Read Online The Christmas Bargain by Shanna Hatfield - Free Book Online
Authors: Shanna Hatfield
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at him. Her cheeks were red from her tears, her eyelashes wet, and her eyes luminous. He wanted so badly to kiss her again. To kiss away her hurt, her pain, her shame. “You didn’t do anything to deserve those scars or anything your father did to you. I want you to know I would never do anything to hurt you.”
“I know,” Philamena whispered, dropping her eyes to stare at the tie he still wore knotted at his throat. “You’re a good man, like Chauncy.”
“Well, I’m not that good,” Luke said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. “The pastor is in a class all by himself, but I try.”
A small smile started at the corner of his wife’s mouth, but didn’t quite make it to her eyes.
Luke rubbed her shoulders and set her back from him. Trying to preserve what little dignity she had left, he turned to leave the bedroom. “You go on and change and I’ll see about the horse. He probably thinks I’ve forgotten about him.”
Philamena nodded and waited to move until Luke closed the door behind him.
Luke stood in the hall a moment staring at the closed door then turned and walked out to the buggy, driving it around to the carriage house and backing it in. He took the horse to the barn and gave him an extra portion of food.
He should change his clothes and give ol’ Peter a good brushing, but he felt the need to be inside with Philamena.
It was taking every ounce of restraint to keep from saddling up Drake, riding out to the Booth farm and beating Alford to a bloody pulp. Luke had never had a violent bone in his body, but seeing what that man did to his daughter made Luke have all sorts of thoughts on giving Alford a dose of his own medicine.
What kind of man whipped a female? The same kind that slapped them, neglected them, half-starved them, degraded them, disrespected them, and used them as a bargain to pay a debt.
Maybe Chauncy was right. Maybe God had directed Luke out to the Booth farm last week. If he hadn’t shown up when he did, poor Philamena could be the newest member of the Red Lantern Saloon’s group of working girls.
Struggling with the protective feelings she stirred in him, Luke vowed again to do everything in his power to make her feel safe.
Chapter Four
Luke awoke to the smell of bacon and coffee filling his nose. For a moment he thought he must be dreaming, then he remembered he was married.
He had a wife.
One who could cook.
Smiling to himself, he got out of bed, made his way to the bathroom and emerged dressed and ready for the day.
Whistling, he sauntered into the kitchen where Philamena was busy preparing breakfast. Walking into the room, he was greeted with a shy smile.
“Good morning, wife,” Luke said, a teasing grin tugging at the corners of his full lips.
“Good morning,” Philamena said, giving him a quick glance before turning her attention back to cooking pancakes. Luke poured himself a cup of coffee and took a sip. It was strong, black and very good.
“May I help you with anything?” he asked, placing the cup on the counter. He noticed she already had a place setting at the kitchen table. That she set the table in the kitchen rather than the dining room proved she was practical and sensible, two traits he greatly admired.
“I’m just about finished,” she said, expertly flipping a pancake.
“You only put down one place setting, Philamena. As long as you are my wife, I want you to join me for my meals. It’s no fun to eat alone,” Luke said, placing another plate and silverware at the table.
A slight nod acknowledged she heard him as Philamena continued cooking breakfast.
While her back was to him, Luke took a moment to study her rich hair piled on her head in a jumble of curls, her long, slender neck, and her trim waist. She was wearing a dark green wool skirt and a plain white blouse, covered by a voluminous white apron. He enjoyed watching her skirts swish as she moved and tried to rein in his thoughts before they wandered too far
“I know,” Philamena whispered, dropping her eyes to stare at the tie he still wore knotted at his throat. “You’re a good man, like Chauncy.”
“Well, I’m not that good,” Luke said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. “The pastor is in a class all by himself, but I try.”
A small smile started at the corner of his wife’s mouth, but didn’t quite make it to her eyes.
Luke rubbed her shoulders and set her back from him. Trying to preserve what little dignity she had left, he turned to leave the bedroom. “You go on and change and I’ll see about the horse. He probably thinks I’ve forgotten about him.”
Philamena nodded and waited to move until Luke closed the door behind him.
Luke stood in the hall a moment staring at the closed door then turned and walked out to the buggy, driving it around to the carriage house and backing it in. He took the horse to the barn and gave him an extra portion of food.
He should change his clothes and give ol’ Peter a good brushing, but he felt the need to be inside with Philamena.
It was taking every ounce of restraint to keep from saddling up Drake, riding out to the Booth farm and beating Alford to a bloody pulp. Luke had never had a violent bone in his body, but seeing what that man did to his daughter made Luke have all sorts of thoughts on giving Alford a dose of his own medicine.
What kind of man whipped a female? The same kind that slapped them, neglected them, half-starved them, degraded them, disrespected them, and used them as a bargain to pay a debt.
Maybe Chauncy was right. Maybe God had directed Luke out to the Booth farm last week. If he hadn’t shown up when he did, poor Philamena could be the newest member of the Red Lantern Saloon’s group of working girls.
Struggling with the protective feelings she stirred in him, Luke vowed again to do everything in his power to make her feel safe.
Chapter Four
Luke awoke to the smell of bacon and coffee filling his nose. For a moment he thought he must be dreaming, then he remembered he was married.
He had a wife.
One who could cook.
Smiling to himself, he got out of bed, made his way to the bathroom and emerged dressed and ready for the day.
Whistling, he sauntered into the kitchen where Philamena was busy preparing breakfast. Walking into the room, he was greeted with a shy smile.
“Good morning, wife,” Luke said, a teasing grin tugging at the corners of his full lips.
“Good morning,” Philamena said, giving him a quick glance before turning her attention back to cooking pancakes. Luke poured himself a cup of coffee and took a sip. It was strong, black and very good.
“May I help you with anything?” he asked, placing the cup on the counter. He noticed she already had a place setting at the kitchen table. That she set the table in the kitchen rather than the dining room proved she was practical and sensible, two traits he greatly admired.
“I’m just about finished,” she said, expertly flipping a pancake.
“You only put down one place setting, Philamena. As long as you are my wife, I want you to join me for my meals. It’s no fun to eat alone,” Luke said, placing another plate and silverware at the table.
A slight nod acknowledged she heard him as Philamena continued cooking breakfast.
While her back was to him, Luke took a moment to study her rich hair piled on her head in a jumble of curls, her long, slender neck, and her trim waist. She was wearing a dark green wool skirt and a plain white blouse, covered by a voluminous white apron. He enjoyed watching her skirts swish as she moved and tried to rein in his thoughts before they wandered too far
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