Read Online To Love and to Cherish by Kelly Irvin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kelly Irvin
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her at the house. Plenty. “Good girl. You’ll get us there in no time.”
Thunder rolled in the distance, competing with her encouraging chatter. Lightning sizzled across the darkened expanse above her and the rain began to pelt her with increasing ferocity. She bit her lip and wiped at her face with her sleeve. Turn around or keep going? She didn’t mind getting wet, but the buggy wouldn’t do well if the wind strengthened.
As if he’d heard the argument inside her head, Thomas appeared in the distance, his horse moving at a gallop. He waved toward the house. “Go back!” he shouted. “We’re coming in!”
Behind him the clouds dipped and writhed as if they were about to give birth to an enormous storm. She tore her gaze from the sky. “Whatabout Luke and the boys?” she yelled over gusting wind that drove the rain like hard pellets against her cheeks.
“Josiah went into town for a replacement part.” Thomas clamped his free hand on his straw hat to keep the wind from capturing it. “Luke and your uncles are moving the equipment. He and Mark will be in soon.”
Emma tugged on the reins and turned the buggy. Carmel’s nicker sounded anxious. “It’s all right, girl.” She had to shout to make herself heard over the wind. “Let’s go home, let’s go.”
Thomas in the lead, they made their way back toward the barn. “Drive it inside. I’ll unhook the horse there.”
She followed his instructions, glad to get out of the wind.
Thomas moved quickly, efficiently, a man at home with horses. Intent on keeping her gaze from his hands, Emma studied his damp face. His eyes were dark, focused on the task. He looked so…strong, so sure. Yes, his skin was toughened by years in the sun, but the lines around his mouth came from years of smiles. His gaze lifted. He’d caught her staring. Emma’s cheeks burned. “I should get back to the house and make sure everyone’s all right. You’ll join us for supper?”
He nodded and smiled. It transformed his face. He looked younger and…very handsome. “I would like that. I’ll carry the cooler; you get the baskets.”
He shoved open the barn door and waited for her to slip by. Together they tugged the cooler through and he managed to close the door, straining against the wind. They started across the yard. There didn’t seem much point in hurrying now—they were already soaked. Except now that they walked side by side it seemed she should say something. For the life of her, she couldn’t think of a thing. She shifted the basket handles to one arm and studied her straw and mud caked shoes. Why was it suddenly so awkward to talk to a man who’d been a family friend for as long as she could remember? His silence didn’t help. He could at least try to make conversation.
She quickened her pace. Something about the dank air felt oppressive. She shivered and grasped for some elusive memory. She’dfelt this before. As a child, rustled from her bed by Mudder. Big storms left murky memories of nights spent huddled half-asleep in the root cellar listening to the wind ravage their house. It had been a long time since the last trip to the cellar.
The wind howled and whistled through the porch eaves and then died, leaving a sudden, eerie silence. The rain stopped. The air quivered around them. A yellowish green haze of clouds heaved across the flat Kansas plains. A dark massive swirl descended from the heavens in a twisting, dancing rope, like a lasso in the hands of a cowboy. Her heart thumping painfully in her chest, Emma pointed with her free hand. “Thomas.”
His gaze followed her finger.
He dropped the cooler and grabbed her hand in a painful grip. “Run!”
“We have to get the others!”
“I’ll get them.” He let go and gave her shoulder a sharp nudge. “You go to the cellar.”
“No, we go together.”
They sprinted to the house. With his long legs, he quickly outpaced her. The wind tore at her kapp. Emma struggled to keep up, but her wet
Thunder rolled in the distance, competing with her encouraging chatter. Lightning sizzled across the darkened expanse above her and the rain began to pelt her with increasing ferocity. She bit her lip and wiped at her face with her sleeve. Turn around or keep going? She didn’t mind getting wet, but the buggy wouldn’t do well if the wind strengthened.
As if he’d heard the argument inside her head, Thomas appeared in the distance, his horse moving at a gallop. He waved toward the house. “Go back!” he shouted. “We’re coming in!”
Behind him the clouds dipped and writhed as if they were about to give birth to an enormous storm. She tore her gaze from the sky. “Whatabout Luke and the boys?” she yelled over gusting wind that drove the rain like hard pellets against her cheeks.
“Josiah went into town for a replacement part.” Thomas clamped his free hand on his straw hat to keep the wind from capturing it. “Luke and your uncles are moving the equipment. He and Mark will be in soon.”
Emma tugged on the reins and turned the buggy. Carmel’s nicker sounded anxious. “It’s all right, girl.” She had to shout to make herself heard over the wind. “Let’s go home, let’s go.”
Thomas in the lead, they made their way back toward the barn. “Drive it inside. I’ll unhook the horse there.”
She followed his instructions, glad to get out of the wind.
Thomas moved quickly, efficiently, a man at home with horses. Intent on keeping her gaze from his hands, Emma studied his damp face. His eyes were dark, focused on the task. He looked so…strong, so sure. Yes, his skin was toughened by years in the sun, but the lines around his mouth came from years of smiles. His gaze lifted. He’d caught her staring. Emma’s cheeks burned. “I should get back to the house and make sure everyone’s all right. You’ll join us for supper?”
He nodded and smiled. It transformed his face. He looked younger and…very handsome. “I would like that. I’ll carry the cooler; you get the baskets.”
He shoved open the barn door and waited for her to slip by. Together they tugged the cooler through and he managed to close the door, straining against the wind. They started across the yard. There didn’t seem much point in hurrying now—they were already soaked. Except now that they walked side by side it seemed she should say something. For the life of her, she couldn’t think of a thing. She shifted the basket handles to one arm and studied her straw and mud caked shoes. Why was it suddenly so awkward to talk to a man who’d been a family friend for as long as she could remember? His silence didn’t help. He could at least try to make conversation.
She quickened her pace. Something about the dank air felt oppressive. She shivered and grasped for some elusive memory. She’dfelt this before. As a child, rustled from her bed by Mudder. Big storms left murky memories of nights spent huddled half-asleep in the root cellar listening to the wind ravage their house. It had been a long time since the last trip to the cellar.
The wind howled and whistled through the porch eaves and then died, leaving a sudden, eerie silence. The rain stopped. The air quivered around them. A yellowish green haze of clouds heaved across the flat Kansas plains. A dark massive swirl descended from the heavens in a twisting, dancing rope, like a lasso in the hands of a cowboy. Her heart thumping painfully in her chest, Emma pointed with her free hand. “Thomas.”
His gaze followed her finger.
He dropped the cooler and grabbed her hand in a painful grip. “Run!”
“We have to get the others!”
“I’ll get them.” He let go and gave her shoulder a sharp nudge. “You go to the cellar.”
“No, we go together.”
They sprinted to the house. With his long legs, he quickly outpaced her. The wind tore at her kapp. Emma struggled to keep up, but her wet
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