Constance: Bride of Florida (American Mail-Order Bride 27) by Patricia Pacjac Carroll Read Free Book Online Page A

felt the gravestone. Then he laid his hand on the cold ground. Tears formed and dropped to the earth.
    Not bothering to wipe them, he gently patted the ground. “I’m sorry you died. I never knew about you. Although in my heart, there was always something missing. A part of me that felt empty. I think that’s because of you. I hope you’re happy, though in heaven I suppose you would be. Goodbye, Evan Jr.”
    Drake stood, wiped his eyes, and left the graveyard of children. It made him smile to think his brother had been buried with other kids. Perhaps in heaven, God had a special place for those who died so young.
    An owl hooted and swooped on silent wings past him. The moon hid behind dense clouds as thunder rumbled in the distance. Despite the omens of trouble, Drake felt a peace in his soul he’d never known.
    On the walk back home, he wondered about Constance Penny, but couldn’t get the image of Kimberly Agnew out of his mind.
    What had he done?

Chapter 6
     
    Constance woke from sleep. Not gently but by being slung against the wall. The ship listed, righted itself, only to be flung to the other side. Starboard to port and back again. Thunder shouted from the heavens, answering her unasked question of what was going on.
    Captain Gordon had said if a storm rose up to secure herself and her items so as not to get hurt. Now, she wondered how one did that in a rocking and rolling ship?
    She wondered how the other passengers were doing. They’d been green while sailing on calm seas. She sent up a silent prayer for them. After a violent pitch, she added herself and the ship.
    Staring out the porthole, she could only see waves. It was as if the ocean were intent on swallowing the ship whole. Winds roared above and she could only imagine how they must be ravaging the top deck.
    Her roiling stomach seemed intent on matching the lurch of the waves. Cooky had given her some crackers to eat in case she felt seasick, but they were in the top drawer of the little dresser across the room.
    Against her better judgment, yet desperate to aid her rebelling stomach, she waited for a moment of calm and stumbled out of her hammock. The ship bucked against a wave and sent her to the floor. She crawled to the dresser, opened the drawer, and found the crackers.
    She leaned against the wall and ate. Her stomach calmed some but the weather did not. She crawled to the porthole and tried to peer through the darkness. The ship pitched, and she tumbled across the room.
    Fear beckoned to her in full form. What if something smashed into the lantern on the wall and spread fire throughout the ship? Should she extinguish the flame? Captain Gordon hadn’t said to. What if the other passengers started a fire? The thought did bring a smattering of laughter to her as she thought about how sick they’d been earlier, she doubted they could do anything but groan right now.
    She stared at the small window and prayed for light. The only answer came as bright bolts of lightning crashed into the sea. What if the mast was hit? Would it explode? Burn the ship? “Oh, God, why did I get on this ship?”
    Then she thought of E. Ferris. Did he care so little for her that he’d place her in mortal danger when he could have provided fare for the train? What kind of man had she promised herself too?
    A flood of doubts washed over her. She was nothing. Who would want her? Nobody ever had. Only her father until he died. Yet, even in that, he’d left her. Left her alone in a harsh, dirty world. Perhaps it would be better if she died tonight.
    Hideous thoughts rammed her mind. “Go outside and throw yourself overboard.” They hissed. “No one will care.”
    She pulled her knees to her and hung onto the pole by the window. She clung to it as if it were her lifeline. For hours the ship rolled. Violent shifts followed by dramatic drops and rises.
    Below she heard things crash against others. Above she heard a loud crack and then the ship shook as something heavy fell