Read Online The Shepherd's Daughter (Dry Bayou Brides Book 1) by Lynn Winchester - Free Book Online

a woman he could talk to about anything, a woman he’d long to come home to after a long day’s work. A woman who could make him laugh, make him think, and make him…well, happy.”
    Ray fought the urge to slink under her chair. Rebecca just described herself. Ray remembered how Rebecca and Billy seemed so happy standing there beside the creek. They’d laughed, Billy smiled at her, and then he seemed pretty upset when Ray arrived to ruin their moment.
    “Not picky,” Tilly chimed in. “I can’t think of a single woman in the world who meets those requirements.”
    Rebecca pinned Ray with her deep brown gaze. “I can.”
    Ray swallowed and managed not to choke. “That seems like a pointless conversation to have with him. You’re here, ain’t you?”
    Rebecca nodded and offered a dainty smile. “Well, yes, but we’ve agreed to a short courtship before he decides if I am to be Mrs. Willem Ducharme.”
    Ray flinched at the other woman’s use of that name. A name she wanted for herself.
    “I know about that. Thanks to Billy’s ma, the whole town does. But why did you agree to it? You came all the way out here to get married. If the groom hesitates, why don’t you go back home?”
    Please go!
    Rebecca looked up at Ray from under her long, thick lashes. “Can I be honest with you, Ray? Tilly?”
    Both women nodded. Ray couldn’t possibly begin to wonder what Rebecca was going to say, but she sure as sugar wanted to hear it.
    “When I first contacted Mr. Ducharme, he required me to sign a contract.”
    Ray blinked, then frowned. “Contract? What sort of contract?”
    “It states that if I fail to marry Willem Ducharme by the end of the summer, I will return to New York immediately.” Rebecca’s usually clear voice had turned to a whisper as she spoke the words “ return to New York ” with a haunted look in her eyes.
    “Oh,” was all Ray could say.
    So, Billy’s perfect woman was required by law to marry Billy or return to New York—effectively dashing her dreams to start over in Dry Bayou. That made matters so much worse.
    She’s obviously a much better choice for Billy. He’s already fallin’ in lo…lo…love with her.
    She couldn’t even bring the voice in her head to say the words.
    Who am I kiddin’? I’ll fight tooth and nail for Billy—I don’t care if the fool thinks he’s in love with Miss Rebecca DuCastille. She’d changed his mind about wearing fringed shirts, she could change his mind about marrying Rebecca. She could, with a little help from Tilly and Mrs. Piers, also find a way for Rebecca to stay in Dry Bayou without having to fulfill that ridiculous contract.
    She just had to figure out how.

Chapter Nine

    I t was late when Ray finally returned to the house she shared with her ma and the memory of her pa. When she’d left that morning, she’d only meant to visit Tilly and give back all the dresses she and Dora had given her. She was ready to give up on the silly plan to entice Billy by being as refined as Rebecca.
    Now, she knew better. Trying to be like Rebecca wasn’t going to win Billy. She had to become something else. She had to become a woman Billy had never seen before. She had to be a better Ray .
    “Yer finally home, I see. Missed supper, but I left ye some taters and mutton in the oven.” Ray’s ma was seated in the living area near a small, crackling fire. She was mending a pair of socks.
    Mrs. Moira MacAdams was born and raised in Fraserburgh, Scotland, but left home at seventeen when she married a local farmer’s son with a desire to make his own way in America.
    Ray took a moment to study her mother. Her once bright, auburn hair was now a dull light brown, fringed with grey at the temples. She seemed to have aged ten years overnight.
    They both had since her pa died.
    “Sorry, Ma. I didn’t mean to be gone so long. Did you have trouble with my chores?” Ray was so wrapped up in Rebecca and Billy and trying to figure out how to get Billy to love her,