Unlawfully Wedded Bride. Noelle Marchand

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      “Why did you do this?”

      “We wanted to help,” he insisted quietly.

      She widened her eyes imploringly. “How does this help?”

      “You do a lot, Kate,” Sean said. “We don’t always say thank you for it, but when we stop to think about it we know.”

      “I do what has to be done.”

      He nodded. “That’s just it. Ma’s and Pa’s deaths were just as hard on you as they were on us but you were strong. You had to be. We wanted you to have someone who would do for you what you do for us.”

      Kate was astounded at the maturity in his voice but still shook her head in disbelief at their actions. “I appreciate that, Sean, but what you two did was wrong.”

      Ellie leaned forward earnestly. “We knew what you needed and that you would never get it for yourself. You’re too shy around handsome men.”

      She gaped at her younger sister. “Oh, Ellie, really.”

      “Well, it’s true,” the girl declared obstinately. “You never let men court you. It’s all that awful Mr. Stolvins’s fault. Ever since he—”

      “Ellie, bringing that man into this conversation really isn’t going to help you.”

      Ellie allowed her words to stumble to a halt then lifted her brows archly. “It’s true and you know it. Besides, you need someone to take care of you.”

      Kate slammed the ledger shut. “I do not.”

      “You do so, but you won’t admit it,” Ellie said firmly. Her small fist pounded on the table. “That’s why we had to act.”

      Kate crossed her arms. “You were trying to marry me off without my consent.”

      “I know,” Ellie said then lifted her chin nobly as tears gleamed in her large green eyes. “We couldn’t because you have to sign a silly paper.”

      Kate’s eyes widened. A dry laugh spilled from her lips. “Well, thank the Lord for that.”

      “It isn’t funny,” Ellie said as large tears began to roll down her cheeks. She pulled a folded-up paper from the pocket of her skirt and held it toward Kate. “Please, Kate. You just have to sign it.”

      “No.”

      “At least, read the letters,” Sean urged pleadingly. “Give the man a chance.”

      “Absolutely not.” She pushed the letters away from her as though they might bite her.

      Ellie pulled the letters to her chest. The effect of her glare was slightly ruined by a large hiccup. “He’s wonderful. His name—”

      Kate silenced Ellie with a look. “I don’t want to know anything about that man. I’ve heard enough from both of you on this subject. I’ve made my decision and the answer is no.”

      Sean shook his head. “You’re making a mistake.”

      “If I am then it’s my mistake to make.” She pinned them both with a stare. “I don’t want to hear that you two have been writing to this man again. Ever. Do you understand me?”

      “Kate,” Sean protested.

      She cut him off with a shake of her head. “Both of you go to bed. I’ll figure out a more suitable punishment for you when my head stops spinning.”

      Ellie met her gaze defiantly then threw the folded paper on the table before rushing from the room. Sean pulled in a deep breath. He picked up the paper and smoothed it out carefully. Meeting Kate’s gaze patiently, he slid the paper across the table until it rested in front of her. With that silent urge for her to think about it, he calmly left the room.

      “I don’t have time for this,” she muttered as she shook her head. She had more important things to think about, like how she was going to save her family’s farm. She opened the ledger and continued to search the farm’s financial records for some indication the situation wasn’t as bad as she feared. Hours passed and she kept coming back to the same conclusion.

      Somewhere between buying food for her family and the livestock, the mortgage payments would have to be made. That meant she wouldn’t be able to pay the wheat harvesters, which in turn meant she wouldn’t be able to sell her wheat. Without selling the wheat, she wouldn’t be able to make the other mortgage payments. It was a dizzying cycle with dangerous implications.

      If something didn’t change soon, they were going to lose the farm. She braced her elbows on the table, then covered her face with her hands. She heaved out a quiet sigh. “Lord, what do I do?”

      She’d applied for a short-term loan at the town’s only bank and had been denied almost immediately. The banker, Mr. Wilkins, had kindly informed her it would not be in the best interest of either party to enter into another loan agreement when the farm was heading toward foreclosure. She’d put her pride aside long enough to ask if there was anything at all that would make him change his mind. He’d said the only way he would consider giving her a loan was if she married. A single woman in her position would have little success paying back the loan. However, if she had a husband the situation would be entirely different. Since she didn’t, he couldn’t help her.

      Her breath stilled in her throat. Her gaze slid from the mess of papers in front of her to the official-looking document across the table. The bold font read Absentee Affidavit. The only way she could get a loan was to find a husband. Suddenly one was literally at her fingertips. Was it pure coincidence or was it something more?

      She set the paper on the ledger in front of her. All she had to do was sign it and she could save the farm. She swallowed. She toyed with the pen, then pulled it carefully from the bottle of ink. Impulsively she set it against the paper. It only took a minute for her to fill in the little information that was required. She signed her name with a desperate flourish, then shoved the pen back into the bottle of ink.

      Staring at her signature, dread settled in her stomach. She couldn’t do it. The farm was her parents’ heritage, yet she could only imagine how appalled they would be if they knew she’d given up her entire future to keep it. She let out a deep sigh, then set the paper as far away from her as possible. I am not that desperate, but I am not giving up. There is another way. There has to be. Perhaps if I spoke to Mr. Wilkins one more time …

      Exhaustion pulled at her senses. She’d take a moment to rest her eyes, then clean up the mess she’d made and go to bed. Someone called her name and she jerked her head up. Sean stood at the end of the table watching her in concern.

      “I’m awake.” She pushed her hair away from her face. “What are you doing up? It must be late.”

      “It’s almost midnight. I couldn’t sleep.” He settled into the chair opposite her.

      She closed her drowsy eyes and leaned back in her chair. “You worry too much.”

      She heard the smile in his voice as he responded. “I promise not to worry anymore.”

      “Good.”

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