Read Online Gillian: Bride of Maine (American Mail-Order Bride 23) by Kirsten Lynn - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kirsten Lynn
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Saga, Maine, Western, Military, Short-Story, Religious, Christian, Christmas, holiday, Inspirational, Bachelor, Marriage of Convenience, Faith, father, winter, Weather, misunderstanding, victorian era, Forever Love, Single Woman, Fifth In Series, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, American Mail-Order Bride, Factory Burned, Pioneer, Evil Plans, Lighthouse Keeper, No Letters, No Ad, Bass Harbor Head, Helpmate, Christmas Time, Festive Season, Mistletoe
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he took Gillian to Bass Harbor, he’d have to make a special point of apologizing to Father McDonald. He might even have to grovel a bit since he’d cursed the priest.
“Do you want your breakfast up there, Rhys?”
At Gillian’s voice, he amended his thoughts. He’d have to kneel and kiss the priest’s cassock.
“Go down and get some food and rest. Alice and I won’t be going anywhere for a while, and I’d like to spend some more time with my mistress here.”
Rhys nodded. “Better plan on staying the night. In fact, if you’d like, just stay and leave the morning after we return from Bass Harbor.”
“Thank you, Rhys, that’s generous of you. I’ll check with the wife in a bit.”
Rhys turned and tried not to run down the stairs. Gillian stood at the bottom in the red dress. He realized he was frowning when she stepped back instead of into his arms.
Before she could retreat farther, Rhys hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her close for a proper good morning kiss. “Happy New Year, ma petite .”
“And to you.” She took his hand and tugged him behind her. “Come and eat while your breakfast is hot, then you can go to our bed and sleep.”
“What if I don’t want to sleep in our bed?”
She laughed, the sound as sweet as waves against rock. “I might be able to arrange a bit of that, as well.”
He slid into a chair and brought her down on his lap, reaching around her for the fork. She shifted just enough to give his arm a path to his mouth. “Where’s Alice?”
“She had her breakfast, and I informed her they’d be staying put for at least one more night, so make herself at home. She’s walking around the grounds near the house and then intends to spend time with Deacon, so we can spend time together.”
Rhys took a swig of hot coffee. His hand tightened on her waist. “Seems you have everyone squared away, Mrs. Chermont.”
She brushed a kiss to his temple and kept her lips close. “I love when you call me that.”
“I enjoy saying it to you. The Ambroses will be staying with us two more days.”
She leaned back. “Really? You think the fog will last that long?”
He shrugged and swallowed another bite of food. What a blessing it was to come down to hot meals and a stoked fire in the fireplace after working the light at night. “It could. But Deacon is watching the light for us, so I can take you to Bass Harbor for proper clothes.”
She shifted, and the action drew his gaze to her flushed cheeks. “Nothing to be ashamed of, Gillian. Can’t imagine you made much in the factory. You’ll need warm, sturdy clothes and boots that keep the cold and water out. We’ll get you some wool slacks, too, as shocking as it’d be to polite society.”
She hugged his neck and nodded against his shoulder. She didn’t say anything just continued to hold him. Rhys stilled, thinking for a moment he’d upset her, but he didn’t hear her sniff or feel wet tears.
“Gillian?”
“I love you, Rhys,” she whispered. “I don’t know if you want to hear that from me, and I know others would laugh at me saying it after we’ve only known each other a few days, but I know my heart, and I know I love you. I’ve given you my vows and my body. Now, will you accept my heart?”
Rhys wrapped both arms around her and hugged her close. “Yes. I’ll accept all of you Gillian Chermont. Will you do me the honor of accepting my heart? I’m afraid somewhere along the way I fell in love with you, too.”
“Oh yes, love, yes, I accept all of you, too. I’m so relieved I can say it out loud now.” She squeezed him tighter. “I love you. I love you, Rhys. I love our home, and I love our lighthouse, and I love Wee Jacques, and I love you.”
He laughed and stood, swinging her in a small circle. When he stopped, he gave her a hard, possessive kiss then lifted an eyebrow. “It didn’t go unnoticed that you ranked your love for Wee Jacques before me.”
Her smile lifted any clouds in his
“Do you want your breakfast up there, Rhys?”
At Gillian’s voice, he amended his thoughts. He’d have to kneel and kiss the priest’s cassock.
“Go down and get some food and rest. Alice and I won’t be going anywhere for a while, and I’d like to spend some more time with my mistress here.”
Rhys nodded. “Better plan on staying the night. In fact, if you’d like, just stay and leave the morning after we return from Bass Harbor.”
“Thank you, Rhys, that’s generous of you. I’ll check with the wife in a bit.”
Rhys turned and tried not to run down the stairs. Gillian stood at the bottom in the red dress. He realized he was frowning when she stepped back instead of into his arms.
Before she could retreat farther, Rhys hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her close for a proper good morning kiss. “Happy New Year, ma petite .”
“And to you.” She took his hand and tugged him behind her. “Come and eat while your breakfast is hot, then you can go to our bed and sleep.”
“What if I don’t want to sleep in our bed?”
She laughed, the sound as sweet as waves against rock. “I might be able to arrange a bit of that, as well.”
He slid into a chair and brought her down on his lap, reaching around her for the fork. She shifted just enough to give his arm a path to his mouth. “Where’s Alice?”
“She had her breakfast, and I informed her they’d be staying put for at least one more night, so make herself at home. She’s walking around the grounds near the house and then intends to spend time with Deacon, so we can spend time together.”
Rhys took a swig of hot coffee. His hand tightened on her waist. “Seems you have everyone squared away, Mrs. Chermont.”
She brushed a kiss to his temple and kept her lips close. “I love when you call me that.”
“I enjoy saying it to you. The Ambroses will be staying with us two more days.”
She leaned back. “Really? You think the fog will last that long?”
He shrugged and swallowed another bite of food. What a blessing it was to come down to hot meals and a stoked fire in the fireplace after working the light at night. “It could. But Deacon is watching the light for us, so I can take you to Bass Harbor for proper clothes.”
She shifted, and the action drew his gaze to her flushed cheeks. “Nothing to be ashamed of, Gillian. Can’t imagine you made much in the factory. You’ll need warm, sturdy clothes and boots that keep the cold and water out. We’ll get you some wool slacks, too, as shocking as it’d be to polite society.”
She hugged his neck and nodded against his shoulder. She didn’t say anything just continued to hold him. Rhys stilled, thinking for a moment he’d upset her, but he didn’t hear her sniff or feel wet tears.
“Gillian?”
“I love you, Rhys,” she whispered. “I don’t know if you want to hear that from me, and I know others would laugh at me saying it after we’ve only known each other a few days, but I know my heart, and I know I love you. I’ve given you my vows and my body. Now, will you accept my heart?”
Rhys wrapped both arms around her and hugged her close. “Yes. I’ll accept all of you Gillian Chermont. Will you do me the honor of accepting my heart? I’m afraid somewhere along the way I fell in love with you, too.”
“Oh yes, love, yes, I accept all of you, too. I’m so relieved I can say it out loud now.” She squeezed him tighter. “I love you. I love you, Rhys. I love our home, and I love our lighthouse, and I love Wee Jacques, and I love you.”
He laughed and stood, swinging her in a small circle. When he stopped, he gave her a hard, possessive kiss then lifted an eyebrow. “It didn’t go unnoticed that you ranked your love for Wee Jacques before me.”
Her smile lifted any clouds in his
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