Unlawfully Wedded Bride. Noelle Marchand

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СКАЧАТЬ 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.”

      “I know what Ellie and I did was wrong, but I think you made the right decision about everything in the end.”

      It took a moment for her sleep-fogged mind to catch up. When it did, she felt relief fill her being. She forced her eyes open. “Good. I’m glad you think so.”

      His gaze flickered to the table then back up to meet hers. “Do you want me to take care of this for you?”

      “Would you? That would be wonderful.” She glanced at the table strewn with papers and shook her head. “If you could just stack the papers for me, I’ll put them away in the morning.”

      “Sure,” he agreed.

      She carefully pushed back from the chair then reached out to touch his dark blond hair as she passed. “Good night, Sean.”

      Satisfaction filled his voice. “Good night.”

       Chapter One

       Three weeks later

      Kate felt Ellie’s side of the bed dip, then rise. She listened to her sister’s small feet pad against the wooden floor of the farmhouse loft. She turned on her side to watch Ellie drag a chair to the window. The soft blue light of morning spilled through the glass as Ellie pushed back the curtains for a better view. Kate sighed then sat up in sleepy curiosity. “What are you doing?”

      “I can see the road from here,” Ellie said, then jumped down from the chair with a decided thump. She ran to kneel in front of the bed and lifted her sparkling green eyes to meet Kate’s. “Do you have a feeling that today will be a very special day?”

      “No, not particularly,” she said. Seeing Ellie’s crestfallen expression, she amended, “I suppose that every day can be a very special day if we let it.”

      Ellie gave her a half smile seemingly more out of politeness than anything else. Kate hid her bemusement as she turned away from Ellie and quickly dressed. Her siblings seemed to have made a concerted effort to behave since she’d managed to stop their plan to marry her off. While she was relieved to see such an improvement in their behavior, she found it unnerving. How could they possibly not be up to something?

      Kate smoothed her hair into an upturned twist as she watched her sister suspiciously. The girl had gone back to her post at the window. “Are you looking for something, Ellie?”

      “Hmm? Oh, no,” she said absently.

      “Then please get ready for school.”

      “Yes, Kate.”

      Sean and Ellie stepped into the kitchen just as she set the food on the table. Kate packed their lunch pails and set them in the usual place, then turned to survey their progress and was satisfied to find them nearly done eating. “Do you both have your slates and your homework?”

      “Yes.” They answered as they deposited their empty plates in the sink.

      “Don’t lollygag on the way or you’ll be late again,” she warned, then sank into an empty chair and sent them a smile. “Be good and have fun.”

      Sean grabbed the lunch pails and slates before hurrying out of the kitchen. Ellie began to follow him then paused to look at Kate. She met the girl’s measuring stare. “Yes, Ellie?”

      “Are you going to wear that the rest of the day?”

      She looked down at her serviceable blue dress. “Why? Is something wrong with it?”

      Ellie stepped farther into the room. “Wouldn’t it be nice to get dressed up this once?”

      “I’ll be doing the wash all day. Why would I dress up for that?” she asked in confusion.

      Ellie shrugged. “If someone stopped by, you would want to look presentable. Don’t you think—”

      Sean appeared at the door and frowned at Ellie. “Let’s go. We’re going to be late.”

      Ellie nodded then sent Kate a hopeful smile. “Perhaps just your hair—”

      “Bye, Kate.” Sean grabbed Ellie’s arm and pulled her toward the door. As they left Kate heard him whisper, “What are you trying to do, anyway?”

      The door slammed shut behind them leaving Kate in perplexed silence. She shook her head in frustration even as her lips curved in an amused smile. It looked like things were finally back to normal. She grabbed a biscuit for breakfast, then went about the chores with her usual determination.

      She gathered their laundry and carried the large basket through the forest to the small creek that ran through the property. She washed clothes until her fingers became wrinkled from the cool water, then took a break to let the sun warm her freezing hands. She carefully stretched the kinks from her back. The waterfall that pooled into the small creek provided a drumming rhythm that lulled her senses into disarming relaxation.

      A gunshot reverberated through the still morning air. Kate started, then spun toward the sound. Stunned, it took her a moment to realize she was staring into the forest toward her family’s farm. She picked up her skirts and ran. She dashed through the trees, her bare feet creating a quick rhythm on the path she’d traveled only an hour ago.

      The edge of her petticoat caught on a fallen branch but she refused to slow down as she neared the large clearing where her father had built their farm. The curious sound of masculine voices made her pause. She cautiously moved around the side of the barn toward them. The voices grew louder. With one last step, she cleared the barn and found herself in the middle of a standoff.

      Kate froze. Her gaze traveled from the tall cowboy on her left whose gun was drawn toward the house, to the young man standing just outside her doorway. He was struggling to keep his grip on his pistol and control the haphazard pile of possessions in his arms. She narrowed her eyes as she recognized the items, then gasped as realization tumbled over her. She stepped forward. “What do you think you’re doing with my things? Put those down!”

      He jumped and turned to stare at her with panic in his gaze.

      Her eyes widened as she realized he was just a boy. She lifted her chin and her tone turned imperious. “I said, put those down. Just you wait until—”

      A wild shot flew from the boy’s gun.

      She jumped, then stared at him in surprise.

      “Get down!” СКАЧАТЬ