Read Online Tried and True (Wild at Heart Book #1) by Mary Connealy - Free Book Online
Authors: Mary Connealy
Tags: FIC042040, FIC042030, FIC027050, Frontier and pioneer life—Fiction, Idaho Territory—Fiction, Disguise—Fiction, Women pioneers—Fiction
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knees. With Bailey’s support on the left and Kylie’s on the right, Shannon staggered to her feet. Only then did she notice Kylie, even though Kylie had her arm around Shannon’s waist and bore as much of Shannon’s weight as she could.
“Kylie.” Shannon smiled. Not for the first time, Kylie thought how beautiful her dark-haired sister was. It was said she took after their ma. No men’s clothes and short hair could conceal her beauty. “Kylie, thank you. Thank you.”
Shannon flung her arms around Kylie’s neck. Shannon was the sweetest of the three of them. The mother in many ways, with a soft heart for motherless sisters and woolly sheep. It was like Shannon to think of others and make sure Kylie’s feelings weren’t hurt. Even if she had been useless.
“Bailey got you cut loose. I couldn’t do it.” Tears threatened again, but Kylie knew the disdain Bailey had for crying.
Shannon let go of Kylie, rested one hand on her cheek, then turned to Bailey. “You both saved me. Thank you.” Shannon’s voice broke, but she steadied herself, not one for weeping.
“Let’s get you back to the house.” Bailey slid an arm around Shannon’s waist, just above where Kylie had her. Kylie’s eyes met Bailey’s, and it was a good moment, the three of them together. Kylie shook away the hurt of Bailey saving the day while Kylie failed. She hoped to one day be strong enough that her sister’s criticism couldn’t hurt her feelings.
They were so different.
Bailey with her fierce pleasure at living like a man. Shannon with her soft heart and those stupid sheep. Kylie with her love of feminine things, her discontent with their ridiculous masquerade, and her stubborn dream of living near civilization. They did a lot of sniping at each other, but it was over surface things. Where it really counted, they never forgot they were sisters. Their bond had been forged in their lifelong battle with their pa. In their shared sacrifice in the war. In their mourning over losing their beloved big brother, Jimmy.
Pa had become nearly crazed when Jimmy died in the war. He’d always been a curmudgeon, but the family had limped along decently enough—until Jimmy died.
They’d been living with the results of Pa’s unending grief ever since.
Kylie knew she’d allowed herself to be manipulated, not just out of Pa’s grief but also out of her own. A big part of her had wanted to fight the South. She’d wanted to avenge Jimmy’s death . . . and then she’d faced the reality of war. By the time she had a real notion of the horror of it, it was too late. After her first battle, she’d decided to confess that she was a woman, even though to do so would reveal that she’d lived all this time camping with and living with men.It would be a disgrace. But before she could confess, she found a way to stay in uniform but avoid battle. So she’d stayed in and served out the duration. She’d found some satisfaction in her work as a spy. She’d endured two years of it before the fighting ended.
The three sisters had been sent in different directions. And now here they were, still living a lie. Until yesterday.
Kylie felt like she’d been born again. She had a chance at a new life and she was taking it. She thought of that awful moment last night when she thought a man had watched her from the dark woods. She had to get out of here before she started jumping at every shadow she got near.
Part of her determination to start a new life included her skirts and admitting she was a woman. She suspected her sisters weren’t going to be happy about it.
Once they got Shannon inside, Kylie ran back to fetch her dress and return to decency. Shannon changed into dry things while Bailey shed her wet clothes and sat at the kitchen table, wrapped in one of Shannon’s blankets. With her clothes drying by a fire Bailey had quickly built, Shannon warmed up coffee. The three of them sat at the table in silence. Shannon and Kylie regaining their
“Kylie.” Shannon smiled. Not for the first time, Kylie thought how beautiful her dark-haired sister was. It was said she took after their ma. No men’s clothes and short hair could conceal her beauty. “Kylie, thank you. Thank you.”
Shannon flung her arms around Kylie’s neck. Shannon was the sweetest of the three of them. The mother in many ways, with a soft heart for motherless sisters and woolly sheep. It was like Shannon to think of others and make sure Kylie’s feelings weren’t hurt. Even if she had been useless.
“Bailey got you cut loose. I couldn’t do it.” Tears threatened again, but Kylie knew the disdain Bailey had for crying.
Shannon let go of Kylie, rested one hand on her cheek, then turned to Bailey. “You both saved me. Thank you.” Shannon’s voice broke, but she steadied herself, not one for weeping.
“Let’s get you back to the house.” Bailey slid an arm around Shannon’s waist, just above where Kylie had her. Kylie’s eyes met Bailey’s, and it was a good moment, the three of them together. Kylie shook away the hurt of Bailey saving the day while Kylie failed. She hoped to one day be strong enough that her sister’s criticism couldn’t hurt her feelings.
They were so different.
Bailey with her fierce pleasure at living like a man. Shannon with her soft heart and those stupid sheep. Kylie with her love of feminine things, her discontent with their ridiculous masquerade, and her stubborn dream of living near civilization. They did a lot of sniping at each other, but it was over surface things. Where it really counted, they never forgot they were sisters. Their bond had been forged in their lifelong battle with their pa. In their shared sacrifice in the war. In their mourning over losing their beloved big brother, Jimmy.
Pa had become nearly crazed when Jimmy died in the war. He’d always been a curmudgeon, but the family had limped along decently enough—until Jimmy died.
They’d been living with the results of Pa’s unending grief ever since.
Kylie knew she’d allowed herself to be manipulated, not just out of Pa’s grief but also out of her own. A big part of her had wanted to fight the South. She’d wanted to avenge Jimmy’s death . . . and then she’d faced the reality of war. By the time she had a real notion of the horror of it, it was too late. After her first battle, she’d decided to confess that she was a woman, even though to do so would reveal that she’d lived all this time camping with and living with men.It would be a disgrace. But before she could confess, she found a way to stay in uniform but avoid battle. So she’d stayed in and served out the duration. She’d found some satisfaction in her work as a spy. She’d endured two years of it before the fighting ended.
The three sisters had been sent in different directions. And now here they were, still living a lie. Until yesterday.
Kylie felt like she’d been born again. She had a chance at a new life and she was taking it. She thought of that awful moment last night when she thought a man had watched her from the dark woods. She had to get out of here before she started jumping at every shadow she got near.
Part of her determination to start a new life included her skirts and admitting she was a woman. She suspected her sisters weren’t going to be happy about it.
Once they got Shannon inside, Kylie ran back to fetch her dress and return to decency. Shannon changed into dry things while Bailey shed her wet clothes and sat at the kitchen table, wrapped in one of Shannon’s blankets. With her clothes drying by a fire Bailey had quickly built, Shannon warmed up coffee. The three of them sat at the table in silence. Shannon and Kylie regaining their
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