Read Online The Outrider (Redbourne Series #5 - Will's Story) by Kelli Ann Morgan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kelli Ann Morgan
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the stable.
“We’re a little busy,” he called back.
“Mama said that Mr. Anders…on…” Hannah stepped
into the back stall and froze. “Um…I’m sorry,” she threw a hand to cover her
unusually wide eyes. “I didn’t see anything. I swear.” She took a step
backward, her arm knocking into the shelf that held dozens of cans and a few
empty milk jugs. She squealed as they all came tumbling down on top of her.
Will hopped out of the tub, grabbed the towel
from the gate’s top rung, and draped it around his midsection as he rushed to
help his kid sister.
She sat up, pushing a large milk can away from
her. A deep-seated red burned into her cheeks as she looked up at him. “I’m
sorry, Will.” She shook her head. “I didn’t—”
“Think,” he finished for her. “Didn’t listen. I
told you we were busy.”
She dared a glance at Sven, whose upper body was
still visible above the basin, and the red in her face darkened another shade.
“I’m sorry.”
“Any broken bones?” Will asked as he helped her
to her feet.
“I don’t think so.”
“Are you hurt?”
“Just my pride. Or what was left of it,” she admitted
with a sheepish smile.
He reached out to steady her by the shoulder and
she winced.
“Maybe a bruise or two, but I’m fine. I’ve got
seven brothers who’ve taught me how to be tough,” she countered with a grin.
Will laughed.
Hannah leaned in close to him. “Is Mr. Anderson
staying for supper?”
“What is it with you?” he asked, a little laugh
in his voice. “Get on up to the house. We’ll be there shortly.”
A smile spread across Hannah’s face and she
clapped her hands together before turning on her heel and disappearing from the
stable.
“A breed of your own, I tell ya,” Sven said with
a chuckle, dropping down lower in his tub.
“Maybe so, my friend. Maybe so.” He glanced back
at the stable door and thought for a moment before climbing back into the
welcoming warmth of the water.
He reached over the side of the tub and pulled
the folded image from his vest pocket. His ship. Well, it would be his once he
made the trip to Boston, but he’d already made a gentleman’s agreement.
Maybe it was time for a new breed of Redbourne. The
seafaring kind.
CHAPTER SIX
Elizabeth watched out the window by their table for
any sign of Opal Gailey. She needed to speak to the young woman before they
headed back to Redbourne Ranch.
“Becoming a mail-order-bride is a huge step. And
a little scary. Are you sure that is what you want to do? Just to avoid running
into Will?”
“That’s not the only reason, Grace. When I
arrived in Stone Creek, I truly believed this was the right place for me.”
“Then stay.”
“I wish it was that easy. I bought a house—well,
my pretend husband did anyway.” She chuckled lightly under her breath and shook
her head. She waited a moment before continuing. “After it burned to the
ground, I realized that most everything I had brought with me—my books, my
money, my clothes—were all gone and I had nowhere to turn.”
“If money is what you need—”
“I need a purpose, Grace. I need a place I can
call my own. I need…” What did she need?
“A man?” Grace supplied.
Elizabeth looked at her friend with a smile.
“Maybe. I don’t know, but I cannot believe that my
adventure is over. There is more for me to do. If it works out that I can find
a home…” She leaned toward Grace with a smile, “…and a good man along the way,
then all the better.”
They both laughed.
“Seriously, when I left England, I knew I could
never go back. I started a life here, and now, it seems, I will have to start
again, somewhere else.”
“Maybe if you just talk to Will, I’m sure he will
understand.”
“Will is a good man, but sometimes things just
aren’t meant to be. I thought Stone Creek would be my home, but life has other
plans for me. This is my chance to move on and find that place. And
after encountering the
“We’re a little busy,” he called back.
“Mama said that Mr. Anders…on…” Hannah stepped
into the back stall and froze. “Um…I’m sorry,” she threw a hand to cover her
unusually wide eyes. “I didn’t see anything. I swear.” She took a step
backward, her arm knocking into the shelf that held dozens of cans and a few
empty milk jugs. She squealed as they all came tumbling down on top of her.
Will hopped out of the tub, grabbed the towel
from the gate’s top rung, and draped it around his midsection as he rushed to
help his kid sister.
She sat up, pushing a large milk can away from
her. A deep-seated red burned into her cheeks as she looked up at him. “I’m
sorry, Will.” She shook her head. “I didn’t—”
“Think,” he finished for her. “Didn’t listen. I
told you we were busy.”
She dared a glance at Sven, whose upper body was
still visible above the basin, and the red in her face darkened another shade.
“I’m sorry.”
“Any broken bones?” Will asked as he helped her
to her feet.
“I don’t think so.”
“Are you hurt?”
“Just my pride. Or what was left of it,” she admitted
with a sheepish smile.
He reached out to steady her by the shoulder and
she winced.
“Maybe a bruise or two, but I’m fine. I’ve got
seven brothers who’ve taught me how to be tough,” she countered with a grin.
Will laughed.
Hannah leaned in close to him. “Is Mr. Anderson
staying for supper?”
“What is it with you?” he asked, a little laugh
in his voice. “Get on up to the house. We’ll be there shortly.”
A smile spread across Hannah’s face and she
clapped her hands together before turning on her heel and disappearing from the
stable.
“A breed of your own, I tell ya,” Sven said with
a chuckle, dropping down lower in his tub.
“Maybe so, my friend. Maybe so.” He glanced back
at the stable door and thought for a moment before climbing back into the
welcoming warmth of the water.
He reached over the side of the tub and pulled
the folded image from his vest pocket. His ship. Well, it would be his once he
made the trip to Boston, but he’d already made a gentleman’s agreement.
Maybe it was time for a new breed of Redbourne. The
seafaring kind.
CHAPTER SIX
Elizabeth watched out the window by their table for
any sign of Opal Gailey. She needed to speak to the young woman before they
headed back to Redbourne Ranch.
“Becoming a mail-order-bride is a huge step. And
a little scary. Are you sure that is what you want to do? Just to avoid running
into Will?”
“That’s not the only reason, Grace. When I
arrived in Stone Creek, I truly believed this was the right place for me.”
“Then stay.”
“I wish it was that easy. I bought a house—well,
my pretend husband did anyway.” She chuckled lightly under her breath and shook
her head. She waited a moment before continuing. “After it burned to the
ground, I realized that most everything I had brought with me—my books, my
money, my clothes—were all gone and I had nowhere to turn.”
“If money is what you need—”
“I need a purpose, Grace. I need a place I can
call my own. I need…” What did she need?
“A man?” Grace supplied.
Elizabeth looked at her friend with a smile.
“Maybe. I don’t know, but I cannot believe that my
adventure is over. There is more for me to do. If it works out that I can find
a home…” She leaned toward Grace with a smile, “…and a good man along the way,
then all the better.”
They both laughed.
“Seriously, when I left England, I knew I could
never go back. I started a life here, and now, it seems, I will have to start
again, somewhere else.”
“Maybe if you just talk to Will, I’m sure he will
understand.”
“Will is a good man, but sometimes things just
aren’t meant to be. I thought Stone Creek would be my home, but life has other
plans for me. This is my chance to move on and find that place. And
after encountering the
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