Skirting Tradition

Artist, Victoria Hodges, fled Texas 30 years ago and went to Paris to study painting. She has lived a liberated, sophisticated life. When she returns to Texas in 1895, she is determined to bring European arts and the emancipation of women to tradition-bound Riverford, Texas. Undoubtedly the citizens will object, but Victoria has to succeed. Her marriage to Hayden Hodges is at stake, and she loves him passionately. He is unique among men because he alone supports her desires to paint and to raise the status of women. Before she met Hayden, she lived a painful, solitary existence believing no man could understand her or her goals. Now she has Hayden. She will fight to keep him! And it will indeed be a fight! Already the town is in turmoil over the growing numbers of Czech and Polish immigrants who are working the cotton fields. Riverford citizens are enraged because these “impudent foreigners” actually believe they can earn the American dream. One young immigrant woman, Sarah Novak, even dreams of becoming a teacher! Victoria Hodges has been a victim of small-town prejudice and suffered the pain of being an outcast, but she has learned to be assertive, to force change. She will never be able to stay out of this fight! Batten the hatches, Riverford! Hurricane Victoria has landed!