Read Online Promises Reveal by Sarah McCarty - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sarah McCarty
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ahead.”
“And see where it gets me?”
He was an intelligent man. “Yes.”
The buggy bounced down the road. “Where are we going?” “I told you—”
She cut him off. “Something more specific than ‘that way.’ ”
Another flick of the reins. Another almost smile. “If you want something more specific, you’re going to have to ask me nicely.”
“You want me to beg?”
“I was thinking along the lines of please and thank you , but if you want to beg, I could probably work up the tolerance to listen.”
Her bonnet crumpled under the tension of her grip. It was her favorite, too. “You are being more than a little provoking.”
“I have a talent for it.”
“It’s not a good thing.” She tried to smooth out her hat.
“Guess that depends which side of the provoking you’re standing on.”
No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t straighten the brim. “I guess it does.”
He didn’t say anything more, just returned his attention to the road, which with every pass of the wheels diminished a little more to well-worn ruts. If she wanted to know where they were going, she was going to have to ask. Nicely. It wouldn’t kill her.
“Could you please tell me where we’re going?”
He pointed to a house just emerging into view as they cleared the rise. “There.”
She shaded her eyes from the glare of the setting sun. “Elijah and Amy’s old place?”
“Yup.”
“Why?” The place, once pretty and full of hope, had been vacant since the death of Elijah’s wife and his newborn daughter.
“Because as many eyes as have been on me for the last few weeks, I’m finding I want a bit of privacy on my wedding night.”
“You thought we needed privacy?”
“We definitely need privacy.”
A minister was a very public persona. One being forced to marry was subject to even more scrutiny. He could be telling the truth. He might just want peace and quiet.
The buggy pulled up in front of the house. Brad set the brake and jumped down.
He took her satchel from where it was tied to the back of the buggy before helping her down. “Why don’t you take this into the house?”
She took the satchel. He caught her hand as she turned away. The way his thumb stroked across her knuckles brought the memory of his kiss alive. “If there’s something see-through and provocative in the satchel, feel free to slip it on.”
Or he might be looking for more.
Four
AT LEAST SHE wasn’t going to have to cook. Evie set her satchel down on the floor just inside the door of the quiet house. There was a basket on the table, the dark wicker offset by a yellow-checked tablecloth beneath. Even from here she could smell the delicious aroma of Franny’s special roast chicken. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to make sure their first meal as husband and wife was not a disaster. Which it would be if she prepared it.
She quietly pulled the door closed behind her. Twilight settled over the interior, mellowing it with inviting charm. As she moved into the room, the scent of cleaning products mingled with the fragrance of dinner, but for all the scents of home, the house had a lonely feel. She looked around the space and tried to imagine it as it had been when Amy was alive. It wouldn’t have felt empty, that’s for sure. She imagined, for Elijah, it would have been a haven of warmth and love.
Amy had always been quiet and kind. She’d been a few years behind Evie in school, but Evie remembered that about her. Amy had always been the first person to welcome newcomers, always the one to share her lunch with those who didn’t have any. When she’d found Elijah, a lot of people in town had reacted protectively and disapproved of the match, but Evie hadn’t. Because the one thing that had always stood out about Amy was the joy she gave. She loved to make others happy. And while she’d made Elijah very happy, he’d also made her happy and no one had deserved happiness more than Amy. But she’d lost
“And see where it gets me?”
He was an intelligent man. “Yes.”
The buggy bounced down the road. “Where are we going?” “I told you—”
She cut him off. “Something more specific than ‘that way.’ ”
Another flick of the reins. Another almost smile. “If you want something more specific, you’re going to have to ask me nicely.”
“You want me to beg?”
“I was thinking along the lines of please and thank you , but if you want to beg, I could probably work up the tolerance to listen.”
Her bonnet crumpled under the tension of her grip. It was her favorite, too. “You are being more than a little provoking.”
“I have a talent for it.”
“It’s not a good thing.” She tried to smooth out her hat.
“Guess that depends which side of the provoking you’re standing on.”
No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t straighten the brim. “I guess it does.”
He didn’t say anything more, just returned his attention to the road, which with every pass of the wheels diminished a little more to well-worn ruts. If she wanted to know where they were going, she was going to have to ask. Nicely. It wouldn’t kill her.
“Could you please tell me where we’re going?”
He pointed to a house just emerging into view as they cleared the rise. “There.”
She shaded her eyes from the glare of the setting sun. “Elijah and Amy’s old place?”
“Yup.”
“Why?” The place, once pretty and full of hope, had been vacant since the death of Elijah’s wife and his newborn daughter.
“Because as many eyes as have been on me for the last few weeks, I’m finding I want a bit of privacy on my wedding night.”
“You thought we needed privacy?”
“We definitely need privacy.”
A minister was a very public persona. One being forced to marry was subject to even more scrutiny. He could be telling the truth. He might just want peace and quiet.
The buggy pulled up in front of the house. Brad set the brake and jumped down.
He took her satchel from where it was tied to the back of the buggy before helping her down. “Why don’t you take this into the house?”
She took the satchel. He caught her hand as she turned away. The way his thumb stroked across her knuckles brought the memory of his kiss alive. “If there’s something see-through and provocative in the satchel, feel free to slip it on.”
Or he might be looking for more.
Four
AT LEAST SHE wasn’t going to have to cook. Evie set her satchel down on the floor just inside the door of the quiet house. There was a basket on the table, the dark wicker offset by a yellow-checked tablecloth beneath. Even from here she could smell the delicious aroma of Franny’s special roast chicken. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to make sure their first meal as husband and wife was not a disaster. Which it would be if she prepared it.
She quietly pulled the door closed behind her. Twilight settled over the interior, mellowing it with inviting charm. As she moved into the room, the scent of cleaning products mingled with the fragrance of dinner, but for all the scents of home, the house had a lonely feel. She looked around the space and tried to imagine it as it had been when Amy was alive. It wouldn’t have felt empty, that’s for sure. She imagined, for Elijah, it would have been a haven of warmth and love.
Amy had always been quiet and kind. She’d been a few years behind Evie in school, but Evie remembered that about her. Amy had always been the first person to welcome newcomers, always the one to share her lunch with those who didn’t have any. When she’d found Elijah, a lot of people in town had reacted protectively and disapproved of the match, but Evie hadn’t. Because the one thing that had always stood out about Amy was the joy she gave. She loved to make others happy. And while she’d made Elijah very happy, he’d also made her happy and no one had deserved happiness more than Amy. But she’d lost
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