“You are wise to make sure she grows up strong,” Long Quiet said. “For as the children grow, so grows the new state of Texas.”

“Are you saying we women hold the future in our dainty hands?” Sloan asked with a teasing smile.

Luke grinned. “In your dainty hands, and your burgeoning bellies.” He swept Tomasita into his arms and swung her in a circle. Her delighted laughter was interrupted by his quick, hard kiss.

Smiling, her face aglow with happiness, Sloan turned to Cruz and took the hand he held outstretched to her. They walked together toward the blankets that had been laid out for the picnic. She sat down and leaned back against the lightning-scarred trunk of the live oak, unbuttoning her dress to nurse her child.

Sloan looked up into the adoring eyes of her husband, then let her gaze drift to the sight of her family gathered around her. Life was beautiful in Texas. Life was sweet. There was no doubt the future belonged to the sisters of the Lone Star.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

On July 4, 1845, the Texas Congress voted at Washington-on-the-Brazos to accept the American offer of annexation and to begin work on a state constitution. Of the men who drafted the Texas constitution, only one was born in Texas. Eighteen writers came from Tennessee, eight from Virginia, seven from Georgia, six from Kentucky, and five from North Carolina. The constitution was approved, along with annexation, by a vote of 4000 to 200 on October 13, 1845.

Texas entered the Union on December 29, 1845, when American President James Knox Polk signed the annexation proposal. The actual transfer of power from the officers of the Republic to the state’s new leaders didn’t occur until a ceremony held on February 19, 1846.

Before the annexation treaty was even ratified, President Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to Texas with a small army from the United States. It was not a wasted effort. As predicted, Mexico and Texas went to war. In fact, hostilities had commenced by April 1846.

By the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ratified in July 1848, the United States made peace with Mexico. For $15 million and an agreement to assume all Mexican debts, the United States purchased from Mexico the areas now comprising California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, and a part of Colorado, and Mexico relinquished all claims to Texas, with its boundary set, as it is today, at the Rio Grande.

Dear Readers,

Texas Woman is the final book in the Sisters of the Lone Star trilogy, which also includes Frontier Woman (Cricket’s story) and Comanche Woman (Bayleigh’s story). I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about these three unique sisters-and the wonderful men in their lives-as much as I’ve enjoyed writing about them.

If you’d like to read about the modern-day Creeds, Coburns and Guerreros, be sure to pick up my Bitter Creek series The Cowboy, The Texan, and The Loner.

I always appreciate hearing your comments and suggestions. You can reach me through my Web site, www.joanjohnston.com.

Happy reading,

Joan Johnston

October 2003

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times bestselling and multi-award-winning author Joan Johnston has written fifteen historical romance novels and twenty-two contemporary romances. She received a master of arts degree in theater from the University of Illinois and was graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law at Austin. She is currently a full-time writer who lives in South Florida.