Silver Heart (Historical Western Romance) (Longren Family series #1) by Amelia Rose Read Free Book Online

returned.  "The younger Mr. Longren's – escapades are not unknown in Boston."  And at that, I forced myself to brush aside a small ember of jealousy that had no right to exist.
                  His mouth twitched, just a little, but what he said was, "We shall have to marry fast, so that you can call him Matthew and perhaps, learn to call me Hutch.  Calling a reprobate like my brother Mr. Longren is farfetched."
                  I laughed at that, then asked, "His engagement?"
                  His eyebrows went up.  "Such a strong word."
                  "The courtship, then.  It broke off recently?"
                  "Most recently," he agreed.  "But not so recently that we haven't had time to see which way the wind blows.  Jason Seth wants revenge.  He feels his sister's honor is sullied and that she can no longer hold her head high in Virginia City and its surrounds, or so he says.  He feels that he is owed a stake in our claim and denied that, he is out for whatever he can get, in whatever way he can get it."
                  I contemplated the best way to phrase my next question.  Hutch watched me, head tilted.  Finally, I said, "Was this, er, an isolated incident?"
                  That made him actually laugh, though he sounded rueful.  "Matthew has been seeing the daughters, sisters, and cousins of many local gentlemen.  None of them ever shot him before, not even the Mayor, whose daughter was quite convinced she had extracted a promise."
                  I stood and paced to the window, pulling shut the bright yellow curtains another woman's hand had hung.  The night seemed too vast, as if curious eyes stared in.  "But, surely Jason Seth has no legal claim."  I stopped, because that was stupid.
                  "And so he took other action," he said.  "He was drunk and angry and he doesn't have the sense God gave a goat."  He cleared his throat, ran a hand over his face.  "If he'd waited.  Or if Matthew hadn't seen fit to court Miss Elizabeth Seth.  Then, Jason would have known the truth.  He will soon anyway, that we are mining more dirt than silver, and he will know the precarious financial grounds upon which we stand, and then I fear he will seek other means to avenge himself upon us.  And you have thrown in your lot with this family, but you did not have this information before.  Much has changed in the week you traveled from Boston and I promise you, I did not misspeak on purpose. I will make the best life for you that I can, but I will understand if you wish to return to Boston."
                  He looked at me then, and I wished those strong hands would follow his eyes.  I wanted to touch him.  I wanted him to touch me.  I did not want to be sent away.  Not anymore.  The fears of the afternoon had fled.
                  "Are you asking me to leave?" I asked for the second time.
                  "I'm asking you to stay," he returned again.  "But with more disclosure."  His eyes were serious.  He didn't smile and I felt a shiver build, despite the heat of the night and the closeness of the room. 
                  "I would like to stay, Mr. Longren.  I would like to marry you soon and learn this place and understand about your household and help you as I may.  Surely there are women having children here, and the doctor didn't outright challenge me."
                  "Close enough," he said, but he was smiling. 
                  I didn't smile back.  "Maybe I can help.  In Boston, there was so little need for my skills."
                  "So I am to be your project?"
                  I think he meant it lightly, but his voice carried something deeper that made my hands clench.  "You are to be my husband," I said.
                  Our eyes met.  Nothing outside the kitchen