Unconventional Series Collection by Verna Clay Read Free Book Online Page A

gave her a mischievous smile and crawled under the table, hiding
behind the tablecloth. Abigail laughed at his impishness and went down on her
hands and knees, peering underneath. He burst into peals of laughter when he
saw her and started crawling away.
    "Oh, no, you don't." Abigail grabbed
his foot and tugged him toward her, which only made them both laugh all the
more. Finally, she dragged him from under the table. Beside her, boots came
into her line of sight. Looking up, she saw Brant's eyes dancing with
merriment. He squatted beside her and Ty.
    "Having a little trouble, Miz Vaughn?"
he reached for Ty and lifted him onto his shoulders. The boy squealed with
delight.
    "I think I handled things fairly well,
Mister Samson," she laughed, still on her knees.
    Brant stood and stretched his arm to help her
up. She grabbed his calloused palm and let him pull her to her feet, close to
his body. Glancing over his shoulder, she saw Lola sending her a venomous
stare, and Luke a hurt one. Stepping away from him, she smoothed her dress.
"I think I'll go check on Jenny."
    * * *
    Brant watched Abby walk toward the group of
children Jenny was playing with. The woman was as skittish as a colt. He smiled
thinking about the sight of Abby on her knees chasing Ty. Unlike some women who
would have chastised the baby, she'd laughed and played his game. Brant liked
that. Yep, the more he was around Abby, the more he was beginning to think she
would make a great ma for his children. If only he could get Luke to realize
the same thing.
    * * *
    Abigail met more neighbors throughout the day
and found that most treated her very well. Several came right out and asked
personal questions which she danced around or suddenly found a diversion to
excuse herself. After lunch, the men resumed raising the barn and the youngest
children were put down for naps on blankets under trees. The older children
were made to play quiet games.
    Abigail sat on a blanket under the oaks with Ty
asleep beside her. She leaned her head against the gnarled trunk. Around her,
other women sat on blankets and she listened to gossip, upcoming church
activities, and the best way to calm a colicky baby. She closed her eyes and
envisioned what her life would be like in Philadelphia if she were still there.
No doubt, she'd be creating school lessons, reading a novel or shuffling from
room to room in her home. Viewing her circumstances with honesty, she asked
herself if she would rather be there or here. The answer was obvious. She
wanted to be here amidst these country folk and enjoying the sunshine, playing
with children, and watching Brant wield a hammer. Lazily, she opened her eyes
and searched him out. He was nailing boards on top of the barn. He'd rolled his
sleeves up and unbuttoned his shirt to his navel. When he leaned back on his
knees and removed his hat, swiping his face and neck with his bandana, she was
again struck by his comeliness and felt desire unfurl in her stomach. I want
to marry him.
    When she considered her desire for this man, she
knew his looks enticed her, but more than that, his kindness and love for his
children drew her in. He seemed to feel her eyes watching him and turned his
head in her direction. His gaze, even from a distance, made her heart flutter.
Next to her, one of the young mothers said quietly, "Sure wish my man
looked at me like that."
    * * *
    Brant washed up at the well. Enough of the barn
was raised so that MacGregor could finish the details on his own. The cool
water felt refreshing. Walking to his horse, he changed into the extra shirt
he'd brought, and then returned to the house. Women bustled around the tables
setting out supper and his stomach growled loudly. Around dusk, the musicians
would fire up their fiddles and the hoedown would begin. Since Molly's death,
he hadn't been sociable, and now he realized just how much he'd missed
gatherings like this.
    He went in search of Abby. She had Ty on one hip
and was handing him a slice of