Read Online The Anonymous Bride by Vickie Mcdonough - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Vickie Mcdonough
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Western, Man-Woman Relationships, Love Stories, Texas, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, Mail Order Brides
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at Agatha as she came in. “Martha said she needed to get her husband’s supper started. I must confess that I will need to do the same soon.”
“No problem a’tall.” Beebee barreled her way into the parlor, bumping the end table and rattling Rachel’s hurricane lamp. “We only came for a short visit.”
The hair on Rachel’s neck stood on end. When Beebee and Aggie’s visits were short—and they rarely were—it meant they came with a specific purpose in mind. What could they want?
Beebee backed toward the settee and dropped down. The couch creaked and groaned from her near three hundred pounds. Rachel swallowed, hoping the antique that had belonged to James’s grandmother could withstand the torture it was enduring. Beebee lifted her skirt a few inches off the floor and fanned it. “Whew! It’s mighty warm for April.”
Rachel glanced at Aggie, whose eyes widened at her sister’s unconventional behavior. Aggie ducked her head, cheeks flaming, and stared into her lap. Sometimes Rachel wondered if the women had been adopted or had different mothers. No two sisters could be any more different.
“I’d have been here sooner but have been laid up with a sore foot. It’s downright impossible to find decent shoes in this town.” Beebee patted her large hairdo that resembled a hornet’s nest. “I just had to come over and see how you were getting along now that Luke Davis is back in town. Seems he’s been spending plenty of time with your daughter. And poor Rand Kessler. Whatever must he be thinking?”
Rachel’s heart somersaulted. She’d known Beebee had had an agenda for visiting, but she hadn’t considered it might be Luke. She set the pie on the parlor table and took a seat.
Aggie shook her head. “I told her to leave be, but she wouldn’t listen.”
Beebee frowned at her sister, and Aggie ducked her head again, fingering the fold of her matronly gray skirt. Beebee turned her gaze back toward Rachel and rested her plump hands on her skirt, the colors of a field of wildflowers.
Rachel swallowed hard, knowing whatever she said to Aunt Beebee would get around town quicker than a raging fire.
“It must be hard on you to have Luke back, I mean with you having to cook and clean for the man, what with him not even being your own husband.” Beebee shook her head and swung her gaze toward her sister. “Don’t you think that would be difficult, Agatha—to have the man you once thought you’d marry but didn’t back in town and having to care for him? Why, James is probably rolling in his grave, bless his heart.”
Aggie’s gray eyes went wide. She reached up and pulled the collar of the stark white blouse away from her throat.
“Now that James is gone, surely you and Luke are gonna get back together. For the child’s sake. That little scamp certainly needs a father, and I never thought that Kessler fellow was right for you.”
“Bertha, that’s none of your business.” Aggie fanned her face with her hand. “And Rand Kessler is a fine gentleman.”
Rachel jumped to her feet. “Oh, forgive me. I forgot to ask if you’d like some tea.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Beebee glowered at her sister and reached for the teapot still on the table beside the settee. She pulled off the lid and peered in.
“I could heat it up if you’d like.” Rachel wanted to suck back the words as soon as she said them. Heating the water would take time and cause the ladies to stay longer.
“No need. As hot as it is, cool tea will be refreshing,” Beebee said.
Rachel grabbed the pie Beebee had brought and hurried to the kitchen for extra cups. She glanced around, knowing all she needed to do, and breathed a prayer for patience. Back in the parlor, she filled a cup and handed it to Beebee.
Rachel offered another cup to Aggie, but she shook her head. “Thank you, but I just had some tea a short while ago.”
Beebee drank
“No problem a’tall.” Beebee barreled her way into the parlor, bumping the end table and rattling Rachel’s hurricane lamp. “We only came for a short visit.”
The hair on Rachel’s neck stood on end. When Beebee and Aggie’s visits were short—and they rarely were—it meant they came with a specific purpose in mind. What could they want?
Beebee backed toward the settee and dropped down. The couch creaked and groaned from her near three hundred pounds. Rachel swallowed, hoping the antique that had belonged to James’s grandmother could withstand the torture it was enduring. Beebee lifted her skirt a few inches off the floor and fanned it. “Whew! It’s mighty warm for April.”
Rachel glanced at Aggie, whose eyes widened at her sister’s unconventional behavior. Aggie ducked her head, cheeks flaming, and stared into her lap. Sometimes Rachel wondered if the women had been adopted or had different mothers. No two sisters could be any more different.
“I’d have been here sooner but have been laid up with a sore foot. It’s downright impossible to find decent shoes in this town.” Beebee patted her large hairdo that resembled a hornet’s nest. “I just had to come over and see how you were getting along now that Luke Davis is back in town. Seems he’s been spending plenty of time with your daughter. And poor Rand Kessler. Whatever must he be thinking?”
Rachel’s heart somersaulted. She’d known Beebee had had an agenda for visiting, but she hadn’t considered it might be Luke. She set the pie on the parlor table and took a seat.
Aggie shook her head. “I told her to leave be, but she wouldn’t listen.”
Beebee frowned at her sister, and Aggie ducked her head again, fingering the fold of her matronly gray skirt. Beebee turned her gaze back toward Rachel and rested her plump hands on her skirt, the colors of a field of wildflowers.
Rachel swallowed hard, knowing whatever she said to Aunt Beebee would get around town quicker than a raging fire.
“It must be hard on you to have Luke back, I mean with you having to cook and clean for the man, what with him not even being your own husband.” Beebee shook her head and swung her gaze toward her sister. “Don’t you think that would be difficult, Agatha—to have the man you once thought you’d marry but didn’t back in town and having to care for him? Why, James is probably rolling in his grave, bless his heart.”
Aggie’s gray eyes went wide. She reached up and pulled the collar of the stark white blouse away from her throat.
“Now that James is gone, surely you and Luke are gonna get back together. For the child’s sake. That little scamp certainly needs a father, and I never thought that Kessler fellow was right for you.”
“Bertha, that’s none of your business.” Aggie fanned her face with her hand. “And Rand Kessler is a fine gentleman.”
Rachel jumped to her feet. “Oh, forgive me. I forgot to ask if you’d like some tea.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Beebee glowered at her sister and reached for the teapot still on the table beside the settee. She pulled off the lid and peered in.
“I could heat it up if you’d like.” Rachel wanted to suck back the words as soon as she said them. Heating the water would take time and cause the ladies to stay longer.
“No need. As hot as it is, cool tea will be refreshing,” Beebee said.
Rachel grabbed the pie Beebee had brought and hurried to the kitchen for extra cups. She glanced around, knowing all she needed to do, and breathed a prayer for patience. Back in the parlor, she filled a cup and handed it to Beebee.
Rachel offered another cup to Aggie, but she shook her head. “Thank you, but I just had some tea a short while ago.”
Beebee drank
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