Anna's Heart (Wilderness Brides Book 2) by Peggy L Henderson Read Free Book Online Page A

stitches out in a couple of weeks. I’ll leave instructions with your brother in case there is infection, but if you keep it clean, it should heal just fine.”
    “Much obliged to you,” Ethan said. Aimee nodded, and joined Harley and her husband at the table.
    “That was incredible what you did, Mrs. Osborne,” Caroline said, looking at Aimee with awe. She remained close by her side, and whatever else was said was lost to Ethan.
    “Can we eat now?” Travis asked. “Food’s getting cold.”
    “Yeah, ya best eat afore ya starve, Trav,” Harley chortled. He raised his cup of whiskey-laced coffee, and reached for a piece of bread. “An’ someone hand me my bottle a whiskey afore it all gets spilt on the dirt.”
    Ethan flexed his arm but couldn’t fully extend his fingers with the bandage wrapped around his palm and wrist. Of all the dumb luck, why did he have to cut his hand? He’d be useless to do much of anything for a few days.
    He moved to stand when Anna emerged from the main cabin. She glanced his way, paused, then squared her shoulders and headed directly for him. Ethan groaned. He didn’t want to talk to her. He owed her an apology for calling her witless earlier this afternoon, but not in front of his family and friends.
    “Here’s your tea. Best drink it while it’s hot.”
    Anna held the cup out to him. Ethan stood. Having her look down at him made the back of his neck itch. He raised himself to his full height in front of her, standing several inches taller than she.
    “Thanks,” he mumbled, and took the cup she offered. He wrinkled his nose at the bitter smell coming from the cup. Anything medicinal never tasted good. Anna remained in front of him for several seconds. There was a silent challenge in her eyes, as if testing him to see if he would drink the contents of the cup.
    He raised it to his lips, holding it out to her first in a gesture of a toast, then drained the contents in one long swallow. He shuddered at the bitter taste and the tingling feeling as the liquid went down his throat. When he lowered the cup, Anna had already stepped away with her back turned to him. She took her seat at the table next to Josie without another glance his way.
    Ethan took a step forward to join everyone for supper. His stomach roiled and heat raced up his face. His body suddenly heated as if he’d stepped through steam in one of those mud pools up on the Yellowstone. Nausea slammed him with such force, he gripped at his stomach and leaned forward. He shot a quick look toward the table and Anna Porter. She glanced his way at that moment and their eyes met.
    “You trying to poison me on top of everything else you’ve already done to me today, woman?” he croaked, then rushed behind the cabin toward the trees to empty his stomach contents.

Chapter Five
    “ I gave him some mint to chew on to soothe his stomach.” Aimee Osborne emerged from the cabin. “He’ll be fine in a day or two, I’m sure, but he’ll probably be in some discomfort for the rest of the night.” She glanced around, looking at everyone gathered around the table.
    Anna shook her head. If only the ground could swallow her up. The men had all finished eating their cold supper as if nothing had happened. No one seemed too concerned for Ethan’s well-being, as if it was a normal occurrence that a member of their family had almost cut off his hand and then nearly died from poisoning. Across the table from her, Travis sniggered.
    “Maybe I’ve been going about taking Ethan down a notch or two all wrong.” He grinned, nudging his chin toward Anna. “I ain’t never seen him so green in the face, or willing to take to his bunk and admit he wasn’t feeling well.”
    “You’d be howling like a baby if you’d had to endure half of what’s happened to your brother today, Travis,” Cora scolded.
    Anna tuned out the bickering. Her plate sat in front of her, the food untouched. She’d much rather return to her cabin and try for sleep