Read Online Seth (Prairie Grooms, Book Three) by Kit Morgan - Free Book Online
Authors: Kit Morgan
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Dunnigan. “In fact, I’ve seen you look a whole lot better!”
“Auntie ,” said Belle. “You don’t have to make it sound like I’m half-dead.”
Everyone giggled at that. Mrs. Dunnigan glanced around the circle, snorted in disgust, and went back to checking her stitches.
“When are you going to tell Colin?” asked G randma.
Bell e sighed. “When I’m good and ready.”
“ She’s afraid of how he’s going to react,” said Sadie.
“You can’t put it off forever,” said Grandma.
“I know,” said Bell e. “It’s just that once he finds out, he’s going to drive me crazy.”
“How do you know?” asked Eloise. “Just because Harrison drove Sadie mad, doesn’t mean Colin will do the same thing.”
“Because , if he’s anything like Harrison, then trust me, he’s going to drive me crazy. They are brothers, after all.”
A ripple of giggles worked its way around the circle at her remark. Eloise stopped stitching and pondered what it would be like to have children with Seth. How many would they have? Would they be boys, girls, both? Or would the chance to have children be stolen from them because the unknown assailant, in turn, stole Seth’s life? She closed her eyes at the thought and fought against another shiver. How long would she be able to live like this, knowing someone was out there, waiting to do them harm?
“Have you thought of any names yet?” asked Grandma.
“Oh, please,” pleaded Belle. “Can’t we talk about something else?”
“We need to talk about the picnic,” bellowed Mrs. Dunnigan. “Who’s going to be in charge of what?”
“She’s right ,” said Mrs. Mulligan. “We only have four days to organize this. I was in charge of games last year. Who’s gonna do it this year?”
“Oh, let me!” exclaimed Fanny. “ I’ve never done games before.”
“All right, Fanny has games,” said Grandma. “Who wants to be in charge of the food?”
“I would do it,” said Belle. “But my belly is starting to feel funny and I don’t think I can handle talking about food for the next four days.”
Sadie laughed. “I’ll handle the food; don’t worry.”
“Thank you,” said Bell e.
“ I’ll help you,” offered Eloise, “just as long as you don’t expect me to cook.”
Now everyone laughed. “ Don’t worry,” said Sadie. “We’d be too afraid to let you cook.”
Eloise sat, a sour look on her face, before she, too, began to giggle. “Best not let Penelope or Constance cook, either.”
“Hey!” protested Constance. She glanced at Penelope, who burst into a fit of giggles.
“Oh, don’t worry,” said Sadie. “We won’t.”
The morning wore on and soon Eloise realized , along with the rest of the ladies, that they were making better progress than expected. Her dress would be done that night at the latest, and she would have several days to help with plans for the picnic. With any luck, she’d be so busy that she wouldn’t think about the sheriff and his posse. There’d been no sign of any of them since they’d left the day before, and Eloise began to wonder how many more days it might be before they returned. If they returned at all …
Oh, Eloise. Why must you have such morbid thoughts? Of course they’re going to return; why wouldn’t they?
She went back to her sewing, and tried to think of something else. It was then that she suddenly realized that she’d not seen Seth all morning. Where could he be?
* * *
Seth studied the ground before him. Tracks were everywhere, both from men and horses, but they weren’t enough to tell him exactly what had happened at his brother’s farm. There were definite signs of a struggle between a woman and some men, which had to be when Constance was taken to the barn; but then there were other signs, odd ones …
In the house , he found the broken chair and the ropes that had bound his brother to it. From there he followed the signs that led into the barn, where they’d tied
“Auntie ,” said Belle. “You don’t have to make it sound like I’m half-dead.”
Everyone giggled at that. Mrs. Dunnigan glanced around the circle, snorted in disgust, and went back to checking her stitches.
“When are you going to tell Colin?” asked G randma.
Bell e sighed. “When I’m good and ready.”
“ She’s afraid of how he’s going to react,” said Sadie.
“You can’t put it off forever,” said Grandma.
“I know,” said Bell e. “It’s just that once he finds out, he’s going to drive me crazy.”
“How do you know?” asked Eloise. “Just because Harrison drove Sadie mad, doesn’t mean Colin will do the same thing.”
“Because , if he’s anything like Harrison, then trust me, he’s going to drive me crazy. They are brothers, after all.”
A ripple of giggles worked its way around the circle at her remark. Eloise stopped stitching and pondered what it would be like to have children with Seth. How many would they have? Would they be boys, girls, both? Or would the chance to have children be stolen from them because the unknown assailant, in turn, stole Seth’s life? She closed her eyes at the thought and fought against another shiver. How long would she be able to live like this, knowing someone was out there, waiting to do them harm?
“Have you thought of any names yet?” asked Grandma.
“Oh, please,” pleaded Belle. “Can’t we talk about something else?”
“We need to talk about the picnic,” bellowed Mrs. Dunnigan. “Who’s going to be in charge of what?”
“She’s right ,” said Mrs. Mulligan. “We only have four days to organize this. I was in charge of games last year. Who’s gonna do it this year?”
“Oh, let me!” exclaimed Fanny. “ I’ve never done games before.”
“All right, Fanny has games,” said Grandma. “Who wants to be in charge of the food?”
“I would do it,” said Belle. “But my belly is starting to feel funny and I don’t think I can handle talking about food for the next four days.”
Sadie laughed. “I’ll handle the food; don’t worry.”
“Thank you,” said Bell e.
“ I’ll help you,” offered Eloise, “just as long as you don’t expect me to cook.”
Now everyone laughed. “ Don’t worry,” said Sadie. “We’d be too afraid to let you cook.”
Eloise sat, a sour look on her face, before she, too, began to giggle. “Best not let Penelope or Constance cook, either.”
“Hey!” protested Constance. She glanced at Penelope, who burst into a fit of giggles.
“Oh, don’t worry,” said Sadie. “We won’t.”
The morning wore on and soon Eloise realized , along with the rest of the ladies, that they were making better progress than expected. Her dress would be done that night at the latest, and she would have several days to help with plans for the picnic. With any luck, she’d be so busy that she wouldn’t think about the sheriff and his posse. There’d been no sign of any of them since they’d left the day before, and Eloise began to wonder how many more days it might be before they returned. If they returned at all …
Oh, Eloise. Why must you have such morbid thoughts? Of course they’re going to return; why wouldn’t they?
She went back to her sewing, and tried to think of something else. It was then that she suddenly realized that she’d not seen Seth all morning. Where could he be?
* * *
Seth studied the ground before him. Tracks were everywhere, both from men and horses, but they weren’t enough to tell him exactly what had happened at his brother’s farm. There were definite signs of a struggle between a woman and some men, which had to be when Constance was taken to the barn; but then there were other signs, odd ones …
In the house , he found the broken chair and the ropes that had bound his brother to it. From there he followed the signs that led into the barn, where they’d tied
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