Read Online An Unexpected Husband (The Colorado Brides Series) by Carré White - Free Book Online
Authors: Carré White
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something. I’ll run out right quick. Can you watch over everything?”
“Yes, of course. Is Joshua sleeping?”
“He’s awake in his bed, but quiet.”
“All right.” I went to my room to change Rosalind, while she cooed and squirmed happily. “I can’t believe you’re not hungry yet.” A knock on the door startled me, and I hastily finished fastening the diaper. “Coming.” Here’s our food.” I hurried down the short hallway, reaching for the knob. The person who stood before me wasn’t a hotel employee. “Paulina!” One of my stepmother’s sisters had come to visit.
“I can’t stay long, but I thought I’d stop by.” She smiled, glancing at Rosalind. “Is this your charge? What a lovely baby.”
“Yes, this is Rosalind Carlyle. She’s been very good today.”
Paulina brushed by me, eyeing the parlor. “Oh, this is nice. I always wondered what the suites looked like.”
“There’s a master bedroom and two smaller ones. The wet nurse has that room, but she’s gone to get the paper. That’s her daughter, Judy.”
“Hello.” Paulina held out her hand to the girl, who sat on the sofa.
“Good morning,” she said politely.
“Good morning.” Paulina glanced at me. “I might as well get to the point of this visit. I was told you wanted a cat.”
“A cat?” asked Judy excitedly. “A kitty cat?”
“Yes, Jane mentioned it.” She reached into a leather bag, extracting a small bundle of gray fluff. “She’s nearly two months old and ready to go it alone. You may keep her, if you still want it.”
“Oh, my goodness.” I had forgotten all about this. “I…oh…really, I shouldn’t. I haven’t spoken to Mr. Carlyle on this subject.”
The kitten squirmed in Paulina’s hands, while Judy had gotten to her feet, reaching for it. “I want to hold her.” She clutched the fluffy animal, cuddling it, while feeling the fur on her cheek. “I love this little cat. I hope we can keep her.”
Oh, what a pickle! I chewed my lip, trying to think of a solution. If I kept the cat, there was a chance that Mr. Carlyle might be vexed with me, but…it was adorable. “What do I feed it?”
“Water and scraps from the dinner table. That’s what we give ours. Then they run outside and eat mice and rats and things. They also like milk and anything with fish.”
“Well, that sounds easy enough, but…what about when they need to use the bathroom?”
“They go outside.”
“But, we’re in town, Paulina. I’d worry the poor thing would be taken by someone or killed or stolen. I…can’t exactly let her out in a hotel.”
“Well, it is possible for them to go inside, but you’ll need a box and some sand. You can train the cat to use it. Then all you have to do is pluck out the waste every day to keep it from smelling bad.”
“We can do that, Mary,” said Judy. “I’ve a box I can give you. We can ask Allette for some sand.”
“I…” I glanced at Judy’s expectant face. “All right. Go get that box and then find Allette. We can keep it in my room. Gracious, I hope I don’t anger Mr. Carlyle.”
“If he objects, just return the cat,” said Paulina. “It’s fine. I can take her on Sunday.”
“Very well, I’ll do that if this turns out badly, which I have a feeling it will.”
“He might not even notice, truthfully. Isn’t he a businessman or something? Jane said he worked for the railways.”
“He’s trying to secure investors for the line from Cheyenne. But, perhaps, he won’t notice. I’ll keep her in my room. He certainly isn’t going to go in there.”
“Exactly. Most men aren’t all that aware anyhow. I changed the wallpaper in the parlor, and Samuel never noticed. Can you imagine? It was a completely different color, and he failed to recognize it.” She shrugged. “Men.”
Another knock sounded. “That must be lunch.” I hurried for the door. “Oh, thank you.” A servant held a tray. “You can leave everything on the table.”
“Yes,
“Yes, of course. Is Joshua sleeping?”
“He’s awake in his bed, but quiet.”
“All right.” I went to my room to change Rosalind, while she cooed and squirmed happily. “I can’t believe you’re not hungry yet.” A knock on the door startled me, and I hastily finished fastening the diaper. “Coming.” Here’s our food.” I hurried down the short hallway, reaching for the knob. The person who stood before me wasn’t a hotel employee. “Paulina!” One of my stepmother’s sisters had come to visit.
“I can’t stay long, but I thought I’d stop by.” She smiled, glancing at Rosalind. “Is this your charge? What a lovely baby.”
“Yes, this is Rosalind Carlyle. She’s been very good today.”
Paulina brushed by me, eyeing the parlor. “Oh, this is nice. I always wondered what the suites looked like.”
“There’s a master bedroom and two smaller ones. The wet nurse has that room, but she’s gone to get the paper. That’s her daughter, Judy.”
“Hello.” Paulina held out her hand to the girl, who sat on the sofa.
“Good morning,” she said politely.
“Good morning.” Paulina glanced at me. “I might as well get to the point of this visit. I was told you wanted a cat.”
“A cat?” asked Judy excitedly. “A kitty cat?”
“Yes, Jane mentioned it.” She reached into a leather bag, extracting a small bundle of gray fluff. “She’s nearly two months old and ready to go it alone. You may keep her, if you still want it.”
“Oh, my goodness.” I had forgotten all about this. “I…oh…really, I shouldn’t. I haven’t spoken to Mr. Carlyle on this subject.”
The kitten squirmed in Paulina’s hands, while Judy had gotten to her feet, reaching for it. “I want to hold her.” She clutched the fluffy animal, cuddling it, while feeling the fur on her cheek. “I love this little cat. I hope we can keep her.”
Oh, what a pickle! I chewed my lip, trying to think of a solution. If I kept the cat, there was a chance that Mr. Carlyle might be vexed with me, but…it was adorable. “What do I feed it?”
“Water and scraps from the dinner table. That’s what we give ours. Then they run outside and eat mice and rats and things. They also like milk and anything with fish.”
“Well, that sounds easy enough, but…what about when they need to use the bathroom?”
“They go outside.”
“But, we’re in town, Paulina. I’d worry the poor thing would be taken by someone or killed or stolen. I…can’t exactly let her out in a hotel.”
“Well, it is possible for them to go inside, but you’ll need a box and some sand. You can train the cat to use it. Then all you have to do is pluck out the waste every day to keep it from smelling bad.”
“We can do that, Mary,” said Judy. “I’ve a box I can give you. We can ask Allette for some sand.”
“I…” I glanced at Judy’s expectant face. “All right. Go get that box and then find Allette. We can keep it in my room. Gracious, I hope I don’t anger Mr. Carlyle.”
“If he objects, just return the cat,” said Paulina. “It’s fine. I can take her on Sunday.”
“Very well, I’ll do that if this turns out badly, which I have a feeling it will.”
“He might not even notice, truthfully. Isn’t he a businessman or something? Jane said he worked for the railways.”
“He’s trying to secure investors for the line from Cheyenne. But, perhaps, he won’t notice. I’ll keep her in my room. He certainly isn’t going to go in there.”
“Exactly. Most men aren’t all that aware anyhow. I changed the wallpaper in the parlor, and Samuel never noticed. Can you imagine? It was a completely different color, and he failed to recognize it.” She shrugged. “Men.”
Another knock sounded. “That must be lunch.” I hurried for the door. “Oh, thank you.” A servant held a tray. “You can leave everything on the table.”
“Yes,
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