Read Online Badland Bride by Lauri Robinson - Free Book Online Page B

that little bird? Only in his life for a few days, but remain with him forever. She'd told him so many incredible things about the future, he couldn't stop from asking her questions, all sorts of questions, since he found it all so amazing. Then again, so was she, amazing, that is. And so loveable, just like his little bird. Not that she had a broken wing, but she was broken. He could feel it—there was something besides being from a different time, from being pregnant, and from the terror she'd experienced. No, it was deeper, like there was a part of her that had been broken and had never healed.
    The thought stuck in his head, and his chest, as the horses trudged down the trail leading to his Ma's place.
    The cool night air licking Skeeter quickly dried the water from his long legs before he pulled on a clean pair of pants. The echoing thuds of horse hooves, made him slip on his boots and grab the new shirt from the fence post before walking around the back side of the wash house. Lila had settled into the brass bathing tub his mother always used in the house before he came out to use the big one Snake had made for him and the boys outside.
    One of his brothers, from this distance he couldn't tell if it was Snake, Hog, or Bug raced down the driveway like they were being chased by Indians. Skeeter glanced toward the barn, frowning. What would take them away this time of night? He and Lila had arrived an hour ago, and just as he'd suspected, Ma had begun clucking around the girl as if she were a long lost chick.
    The barn door flew open, the hinges creaking as the heavy wood swung wide. The broad door hit against the outside wall of the barn with a solid thud. Ma Quinter, all five feet of her covered in a brightly flowered dress that almost glowed in the moonlight, stomped out. He smiled at the sight of her marching form. She was a tough, little lady, who could outshoot all five of her sons. His grin widened. It was good to be home. Good to see everyone.
    As she came to a halt beside him, the glint in her eye made him take a step back. He took another step, reading body language that said she wanted to cuff the back of his head. Slightly miffed, he scowled, “Come on, Ma. I'm too old for you to be cuffin'."
    "Yeah, well, maybe you're right. Ain't seemed to have done a lick of good any way.” Her eyes snapped like fireflies.
    "What's that suppose to mean?"
    "That lil’ gal in there!” She pointed to the house. “I think you got a bit more explainin’ ta do."
    Skeeter shuffled his feet. What was it about his mother that always made him feel he was about nine and still wet behind the ears? He'd told her as much as he could. Hell, he was still trying to figure it all out. After all, a ghost dance that produced a girl from the future, who in their right mind would believe it?
    "Well?” she asked.
    "Ma—"
    "Don't Ma me!” She stepped forward, lifted her nose so her eyes could glare into his. “That gal's gonna have a baby."
    A bucket of cold water couldn't have been more shock inducing. “H-how—d-did—"
    "How do I know? I've had four babies. I know what a woman's body looks like when it's expecting. Poor little gal's probably embarrassed as ole-git-outs about the way yer treatin’ her. Yer Pa's turning over in his grave, thinking this is how you care for a woman."
    Skeeter took a quick side step, making sure he was out of her arm's reach. “Ma,” he started. “It's not like that. Yes, she is goin’ to have a baby, but it's not mine."
    "Well, then, whose is it?"
    "Some man who took her against her will,” Skeeter admitted, trying to hide the rage boiling in his gut. Once Lila had told him what happened, he'd wished that shutter had been larger, split the man's head wide open. Never had he encountered the type of hatred he felt for Pete Hawkins.
    "The devil you say!"
    "Yes, I think he's as close to the devil as you can get."
    "Well, you're gonna marry her anyway,” Ma said with solid resolution.
    He glanced