world. Inventorying hardware was simple work, leaving most of his mind free to think of the woman upstairs. What was she doing right now?
What was she thinking? How long would she stay?
And good God, if she stayed, how would that impact on his fledgling political campaign?
If people discovered this woman was sharing his living quarters, it would be disastrous. During the heat of a campaign, his opponents would be looking for morally questionable behavior they could use as fodder against him. But it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t 60
Captive Bride
think of putting Shu-Ann out on the street because of what people might say or how her presence might hurt his chance of winning a seat on the board. His decision to help her might have been impulsive but it wasn’t unconsidered. He knew he was doing the right thing.
His next step would be to learn more about the man she’d run away from and whether he’d be searching for her.
Alan lost count for the third time and gave up trying to tabulate the bin of screws. The freight delivery arrived and he and Jeremy unloaded boxes and barrels. They spent the next hour unpacking their contents and restocking shelves. Alan could feel questions trembling on the tip of Jeremy’s tongue as they lifted a heavy rolled-up rug and carried it to the front of the store.
“I want this open for display, but I don’t want people walking all over it. We’ll hang it on the wall here.”
“Yes, sir.” Jeremy cleared his throat. “May I ask— ”
“I decided I needed a housekeeper so I hired one.” Alan stared at the younger man. “Taylor, please keep this information to yourself. No gossiping to anyone.
Understand?”
Jeremy nodded, but Alan could tell how much it pained him to bite his tongue.
After they’d hung the carpet, a hot and time-consuming project, Alan left Jeremy to mind the shop and went to check on Shu-Ann, bringing supplies with him.
She was in the kitchen, scrubbing the doors of the cupboards. She wore her hair in a single braid down Bonnie Dee
61
her back and the front was tied in a kerchief. The blouse he’d given her hung loose. She’d rolled up the sleeves and tucked part of the skirt into the waistband to keep the hem from trailing on the floor. And somehow she was even more attractive in the oversized clothes and with the simple hairstyle.
She glanced over her shoulder at him, her cheeks pink from the effort of scrubbing. One long strand of hair clung to her sweaty face. She blew it back with a puff of breath and the purse of her lips made tension gather in his groin.
Ignoring his body’s automatic response, Alan set the items he’d brought on the table and patted the pile of fabric. “Can you sew? I’ve brought material for you.
And canned goods since there’s nothing in my cupboards. I usually eat at a restaurant.” He carried the tins of meat and vegetables to the counter near her and showed her how to open them.
“Like this.” He pushed the key into the slot on one of the cans and rolled the tin back to reveal a gelatinous brown substance inside. “Instant meat.” Shu-Ann sniffed the processed meat and winced.
“It’s hardly the butcher’s best cut, but it’s convenient. I have some beans here too, and peas. If you wouldn’t mind putting a meal together, I’ll show you how the stove works.”
He got out a pan, showed her where the utensils were and fetched more water from the communal pump in the courtyard behind the building. Five stores with apartments above backed onto this area. Dozens of people shared the water source and the communal outhouse. It wasn’t a pleasant-smelling courtyard.
62
Captive Bride
When Alan returned with a pair of full pails of water, Shu-Ann was slicing the blob of meat with a knife. Her mouth was downturned as if she were cutting up dog turds instead of meat. Alan chuckled at her expression and she glanced up and smiled. Damn, she had to stop doing that. Every time she did, he lost his Good
What was she thinking? How long would she stay?
And good God, if she stayed, how would that impact on his fledgling political campaign?
If people discovered this woman was sharing his living quarters, it would be disastrous. During the heat of a campaign, his opponents would be looking for morally questionable behavior they could use as fodder against him. But it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t 60
Captive Bride
think of putting Shu-Ann out on the street because of what people might say or how her presence might hurt his chance of winning a seat on the board. His decision to help her might have been impulsive but it wasn’t unconsidered. He knew he was doing the right thing.
His next step would be to learn more about the man she’d run away from and whether he’d be searching for her.
Alan lost count for the third time and gave up trying to tabulate the bin of screws. The freight delivery arrived and he and Jeremy unloaded boxes and barrels. They spent the next hour unpacking their contents and restocking shelves. Alan could feel questions trembling on the tip of Jeremy’s tongue as they lifted a heavy rolled-up rug and carried it to the front of the store.
“I want this open for display, but I don’t want people walking all over it. We’ll hang it on the wall here.”
“Yes, sir.” Jeremy cleared his throat. “May I ask— ”
“I decided I needed a housekeeper so I hired one.” Alan stared at the younger man. “Taylor, please keep this information to yourself. No gossiping to anyone.
Understand?”
Jeremy nodded, but Alan could tell how much it pained him to bite his tongue.
After they’d hung the carpet, a hot and time-consuming project, Alan left Jeremy to mind the shop and went to check on Shu-Ann, bringing supplies with him.
She was in the kitchen, scrubbing the doors of the cupboards. She wore her hair in a single braid down Bonnie Dee
61
her back and the front was tied in a kerchief. The blouse he’d given her hung loose. She’d rolled up the sleeves and tucked part of the skirt into the waistband to keep the hem from trailing on the floor. And somehow she was even more attractive in the oversized clothes and with the simple hairstyle.
She glanced over her shoulder at him, her cheeks pink from the effort of scrubbing. One long strand of hair clung to her sweaty face. She blew it back with a puff of breath and the purse of her lips made tension gather in his groin.
Ignoring his body’s automatic response, Alan set the items he’d brought on the table and patted the pile of fabric. “Can you sew? I’ve brought material for you.
And canned goods since there’s nothing in my cupboards. I usually eat at a restaurant.” He carried the tins of meat and vegetables to the counter near her and showed her how to open them.
“Like this.” He pushed the key into the slot on one of the cans and rolled the tin back to reveal a gelatinous brown substance inside. “Instant meat.” Shu-Ann sniffed the processed meat and winced.
“It’s hardly the butcher’s best cut, but it’s convenient. I have some beans here too, and peas. If you wouldn’t mind putting a meal together, I’ll show you how the stove works.”
He got out a pan, showed her where the utensils were and fetched more water from the communal pump in the courtyard behind the building. Five stores with apartments above backed onto this area. Dozens of people shared the water source and the communal outhouse. It wasn’t a pleasant-smelling courtyard.
62
Captive Bride
When Alan returned with a pair of full pails of water, Shu-Ann was slicing the blob of meat with a knife. Her mouth was downturned as if she were cutting up dog turds instead of meat. Alan chuckled at her expression and she glanced up and smiled. Damn, she had to stop doing that. Every time she did, he lost his Good
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