Read Online Undaunted Love (PART ONE): Banished Saga, Book 3 by Ramona Flightner - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ramona Flightner
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as he thought of his brother in Boston. “I can see him now, fussing over little Florence.”
“Why so pensive, Colin?” Ronan asked.
“Oh, just wishing I’d be around to help teach him or her the blacksmithing songs I’m learning. They’re different from the ones in Boston.”
“As though you can sing,” Ronan said with a laugh.
I paled and gripped my fork tighter as they continued to tease each other, Sebastian joining in to comment on Colin’s attempts at yodeling.
“Ah, it will be wonderful to have a little one in the family again,” Amelia said. “It seems baby Anne is growing up too quickly already.”
“Yes, wonderful,” I whispered. “I’m very happy for them.” My knuckles had turned white, and I had to force my hand to relax.
“Well, I for one, hope to hear similar news from other McLeod relatives,” Colin said.
I knew he meant well but still flinched at his words.
I heard Gabriel chuckle as he caressed my neck. “All in good time, Colin. And I will remain hopeful the baby will have Lucas’s musical abilities.”
“Ah, Lucas. I do miss hearing him play the piano. That’s the one thing missing from our gatherings,” Colin said. He leaned away from the table, taking a momentary break from the dinner.
“When’s the baby coming, Mama?” Nicholas asked as he looked at me and then poked his head under the table as though he was trying to see my belly.
I flinched at Nicholas’s question while everyone else laughed. As the laughter subsided, I noticed that Amelia was watching me with an assessing look in her blue eyes.
“Never mind that there is no baby,” I said as I blinked away tears. “If you will excuse me a moment?” I rose from my chair and stumbled into the living room and then out the front door onto the front porch, hearing a confused, “Mama?” from Nicholas as the front door closed behind me. I collapsed onto the bench next to the door. A soft breeze blew, cooling the town after a warm July day.
“Clarissa?” Gabriel asked, as he poked his head out the front door. “What’s the matter? I would have thought you’d be delighted at the news for Richard and Florence. And there’s no reason to be upset with Nicholas.”
“Of course I am delighted.” I swiped at my cheeks, rubbing away an errant tear. “Happy for them. And I’m not mad at Nicholas.”
“It’s not like you to be jealous of others’ good fortune. We’ll have similar news soon.”
He crouched down in front of me and caressed my cheek. I closed my eyes. I neither leaned into nor away from his touch. After a moment he dropped his hand.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to give you what you desire, darling.”
“I’m happy. Of course I am,” I said around a sniffle.
“This is a fine way to show it.” He grasped my hands as he met my gaze. “What’s wrong? I can’t seem to do anything right recently.”
“It’s nothing you’ve done, Gabriel.” I hitched in a stuttering breath as I battled tears.
“No? Maybe it’s something I’ve failed to do.” He rose, walking a pace away before turning to look down at me, sitting crumpled on the bench. “Can’t you at least act like you’re happy to have married me on our anniversary?”
I paled, placing one of my hands to my chest at the pleading in his voice. When I stared at him wordlessly, he strode into the house, the screen door slamming shut behind him.
After another moment outside, I rose to follow him. As I opened the door, I heard the conversation continuing without me. “She’ll come around soon, Gabriel. Don’t worry.”
Amelia’s soothing voice.
“It’s an adjustment from Boston. Never fear she’d rather be there than here.”
Colin’s deep voice, unable to hide his concern.
“You know what I think, so no need going over it again,” Sebastian said.
“Whatever you’ve done, figure it out, man. You don’t want your woman angry with you for much longer,” Ronan said.
I waited for Gabriel to speak.
“Why so pensive, Colin?” Ronan asked.
“Oh, just wishing I’d be around to help teach him or her the blacksmithing songs I’m learning. They’re different from the ones in Boston.”
“As though you can sing,” Ronan said with a laugh.
I paled and gripped my fork tighter as they continued to tease each other, Sebastian joining in to comment on Colin’s attempts at yodeling.
“Ah, it will be wonderful to have a little one in the family again,” Amelia said. “It seems baby Anne is growing up too quickly already.”
“Yes, wonderful,” I whispered. “I’m very happy for them.” My knuckles had turned white, and I had to force my hand to relax.
“Well, I for one, hope to hear similar news from other McLeod relatives,” Colin said.
I knew he meant well but still flinched at his words.
I heard Gabriel chuckle as he caressed my neck. “All in good time, Colin. And I will remain hopeful the baby will have Lucas’s musical abilities.”
“Ah, Lucas. I do miss hearing him play the piano. That’s the one thing missing from our gatherings,” Colin said. He leaned away from the table, taking a momentary break from the dinner.
“When’s the baby coming, Mama?” Nicholas asked as he looked at me and then poked his head under the table as though he was trying to see my belly.
I flinched at Nicholas’s question while everyone else laughed. As the laughter subsided, I noticed that Amelia was watching me with an assessing look in her blue eyes.
“Never mind that there is no baby,” I said as I blinked away tears. “If you will excuse me a moment?” I rose from my chair and stumbled into the living room and then out the front door onto the front porch, hearing a confused, “Mama?” from Nicholas as the front door closed behind me. I collapsed onto the bench next to the door. A soft breeze blew, cooling the town after a warm July day.
“Clarissa?” Gabriel asked, as he poked his head out the front door. “What’s the matter? I would have thought you’d be delighted at the news for Richard and Florence. And there’s no reason to be upset with Nicholas.”
“Of course I am delighted.” I swiped at my cheeks, rubbing away an errant tear. “Happy for them. And I’m not mad at Nicholas.”
“It’s not like you to be jealous of others’ good fortune. We’ll have similar news soon.”
He crouched down in front of me and caressed my cheek. I closed my eyes. I neither leaned into nor away from his touch. After a moment he dropped his hand.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to give you what you desire, darling.”
“I’m happy. Of course I am,” I said around a sniffle.
“This is a fine way to show it.” He grasped my hands as he met my gaze. “What’s wrong? I can’t seem to do anything right recently.”
“It’s nothing you’ve done, Gabriel.” I hitched in a stuttering breath as I battled tears.
“No? Maybe it’s something I’ve failed to do.” He rose, walking a pace away before turning to look down at me, sitting crumpled on the bench. “Can’t you at least act like you’re happy to have married me on our anniversary?”
I paled, placing one of my hands to my chest at the pleading in his voice. When I stared at him wordlessly, he strode into the house, the screen door slamming shut behind him.
After another moment outside, I rose to follow him. As I opened the door, I heard the conversation continuing without me. “She’ll come around soon, Gabriel. Don’t worry.”
Amelia’s soothing voice.
“It’s an adjustment from Boston. Never fear she’d rather be there than here.”
Colin’s deep voice, unable to hide his concern.
“You know what I think, so no need going over it again,” Sebastian said.
“Whatever you’ve done, figure it out, man. You don’t want your woman angry with you for much longer,” Ronan said.
I waited for Gabriel to speak.
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