Jane Goodger by A Christmas Waltz Read Free Book Online Page A

matches by the stove, then lit a small lamp on the kitchen table. “We have gas lighting at home,” Amelia said, staring at the lamp, her blue eyes impossibly vivid in her pale face. “And my brother was talking about getting electrification. Can you imagine?”
    “I think it’ll be a while before we get electricity out here,” Boone said, sitting down at the table across from her. Compared to her soft lilt, his voice sounded harsh, the way blaring trumpets sound after a flute solo. “You’d better eat before it gets cold.”
    Amelia looked down at the stew and smiled. It looked wonderfully normal. Taking a spoon she dug in, and closed her eyes at the wonderful flavors that flooded her mouth. “It’s good,” she said, smiling. “I don’t know if it’s the best stew I’ve ever had, or if I’ve never been so completely starving before.” She expected Boone to smile, but he just stared at her as if she were a foreign creature sitting at his table.
    It was hard to believe he was Carson’s brother. They seemed so opposite. Carson was full of charm and smiles, Boone so serious. She was quite certain she hadn’t seen a smile from him since her arrival. Still, she had to admit he had a quiet appeal. If she wasn’t in love with Carson, she would probably better appreciate Boone’s dark beauty. His hair was the color of rich chocolate and cut rather short, unlike Carson with his wild mane of blond waves. Boone’s eyes were deep gray and fringed with long, dark lashes, while Carson’s were blue with reddish gold lashes. And Carson had that wonderfully rich mustache, while Boone was clean-shaven.
    Amelia knew Boone was the older brother, but he looked ten years younger than Carson. Yes, it was hard to believe her untamed, strong cowboy was brother to this neat and solemn man sitting across from her.
    “Did you see Carson?” she asked before taking another mouthful. It really was the most wonderful stew.
    Boone looked down at his steepled hands as if he’d suddenly become aware he’d been staring. “No.”
    “I’ll have to tell him he’s been exceedingly impolite disappearing like this,” she said lightly. “I feel rather abandoned.” Amelia looked up and found Boone staring at her again. It was quite disconcerting, actually.
    “Do I have something on my face?”
    Boone looked slightly startled. “No.”
    “Then why are you staring at me like that?”
    Boone opened his mouth as if to deny he’d been staring, but shut it and let out a short, impatient breath. “I just can’t figure out what you’re doing here.”
    Amelia decided to ignore that rude comment. “I’m eating,” Amelia said, being purposefully difficult.
    “I mean,” Boone said with forced calm, “what in God’s name made you think it would be a good idea to marry my brother?”
    Amelia hardly thought Boone was being very brotherly at the moment. “Your brother is charming and handsome and intelligent. Qualities that were apparently given out sparingly in the Kitteridge family.” She lifted her chin smugly. “And he loves me.”
    Boone had been looking at her with an expression one could only describe as complete bafflement, but at the last, he lowered his gaze. “That’s just plain stupid,” he said finally and without a bit of meanness. It was as if he were calmly informing her that she was of deficient intelligence, a gentle diagnosis from a caring doctor.
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “I don’t mean to sound harsh, but you came halfway across the world for my brother. I just don’t think a woman of high intelligence would do such a thing.”
    Amelia felt as if he’d just slapped her—that’s how stunned she was by his cavalier words. What hurt the most was that she knew, deep down inside, coming to Texas was probably the most foolish, ill-conceived, impulsive act anyone of her acquaintance had ever done. By far. But she wasn’t going to let the man sitting across from her know that. She was about to set him straight