Courting Miss Cartwright: A Sweet Western Historical Romance Novella (Rated PG) (Six Brides for Six Gideons Book 2) by Holt Kristin

Author:Holt, Kristin [Holt, Kristin]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: A Sweet Western Historical Romance Novella
Publisher: Kristin Holt, LC
Published: 2016-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

According to the clock on the kitchen wall, Felicity waited nearly an hour for her sister’s return. Sitting at the table, she stared sightlessly through lacy curtains and mulled over the ridiculous things Rocky had said.

He’d wanted to kiss her…not once, but again?

He couldn’t possibly have meant it.

The back door opened suddenly, catching her unaware. She pushed to her feet as Temperance entered the kitchen.

The time had come, and every prepared promise had evaporated.

She stared at her sister and her sister stared back.

Felicity found her tongue first. “We need to talk.” No way could she admit Rocky—Mr. Gideon—had told her to wait inside. She must distance herself, refuse to think of him by anything other than the proper, formal address.

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

Wha—?

This was not the response she’d expected or deserved. If she only knew.

“I owe you an apology.” Temperance untied her beautiful summer bonnet and set it on the table, then removed her gloves one at a time. She gathered both of Felicity’s sun-browned hands in her pale, soft, white ones.

The contact, skin to skin, holding hands with this sister who was a complete stranger was disconcerting. Odd. Bizarre. And sort of wonderful.

She’d been prepared for battle, not an apology from a well-mannered Temperance.

“I’m ashamed,” Temperance said, “for allowing my circle of friends to speak ill of you. They’re good-hearted women, one and all. Protective. Generous to a fault. They’ll love you once they know you. And they’ll be ashamed they fought like schoolboys in the street.”

“I won’t be here long enough—”

“Hush now.” Temperance’s grip tightened. She sat and tugged Felicity down to her chair. “Can we be friends? Will you move in and allow us to become acquainted? I do believe it’s what Father genuinely wanted.”

“Why?” Of anything—everything—she should have, could have said in response, the one-word question echoed in the kitchen. After expecting tears and angry shouts, this abrupt about-face left her unbalanced.

What—or who—had changed Temperance’s attitude?

“Why not?” Temperance’s smile filled with sunshine and genuine warmth.

“Uh… because…” Because an hour ago, Felicity had kissed Temperance’s intended. And that kiss hadn’t been remotely platonic. And minutes before that, her gang had attacked.

“See?” Temperance’s smile brightened further. “No excuses.” With one last squeeze, she rose, went to the icebox and withdrew a pitcher of tea. She set the pitcher and two tall glasses on the table, followed by a crockery cookie jar.

“I paid Father’s attorney another visit. I simply had to know, you understand, why Father would send for you now, not soon after my mother passed away. I can understand he’d withhold the information if only to spare her feelings. But she’s been gone these six months. He had time.”

Felicity craved the answer to that question herself. She accepted the glass her sister poured.

Whatever the attorney, W.W. Stuart, had told Temperance had utterly changed her stance, reversed her opinion, and if Felicity wasn’t grossly mistaken, had genuinely opened the younger woman’s heart to the possibility of a pleasant future. If not sisters, if not friends, then at least not enemies.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.