Read Online Josie: Bride of New Mexico (American Mail-Order Bride 47) by Kristin Holt - Free Book Online

fingers. Though he could no longer see it, he knew the ribbon was the same shade of pale candy-pink as the roses hand-stitched into the fabric.
    “George Richard Cannon thought Lucinda Anna Evans the loveliest girl in the village.”
    “You remember their names.”
    “Of course I do. I listen to everything you say.”
    Richard couldn’t help it. He grinned. “I may need to remind you of that one day.”
    “If you must.”
    “Now hush. The story’s about to get really good.”
    Josie’s knee bumped his thigh as she curled up a little tighter, obviously perfectly comfortable with him in her bed… or her in his bed…
    He cleared his throat again. He curled his knees up a little tighter just for the pleasure of bringing his thighs into contact with her shins.
    He might have been mistaken, but is sure seemed she nestled a little bit closer.
    He left off with her ribbon and traced his fingertips over her hand curled about the edge of the blankets. “Yes. Let’s see. Lucinda’s parents were very old fashioned. They believed in strict courtship rules and when young George went to her father and asked for permission to court his daughter, the first answer was a no.”
    “Oh.” She packed a wallop of sadness in that single syllable. Was his wife a romantic?
    “But George was not dissuaded. He asked Mr. Evans again for permission to court his daughter. This time, Mr. Evans didn’t immediately say no, but he asked George Cannon why he wanted to court his daughter. He asked ‘What do you see in Miss Lucinda that has caught your eye’?”
    He paused to moisten his mouth and to savor the pleasure of lying abed with his lovely wife. She’d drawn near enough he could feel the warm tickle of her breath on his jaw. He’d traced every plane of the back of her hand, and now he focused on his ring upon her finger. Caressing, sweeping his fingertip over it. He loved the thought of his ring on her finger.
    “What was George’s answer?”
    “He was young and foolish and fancied himself in love. George told Mr. Evans that he looked at Lucinda and saw the most beautiful girl in the whole village, in the whole settlement, in all of the whole state.”
    “Oh.” This time, her single-syllable answer echoed disappointment.
    Funny, how his ability to read her emotion was enhanced when the lights were out. He needed to learn to listen more carefully.
    Apparently, his bride understood the problem. “With George’s answer, Mr. Evans answered that no, young George may not court Lucinda and sent him on his way.”
    Josie slipped into his storytelling. “But young George Cannon would not be dissuaded. He asked Mr. Evans a third time for the privilege of courting his lovely daughter Lucinda.”
    “This time George did something he figured would help his case. He made sure Mrs. Evans was present when he begged permission. He’d also talked with every woman he knew. His mother. His sisters. The lady next door. And this time he was prepared with an answer Mr. Evans would be sure to take to heart.”
    Josie chuckled and the bright, happy sound made him smile. He slipped his hand beneath hers, the one he’d been caressing and felt the reward of her little fingers tightening around his. He loved holding hands with Josie. It brought a beautiful surprising intimacy he hadn’t expected.
    “Mr. Evans, young George Cannon said, and Mrs. Evans, when I look at your daughter, Lucinda, I see her kindness, her cooperation, her love of literature and all that is good. I admire her singing voice in the church choir. May I have permission to court your daughter?”
    Josie sighed as if happier with George’s approach.
    “While Mr. Evans did not respond with an immediate no, he did not respond with a yes. Instead he asked, ‘but when you look at Lucinda, do you see her ?’ George was taken aback by this. Of course he saw Lucinda when he looked at her. How could he look at her and not see her?”
    “Oh, no.” Josie’s tone held both sadness and