she still was in love with Cade.
Cade overheard her and declared Bess his. Cade confessed that he was jealous of Bess and told her since she is still wearing his small silver ring on her engagement finger; she is to consider herself engaged. Thinking that it was better to break up now than tell him that she was barren, Bess told Cade that she did not want to get married. She wanted a career.
Cade became withdrawn. Just before Bess was to return to her apartment in San Antonio, she found herself along at Lariat with Cade. Cade took her into his arms. His plan was to make her pregnant so she would marry him. He knew he can make her love him again. Bess was helpless to stop him. Cade told Bess that he wanted nobody but her for 3 years and got her to admit that she would want no other man but him. Bess again refused to marry him and Cade agreed to let her go back to San Antonio with the understanding that he will be told if she became pregnant. Bess told him she loved him. Not wanting her to feel trapped, Cade did not tell her that he also loved her. Cade and Bess announced their engagement to their families.
Bess went back to San Antonio and threw herself back into her job. Bess announced her engagement at the Agency and told Julie that she was barren. Gussie again told Bess that she changed her mind about Cade caring for her right after her accident. Six weeks after leaving Lariat, Cade visited Bess and asked her if she was pregnant. Bess told him she did not know. Cade told her that they will get married and find out later. Bess prayed that her deception would not be found out until he was hopelessly in love as she was.
Cade won the bronc rising and calf roping Rodeo. Cade took Bess to the Ryker company picnic where Cade acted possessively towards Bess in front of Ryker. Bess told Ryker that Nell was not engaged as he first thought. Ryker and Nell became an item. Back at Bess' apartment Cade talked about the children they are going to have. Bess did not say anything. Bess and Cade were married on the Paseo de Rio on a boat with a minister officiating and all the members of their respective families and friends gathered on the riverbank. When they became man and wife, Bess whispered "I love you" to Cade but he did not return the words.
Cade wondered if her love was strong enough to endure the hardness of his lifestyle and having his family around all the time. Cade decided not to tell Bess how badly financially they were. He would keep her happy somehow. Bess finally for the first time knew that Cade was in love with her.
After the ceremony, during dinner at a fancy restaurant, Cade mentioned children and breeding telling Bess how her upper-crust, rich background, and excellent manners will give their children credibility. Cade also told her that the reason he married her was because he can not get through the day without wanting her. Bess was shocked to hear Cade's reason for marrying her. Cade and Bess had a wonderful wedding night.
On the drive to Lariat, Bess was nervous having Cade's family around since this time they were close and his family would know. Cade told her their room is now away from everybody else's. They decided that Bess was going to give up her apartment and will be commuting. After settling at Lariat, Cade decided that Bess was in his blood and that she could hurt him if she wanted. Bess wanted to talk about her salary going into the family budget and Cade said they will along with the other finances and that things are going to be tight. Cade became withdrawn. As the week went by, they were not intimate but Cade explained the cattle business to Bess. Cade found marriage more disturbing than he expected. Cade thought Bess seemed determined to crowd him. Bess guessed that Cade was having trouble adjusting to married life. By the end of the week, Bess feeling reckless seduce Cade in his office when they found themselves alone at the house. Bess knocked Cade off balance and she realize!
d how she hurt his pride and Cade was thinking Bess can control him was fighting it. Bess went back to work after a week off for her honeymoon certain that Cade did not love her. As time went by, Bess saw her marriage go from bad to worse and Cade's anger into indifference before her eyes.
Robert had a girlfriend now and Bess spent most of her time with Elise. Elise told Bess that she knew Coleman was having affairs but Bess did not tell her the truth about Gussies and Coleman's supposed affair. Elise told Bess that a child would be the best thing for Bess and Cade. Cade withdrew even more. He outright told Bess he did not want to sleep with her. Bess thinking that he was still mad about her blatant seduction apologized for her action and told him that she thought the seduction would make up for the babies they did not have.
Bess told Cade she could not give him a child. Bess also told Cade that she knew she was barren before they married. She told him that she loved him and volunteers to leave. Cade agreed. Before she left, Bess told Cade that she loved him very much and she wanted to give him a baby badly.
Bess went back to San Antonio and got her old apartment back. She decided to learn to live without Cade and took off her wedding ring and the little silver one. She contacted her lawyer and started the divorce. Gussie showed Bess unexpected sympathy and Bess told her that she was barren because of the wreck. Gussie talked Bess into seeing a doctor because she did not look well. After the examination the doctor told her that she was pregnant. Bess called to tell Cade but he had just received the divorce papers and did not want to talk. Instead he told her that he had found a red-headed to marry. Bess did not tell anyone else in the family about the pregnancy. When she heard about the pregnancy, Nell advice Bess to drive to Lariat and force Cade to listen. Bess decided that Cade will stay married to her out of guilt. Bess told Julie that she was pregnant and Julie asked Bess to model maternity clothes at a charity benefit. Bess was looking like a successful career woman when s!
he ran into Robert. Robert told her that he was proposing to Audrey and is going to Los Angeles to work for a marketing firm. Gary will be marrying Jennifer next month and is going to work at an accounting firm in Houston. Elise is opening a dress shop in Coleman Springs and plans to live above the shop. Cade is going to have Lariat to himself which is the only thing he loves. Cade had been unbearable to live with since Bess left Lariat. Robert outright asked Bess what went wrong since there's never been anybody but her for Cade. Bess told Robert that Cade planned to marry a redhead and Robert sensing her jealousy came up with a plan.
Bess outright told Robert that they thought that she could not have children. She told him the reason that she was barren was due to the wreck. Bess told Robert about the modeling benefit that evening and asked Robert not to tell Cade that he sawed her.
At the evening while Bess walked out on the runway and directly into Cade and a redhead. Bess knew that Robert told Cade where to find her. When Cade questions her about modeling maternity clothes, she showed him her stomach. Cade was happy about the baby. Cade wanted to know the reason Bess did not tell him that the wreck left her barren. Bess told Cade to go back to Gretchen and kicked him.
At the office parking lot the next day, Cade tried to carry Bess back to Lariat, but she had a security guard to help her. After working late one day, Bess was almost attacked with three teenagers but Cade was there to scare them away. Cade told her that he had been watching her every night to make sure she was safe.
Cade took Bess back at her apartment. Cade finally told her that Gretchen was really Robert's girlfriend. He also told her that it was not in his character to sleep with another woman while Bess was carrying his child. He also told her that he stopped the divorce two weeks ago and dropped his towel. Cade kissed Bess and told her that he loved her. In bed later Cade told her the history of the little silver ring. Cade told Bess that she was his whole heart.
Fast forward 7 years
Best is 30 years old and is coming back from a presentation. Bess had Julie's management position and Julie became executive vice president. Cade is at the airport to meet her along with 6 years Quinn Alexander (their son). Gussie was at her honeymoon in Nassau. Robert and Gary were sailing in the Gulf with their wives. Cade bought out his brothers' Lariat share two years ago. Nell and Mr. Ryker married for 5 years and have 2 children. Gussie finally told Elise the truth of what happen at the motel room with Coleman and they are better friends for it. Bess is pregnant with their second child.
Maria Lowers
Chicago, Illinois |
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