Captive Bride by Bonnie Dee Read Free Book Online Page A

never occurred to her to avoid bringing shame on her family name by killing herself until Xie mentioned it. Perhaps she should’ve thought of that when she was in her room with some opportunities to carry it out.
    The scene outside the window changed. The signs no longer had Chinese symbols. They’d entered another part of the city and drove along a busy street lined with shops. She could guess what they sold by the pictures on the signs over the doors or the displays in larger glass windows than she’d ever seen. Shoe repair. Eyeglasses. Hardware. A tailor. She distracted herself from her fear by studying the storefronts until she fell into almost a trance, dreamily gliding along the streets toward her destiny.

    Bonnie Dee
    47
    The carriage lurched to an abrupt stop. Shouts and horses’ whinnies came from the road ahead. Huiann stared blankly out the window at vegetables and fruit in trays under the awning of a shop. Clothing, tools and other goods were displayed in the window.
    When opportunity comes, seize the chance.
    Grandma Mei’s voice sounded in her head as clearly as if the old woman was sitting beside her.
    Starting from her daze, Huiann glanced at her companions in the carriage. Liu Dai was craning his neck to look out the opposite window. Madam Teng faced the same direction, asking what was holding up traffic.
    Huiann grabbed the latch of the door and opened it.
    She leaped through, her slippered feet landing on hard-paved road. Hiking her skirt up, she ran, with Liu Dai’s shouts sounding behind her. She zigzagged through the crowd of pedestrians, dodging around stalled vehicles and making an erratic path as a rabbit would when fleeing a predator. Surprise and speed were all she had in her favor. Liu Dai hadn’t expected any resistance. But both he and the driver would be on her heels in seconds and she could hardly blend into this crowd of foreigners, especially wearing a white dress that shone like a beacon.
    She darted back across the road between a tall coach and a low wagon filled with barrels. The horse harnessed to the wagon whickered and its warm breath blew against her hair as she scooted beneath its nose.
    Huiann risked a glance over her shoulder. Neither Liu Dai nor the driver were in sight and Madam Teng would have stayed in the carriage. But Huiann heard her pursuers shouting from somewhere behind her.

    48
    Captive Bride
    The only Chinese in a crowd of Yankees, their voices were easy to detect.
    Ahead, the bins of bright fruits and vegetables in front of the grocer’s caught her attention. She would be safer indoors. Maybe she could even barter her gown for less conspicuous clothing. But even as she opened the door and slipped inside she realized she could also be trapped here. Why would a foreigner help her? She had no money to offer as a bribe. If Liu Dai pursued her in here, he would tell the owner he was searching for a runaway bride and the man would likely turn her over.
    Huiann paused, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the dim interior. The place carried items from food to household goods to tools. The walls were packed with merchandise on shelves or hooks, and more shelving units and bins covered the floor. Huiann smelled leather, pickle brine, starch, tobacco and coffee as she moved toward the back of the room.
    A Yankee stood behind a glass-fronted counter in which were displayed small items like candy, pen knives, ribbons and watch fobs. He was tall with big features, a wide mouth and a nose that dominated his face. His strange eyes were bright blue like the sky.
    She could’ve sworn his eyes widened in recognition as if he knew her.
    She pressed her palms together and bowed her head, fearful of addressing him and knowing he wouldn’t understand her. “Please, sir, will you help me? A man is chasing me. I need to hide here for a time until he is gone.”
    He frowned and came out from behind the counter.
    Huiann stepped back. He was so big and strong-Bonnie Dee
    49
    looking. What