Read Online Mail Order Cowboy (Harlequin American Romance) by Pamela BAUER - Free Book Online
Authors: Pamela BAUER
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said, “I guess we weren’t introduced last night, were we, Mr. Dumler? I’m the Hannah you’re looking for. Now what is it you want to say to me?”
“You’re Hannah?”
“Yes. You look disappointed.”
He was about to tell her the reason why—that the Hannah he had expected to find was his sister. But then realized that it probably wouldn’t be wise to give these people any clue to his real identity. The three of them had mistaken him for a Mr. Dumler, and he was content to let them think that’s who he was. By now his name would be plastered all over “Wanted” posters in the area. Once these women went to town, they’d know that he had nearly been hung for murder.
“I’m not disappointed,” Wood assured her. “Perhaps a little surprised, that’s all.” He could see that she didn’t believe him.
“I’m sorry if I’m not what you expected, but I didn’t answer your ad,” she said in a defensive tone. “Gabby did and she’s the one who’s responsible for any assumptions you’ve made.”
Ad? What was the woman talking about? And what assumptions was he supposed to have made? If she wasn’t aware of his true identity, then why was she looking at him as if he were a fly in her apple pie?
“And haven’t you made some assumptions about me, Hannah?” he asked.
To his surprise, she looked him straight in the eye and said, “Look, I’m going to be honest with you, Mr. Dumler.”
“Wood,” he automatically corrected.
“Wood, I didn’t invite you here. My aunt did.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
He thought a hint of red colored her cheeks, but he couldn’t be sure. “Not until you’re well enough to make it back to wherever it is you came from.”
Wood knew that she didn’t want him to stay a minute longer than was necessary. It was there in her eyes. He chuckled to himself. What she didn’t realize was that he shared her sentiment. He wanted to leave. As beautiful as she was and no matter how tempting it would be to enlist this Hannah’s help in locating his sister, he’d be foolish to spend one minute longer than was necessary at the Davis farm.
“I understand perfectly,” he told her.
“Good. So how are you feeling this morning?” she asked politely, as if she hadn’t just told him he wasn’t welcome in her home.
“I feel pretty damn good for a man who’s been tied to this bed all night.” He didn’t mean for the words to sound so sarcastic, but he had never been a woman’s prisoner before and he found the experience rather unsettling. But then everything about the Davis family unnerved him. They dressed oddly, they talked funny and they couldn’t quite decide whether to treat him as a friend or enemy. Right now Hannah Davis was looking at him like the latter.
“I had to restrain you last night,” she said coolly. “So you wouldn’t hurt yourself.”
“And why would you think I would do that?”
“You were behaving rather strangely, wandering around the yard talking incoherently. Gabby and Jeremy said you’ve been behaving oddly ever since they found you stretched out in the cornfield. We weren’t sure what you might do,” she told him. She rubbed her hands across her folded arms. “If it had been up to me, I would have sent for the sheriff, but you’re here at Gabby’s invitation, and she assures me you’re sane.”
“You think I’m crazy?”
She took another step backward. “I don’t know you, Mr. Dumler.”
Her eyes met his, and Wood saw fear in them. He wanted to say something that would persuade her he wasn’t going to hurt anyone, especially not her. “I am not crazy,” he told her, although he wasn’t quite convinced of it himself. “And I am not dangerous. I won’t cause any trouble for you or your family.”
She held his gaze for several seconds before looking away nervously. “Gabby assures me she’s checked your references thoroughly. She seems to think you’re trustworthy.”
“But you don’t, do you,
“You’re Hannah?”
“Yes. You look disappointed.”
He was about to tell her the reason why—that the Hannah he had expected to find was his sister. But then realized that it probably wouldn’t be wise to give these people any clue to his real identity. The three of them had mistaken him for a Mr. Dumler, and he was content to let them think that’s who he was. By now his name would be plastered all over “Wanted” posters in the area. Once these women went to town, they’d know that he had nearly been hung for murder.
“I’m not disappointed,” Wood assured her. “Perhaps a little surprised, that’s all.” He could see that she didn’t believe him.
“I’m sorry if I’m not what you expected, but I didn’t answer your ad,” she said in a defensive tone. “Gabby did and she’s the one who’s responsible for any assumptions you’ve made.”
Ad? What was the woman talking about? And what assumptions was he supposed to have made? If she wasn’t aware of his true identity, then why was she looking at him as if he were a fly in her apple pie?
“And haven’t you made some assumptions about me, Hannah?” he asked.
To his surprise, she looked him straight in the eye and said, “Look, I’m going to be honest with you, Mr. Dumler.”
“Wood,” he automatically corrected.
“Wood, I didn’t invite you here. My aunt did.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
He thought a hint of red colored her cheeks, but he couldn’t be sure. “Not until you’re well enough to make it back to wherever it is you came from.”
Wood knew that she didn’t want him to stay a minute longer than was necessary. It was there in her eyes. He chuckled to himself. What she didn’t realize was that he shared her sentiment. He wanted to leave. As beautiful as she was and no matter how tempting it would be to enlist this Hannah’s help in locating his sister, he’d be foolish to spend one minute longer than was necessary at the Davis farm.
“I understand perfectly,” he told her.
“Good. So how are you feeling this morning?” she asked politely, as if she hadn’t just told him he wasn’t welcome in her home.
“I feel pretty damn good for a man who’s been tied to this bed all night.” He didn’t mean for the words to sound so sarcastic, but he had never been a woman’s prisoner before and he found the experience rather unsettling. But then everything about the Davis family unnerved him. They dressed oddly, they talked funny and they couldn’t quite decide whether to treat him as a friend or enemy. Right now Hannah Davis was looking at him like the latter.
“I had to restrain you last night,” she said coolly. “So you wouldn’t hurt yourself.”
“And why would you think I would do that?”
“You were behaving rather strangely, wandering around the yard talking incoherently. Gabby and Jeremy said you’ve been behaving oddly ever since they found you stretched out in the cornfield. We weren’t sure what you might do,” she told him. She rubbed her hands across her folded arms. “If it had been up to me, I would have sent for the sheriff, but you’re here at Gabby’s invitation, and she assures me you’re sane.”
“You think I’m crazy?”
She took another step backward. “I don’t know you, Mr. Dumler.”
Her eyes met his, and Wood saw fear in them. He wanted to say something that would persuade her he wasn’t going to hurt anyone, especially not her. “I am not crazy,” he told her, although he wasn’t quite convinced of it himself. “And I am not dangerous. I won’t cause any trouble for you or your family.”
She held his gaze for several seconds before looking away nervously. “Gabby assures me she’s checked your references thoroughly. She seems to think you’re trustworthy.”
“But you don’t, do you,
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