Matthew: The Circle Eight by Emma Lang Read Free Book Online

marriages still started out that way, where the bride and groom barely knew each other.
    “Hush now, Catherine. Let me introduce you proper.” Matt nodded at Hannah. “Miss Foley, Mrs. Dolan, may I present Olivia, Caleb, Nicholas, Elizabeth, Rebecca, and Catherine Graham.” Each sibling in turn either nodded or curtseyed toward them. They were obviously a well mannered family.
    “It’s very nice to meet you all.” Hannah winced to hear how breathy she sounded. “I knew you had a big family but didn’t realize how big.” She smiled shakily at Olivia. “I remember you from Miss Green’s classroom when I was seven.”
    Olivia’s brows drew together. “Now that you mention it, yes, I do remember you. You left after that year, didn’t you?”
    The memory of not going back to school hit Hannah. Her parents had died of a fever within two days of each other, leaving Hannah an orphan, and in her grandmother’s care. It was the darkest time of her life, one she was sorry she had brought up.
    “I did, that’s right.” Hannah turned her attention to Matthew, trying to close the door on her ancient pain. “Is the preacher here?”
    “Uh, not yet. We got here early.”
    “We had to get up before the sun,” the young girl said. “That was really eeeearly. I had to eat in the wagon, and I dropped a piece of my biscuit.” She looked very unhappy about that biscuit.
    “Catherine, hush up,” Olivia snapped. “Miss Foley doesn’t need to hear any of that from you.”
    “Don’t tell her to hush up.” Another sister, possibly Rebecca, stuck her chin up in the air.
    “Don’t think you can just do whatever you please.” Olivia put her hands on her hips. “I am still—”
    “Enough.” Matt’s hand cut through the air. “Now is not the time for bickering.” He turned his gaze to Hannah and in the depths of his pretty eyes, she saw exhaustion and stress. “Can I talk to you?”
    Hannah’s heart did a little flip. She wondered if he’d changed his mind before they even saw the preacher. It wasn’t as if she would blame him for changing his mind, but oh, how it would hurt.
    He took her elbow lightly, leading her toward the back of the small church and away from the big ears of his family. Granny started talking to the Grahams, distracting them so Hannah and Matt could speak privately.
    He stopped in the shadowy corner by the door. After blowing out a breath, he took off his hat and met her gaze. “I just want to make sure you still want to marry me. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t. I surprised you and now that you’ve had a week to think about it, I thought you might have changed your mind.”
    She looked at him in astonishment. He thought she might change her mind? The very idea almost made her laugh but she kept it inside through sheer force of will.
    “No, I haven’t changed my mind.” She clasped her hands together so he wouldn’t see them shaking.
    “What about your grandmother?”
    Hannah blinked. “What about her?”
    “Will she want to live with us at the ranch?”
    “Um, I’m not sure. All the boarders moved out this week, but we need to sell the boardinghouse. There is no way she can run it without me. Then she has to decide what she wants to do.” She and Granny had talked about it each night, speculating what she might want to do.
    “We have a housekeeper and cook, Eva, but she’s lonely, always talking about visiting in town with other women.” He spun his hat on his hand. “I just wanted to tell you your granny is welcome to live with us. We can find room for her.”
    At that very moment, Hannah fell a little in love with Matt. He had worried about her grandmother, which told her a lot about his character. She smiled at him, the first genuine smile she’d felt since meeting him.
    “That’s very kind of you. I think she might accept.” She glanced at her grandmother, knee deep in little girls. “Granny loves to tell stories and be around young’uns.”
    “There’s