The Present: The Malloy Family, Book 8.5 by Beth Williamson

Author:Beth Williamson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: horses, cowboy, Wyoming, orphan, Malloys, Old West, suspense, Western
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2014-10-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Fiona stared at the rising sun until her eyes burned. The men had all gone out to the barn and fixed up the carriage so she didn’t have to ride in the invalid chair. Now she was being delivered to Ethan’s sister’s ranch, half a day’s ride away, until the wedding.

She was getting married. There wasn’t much of a choice and she knew it. The fact this handsome man had offered for her was enough of a shock. Fiona didn’t want to starve or turn to worse choices to survive. The Malloys were a loyal if eccentric family, based on the small amount of time she’d known them. Her marriage wasn’t forced, but it wasn’t a cause for celebration. It simply was a necessity for her.

Fiona was practical most of the time. She’d always had to be. Marrying Ethan Malloy would be pleasurable, of that she was certain. Now she had to figure out how to be a wife and find that magic way to be more than an inconvenient bride his father bullied him into marrying.

The entire evening had been like a dream, some good, some awful. Now, in the pink light of dawn, Fiona couldn’t help but wonder what her marriage would be like. She wasn’t ignorant of the acts between men and women, but she wasn’t experienced either.

She snuck a glance at her future husband as he drove the carriage. His jaw was set and his expression hard. He wasn’t happy, and perhaps Fiona could change that.

The day passed with the journey cloaked in silence. He didn’t speak and she couldn’t make her mouth form the right words. Behind them rolled another carriage holding the Malloy women. Their excited chatter carried on the breeze and made Fiona that much more aware of how uncomfortable she was.

By the time they rode up to the sprawling ranch house, Fiona’s head hurt from clenching her jaw so hard. Two dogs came out to greet them, barking and circling the wagons in a doggie frenzy. A tall woman in britches emerged from the house, perhaps a few years older than Fiona. She had frizzy reddish-brown hair in a fat braid and wore a green shirt and a look of confusion.

“Nicky!” one of the women called from the wagons behind Fiona. “We’re invading!”

The tall woman laughed. “So I see.” She shaded her eyes and looked directly at Ethan and Fiona. “And there appears to be one extra woman in your posse. Did you kidnap her?”

Ethan visibly winced. “I’m sorry—my sister is the biggest loudmouth out of all of us.”

Fiona couldn’t possibly be offended. Her life was no longer her own and nothing would surprise her any longer. “No need to apologize. We are invading.”

He sighed and pulled the carriage to stop. The wheels kicked up clouds of dust, shielding them from the stares for a few precious moments. He looked at her with his beautiful green eyes full of concern and apology.

“If you don’t want to marry me, I’ll give you enough money to go home and forget you ever met me.

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