Montana Groom Of Convenience. Linda Ford

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      Not that Carly had any intention of doing that. She wanted nothing but to keep her ranch. Certainly didn’t want a man thinking he had the right to tell her how to act or dress.

      Either Sawyer thought she meant there was no one to marry them or else Sawyer had changed his mind. But would it hurt for him to come right out and say so instead of leaving her standing in the middle of Miss Daisy’s Eatery, trying to gather her thoughts together?

      Annie had paid for their tea so she chased after the man with every intention of making him explain himself.

      Before she reached the door, she heard people shouting and a woman screaming. She hurried outside to see what the fuss was all about.

      Her breath stalled in her chest at the sight before her. Sawyer held the head of two struggling horses that tossed their heads and reared. A man in the wagon the horses were harnessed to stood on his feet and reared back on the reins, trying to get control of the frightened animals. And then she saw Jill and her heart slammed into her chest.

      The child lay in the street. Carly knew in a flash what had happened. Jill had run into the street without checking to see it was safe. It happened far too often. She remembered when Annie’s niece, Mattie, had almost been run over last summer. Mattie’s father had ridden up and swept her to safety. Jill had not been as fortunate.

      She was annoyed at how her skirts hindered her—she’d only worn a dress to town because of some foolish hope it would make a man consider her as marriage material. Now they were a hazard to her. Carly grabbed the hem and lifted the fabric to free her to run as she dashed into the street.

      Ignoring the flashing hooves of the rearing horses, she scooped up the girl and carried her to safety in front of Marshall’s Mercantile. Paying no attention to the questions from the spectators, she laid Jill gently on the step and bent over to wipe the tangled brown hair from the child’s face. Her eyelids fluttered, then brown eyes went wide with shock.

      “Are you hurt?” Carly checked each limb. A lump bulged on Jill’s forehead.

      “I’m okay.”

      It was the first time Carly had heard her speak, so she couldn’t judge if the huskiness was from her fright or if that was the child’s normal voice. She looked around, hoping Dr. Baker or his daughter were among those hovering nearby.

      “Kate.” Relief flooded her at the sight of the doctor’s daughter pushing through the crowd. Kate had light brown hair that she often wore in a careless bun. So typical of the woman. Caring for others mattered far more than looks. Her brown eyes filled with kindness.

      “Is she hurt?” Unmindful of the dusty wooden sidewalk that would soil her dark skirt, Kate knelt beside Carly and deftly ran her hands over Jill’s legs and arms, then pulled down each bottom eyelid to look into Jill’s eyes. “Take her over to the doctor’s office. I’ll examine her more closely there.”

      Carly shoved aside the offers of help to carry Jill and lifted her against her chest. Jill crossed her arms and stiffened. Poor child to be in the arms of a stranger. Something warm and protective blossomed in Carly’s heart. This motherless child deserved to be sheltered and cherished. “I’ll take care of you,” she murmured to Jill.

      It was a promise she meant to keep. Somehow she would persuade Sawyer there was no need to retract his offer of marriage...an agreement between them was in the best interests of all three of them. No. Only two of them. She didn’t know what Sawyer needed, nor did it matter so long as Jill got her home and Carly got her ranch.

      She reached the doctor’s house and glanced back to see Sawyer looking about. His gaze found her and when he saw she held Jill, he handed the calming horses to another man and trotted in Carly’s direction. She didn’t wait for him but carried Jill inside to the examining room.

      Kate brought a basin of warm water. “I need to see what’s under the dirt.”

      “I’ll do it.” Carly took the wet cloth and gently washed Jill’s face. All the while, Jill watched her solemnly. Carly smiled. “Tell me if I hurt you.”

      “It don’t.”

      Kate stood beside Carly.

      “Kate, this is Jill. She’s eight years old.” She smiled at the child. She was quite lovely with all the dirt removed. “Jill, this is Mrs. Marshall.” Kate had married Conner Marshall, one of the three sons of the Marshall family who had built the town. “She’s a nurse. She’ll see if you’re hurt.”

      Carly stepped back to allow Kate more space.

      The door banged open and Sawyer strode through, jerking off his worn hat but not slowing until he was at his sister’s side. “That was a foolish thing to do. You could have been killed.”

      Jill’s eyes went from hungry to angry. “I’m not even hurt.”

      “I was about to see if that is so or not,” Kate said.

      Carly introduced Kate to Sawyer.

      Kate waited for Sawyer to realize he needed to step back. “Can you tell me what happened?” She examined Jill as she talked.

      Sawyer answered though Carly wondered if Kate had directed the question at Jill. “She ran full speed into the street without looking to see if it was safe. The horses saw her and reared in fright. If she hadn’t tripped and fallen, she would have been kicked.” He spoke in a flat tone.

      Carly wondered if he was as unfeeling about seeing his sister in such dire straits as he sounded.

      Kate stepped aside. “Apart from the goose egg on her forehead, she seems unhurt. I suggest you keep her awake for the next eight or twelve hours to make certain she’s okay.”

      Now was the time for Carly to speak her mind. “Kate, can you watch her for a minute?”

      Kate nodded, her brows raised in curiosity.

      Carly turned to Sawyer. “May I speak to you in private?” Not waiting for him to agree or otherwise, she headed for the door that led to the doctor’s living quarters. With Sawyer on her heels, she crossed the front room and entered the kitchen, sparing a quick glance around.

      Last spring, Kate, her friend Isabelle and Sadie, the teacher, had all arrived in town, along with Dr. Baker. The doctor and teacher were to replace those who had left after the devastating fire that had leveled a block of buildings in Bella Creek. Now the three female newcomers were married—all to Marshall men. And Annie Marshall, Carly’s best friend, had recently married Preacher Hugh Arness. Carly had never thought to be joining them in wedlock but her father had left her little choice.

      She reached the outer door, was about to grab the handle and head outside, then changed her mind. It would be much harder for him to escape her demands with her back pressed to the closest exit. “Did you offer to marry me only to mock my need?”

      He sank back on his heels. “Did you not say there would be a problem in getting married?”

      “Nope. Sure didn’t. Said it might be a problem getting the preacher to agree to marry us.”

      His eyebrows lifted marginally. Barely enough for her to guess that he wondered what she meant.

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