Forgotten Mail-Order Bride by Margaret Tanner

Author:Margaret Tanner [Tanner, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-09-29T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Rowan could not believe what was happening to him. He had lost his home and now he had to put up with this. His stomach curdled with revulsion as he stared at Dorothea. The woman’s behavior was disgraceful, immoral when she was a married woman.

“Where’s the diner you promised to take me to, sweetheart? I’m panting for a nice cup of coffee.” Miranda gave him a loving smile.

“We can go now, darlin’. Dorothea needs to find her husband.”

“You’ll be sorry you rejected me, Rowan Carstairs,” she hissed. “When I tell Edward how you accosted me.”

“And who is going to believe you?” Miranda scoffed. “Rowan has lived around here for years. The sheriff is a friend of his, and I’m prepared to swear you forced your unwanted attentions on him. The local newspaper might be interested in writing about it, too”

“Why you, you, piece of trash. How dare you.”

“Be careful what you say about my future wife,” Rowan snapped. He could never marry Miranda now because he had nothing to offer her. He liked what he saw though. Big emerald green eyes a man could just about drown in, and long brown hair. Dressed in men’s clothing he could clearly see her outline. Miranda Kingston was a pretty gal. It made his loss even harder to bear. Better if she had turned out to be a hag.

They turned their backs on Dorothea and walked away arm in arm. “Where’s your horse?” he asked.

She pointed her horse out to him. “Mine is the bay gelding next to her. Was it coincidental, or an omen that their horses stood side by side? He could not understand why he was having these crazy thoughts. Maybe he was starting to crack under the pressure of what had happened to him of late. He released her arm and stepped back a pace.

“Why did you come here?”

“I had to see you, Rowan. We need to talk.”

“The wedding is off. I can’t marry you.”

“Why not?”

“Because I have nothing to offer a wife now.”

The distress on her face caused his heart to constrict. There was no point in building up her hopes. He was soon to be homeless, without a job, and not a lot of money put aside. He now regretted spending so much money on the cabin. Poor, trusting George would be heartbroken to know what Edward had done.

He had contemplated writing to the old man about it. What was the point of distressing him when it would do no good? Edward only needed to get his attorney brother-in-law to say his father was of unsound mind and it would virtually be impossible to prove otherwise.

“How did you get here?” He tried to concentrate on what was happening here and now.

“I rode.”

“On your own? All those miles?” He could scarcely believe a little gal like her would do such a thing. What if something had happened to her on the way?

“Yes, to save money. I can look after myself on the trail. I’m not some delicate little hot house flower.

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