Heartland Courtship by Lyn Cote

Author:Lyn Cote [Lyn Cote]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, United States, Christian Books & Bibles, Historical, Literature & Fiction
ISBN: 0373282508
Amazon: B00EFPVDKC
Goodreads: 18338432
Publisher: Love Inspired
Published: 2014-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Second by second, the endless day passed. A day of watching, waiting to see a thin boy with black hair walk into her clearing. But Rachel and Brennan waited in vain. Now Rachel watched the sun’s rays glimmer through the trees. The last of her energy faded with the day.

“It’s late. Thee must go,” Rachel said at last, not wanting to send him away but knowing she must. She didn’t want to think of the gossip that would come if townspeople didn’t see him return to the blacksmith shop before dark.

She struggled with herself. She wanted to fold him in her arms and comfort him.

Brennan stared at her. “I shoulda kept going on after him.”

She shook her head. She even imagined kissing Brennan’s face and smoothing back his hair... She stopped her unruly mind there. Such thoughts. “Thee lost sight of him. Stumbling around in the forest could injure thy rib more and probably not find Jacque anyway.”

He exhaled with visible pain and left without a further word.

She watched him go, his head down, his step slow. Her feelings for him were increasing, causing her to think about him when she should not. And she knew she stood in danger of being deeply hurt when he left town. But that didn’t seem to matter to her heart.

* * *

Brennan tried to come up for air from the gloom smothering him, but could not. Now he realized that the boy meant something to him. He couldn’t think why. Jacque might not even be his son, his blood. But he’s from home. He’s my responsibility. And he’s been treated bad and I can help make that up to him—if he’ll let me.

Again he felt Rachel in his arms. He’d forgotten how soft a woman felt. Grimly he shut down his mind. He’d been foolish beyond measure to reach for her when he had no intention of staying and was unworthy of her. He’d behaved like a cad.

When Brennan reached town, he was glad to see the street deserted. The saloon was quiet but held no attraction for him. He didn’t want to talk to anybody. He slipped into the blacksmith shop, hoping Levi wouldn’t hear him.

But Levi had evidently been watching for him. The big man stood in the doorway, his back to the river.

Brennan halted, staring at him, suddenly breathing faster.

“The boy didn’t come back?” Levi asked.

“No.” Brennan hid the deep heart spasm this caused him. He pressed a hand to his side as if that was where he hurt.

“Come through and sit out riverside,” Levi invited. “I heard about you serving for the Union, but I won’t talk you to death.”

Relief rolled over Brennan. Levi had sense. Brennan realized then that while he didn’t want to talk, he didn’t want to be alone either. Imagining the boy alone in the coming darkness clawed at him. I should have told him myself, told him all what happened. He deserves the truth.

Levi waved Brennan outside into the breeze by the river.

Brennan

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