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

write, and was glad to see her sign her name, even if it was with a shaking hand.
    “Congratulations, Mr. Graham. Mrs. Graham. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have other duties to attend to.”
    Reverend Beechum herded all of them out of the church and they found themselves outside in the rain, the door firmly shut behind them.
    “He didn’t do the kiss the bride part.” Catherine always had something to say. “Does that mean you’re not married?”
    Matt looked at his new wife and saw a glint of amusement in her gaze. “No, we’re married, sprite. True and proper.”
    He was about to ask Hannah if she wanted to head back to the ranch after dinner when the heavens opened up and the mist turned into a downpour. The young ones squealed while the older ones scrambled to cover everyone up.
    “Let’s head to the boardinghouse. We can get dry there.” Hannah took Catherine’s and Rebecca’s hands and started running, heedless of the rain or the mud.
    He scooped up Granny, who squealed in his ear, and ran after his new wife.
    “Jehoshaphat, boy! What in tarnation are you doing?”
    Matt didn’t bother to see if the rest of his siblings followed. Either they did or they would spend the afternoon in the rain without shelter. It took only minutes to reach the boardinghouse but he was soaking wet by the time he arrived.
    Hannah had left the door open, and he skimmed in sideways with the older woman still hooting in his arms. Giggling echoed from the kitchen so he followed the sound. He found the girls sitting at the table and Hannah handing them each a towel.
    She glanced up at him, then at her grandmother. A smile spread across her face and a laugh burst from her. It wasn’t a little tinkling laugh, but a full-fledged belly laugh. Matt was so surprised by the way she looked and sounded, he stopped in his tracks.
    Hannah was lovely.
    “Well, put me down then, young man. I need a towel, too.”
    Matt broke out of his momentary stupor and managed to get Mrs. Dolan into a chair without dropping her. It really had been the strangest day and it still wasn’t over yet. In fact, it had only just begun.
    The rest of his family tromped in, dripping and complaining. Hannah handled the situation with a quiet grace, handing out dry towels and rags, even arranging the shoes by the stove to dry. After stoking up the fire, she put on a pot of coffee. She obviously worked hard at the boardinghouse—not a big surprise—but he was amazed by how well she did it all.
    “You don’t have to serve us.” Matt stood by the back door, watching her flit around like a bumblebee in a field of flowers.
    “I’m used to it,” was her only response.
    The young ones took to her right away. Catherine in particular seemed to be attached to Hannah’s hip. She missed Mama the most and her new sister-in-law represented a mother figure. Besides, Hannah was obviously comfortable in the kitchen and accommodating of big groups of people. Even if she wasn’t being as social as his mother had been, she made everyone feel at ease by taking care of them.
    He noted she hadn’t taken care of herself. She still wore her wet clothes and shoes. Her hair hung in kinky curls, framing her face, making the paleness of her skin that much more prominent.
    During all the hubbub, Livy was the only one who stood apart. She didn’t take off her shoes and only accepted a small rag to wipe her face. Matt’s sister was not happy about the marriage and he would try to find out why later. For now he’d have to ignore her unfriendly behavior and hope Hannah didn’t take it personally.
    They were, after all, family now, for better or for worse.
    Hannah had gotten everyone comfortable and warm. The kitchen was cozy with so many folks gathered around. It was different from the boarders, these folks weren’t there for ten minutes of food only to run off again. Her relationships with the former residents of the building had always been cordial, but a little impersonal. She was