The Unexpected Bride by Debra Ullrick Read Free Book Online Page A

am not normally one given to fainting spells. But this news has come as quite a shock to me. I am at a loss as to what to do next. All I know is, I cannot go back. I simply cannot.”
    “It’s Katherine, and please don’t apologize for fainting. I certainly understand. I’d probably faint too under the same circumstances.” Katherine sat on the bed next to her and took her hand. “I am more sorry than words can say for what my son did. I want you to know you’re welcome to stay here as long as you wish.”
    Once again, questions chased other questions through Rainee’s mind. Should she stay? Should she go? Should she take Katherine up on her offer until she had time to figure out what to do? The way she saw it, she really had no other choice.
    She searched the woman’s eyes, seeking something. Reassurance perhaps? That all would be well? What she saw was a kind woman offering her compassion and a place to stay. Her chest heaved, expelling some of the tension in her body. “Are you sure you do not mind?”
    “I’m positive. Now, why don’t I have Haydon bringup your things? I’m sure you’d like to clean up before dinner. I’ll heat some water so you can take a bath.”
    “No, no. Please, do not trouble yourself on my account,” Rainee said even though a bath sounded heavenly. She did not want to give this woman any reason to send her back. And while she would not take advantage of Katherine’s kind offer and hospitality for long, she was grateful for the time to come up with another plan.
    If only her mother’s words of wisdom would rise up in her, but they would not because Rainee had never encountered anything like this while her mother was still alive. How could either of them ever have envisioned this? The next-closest thing she had to a mother now was Jenetta. The older woman would know what to do. But she was not here. She was back home in Little Rock with her husband and three children.
    Something Jenetta had said popped into her mind. “You hang on to that other Christian gentleman’s letter in case thangs don’t work out.” The other letter. Stems of hope sprouted through the darkness. She did have another option. Thank You, Lord.
    Having received many responses to her advertisement, she had kept the two most promising letters. One she had responded to, the other, well, his letter was tucked securely in her trunk. Although it saddened her that things did not work out with Haydon, she would write the other man straightaway.
    “It’s no trouble at all.” Katherine’s voice snapped her out of her musings. “I’ll start heating the water now. As soon as Haydon gets your things up here, you can come down and take a bath.” She smiled, stood and turned to leave the room. At the door, she stopped. With her hand still on the knob, she looked back at Rainee. “I reallyam sorry for what my son did. And I meant what I said about you staying here as long as you like.” Katherine’s smile seemed to hold a secret. But just what kind of secret Rainee did not know.
     
    “Would you please take Rainee’s things up to Leah’s room?” Haydon’s mother pointed to the trunk he had placed on the porch when they had arrived. “She’ll be staying with us.”
    His eyebrows slammed against the brim of his hat. “What do you mean she’s staying with us? For how long?” He could no more hold back the panic from his voice than he could hold back a raging river.
    “For as long as she likes.”
    Haydon recognized that smile. His mother was up to something. Just what, he wasn’t sure. But something.
    He leaned over and grabbed the handles of Rainee’s trunk and hoisted it up. His mother opened the door and motioned him by. “Just what I need,” he spoke under his breath as he walked past her.
    “She just might be.”
    Haydon swung around so fast the trunk dropped from his hands and thudded onto his foot. He jerked his foot up, put it down, jerked it up again and put it down, all the while holding