Read Online Faith (Goldwater Creek Mail-Order Brides 1) by Leighann Dobbs - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Leighann Dobbs
Tags: Romance, Historical, Adult, Regency, Western, 19th century, Bachelor, Victorian, Marriage of Convenience, sweet, secrets, Past Issues, society, Forever Love, Single Woman, Deceased, Mail-Order Bride, Philandering Husband, Travel West, Husband's Debt
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him.
He held out his hand to her. “That’s okay. I’m not that keen on buggies. Perhaps we’ll face our fear together?”
She looked at him quizzically, then placed her tiny hand in his. He curled his fingers around it, his large hand swallowing hers. He could feel her tremble as he led her outside to the buggy. Robertson stood beside it, attentive as usual.
Jax’s stomach twisted as they helped Faith into the buggy. Perhaps it was a good thing she was afraid of the horse. He wouldn’t have to worry about her taking it out on her own. He wouldn’t have to endure the news of a fatal accident—an accident that would be his fault for not paying close enough attention to his wife.
When she was settled in the back seat, he climbed in beside her and Robertson hopped into the front driver's seat and urged Buttercup forward. Jax noticed the color had drained from Faith’s cheeks and he grabbed her hand once again. “Don’t worry, Robinson is a good driver and Buttercup is a gentle horse. You never need to worry about taking the buggy on your own. Robertson will be available to drive you wherever you need to go.”
Faith nodded. “Thank you. That’s very generous.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence with Faith’s hand tucked between both of Jax’s. Her subtle lavender scent swirled over toward him, driving him to distraction. He sat calmly beside her on the hard seat, but inside, his mind was whirling with indecision.
He couldn’t deny he was starting to have feelings for Faith. Those very feelings felt like a betrayal of Mary. But now he was married to Faith. They lived in the same house. They would be going out in public together. And he wondered just how long he would be able to keep his feelings in check.
He snuck a sideways glance at her. Something told him he'd better rein it in and it didn’t have anything to do with Mary. Faith was truly beautiful, and if his suspicions were correct, she was smart, too. She was no dowdy woman of mediocre intelligence as her letters had claimed. Was that truly how she saw herself, or did she lie?
And if she did lie, why?
Chapter 11
F aith watched the passing scenery as the buggy ambled forward. She was glad they weren’t going fast and she realized it was probably for her benefit. Maybe for Jax’s, too? She idly wondered about his accident.
Had he been injured as a child like she had?
It was a shame that she couldn’t enjoy the summer evening. It was dusk and the sun setting behind the mountains colored the clouds with bright pinks and oranges. Birds chirped their nighttime songs. The air had a light breeze that smelled of sweet flowers.
But she couldn’t enjoy it, not only because she was nervous about being in the buggy but now she was also nervous about the party. What would people expect of her? What did Jax expect of her?
She realized she didn’t even know what his business need for a wife was. Should she asked him, or would he expect her to not be concerned with business dealings? She remembered he had requested a dowdy, homebody wife of mediocre intelligence. And she had answered that she was. A woman like that probably wouldn’t care about her husband’s business. Best not to say a word.
But how long could she pretend that she was something she wasn’t? Things were changing and it wasn’t for the better. The unwanted flutterings and attraction she felt when Jax was in the room only served to confuse her. And now with her hand sandwiched in between his, she could barely even think. But she had to think, she had to put a plan in place for the party because this might be the perfect opportunity to find out more about the location of his gold mine.
If she could find out who his close friends were at this party, she might have another way to try to discover where the mine was.
She hadn’t found any map in any of the other books in the library. She was sure now that the one Jax had taken from her probably had the map, but by now he had
He held out his hand to her. “That’s okay. I’m not that keen on buggies. Perhaps we’ll face our fear together?”
She looked at him quizzically, then placed her tiny hand in his. He curled his fingers around it, his large hand swallowing hers. He could feel her tremble as he led her outside to the buggy. Robertson stood beside it, attentive as usual.
Jax’s stomach twisted as they helped Faith into the buggy. Perhaps it was a good thing she was afraid of the horse. He wouldn’t have to worry about her taking it out on her own. He wouldn’t have to endure the news of a fatal accident—an accident that would be his fault for not paying close enough attention to his wife.
When she was settled in the back seat, he climbed in beside her and Robertson hopped into the front driver's seat and urged Buttercup forward. Jax noticed the color had drained from Faith’s cheeks and he grabbed her hand once again. “Don’t worry, Robinson is a good driver and Buttercup is a gentle horse. You never need to worry about taking the buggy on your own. Robertson will be available to drive you wherever you need to go.”
Faith nodded. “Thank you. That’s very generous.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence with Faith’s hand tucked between both of Jax’s. Her subtle lavender scent swirled over toward him, driving him to distraction. He sat calmly beside her on the hard seat, but inside, his mind was whirling with indecision.
He couldn’t deny he was starting to have feelings for Faith. Those very feelings felt like a betrayal of Mary. But now he was married to Faith. They lived in the same house. They would be going out in public together. And he wondered just how long he would be able to keep his feelings in check.
He snuck a sideways glance at her. Something told him he'd better rein it in and it didn’t have anything to do with Mary. Faith was truly beautiful, and if his suspicions were correct, she was smart, too. She was no dowdy woman of mediocre intelligence as her letters had claimed. Was that truly how she saw herself, or did she lie?
And if she did lie, why?
Chapter 11
F aith watched the passing scenery as the buggy ambled forward. She was glad they weren’t going fast and she realized it was probably for her benefit. Maybe for Jax’s, too? She idly wondered about his accident.
Had he been injured as a child like she had?
It was a shame that she couldn’t enjoy the summer evening. It was dusk and the sun setting behind the mountains colored the clouds with bright pinks and oranges. Birds chirped their nighttime songs. The air had a light breeze that smelled of sweet flowers.
But she couldn’t enjoy it, not only because she was nervous about being in the buggy but now she was also nervous about the party. What would people expect of her? What did Jax expect of her?
She realized she didn’t even know what his business need for a wife was. Should she asked him, or would he expect her to not be concerned with business dealings? She remembered he had requested a dowdy, homebody wife of mediocre intelligence. And she had answered that she was. A woman like that probably wouldn’t care about her husband’s business. Best not to say a word.
But how long could she pretend that she was something she wasn’t? Things were changing and it wasn’t for the better. The unwanted flutterings and attraction she felt when Jax was in the room only served to confuse her. And now with her hand sandwiched in between his, she could barely even think. But she had to think, she had to put a plan in place for the party because this might be the perfect opportunity to find out more about the location of his gold mine.
If she could find out who his close friends were at this party, she might have another way to try to discover where the mine was.
She hadn’t found any map in any of the other books in the library. She was sure now that the one Jax had taken from her probably had the map, but by now he had
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