Read Online Bushedwhacked Bride by Eugenia Riley - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Eugenia Riley
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forward and flashed Jessica a smile. “Well, don’t you look purty all starched up, Miss Jessie. Here, I’ll put those in some water for you.”
Jessica handed over the bouquet. ‘Thank you, Mrs. Reklaw.”
Now Gabe strode up, extending a crude, yellowish lump toward Jessica. “Ma’am, would you care for a bar of lye soap?”
At this rather bizarre offering, Jessica giggled, and the other brothers all but split their sides laughing. Ma stormed back up, shaking a finger at Gabe. “What do you mean, you devil, offering the lady a bar of soap after she’s already gone and scrubbed herself? Don’t you have no idea how downright insulting that is?”
Gabe blushed miserably, his gaze darting from Ma to Jessica. “Ma, I meant no disrespect toward the lady. Only you told us to bring her some ditties, and Billy, Wes, and Luke already stole everything that weren’t nailed down ‘round here. This is the onliest gift I could find—least wise, till us boys go to town.”
“Well, I say a polecat has better manners,” declared Ma..
“Really, it’s fine,” Jessica reassured Ma. “I’m honored to have the soap, Gabe.”
Ma harrumphed and returned to the stove, while Gabe grinned and dropped the lump into Jessica’s hand.
Now Luke dashed over to the huge table already set for seven. “Ma’am, may I pull out this bench for you?”
“Why, certainly, Luke,” Jessica replied, starting for ward.
Then she staggered as Billy, Gabe, and Wes all dashed into her path, all but knocking her over as they confronted Luke.
“Hey, Luke, it ain’t fair you get to pull out the lady’s bench,” Billy protested.
“Yeah, it ain’t fair,” seconded Gabe.
But Luke stood his ground with arms akimbo and chin held high. ‘Too bad. I asked the lady first.”
“Then Gabe and me get to sit by her,” argued Billy.
“Yeah,” said Gabe.
“What about me?” complained Wesley.
“Heck, I reckon you can squat by the lady’s feet and lick up her crumbs,” taunted Billy, prompting more mirth.
Jessica was starting toward the bench again when she spotted Cole standing in the far corner, gazing at her with sin and mischief in his dark eyes. She felt a hot blush creeping up her cheeks as she again recalled his kiss, and the brazen way he’d flirted with her in his room after ward. Lord! One would think she was a quivering virgin from the way she was responding to him. She hastily tore her gaze away and primly sat down, smoothing her skirts and murmuring a thank you to Luke. At once, Billy and Gabe vaulted into their places beside her on the bench, almost tipping it over in the process. She glared at both, but the rascals only grinned.
Wesley and Luke sat down on the bench across from her, and Cole took his seat at one end of the table. Then Ma began bringing food to the table—a large platter heaped with a mountain of luscious-smelling fried chicken, a huge bowl of mashed potatoes, a tureen brim ming with buttery cream gravy, plates of corn and biscuits. Jessica found her mouth was watering uncontrollably, and she smiled at the boys’ ravenous expressions.
Before Ma was even in her chair, Billy reached out to grab a drumstick. Ma promptly slapped his hand. “Mind your manners, you little snot. Have ya already forgot we got a lady present?”
“Sorry, ma’am,” Billy told Jessica sheepishly.
After Ma sat down, all waited in silent anticipation, until she nodded to Wes. “Wesley, return thanks.”
While Billy and Gabe regarded each other in amaze ment, Wesley’s mouth dropped open. “Ma, you know we don’t ever—”
“I said say grace, you rascal.”
“Yes, ma’am.” But Wesley still appeared at a loss.
Jessica bowed her head to hide her amusement. She caught sight of Ma waving her arms. “Bow your heads, all of you heathens.”
“Yes, ma’am,” answered the men.
Jessica waited with the others, until Wesley loudly cleared his throat. “Dear Lord, we thank you for this here grub. And we especially
Jessica handed over the bouquet. ‘Thank you, Mrs. Reklaw.”
Now Gabe strode up, extending a crude, yellowish lump toward Jessica. “Ma’am, would you care for a bar of lye soap?”
At this rather bizarre offering, Jessica giggled, and the other brothers all but split their sides laughing. Ma stormed back up, shaking a finger at Gabe. “What do you mean, you devil, offering the lady a bar of soap after she’s already gone and scrubbed herself? Don’t you have no idea how downright insulting that is?”
Gabe blushed miserably, his gaze darting from Ma to Jessica. “Ma, I meant no disrespect toward the lady. Only you told us to bring her some ditties, and Billy, Wes, and Luke already stole everything that weren’t nailed down ‘round here. This is the onliest gift I could find—least wise, till us boys go to town.”
“Well, I say a polecat has better manners,” declared Ma..
“Really, it’s fine,” Jessica reassured Ma. “I’m honored to have the soap, Gabe.”
Ma harrumphed and returned to the stove, while Gabe grinned and dropped the lump into Jessica’s hand.
Now Luke dashed over to the huge table already set for seven. “Ma’am, may I pull out this bench for you?”
“Why, certainly, Luke,” Jessica replied, starting for ward.
Then she staggered as Billy, Gabe, and Wes all dashed into her path, all but knocking her over as they confronted Luke.
“Hey, Luke, it ain’t fair you get to pull out the lady’s bench,” Billy protested.
“Yeah, it ain’t fair,” seconded Gabe.
But Luke stood his ground with arms akimbo and chin held high. ‘Too bad. I asked the lady first.”
“Then Gabe and me get to sit by her,” argued Billy.
“Yeah,” said Gabe.
“What about me?” complained Wesley.
“Heck, I reckon you can squat by the lady’s feet and lick up her crumbs,” taunted Billy, prompting more mirth.
Jessica was starting toward the bench again when she spotted Cole standing in the far corner, gazing at her with sin and mischief in his dark eyes. She felt a hot blush creeping up her cheeks as she again recalled his kiss, and the brazen way he’d flirted with her in his room after ward. Lord! One would think she was a quivering virgin from the way she was responding to him. She hastily tore her gaze away and primly sat down, smoothing her skirts and murmuring a thank you to Luke. At once, Billy and Gabe vaulted into their places beside her on the bench, almost tipping it over in the process. She glared at both, but the rascals only grinned.
Wesley and Luke sat down on the bench across from her, and Cole took his seat at one end of the table. Then Ma began bringing food to the table—a large platter heaped with a mountain of luscious-smelling fried chicken, a huge bowl of mashed potatoes, a tureen brim ming with buttery cream gravy, plates of corn and biscuits. Jessica found her mouth was watering uncontrollably, and she smiled at the boys’ ravenous expressions.
Before Ma was even in her chair, Billy reached out to grab a drumstick. Ma promptly slapped his hand. “Mind your manners, you little snot. Have ya already forgot we got a lady present?”
“Sorry, ma’am,” Billy told Jessica sheepishly.
After Ma sat down, all waited in silent anticipation, until she nodded to Wes. “Wesley, return thanks.”
While Billy and Gabe regarded each other in amaze ment, Wesley’s mouth dropped open. “Ma, you know we don’t ever—”
“I said say grace, you rascal.”
“Yes, ma’am.” But Wesley still appeared at a loss.
Jessica bowed her head to hide her amusement. She caught sight of Ma waving her arms. “Bow your heads, all of you heathens.”
“Yes, ma’am,” answered the men.
Jessica waited with the others, until Wesley loudly cleared his throat. “Dear Lord, we thank you for this here grub. And we especially
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