The Bride Spy by Tracey Jane Jackson Read Free Book Online

why don’t you go for a ride with me?”
    “You told me you would help me get home,” she accused.
    “I have sent out a few missives, Hannah.” He picked up his fork. “Until I get responses, there is nothing to be done.”
    Hannah sat silently for several minutes, unsure what to do.
    Christopher lowered his fork. “Hannah? Would you like a tour?”
    “Would you give me a second to think, please?” she snapped. “You’re like an old woman!”
    Gwen giggled, which earned her a glare from her brother.

    The thought of being stuck in the Twilight Zone for any longer didn’t sit wel with Hannah, but perhaps if she got outside the house, she’d be able to find a way home.
    “Yes, I’l go for a ride,” Hannah answered a few minutes later.
    “Excel ent. Gwen wil get you one of her cloaks and we’l head out.”
    “Wouldn’t Gwen like to join us?”
    Gwen looked at her brother and then back at Hannah.
    Hannah thought she looked as though she were trying not to laugh. Christopher scowled at his sister. Gwen cleared her throat. “No, thank you, Hannah. I’m spending the day with my friend, Charity. I’l retrieve some outerwear for you.”
    Gwen stood and left the room.
    Christopher stood also and held his hand out to her. “Shal we?”
    Hannah nodded and fol owed him. Gwen joined them in the foyer and handed Hannah a heavy cloak, gloves, scarf, and hat.
    “Are you ready?” Christopher asked.
    “As ready as I’l ever be, I guess.”

    He led her down the hal and out the back door.

CHAPTER FOUR

    Christopher headed toward the stables, and Hannah fol owed, lost in her thoughts.
    What am I doing here? Am I really in 1863, or have I landed somewhere they’ve fabricated? Perhaps I’m in an M. Knight plot, or is it more like Truman, and people are filming us right now?

    Looking around to see if she could find cameras, she nearly ran into Christopher, surprised when his strong arms wrapped around her to steady her.
    “Hannah?”
    “Oh!” She covered her outburst with her fingers. “Sorry. I was wool gathering, I suppose.”
    “Are you al right?”

    “I’m not sure you actual y want the answer to that.”
    He squeezed her shoulder gently. “We’l figure this out. I promise.”
    Hannah took a deep breath and nodded, although she didn’t ful y believe him. They made their way into the darkness of the barn and Hannah slowed her pace. “We’re not real y riding horses, are we?”
    Christopher turned to face her. “You don’t like horses?”
    She lifted her head. “It’s not that I don’t like them. I just don’t particularly like them.”
    Christopher chuckled. “We’re not going to ride today.”
    “We aren’t?”
    “I’m going to hitch up the buggy.”
    Her shoulders sagged in relief. “Oh, good.”
    “Have you never ridden before?”
    “I’m not sure what I did could be cal ed riding.” At his look of confusion, Hannah waved her hand dismissively. “My friend took me a couple of times. She and her sister are very good riders.”

    “Did you not like it?”
    She suddenly realized his hand stil rested on her shoulder, and she stepped away from his touch. “It’s not so much that I didn’t like it, I suppose. It’s just that I’m not very good at it.
    Horses scare me a bit.”
    Christopher lowered his hand and treated her to a heart-dropping smile. “I would be happy to give you instruction.
    It’s an important skil to have.”
    No, no, no, elephants. Be gone, be gone now!

    She shook off her thoughts and looked him in the eye. “I doubt I’l be here that long.”
    Christopher didn’t respond. Instead he moved to the end of the barn, found a groom to get the buggy, and pul ed one of the horses out of its stal . Hannah stepped back quickly.
    “He won’t hurt you, Hannah. His name’s Old Joe, and he’s very mild. Come closer.” He held out his hand.
    Staring at the horse, Hannah’s body froze. She took a deep breath and forced her feet to walk closer to the animal and let