Read Online The Duke's Dark Secret (Historical Victorian Romance) by Emily Brant - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Emily Brant
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“I think she’s right.” Jeb said, leaning into kiss her.
As their lips met, Louisa felt intense love and joy move through her body. She reached up to touch his hair and placed her hand on his broad shoulders. They grew closer together, holding each other. When their kiss ended, she felt surprised to find she was crying.
“What’s the matter?” Jeb asked, brushing away her tears from her cheek.
“I- I don’t know what I did to deserve this. I didn’t honestly expect love when I came out here. Thomas’ letters… your letters… they gave me hope that I’d find something more when I finally escaped Baltimore. I didn’t expect much. Maybe some security, a place to call home. But with you, I feel more than that. I would have never believed that could be real joy in my lifetime.”
Jeb held her close once more. “You can have all of that. You’re a good soul, Louisa Forest. I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives together. Would you… would you stand up, please?”
She was confused by this. “Why?”
He chuckled. “I think the traditional way to do this is for you to be standing while I’m on one knee.”
Louisa drew in her breath sharply. “You’re serious?”
He got to one knee and fumbled in his pocket. She stood, trembling before him.
“It’s not a fancy ring. I wanted to get you something prettier, a bigger rock.” He showed her the ring.
She didn’t know what to say as she looked down at the piece of jewelry he held in his hand.
“Louisa Marie Forest, will you be my wife?”
She enveloped her warm hands around his calloused ones. “I will. I’ll marry you, Jeb.”
They stayed together by the river for a long time until the sun went down and the darkness began to overtake them. They rode away, happy and ready to make plans for their new life together.
*****
Uncle Jim’s wake was a major event in the life of the community, as was befitting a man who’d lived to the ripe old age of 89. Everyone had turned out. Gertie made it, despite the fact she was wheelchair bound. For that, Louisa was grateful.
“I know what a bother it is for you to have to come out like this with your arthritis, Gert.” She said, welcoming her to the ranch.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Gertie told her, allowing one of Louisa’s children, young Thomas Bradford, to wheel her about. “Uncle Jim was a good man. One of the last of the pioneers of this town, you know.”
“I suppose that’s right.” She allowed. walking beside her.
The spread was offered in the barn, a huge affair with cornbread, roasted chickens, and steaming baked potatoes alongside rows of pies. Thomas tried to abandon the wheelchair and go for food right away, but Louisa admonished him.
“You see to it Gertie gets a proper place at the table before you try any such foolishness young man.”
“Sorry, ma. Didn’t mean anything by it.” He apologized.
Gertie smiled up at the woman. “I swear, he’s looking a bit more like his father every day.”
White-haired Jeb Bradford came up behind her then, stroking his short-trimmed beard. “I don’t know about that. I see a bit of Louisa in all the children.”
“I’ll allow that’s true enough.” Gertie agreed.
The family took their places around the table, as practically all the town sat as
As their lips met, Louisa felt intense love and joy move through her body. She reached up to touch his hair and placed her hand on his broad shoulders. They grew closer together, holding each other. When their kiss ended, she felt surprised to find she was crying.
“What’s the matter?” Jeb asked, brushing away her tears from her cheek.
“I- I don’t know what I did to deserve this. I didn’t honestly expect love when I came out here. Thomas’ letters… your letters… they gave me hope that I’d find something more when I finally escaped Baltimore. I didn’t expect much. Maybe some security, a place to call home. But with you, I feel more than that. I would have never believed that could be real joy in my lifetime.”
Jeb held her close once more. “You can have all of that. You’re a good soul, Louisa Forest. I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives together. Would you… would you stand up, please?”
She was confused by this. “Why?”
He chuckled. “I think the traditional way to do this is for you to be standing while I’m on one knee.”
Louisa drew in her breath sharply. “You’re serious?”
He got to one knee and fumbled in his pocket. She stood, trembling before him.
“It’s not a fancy ring. I wanted to get you something prettier, a bigger rock.” He showed her the ring.
She didn’t know what to say as she looked down at the piece of jewelry he held in his hand.
“Louisa Marie Forest, will you be my wife?”
She enveloped her warm hands around his calloused ones. “I will. I’ll marry you, Jeb.”
They stayed together by the river for a long time until the sun went down and the darkness began to overtake them. They rode away, happy and ready to make plans for their new life together.
*****
Uncle Jim’s wake was a major event in the life of the community, as was befitting a man who’d lived to the ripe old age of 89. Everyone had turned out. Gertie made it, despite the fact she was wheelchair bound. For that, Louisa was grateful.
“I know what a bother it is for you to have to come out like this with your arthritis, Gert.” She said, welcoming her to the ranch.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Gertie told her, allowing one of Louisa’s children, young Thomas Bradford, to wheel her about. “Uncle Jim was a good man. One of the last of the pioneers of this town, you know.”
“I suppose that’s right.” She allowed. walking beside her.
The spread was offered in the barn, a huge affair with cornbread, roasted chickens, and steaming baked potatoes alongside rows of pies. Thomas tried to abandon the wheelchair and go for food right away, but Louisa admonished him.
“You see to it Gertie gets a proper place at the table before you try any such foolishness young man.”
“Sorry, ma. Didn’t mean anything by it.” He apologized.
Gertie smiled up at the woman. “I swear, he’s looking a bit more like his father every day.”
White-haired Jeb Bradford came up behind her then, stroking his short-trimmed beard. “I don’t know about that. I see a bit of Louisa in all the children.”
“I’ll allow that’s true enough.” Gertie agreed.
The family took their places around the table, as practically all the town sat as
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