Read Online Heidi Vanlandingham - Lucie: Bride of Tennessee (American Mail-Order Bride 16) by Heidi Vanlandingham - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Heidi Vanlandingham
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Saga, Western, Short-Story, Religious, Christian, Inspirational, Bachelor, Marriage of Convenience, Faith, Brother, Tennessee, widower, victorian era, responsibility, Forever Love, Single Woman, Fifth In Series, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, American Mail-Order Bride, Factory Burned, Pioneer, Single Father, Little Girl, Twelve-Year-Old, Train Travel, Chattanooga, Groom Deceased, Hotel Owner
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about.”
“In a way. My husband, God love his soul, was one of those people. Everything was always about him and what he could get from the experience. It was never about anyone else. Sebastian and I were usually left behind.”
“Where is he now? Your husband?”
She shrugged, her black shawl falling off her thin shoulder, which she promptly pulled back up. “I have no idea. He disappeared so long ago, I guess I just assume he’s no longer living.”
“And that’s why you keep Sheriff Gurley at arm’s length, isn’t it?” Lucie asked.
“You are entirely too observant, young lady. Sebastian said almost the same thing earlier.” She rubbed her hand over her skirt, smoothing invisible wrinkles. “But you’re correct. I like Sheriff Gurley very much. He’s so caring. He took my son under his wing, showing Sebastian how to be a man, teaching him right from wrong, when he didn’t have to. The man never misses anything, which is why he’s so good at his job. What would I do if I let my guard down and admitted having feelings for him…and then my husband shows up?”
“Why don’t you divorce him due to abandonment? You can’t stay in limbo forever?”
Martha frowned. “Who’s comforting whom? You came to me in tears and now, here you are trying to help me.” She leaned over and gave her a hug. “Thank you, Lucie.”
Lucie couldn’t help but wonder about Sebastian and how his father had helped to shape his son’s life. Even Sebastian’s relationship with his own daughter.
* * *
“Stella!” Sebastian hollered from the back door. Glancing quickly around the large back yard and not seeing her, he walked to his property line and the building he’d built there in his spare time…so needless to say it had taken him many years to finish. He couldn’t even call it a barn. In reality, it looked more like a house. Even the inside had several rooms in addition to a small living space and a galley-style kitchen like he’d seen in his grandfather’s ships. He opened the wider-than-normal door and stepped into the dim evening light filtering through the high windows. From the silenc e− and the layer of dust coating the floo r− he knew she wasn’t here either.
He stamped down his irritation and shut the door, striding back to his house. Where in the hell had his daughter gone in the ten minutes he’d been in his room changing his clothes? It wasn’t unusual for her to go see her friend, Peter, and he toyed with the idea of walking down to the boy’s small house, but decided to wait and see if she came home on her own. Somehow, he was going to have to figure out a way to get her to start asking before disappearing.
He fixed himself a sandwich and a fresh cup of coffee, the food eaten before he even got to the front door. Sitting in the large wicker chair on the porch, he propped his boots on the railing edge and sipped his drink, waiting for his daughter to show up. Irritation built the longer she was gone, until his insides simmered in worry with an underlying layer of anger because she’d run off. Again. He didn’t want to admit it, but maybe his mother had a point.
As darkness settled over the town, the dim yellow lights from the street lamps periodically illuminating the walkway, he noticed two dark figures walking along the sidewalk toward him. One was a child.
He stood, walked to the edge of the porch, and crossed his arms over his chest. John and Stella stopped at the bottom of the stairs, the sheriff never letting go of her small arm. In his other hand, he held a revolver. His daughter’s glance was defiant and furious while John tried to keep a straight face.
Sebastian let out a resigned breath but continued to glare at his daughter. “What has she done now?”
“She’s been busy today, that’s for sure. Your daughter decided to leave school early and go bother people at the hotel. Cook’s about ready to quit because of what she did to the kitchen.”
“I was only
“In a way. My husband, God love his soul, was one of those people. Everything was always about him and what he could get from the experience. It was never about anyone else. Sebastian and I were usually left behind.”
“Where is he now? Your husband?”
She shrugged, her black shawl falling off her thin shoulder, which she promptly pulled back up. “I have no idea. He disappeared so long ago, I guess I just assume he’s no longer living.”
“And that’s why you keep Sheriff Gurley at arm’s length, isn’t it?” Lucie asked.
“You are entirely too observant, young lady. Sebastian said almost the same thing earlier.” She rubbed her hand over her skirt, smoothing invisible wrinkles. “But you’re correct. I like Sheriff Gurley very much. He’s so caring. He took my son under his wing, showing Sebastian how to be a man, teaching him right from wrong, when he didn’t have to. The man never misses anything, which is why he’s so good at his job. What would I do if I let my guard down and admitted having feelings for him…and then my husband shows up?”
“Why don’t you divorce him due to abandonment? You can’t stay in limbo forever?”
Martha frowned. “Who’s comforting whom? You came to me in tears and now, here you are trying to help me.” She leaned over and gave her a hug. “Thank you, Lucie.”
Lucie couldn’t help but wonder about Sebastian and how his father had helped to shape his son’s life. Even Sebastian’s relationship with his own daughter.
* * *
“Stella!” Sebastian hollered from the back door. Glancing quickly around the large back yard and not seeing her, he walked to his property line and the building he’d built there in his spare time…so needless to say it had taken him many years to finish. He couldn’t even call it a barn. In reality, it looked more like a house. Even the inside had several rooms in addition to a small living space and a galley-style kitchen like he’d seen in his grandfather’s ships. He opened the wider-than-normal door and stepped into the dim evening light filtering through the high windows. From the silenc e− and the layer of dust coating the floo r− he knew she wasn’t here either.
He stamped down his irritation and shut the door, striding back to his house. Where in the hell had his daughter gone in the ten minutes he’d been in his room changing his clothes? It wasn’t unusual for her to go see her friend, Peter, and he toyed with the idea of walking down to the boy’s small house, but decided to wait and see if she came home on her own. Somehow, he was going to have to figure out a way to get her to start asking before disappearing.
He fixed himself a sandwich and a fresh cup of coffee, the food eaten before he even got to the front door. Sitting in the large wicker chair on the porch, he propped his boots on the railing edge and sipped his drink, waiting for his daughter to show up. Irritation built the longer she was gone, until his insides simmered in worry with an underlying layer of anger because she’d run off. Again. He didn’t want to admit it, but maybe his mother had a point.
As darkness settled over the town, the dim yellow lights from the street lamps periodically illuminating the walkway, he noticed two dark figures walking along the sidewalk toward him. One was a child.
He stood, walked to the edge of the porch, and crossed his arms over his chest. John and Stella stopped at the bottom of the stairs, the sheriff never letting go of her small arm. In his other hand, he held a revolver. His daughter’s glance was defiant and furious while John tried to keep a straight face.
Sebastian let out a resigned breath but continued to glare at his daughter. “What has she done now?”
“She’s been busy today, that’s for sure. Your daughter decided to leave school early and go bother people at the hotel. Cook’s about ready to quit because of what she did to the kitchen.”
“I was only
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