Arabella Dreams by Nancy M Bell

Author:Nancy M Bell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, horses, western, mail order bride, selkie romance, historical 1950s
Publisher: BWL Publishing Inc.

Chapter Eleven

The smell of coffee woke her. D’Arcy was busy preparing breakfast, but turned when he heard her moving. She pulled the quilt up to her chin and smiled tentatively. After the events of the evening before she was unsure quite how to behave. He crossed the floor and set a cup of coffee on the short table by the bed.

“There’s a change of clothes in the trunk. I’ll just step out and see a man about a horse while you get dressed.” He pointed to a trunk at the end of the bed she hadn’t noticed up to this point. The white heap of her wedding gown glimmered in the morning sunlight coming in the window. She averted her gaze, and nodded. The door closed behind him and Bella slid out from under the covers.

Shivering in the cool air she poured water from the pitcher into the large basin and washed quickly. The trunk opened easily, she blessed whoever packed a flannel shirt, study boots and trousers, along with every day small clothes. The thought of having to wear the lacy nonsense her husband stripped off her the night before curdled her stomach. Belatedly, she remembered he’d burned it. Bella dressed as much as she could while still wearing the voluminous nightie, pulling her arms inside out of the sleeves. Hopping on one leg she pulled the pants into place and fastened them. Only then did she feel safe enough to pull the night gown over her head. Folding it neatly, she placed in in the trunk. Turning, Bella regarded the spill of satin on the rug in front of the cold fire place.

The car door slammed outside the cabin, setting her into motion. In a swift move she gathered the dress in her arms and crammed it into the trunk. No point worrying about folding it since the fastenings were ripped at any rate. Heat flushed over her skin at the sight of the lacy petticoats and garter flung over the chairs and on the rug. He’d missed snatching them up in his fury. She stood for a moment pressing cold hands to her hot face. With trembling hands she scooped the lingerie up and shoved it into the trunk along with the dress. A saucer on the table by the chair caught her attention. On closer inspection it proved to be full with the pearl buttons from her gown. She had to admit it was very thoughtful of D’Arcy to gather them up. Bella wouldn’t have bothered, no matter how much they had cost her.

Her back was to the door, bent over closing the clothes trunk when boot heels thumped on the porch announcing her husband’s return. Straightening up, she turned and stared at the snaps on his shirt, unable to meet his eyes.

“Should I strip the bed, or just make it up?” She winced inwardly at her choice of words. Strip brought the events of the wedding night all too close to the surface.

“Just leave it, Sara said she’d take care of it for me later today.

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