His Brother's Bride by Denise Hunter Read Free Book Online Page A

do it now?” Adam asked.
    â€œFinish your supper,” Cade said. “Tomorrow’s soon enough.” He glanced at Emily then back to his son. “You might help Emily with the garden before you think of asking her to play.”
    Embarrassment washed over her. Now he thought she was putting off her chores to play games with Adam. He must think her completely slothful.
    She tried to regain her composure. “We’ll do our work first, won’t we, Adam?”
    â€œAww.”
    â€œNone of that,” Cade said. “If we don’t grow a garden, what do you reckon we’ll eat all winter?”
    This was getting her nowhere. He’d not taken the hint about the map at all, and now they were on a different topic altogether.
    â€œHow about if I draw up the map tonight, Adam?” she asked. “Then as soon as we’re finished with our chores, I can bury the treasure for you.”
    â€œYippee!”
    â€œFinish your peas,” Cade said.
    â€œYes sir.”
    Later that night after Adam was in bed, Emily sat with a piece of paper, mapping out the backyard. Her trees looked more like inverted pitchforks, but she supposed Adam would be able to make it out.
    She glanced at Cade where he sat reading his Bible. She needed to get him talking about his grandfather or the map. Surely he knew something that would be of help.
    She marked the spot on the map where she would bury Adam’s treasure and held it up in front of her. Would Adam be able to understand the pictures?
    â€œWhat do you think of it?” She held up the picture for Cade. Across the room, his gaze lifted from the Bible to the picture she held up. He squinted, and she realized he couldn’t see well from across the room. She got up and walked over to the settee where he sat.
    Feeling brave, she sank down beside him and handed him the picture.
    His lips twitched as he looked at it.
    She felt amusement well up in her. So her picture did look like Adam had drawn it. Had she ever claimed to be an artist?
    His lips twitched again.
    â€œAnd what’s so funny, Mr. Manning?” she asked, feeling suddenly playful.
    He glanced at her then back to the map. “Why’s there a porcupine in the middle of the yard?”
    â€œThat’s a bush.” She swatted his arm and wondered if she’d overstepped her bounds.
    His laugh was disguised as a cough.
    â€œAnd I suppose you could do better?”
    He looked at her then, and the amusement on his face made her feel warm and cozy all over. “I’m not the one who offered to draw a treasure map.”
    His smile slid away slowly like the ocean’s tide, but his gaze remained locked on hers. She felt her own fade away. The mantel clock ticked off time, and so did her eager heart.
    He cleared his throat and looked back at the paper. “It’s fine, really.” He handed it back to her. “You’ve been real good to Adam.”
    She accepted the paper and suddenly realized how close they were sitting. Her calico gown draped over his knee, and she realized she liked the intimacy the image invoked.
    â€œI’ve grown fond of him. He’s a good boy.”
    Cade settled against the back of the sofa, and she was relieved he didn’t seem to mind her closeness. “He is good. But I’ve been a little neglectful of the manners and such. He’s learning a lot from you.”
    His approval brought a wave of pleasure to her belly. “He’s a delight to me, I assure you.” All this talk was wonderful, but she couldn’t help but think of her uncle’s last letter and his deadline. Perhaps now, while they were talking so nicely, was a good time to probe.
    â€œAdam’s been asking about his ancestors lately.” It was true. He’d had a barrelful of questions about who owned the clothes and trinkets in the attic.
    â€œThat a fact?”
    â€œUmm.” She worked absently on the map. “I didn’t