Read Online The Unlikely Wife by Cassandra Austin - Free Book Online Page A

surprise him. Of course, he had such a poker face she might not have known it if she had. How could he be so aloof?
    “Afternoon, Miss Huntington,” called the sergeant riding on the other side of Forrester. “You picked a fine horse there.”
    “Why, thank you, Mr. Whiting. I think he’ll do nicely.”
    “Kolchek’s known around here for his horses.He’s careful what he buys and likes to do his own training.”
    “He said this one’s a four-year-old he bought as a colt.”
    Rebecca watched Forrester’s profile as she talked to the sergeant She truly loved that jaw. And the straight line of his nose and nearly straight brow were appealing as well. His gray eyes flicked in her direction, and she wondered if he sensed her scrutiny.
    “How did you pay for the horse?” he asked, his eyes on the trail ahead.
    Was the question simply a way to join the conversation, or was something else implied? She kept her voice light as she answered, “My mother left me some money. I closed out the account before we left Chicago, and I took some of it with me to dinner intending to buy a horse if one was available. So it wasn’t quite the impulsive decision it may have appeared. Did you think I charmed the horse away from him, Lieutenant?”
    His head actually turned in her direction then. His eyes shot her a warning, and her grin broadened. You don’t want me to tease you in front of the troops? Then let me get you alone.
    “I know Kolchek pretty well, ma’am,” Sergeant Whiting said. “He loves his horses, and he knows the value of a dollar. I can’t imagine him giving a horse away. Though if anyone could charm him, you could, Miss Huntington.”
    “Why, thank you, Sergeant,” Rebecca said, still grinning at the lieutenant.
    He turned away, leaving her to study his profile again. The only hint of his annoyance was in the compression of his lips. She didn’t really want to make him angry with her, but it was hard to resist teasing someone so stiff, someone so determined to ignore her. She could guess that he regretted even speaking to her. He didn’t again for quite some time.
    She and the sergeant spoke occasionally about the names of the creeks they crossed, and other landmarks in the monotonous plain.
    Rebecca was in heaven. She loved riding, she loved the prairie and had longed for it the past six years. And she liked being near good-looking men even if they pretended to ignore her.
    The last thought made her smile. “Isn’t it a perfect day?”
    “Unless you take that storm into account.” The lieutenant pointed ahead and to the left.
    Rebecca looked at the deep blue settling on the south-western horizon and knew it meant rain, possibly wind and hail as well. She sighed dramatically. “There’s only one cloud in the sky, Lieutenant. Does that define the whole day?”
    “My guess, ma’am, is that it will pretty well define this evening.”
    Rebecca laughed. She couldn’t help it. Forrester worked so hard at being serious. “Right now, the sunis shining. And whether it rains tonight or not, I’ll be closer to home than I was yesterday.”
    “That brings up a question I’ve been meaning to ask you, Miss Huntington.” He didn’t turn toward her for more than a glance from the corner of his eye. “You said you had been gone for six years. How—”
    Rebecca interrupted. “When did I say that, Lieutenant?” On the train. Of course he remembered, too.
    He opened his mouth, closed it, swallowed once. “Early in our association.”
    Rebecca grinned. He clearly wanted to forget the incident. She wanted to make it just as clear that she liked remembering it. “Yes,” she murmured. “I did say six years.”
    It was a moment before he returned to his question. “How is it that you’re returning home when Fort Hays didn’t exist six years ago, or even six months ago?”
    Ah, was he wondering if she had been lying to him? “That’s easy, Lieutenant.” She swept her arm across the horizon then held her