No One's Bride (Escape to the West Book 1) by Nerys Leigh Read Free Book Online Page B

lowered her eyes to the tablecloth, took a shaking breath and let it out slowly. Adam waited, holding his breath.
    “If you truly don’t mind after what I’ve done.” Her eyes found his, fear mingling with hope in their depths.
    He breathed out. “I can’t say I don’t feel hurt, but what kind of man would I be if I turned you away when you need my help?”
    She looked down at the knife still clutched in her hand. “You’d be like most other men, at least the ones I’ve met.”
    What had happened to her? Adam wanted to ask, but it wasn’t his business. Maybe one day she would trust him enough to tell him.
    “Well then I don’t want to be like other men,” he said firmly. “So will you stay?”
    She nodded and smiled a little. “But I’ll find a job and pay you back for the fare and my board. And I’ll do everything I can for you here. I’ll cook and clean, not that your home isn’t clean, it’s beautiful, but I promise you won’t have to lift a finger. I’ll do everything.”
    He laughed, relief making him feel like a weight had lifted from him. “You’ll spoil me.”
    She grinned. “Rotten.”
    Adam couldn’t stop smiling. Even if she wasn’t going to marry him, it could work. They’d spend time together, get to know each other, become friends.
    And maybe for a while, he wouldn’t be so lonely.
     
     

Chapter 5
    “I have the mailbag to sort that came on the train yesterday and then I have to open the post office for a few hours this morning for people to collect their mail, but I’m free this afternoon. Are you sure I can’t do anything?”
    Amy glanced back at Adam on the settee and waved a wet hand. “You stay right there. Relax. Drink your coffee.”
    “You’re going to have to let me do something. I can almost feel my mother’s disapproving stare on me.”
    “Does she live here, in town?” She tried to keep her tone light, but the mention of Adam’s mother had her stomach clenching. What would Mrs Emerson think of a woman staying with him who’d tricked her son into paying for her to cross the country? It was a meeting she most definitely didn’t want to have.
    “No, my parents live on my grandparents’ farm. Well, it’s their farm too.”
    Keep it casual. “Is that far away?”
    “An hour and a half’s ride, more or less. I don’t see them very often.”
    Amy breathed a surreptitious sigh of relief.
    “Ma taught us all to look after ourselves, even the boys. She says folks should marry for love, not cooking and cleaning. I’m not used to other people doing everything for me.”
    “What were you going to do once you were married?” she said, carefully not looking at him.
    “I supposed we’d work it out together, somehow. I was kind of looking forward to all that, to getting to know each other and adjusting to living in the same house. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I was looking forward to doing it together, as a couple.” He laughed softly. “I think I have a bit of an overly romantic view of marriage.”
    Amy’s stomach sidled down to her feet. She set the plate she was washing on the drainer, dried her hands and went to sit on the other end of the settee from Adam. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin it all for you. You must hate me now.”
    “I don’t hate you. I understand why you did it. You had no choice.” One side of his mouth curled up. “Besides, how can I hate someone who just washed all my dishes and is insisting on spoiling me rotten?”
    She couldn’t help smiling back. “I’d better get right on that then. I’ll dry up and start on the cleaning. Then I can go out and look for a job.” She started to rise.
    He leaned forward and grasped her wrist. “You don’t...”
    Panic flashed through Amy’s chest. She jerked her arm away with a cry, scrambling to her feet before she was even aware of what she was doing.
    Adam gasped, pressing back away from her, his face filled with horror. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean