A Family Arrangement by Gabrielle Meyer
Author:Gabrielle Meyer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-08-15T04:00:00+00:00
Chapter Twelve
Abram smiled down at Miss Perry. “It’s been a pleasure dancing with you, again, but I’m afraid the others will string me up a tree if I ask for a third dance.”
Miss Perry laughed, but she had no witty comeback or reply—not like Charlotte would.
He bowed toward Miss Perry and then turned away, just as Charlotte slipped out of the barn. Several men exited to watch her departure and Abram felt compelled to step outside to make sure she was safe.
He had tried not to notice her this evening, but it had been impossible. She was breathtaking in her blue gown, her hair done up in shiny curls. His only defense against the churning feelings inside was to keep his distance from her, which had been hard to do, especially when he was conscious of her every move, her every partner and her every glance in his direction.
It was almost as if she’d wanted him to notice her—yet he couldn’t fathom why. He and Charlotte had developed an understanding, and even a fondness for one another, but he suspected that it had more to do with the children than it did with him.
He watched Charlotte skirt around the privy and move on toward the river, as the other men returned to the barn.
Abram followed Charlotte’s path and stood near the corner of his house, watching her by the riverbank for several minutes.
She stood, looking out at the river, and then she sat, her shoulders bent forward. What was she thinking about? Was she contemplating her return to Iowa City? Or...was there any hope that she might consider staying in Little Falls and starting a dress shop here?
But what would be the point of her staying? They couldn’t go on as they had been.
Or could they?
No, it was a pointless thought. Charlotte had no desire to make a life for herself in Minnesota Territory. She already had one in Iowa City and she was probably itching to return and pick up where she had left off.
A group of men walked by the house, on their way south, no doubt to the shanty saloon. The men were coming into town so quickly, Abram didn’t have time to get to know them, and he suspected that many of them were drifters. Several were probably running from the law as was common in frontier towns.
Wood Street had become quite a thoroughfare, which made Abram apprehensive. He didn’t like so many people coming that close to the house—especially when Charlotte was out there alone in the dark.
He pushed away from the house and walked toward her.
Charlotte sat on the grass to the south of the mill, her skirts billowed out around her. The moon shadows played with her figure, giving her an ethereal appearance. She was a stunning woman—both inside and out. In the months he had come to know her, he saw what Susanne had often talked about. Charlotte wasn’t afraid of hard work and she was a good teacher. She
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