His Chosen Bride. Rhonda Gibson

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СКАЧАТЬ fingers had squeezed his cheeks. She was caught off guard by the sudden flutter in her heart. He was the most handsome man she’d ever met, and that meant trouble for her.

      Levi Westland smiled up at her and continued to hold her gloved hand in his. He smelled of fresh-cut wood and warm earth, but his attire appeared to be that of a rancher. Leather cowboy boots, a black Stetson hat and a shiny belt buckle were not the standard dress of a woodworker, which was what he said in his letters that he did.

      “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Westland.” Millie removed her hand from his. “I wasn’t expecting you to be waiting for me—after all, it has been over six months since I was supposed to have arrived.”

      The stagecoach driver tossed two bags down to the boardwalk in front of them. Millie grimaced at the thud that they made and was thankful she’d thought to put her charcoal and paints in her satchel instead of in one of the bigger bags.

      Levi picked up the luggage. “I wasn’t really waiting for you, Miss Summer. I just happened to be walking by when the stage arrived. When the driver called out your name, I stopped.” He offered her what looked like a nervous grin. “To be painfully honest, I’d given up on your arrival months ago.”

      Millie nodded. “I see.” She inhaled deeply and turned to face the handsome man. It was time to be honest with him, as well. “Mr. Westland, I would appreciate it if you would address me as Miss Hamilton. My full name is Millicent Summer Hamilton. I only used my middle name to protect myself while traveling.” She paused as she felt a slight heat enter her face. Millie took another breath and rushed on, “And when I was sending letters to strangers who wanted to get married.”

      He chuckled. “Then Miss Hamilton it is.”

      “Thank you.” Millie knew she’d been foolish in not revealing her full name in the letters they’d exchanged. It was one of many things she’d done to prevent her parents from finding her. It had been foolish to run away from home, but something she’d felt she had to do then also.

      Now that she’d spent some time away from her home, Millie wasn’t ready to return.

      Millie watched as he motioned for a gangly young boy to come toward them. The teenager stopped a few feet away. “Can I do something for you, Mr. Westland?” the lad asked.

      “Amos, would you take Miss Hamilton’s bags to the boardinghouse?”

      The floppy hat that covered his blond locks bobbed agreement. “I’d be happy to, Mr. Westland.” His young voice cracked and a red flush filled his neck.

      Levi dug into his pocket and pulled out some change. As he handed it to Amos, he continued, “Please ask Beth to put the bags in room four.”

      “I will. Thank you, sir.” He shoved the coins into his front pocket, took the bags from Levi and ran across the street and around a corner.

      Millie’s first instinct was to chase after the young man. Everything she needed was in those bags including most of her money, her only sketch pad and drawings. Now she wished she’d kept her money with her instead of hiding it within the bags. She could replace the sketch pad and drawings but not without money.

      “Don’t worry, he’s reliable. Amos will take them straight to the boardinghouse. You’ve nothing to fret about.” Levi tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and proceeded down the boardwalk.

      Had her face shown her concern? Or had it been the wringing of her hands that had given her away? Millie realized she’d need to learn to control her expressions if she wanted to be taken seriously as both an artist and a woman.

      “I’ve some business to take care of and then we’ll head to the boardinghouse where you can see for yourself that your bags are fine.”

      Millie nodded and allowed him to guide her in the opposite direction of the way the lad had run. She wanted to scream, but since the only reason she’d come to Granite was to return the money Mr. Westland had sent for her travel expenses, she’d go along with him for now. After making him wait so long for her to arrive, Millie didn’t feel it would have been right to explain her change of heart regarding marriage in a letter. No this had to be done in person.

      As they walked, Millie struggled inwardly with her emotions. Just like her mother, Levi Westland had taken charge, not bothering to ask her what her plans were. For now, she’d give him the benefit of the doubt, but if he thought just because they were supposed to get married, that he could control her every move, well, he had another think coming.

      She wasn’t marrying him or any other man. Millie had come to Granite to tell him that she’d been mistaken in answering his mail-order bride advertisement. She had thought at the time it was the only way to escape her controlling mother and to flee from the law.

      But on the trip out, she’d changed her mind. Because Millie knew it wouldn’t be right to keep the money he’d already spent on her passage to Granite, Millie had taken a job in Lubbock Texas.

      It had taken her six long months to earn his money. She’d grown up during those months and realized she should have stood up to her mother and told the law what had happened.

      Millie still wasn’t sure if the U.S. marshal was after her or not. Burning down Eliza Kelly’s house had been an accident, but now she understood that by running away, she appeared guilty and it wouldn’t look at all like an accident to the law.

      Her thoughts calmed a bit as she glanced around the small town of Granite. It looked like a nice place to settle. Millie thought about the art gallery she hoped to have someday. If all went well, she might just stay here and make that dream come true. Then she could return to Cottonwood Springs a success and with a little money to pay a good lawyer.

      In his letters, Levi had described Granite and its people as warm and welcoming. As if to prove his point, a woman with a small boy in hand smiled and waved at them. Millie returned her smile and wave. If everyone was as friendly as the woman Millie felt sure she’d be happy here. But would Levi allow her to stay once she told him she didn’t wish to marry after all? Or would he expect her to pack up and move on?

      Levi had said he’d given up on her. That was good. She’d be able to tell him that marriage was out of the question and she had earned enough money at Miss Hattie’s Laundry, and by selling a few of her drawings in Lubbock, to pay him back for the trip to Granite.

      To break the silence, Millie said, “This looks like a nice town.” She noted a furniture builder’s shop and inhaled deeply. Was that Levi’s carpentry business?

      The soothing scent of wood filled her nostrils. Millie didn’t think the scent drifted out from the store; more than likely it came from the man beside her.

      Her papa worked at the sawmill in Cottonwood Springs. The smell of fresh wood shavings always gave her comfort. Today the scent reminded her of Papa, and longing entered her heart to see him again.

      Levi offered a stiff chuckle. “We like it.”

      He continued walking with her, nodding at the locals, so Millie allowed her thoughts to drift back to her father. She missed him dearly but couldn’t see herself returning home just yet.

      Mother was as demanding as the day was long and Papa was as meek. He allowed her mother to boss him around. She told him what to do and where to go as if he were a child. No, Millie had had enough of that in her eighteen years at home.

      Reflecting СКАЧАТЬ