Read Online A Bride for Donnigan by Janette Oke - Free Book Online Page B

pretty.”
    “Maybe it’s a weed.”
    Donnigan straightened his shoulders and looked at the other man evenly. “I might not know the first thing about flowers—but I’ve made it my business to know weeds,” he replied evenly.
    Lucas rose to his feet again and nodded in concession.
    “Come in,” said Donnigan, moving toward the door. “I’ll put on the coffee.”
    “Can’t stay,” said Lucas, and Donnigan hesitated.
    “Wire came today,” said Lucas. “The ship’s in.”
    Donnigan whirled to face the other man. Suddenly he felt like a small boy waiting for the Christmas that finally arrived. It was all he could do to keep himself from tossing his hat in the air and giving a loud whoop. He restrained himself and gave a slight nod instead.
    “Wallis know?” he asked as calmly as he could. He looked at Lucas and was surprised to see the undisguised glow in the other man’s face.
    “I’m stopping over there soon as I leave here,” Lucas replied.
    Donnigan swallowed hard. Never had his emotions played such havoc with his normally calm demeanor. He shifted his feet uneasily, feeling that he would surely burst at any minute.
    “It’ll take ’em a couple weeks to get here,” Lucas continued. “They’ll catch the train from Boston—then connect with the stagecoach the rest of the way. Jenks says he hopes to have them out here week from Saturday.”
    A week from Saturday! Donnigan’s thoughts raced. After waiting for weeks—months—it suddenly seemed so soon and yet so long until he would actually be meeting—seeing for himself the one—He couldn’t even think about it. It made his heart race.
    He shifted again.
    “Well, I’d better get on over and tell Wallis,” Lucas went on. “He’s right anxious.”
    Donnigan swallowed again and managed to nod his head.
    Then Lucas reached into his inner coat pocket and withdrew a piece of folded paper.
    “Here’s the name of the lady you’re to meet that Saturday,” said Lucas casually, and Donnigan held his breath as he accepted the sheet. He felt a cold sweat encase his body, and he took a long, deep breath to steady the pounding of his heart.
    He had to say something. Anything. Just so that Lucas wouldn’t think him a complete fool.
    “Suppose you’ve known your lady’s name for weeks,” he managed.
    Lucas nodded his head. Took a step toward the team that waited where they had been tethered to a tree in the lane. Then paused and said simply, “It’s Erma,” and then walked away—but not before Donnigan had caught the excitement in his eyes.
    Donnigan watched the man leave and then went in to put on the coffee. He knew that Wallis would be over just as soon as he got the word.
    He was very conscious of the paper in his shirt pocket. He wanted to seize it quickly and pore over its contents—and yet could not bring himself to touch it. That little slip of paper—the name that it bore—was going to change his whole life.
    He stoked the fire and filled the coffeepot with fresh water and poured in a handful of grounds before he allowed himself to sit down at the kitchen table and reach a trembling hand to the breast pocket.
    “Name—Kathleen O’Malley,” he read aloud and stopped to let the name roll over his tongue a few times before his eyes crinkled in a smile. He liked it.
    “Twenty-one. Dark hair and brown eyes. Lots of experience in cooking and keeping house.” That was all.
    Donnigan read the paper again and again. He wished there were more—something to give him some—some indication of just what kind of person Kathleen O’Malley was. Was she tall? Short? Sullen? Cheerful? Did she like horses? Hogs? Would she want a garden spot? Hens? Was she—? Donnigan carefully folded the bit of paper and replaced it in his breast pocket. He sighed deeply. He guessed that he should be happy to have her name. At least he could step forward come the important Saturday and say, “Good-day, Miss O’Malley. I do hope your trip wasn’t too