White Deception by Susan Edwards

Author:Susan Edwards
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

The morning storm gave way to blue skies and a bright yellow sun the shade of corn silk. Anticipation hummed through the land as the air warmed.

Deer nipped at the tender, wet grass, their young frolicking in the meadow, and rabbits stood on their hind feet, ears twitching as they washed the last of the storm from their fur. In the pasture, a mother horse and foal raced along the fence, heads and tails arched high.

Even the birds rejoiced in the warm afternoon, rewarding all who took the time to listen to their birdsong. But there was one who didn’t appreciate the beauty of the day.

Reed didn’t see the emerging creatures or hear the songs floating on the gentle breeze. He didn’t feel the peace of spring. Inside him a storm still raged. Grabbing another log, he set it on a stump, lifted his axe and brought it down with all the built-up frustration and anger coursing through him. His bare torso gleamed with the sweat of labor, and his eyes burned with fury. Hefting the axe over his shoulder he glared at the house. At her. The log split cleanly in two as he brought the axe down.

The pile of firewood to his right grew. His muscles bulged, tiring, but he kept going. If he stopped, Reed feared he’d stomp up those damn steps and kick the damn door down.

She’d locked him out. He’d knocked on the door, but she’d refused to answer.

He’d pounded, he’d shouted. Silence was her reply.

Splitting another log, he tossed the pieces to the side. One went too far and landed in the water trough. Burying the blade of the axe in the stump, he walked over to the rippling water and fished the firewood out.

He’d refilled the trough after returning, carrying bucket after bucket of water from the river up to the yard. Then he’d filled the water barrels, which had for some reason been covered during the storm. Two hours had passed. He’d tried to talk to Mattie again. Same results. If he wouldn’t take her and go after her brothers and sisters, she had nothing to say to him.

Women! Damn them.

Kneeling, Reed plunged his head into the cold water of one barrel. Standing, he shook his hair, sending droplets of water in all directions. The rivulets running down his chest and back cooled the heat of the sun on his flesh, but they did nothing to ease the torment of Mattie’s words.

“How can I trust a man who is blind?”

Blind? Hell. He knew manipulation when he saw it. At least she hadn’t used tears. His insides shifted. Anne had used tears very effectively. Reed had never been able to handle her tears—not when she’d been a young girl, his adoptive sister, and not later when she’d become his wife.

It had been her tears that had made him run off and marry her when her father, his adoptive father, refused to allow it. Her tears had kept him working for the man.

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