The Christmas Mail Order Bride (Holiday Mail Order Brides, Book One) by Kit Morgan Read Free Book Online

sorry about this Miss James, but I don’t see any help for it.”
    “But Mr. Riley!” She all but sobbed.  No!  She would not cry! After all she knew this was going to happen.
    “Oh it’s not as bad as all that!” Milly admonished as she followed them out the front door.  “Lots of mail order brides have to do the same thing.  You’ll be fine once you get there.”
    “Once I g et there?” Summer all but squeaked.  “But my foot’s not healed yet!”
    “What has that got to do with anything?”  Mi lly scolded. “Stop your fussing child and be grateful Sheriff Riley was able to make arrangements so quickly!”
    “But…”
    “I’ll not hear another word about it, Miss James,” Mr. Riley told her in a stern voice.  “It’s all been arranged.” 
    Summer couldn’t help it.  She began to cry. He was sending her off without a second thought, and she couldn’t even walk yet!  How cruel could the man be?
    Too tired and down hearted to argue further, she turned her head into his shoulder and softly wept out her shame and heartache. Besides, people were watching them and she couldn’t stand the humiliation of the ordeal.  The whole town would know he didn’t want her!
    His arms were incredibly strong, and he carried her down the street without effort.  She finally glanced up and saw the stage and its driver waiting for them.  Summer never thought she’d ever be one to beg, but she was highly considering it.  Perhaps she could try a logical plea?
    But even that was beyond her as they approached the stage coach.  The driver smiled and waved at them as they drew closer.  Mr. Riley gave him a curt nod of acknowledgement.  Summer could stand it no longer. “Oh please, Mr. Riley, please!  I can’t!  I just can’t! Please don’t make me do it!”
    He stopped. “What are you so upset about?  A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do!  Doc, Milly and I all discussed it and felt this was the best thing to do all the way around.”
    The sobbing came unbidden.  It was humiliating.  Perhaps it was the laudanum over the past few days.  Maybe it was simply the fatigue at spending each waking moment trying to figure out a way to keep what was happening now from happening at all.  Whatever it was that caused every pent up emotion she’d stuffed deep down inside herself over the last few days to suddenly erupt, Summe r wished with all her might it would stop.   But it didn’t.
    A horrible wail escaped her just as they reached the stage.
    “For the love of God, woman!”  Mr. Riley exclaimed.  “You’d think I was taking you to hang!”
    Summer tried to speak but couldn’t, the sobbing was that bad…
    “Whacha do, Sheriff?” The stage coach driver asked.  “Accidently shoot her again?”
    “No! Now move aside so I can get her settled.”
    Summer sucked big gulps of air, so much so she felt as if she might be sick.  She did her best to wipe away her tears as the awful, beastly, horrible Mr. Riley made his way straight to the …
    “What?” Summer exclaimed as he stormed past the stagecoach to a wagon parked just behind it.  She looked disbelievingly at the stage coach driver as he began to secure a trunk onto the back of the stage, ignoring them now. “What are you doing?”
    “What do you mean what am I doing?  I told you I made arrangements!  What are you so upset about?  It’s not like its improper or anything!”
    “Improper?” Summer echoed.  “What’s improper?”
    “For crying out loud woman, are you going to question every blasted thing I do?”
    Summer blinked at him a few times in shock. “What … what exactly is it you’re doing?”
    He stopped at the back of the wagon.  Spencer was there and watched them warily as he tossed some bla nkets into the wagon bed then jumped up himself.
    “Isn’t obvious you silly woman?  I’m taking you home!”
     
     
     
     
     

Five
    Summer stared numbly at him as Spencer quickly spread the blankets over some hay.