Whispering Hills of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 3) by Dorothy Wiley Read Free Book Online

hope.
    Good. Hope is stronger than fear.

CHAPTER 5
    “A re you sure you’ll be all right?” William asked, as he unsaddled her mare, in the dim light of the setting sun.
    Kelly could hear true concern in his voice. She shook her head yes, but said nothing. Shedding all those tears back at the cabin made her feel better but she still couldn’t find the courage to talk about any of it. William must have sensed that on the ride back because he remained quiet, leaving her to sort out her feelings.
    “Just remember what we agreed. Okay? Life is a precious gift. You were given the gift of life because you are strong enough to live it.”
    Kelly let his words sink in while William plopped the saddle down on the fence and grabbed a handful of straw to wipe the sweat from Ginger’s back. Then he let both horses water. Before he finished, he heard the home’s back door open and Mrs. Wolfe emerged with a woman Kelly didn’t recognize, who carried a lantern.
    "Good evening, Mrs. Wolfe. How was your shopping trip?” Kelly asked politely as they walked up. She nodded to the otherwoman and smiled, glad that in the dim light both women could probably not see her eyes, swollen from crying. “Sheriff Wyllie and I have just returned from viewing the land that Colonel Boone so generously gave him today.”
    “Kelly,” Patricia began without preamble, “we’ve decided to make a change.”
    Kelly thought she could hear the girls crying in the nearby kitchen.
    “A change in what?” Kelly asked. “Are the girls okay?”
    “This is Mrs. Gafford, the girls’ new tutor,” Patricia said.
    Kelly’s brows drew together in confusion. She tried to speak, but couldn’t.
    “I apologize that we couldn’t give you more notice, but Mrs. Gafford is in need of employment without delay.”
    “But what about my employment?” she stammered.
    “My dear, after last night, we just had to make a change. You frightened the girls terribly. They think something is wrong with you.”
    She listened with bewilderment. “But it was just a nightmare, nothing more.”
    “A horrific nightmare. You were thrashing about and screaming. Dear, I don’t know what happened to you, but my granddaughters don’t need to know. My son and I are in complete agreement. If you stay, they will soon learn the truth. And we want to spare them that.”
    “Mrs. Wolfe, Kelly needs your support and Christian love,” William said heatedly. “Not this abrupt dismissal simply because she had a nightmare.”
    “We decided to do this now, while your brothers are in town, Sheriff Wyllie. We thought she should go back with them,” she said definitively, as though the decision was hers to make.
    Kelly could barely breathe and her heart threatened to jump out of her chest it beat so rapidly. Her fragile world had suddenly shattered like glass.
    She glanced over at William, whose reproach filled eyes glared at Mrs. Wolfe. With one final glower at the woman, he turned to Kelly. “Don’t worry Kelly. Things like this always work out for the better,” William entreated.
    Her mind reeled with confusion. But she would not let this woman humiliate her further.
    “I hope you’ll understand, child,” Mrs. Wolfe said, her voice cool and unnatural.
    “I’ll help your pack your things, dear, and Mister Wyllie can saddle your mount again,” Mrs. Gafford suggested.
    “Thank you for your kind offer, but I can bloody well pack up my own things,” Kelly retorted then looked directly at Mrs. Wolfe. “And I am no child!” She lifted her chin and started for the house.
    “We want you to keep all the clothes we bought you,” Mrs. Wolfe called after Kelly.
    At that, Kelly spun back to face her, fists clenched. “I’ll keep only the gowns and things I brought with me. Nothing more.” Despite her best efforts not to weep, tears burned her eyes for the second time that night. Not wanting Mrs. Wolfe to see her cry, she turned and sprinted to the back door, flew through the house, and