The Marriage Bargain. Angel Moore

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ then.” He pushed the hat onto his head and walked down the porch steps.

      She hesitated. “Would you mind if I took a look inside first?”

      “Inside the cabin?”

      “Yes. I want to see how much space there is, so I can decide what to bring and what to leave behind.”

      “Oh.” He took the hat off again. “That makes sense.” He shrugged his shoulders and lifted an arm to invite her up the steps. He heard a thump and turned to see the door of the livery open. Jim Robbins stood in front of his place and made no effort to hide his interest in the goings-on at Edward’s house. Edward turned and looked up the street. Mrs. Winters was sweeping the sidewalk in front of the post office. He pivoted and saw Will Thomas in the doorway of the lumber mill.

      Edward put his hat back on and took Lily by the elbow. “It seems we’re being watched.”

      She followed his gaze and saw the obvious interest their neighbors were showing. She giggled like a schoolgirl. It was a light sound, like water over rocks in a stream in summertime. “You’d think there was a fire or something.”

      He chuckled. “One would think so.”

      “What should we do? Wave? Or ignore them.”

      He drew in a breath. “Do you trust me?”

      “I believe I’ve proved that already. After all, I did marry you less than an hour ago.”

      Mr. Croft walked by on the street and tipped his hat. He made a show of greeting Mr. Robbins when he arrived at the livery.

      Edward leaned in close. “What goes on here will affect us all. How well your business does, and how well our marriage is accepted. All of it could have consequences for us and for Ellen.”

      Lily looked over his shoulder and nodded. “I’d say this town is very interested in us at the moment. I hope it will fade in time. Quickly, would be my preference.”

      “Then I say we do our part to keep the busybodies from having anything to talk about.”

      “How do you propose to do that?”

      “By living the part of a normal married couple.”

      Lily’s eyes grew wide.

      He gave her elbow a slight squeeze. “What I meant to say is if we give every indication of being a normal married couple, when we’re outside the cabin, no one looking will have any reason to question our relationship. The best way for them to concentrate on someone else is for there to be nothing to see here.”

      “I think I see what you mean.” Her face relaxed.

      “Good. So we’re agreed?”

      She nodded.

      “Here we go, then.” Edward leaned close and, with one hand behind her back and another behind her knees, he scooped her off her feet.

      Caught unawares, she gave a tiny yelp and wrapped her arms around his neck. She whispered close to his ear. “What are you doing?”

      “I’m carrying you across the threshold.” He climbed the steps and walked into the cabin. He turned in the doorway and kicked the door closed with his foot.

      Lily laughed. “I think I may have married a deranged man.”

      Edward laughed and set her on her feet. He put the distance of the room between them. “Not deranged.” He closed the shutters across one of the front windows. “But never happy to be the center of attention.” He closed the other shutters and dropped into a chair at the table.

      Lily stepped to the cabinet next to the stove and looked out of the window that faced Main Street. “Then why did you make such a scene? Mr. Winters has joined his wife on the sidewalk, and they’re talking to Mr. Croft. Mrs. Winters is smiling and looking in our direction.”

      “Close the shutters.” Edward leaned back in the chair and stretched his legs out in front of him.

      “It’s the middle of the afternoon.”

      “I know. But if you don’t want them walking by on this side of the street and trying to peek in the window, you’ll close the shutters.”

      Lily swung the shutters closed. The dim interior of the room was lit only by the fire. He marveled again at how gracefully she moved.

      He went to the stove and set the coffee to warm. “Why don’t you sit by the fire? You’ve got to be bone tired.”

      A slight shrug of her shoulders was the only response.

      “It’s not the day either of us planned.” He opened a tin of cookies Mrs. Dismuke had brought for Ellen. His niece might not want him to share her treats, but he’d deal with her later.

      Lily sat on the edge of a chair facing the fire. “Nothing has gone like I planned for most of my life.” He watched the back of her head as she shook it slowly back and forth. “I’d so hoped things would be different in Pine Haven.”

      Edward poured two cups of coffee. “Do you drink coffee?”

      “Yes.” She didn’t turn away from the fire. Her shoulders slumped forward.

      He brought a cup to her and set the tin of cookies on the table by her chair. “This might help you.” He retrieved his cup and sat on the bench in front of the fire facing her.

      She sipped the brew, and her face twisted. “Oh, my.”

      “Not to your taste?”

      “Is it to yours?” She looked up at him.

      “Not really. But it’s the best I’ve been able to do.”

      She sat up straight and set the cup on the table. “Did you bake the cookies?” A wary eye told him she was being cautious when it came to his efforts at cooking.

      “No. The preacher’s wife brought them for Ellen. They’re quite good.”

      “Do you think Ellen will be upset with you for sharing them with me?”

      He grinned. She’d only been in town a couple of days, but she’d already figured out Ellen’s personality. “Probably. So consider it her wedding gift to you.”

      She took a cookie and nibbled at it. Then she took another bite and picked up a second cookie.

      “Have you eaten today, Lily?”

      “I don’t remember. Everything has happened so fast.” She stared into the fire again. “I think I had some lunch.”

      “Eat another cookie, then, and we’ll get some things figured out before we go get your trunks from the shop. I’ve got to take care of the wagon, too.”

      She put the half-eaten cookie down and stood. “I’m sorry. I forgot about the wagon.”

      “Relax.” She was like СКАЧАТЬ