Read Online A Mid-Summer's Mail-Order Bride by Kit Morgan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kit Morgan
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Bernice as she stood. “We won’t be gone that long.”
“We?” Summer asked teasingly.
“I mean … I won’t be gone that long,” he corrected.
Bernice felt herself blush. Surely he hadn’t meant to imply that he was thinking about returning to his farm with her, did he? No, of course not. She was a silly duck to even think of it. She turned and stepped away from the chair, one foot moving too fast. It caught on a chair leg, and down she went …
… or would’ve if Warren hadn’t caught her. He’d hooked an arm around her belly with lightning speed – and enough strength to knock the wind from her. “Whoa there! Be careful, now.”
She fought for breath as he righted her and got her on her feet. She gasped for air and wanted to thank him, but couldn’t talk yet.
“Are you all right, Miss Caulder?”
“I … I will be … give me a moment.”
“That would’ve been a mighty big tumble if Warren hadn’t come to your rescue,” Mr. Johnson pointed out, winking at Summer. Summer winked back.
Warren ignored them both and concentrated on Bernice. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
She swallowed hard and shook her head. “No, it just startled me is all.” She looked at him. “Thank you for catching me. Losing my breath is better than landing face first on the floor.”
“I have no doubt,” he said with a smile. “Are you sure you’re all right? Do you need a drink of water or anything?”
Bernice caught a glimpse of Old Man Johnson as he put a hand to his mouth and turned from them, his shoulders shaking. Just marvelous – she was a laughingstock already. “No, really, I’m fine.”
Warren’s grandfather turned back, his face red. “You’d best escort the women back now, boy. I need to get some work done.”
“You be careful, Grandpa,” Warren told him.
The older man nodded. “Don’t worry about me – I’m always careful.” He glanced between Bernice and his grandson and smiled. “I’ll see ya later.” He went to a peg on the wall, grabbed his hat and went out the kitchen’s back door.
Warren sighed.
“You worry about him, don’t you?” Bernice asked.
“More than you know.”
“He seems fit as a fiddle,” Summer said. “And he did fine while you are away at school.”
“I know,” Warren said as he glanced between the two women. “But he’s not getting any younger, and pretty soon he’s going to slow down a lot more than he already has. I don’t know what I’ll do when he does.”
“Hire a few hands like Clayton’s done,” Summer suggested. “At least during harvest time.”
“Yes,” he agreed and looked at Bernice. “I suppose I’ll have to.”
Bernice took a step away from him, wondering if he saw her as inadequate for farm work. But why wouldn’t he, since she couldn’t even get out of a chair without nearly injuring herself?
“That was a fine pie, Mrs. Riley. Tell Elle thank you.” He looked at Bernice. “And thank you for bringing it to me. That was very kind.”
Bernice smiled. “You’re welcome.”
“Shall we go?” he asked, his eyes never leaving her face. She nodded and stared back, vaguely aware of Summer as she leaned against the kitchen table and watched them, a huge grin on her face. She wondered why he wasn’t moving, and if he was going to do the proper thing and offer her his arm.
But instead, he went to the same peg his grandfather had, grabbed a hat from it and put it on his head. “Ladies?” he said and waved them toward the back door. Either he wasn’t as gentlemanly as she first thought, or he didn’t want to give her the impression he was interested. How could she tell? As Grandpa Johnson had said, she didn’t know him well enough yet.
With a sigh, Bernice preceded him out the door.
Seven
Abducted? In the middle of a dance with the whole town present?! Warren could hardly believe it! What else had this poor girl suffered?
He glanced at Miss Caulder every now and then as they traversed the orchards
“We?” Summer asked teasingly.
“I mean … I won’t be gone that long,” he corrected.
Bernice felt herself blush. Surely he hadn’t meant to imply that he was thinking about returning to his farm with her, did he? No, of course not. She was a silly duck to even think of it. She turned and stepped away from the chair, one foot moving too fast. It caught on a chair leg, and down she went …
… or would’ve if Warren hadn’t caught her. He’d hooked an arm around her belly with lightning speed – and enough strength to knock the wind from her. “Whoa there! Be careful, now.”
She fought for breath as he righted her and got her on her feet. She gasped for air and wanted to thank him, but couldn’t talk yet.
“Are you all right, Miss Caulder?”
“I … I will be … give me a moment.”
“That would’ve been a mighty big tumble if Warren hadn’t come to your rescue,” Mr. Johnson pointed out, winking at Summer. Summer winked back.
Warren ignored them both and concentrated on Bernice. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
She swallowed hard and shook her head. “No, it just startled me is all.” She looked at him. “Thank you for catching me. Losing my breath is better than landing face first on the floor.”
“I have no doubt,” he said with a smile. “Are you sure you’re all right? Do you need a drink of water or anything?”
Bernice caught a glimpse of Old Man Johnson as he put a hand to his mouth and turned from them, his shoulders shaking. Just marvelous – she was a laughingstock already. “No, really, I’m fine.”
Warren’s grandfather turned back, his face red. “You’d best escort the women back now, boy. I need to get some work done.”
“You be careful, Grandpa,” Warren told him.
The older man nodded. “Don’t worry about me – I’m always careful.” He glanced between Bernice and his grandson and smiled. “I’ll see ya later.” He went to a peg on the wall, grabbed his hat and went out the kitchen’s back door.
Warren sighed.
“You worry about him, don’t you?” Bernice asked.
“More than you know.”
“He seems fit as a fiddle,” Summer said. “And he did fine while you are away at school.”
“I know,” Warren said as he glanced between the two women. “But he’s not getting any younger, and pretty soon he’s going to slow down a lot more than he already has. I don’t know what I’ll do when he does.”
“Hire a few hands like Clayton’s done,” Summer suggested. “At least during harvest time.”
“Yes,” he agreed and looked at Bernice. “I suppose I’ll have to.”
Bernice took a step away from him, wondering if he saw her as inadequate for farm work. But why wouldn’t he, since she couldn’t even get out of a chair without nearly injuring herself?
“That was a fine pie, Mrs. Riley. Tell Elle thank you.” He looked at Bernice. “And thank you for bringing it to me. That was very kind.”
Bernice smiled. “You’re welcome.”
“Shall we go?” he asked, his eyes never leaving her face. She nodded and stared back, vaguely aware of Summer as she leaned against the kitchen table and watched them, a huge grin on her face. She wondered why he wasn’t moving, and if he was going to do the proper thing and offer her his arm.
But instead, he went to the same peg his grandfather had, grabbed a hat from it and put it on his head. “Ladies?” he said and waved them toward the back door. Either he wasn’t as gentlemanly as she first thought, or he didn’t want to give her the impression he was interested. How could she tell? As Grandpa Johnson had said, she didn’t know him well enough yet.
With a sigh, Bernice preceded him out the door.
Seven
Abducted? In the middle of a dance with the whole town present?! Warren could hardly believe it! What else had this poor girl suffered?
He glanced at Miss Caulder every now and then as they traversed the orchards
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