Mail Order Devastation (Montana Mail Order Brides, Book 4) by Julianna Blake

Author:Julianna Blake [Blake, Julianna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Timeless Hearts Press
Published: 2015-05-29T16:00:00+00:00

***

The house appeared empty when Noah arrived home.

Again? What is going on?

For the fourth time in as many days, Noah arrived to the aroma of dinner cooking, but no wife to be seen. Each day, Mollie was locked away in the bedroom, and whenever he asked why, she always gave him a different, vague answer.

He strode straight for the bedroom door. “Mollie?” He tried the handle.

Locked.

Again.

“I’ll be right there,” came her muffled reply through the door.

He sighed with frustration. “Mollie, what is going on?”

“Nothing.”

He could hear shuffling, as if she was organizing something or putting something away. Was she changing her clothing? Perhaps she’s just fixing herself up for you. She may have gotten dirty keeping the house all day.

Footsteps approached the door, then the key clicked as she turned it in the keyhole. The door opened.

“I’m so glad you’re home!” she sighed, seeming a bit out of breath. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too,” he said stiffly, bending to receive her kiss. He could see that she was still in the same clothing she’d worn when he left that morning. And she hadn’t been fixing her hair, because he could see a few wisps that had come loose from her bun. Her eyes were tired, almost puffy-looking, and the brief smile she flashed his way wasn’t any more sincere than the few smiles he’d gotten from her in the last few days.

“I hope you’re hungry,” she said, sweeping past him and walking toward the kitchen. “I’ve made enough for an army. I swear, I’ll never get used to cooking for one. My family may have been smaller than most, back home, but it’s still strange cooking for half as many people.”

“Mollie…”

“I made a cherry cobbler with some of the cherry preserves I bought at the mercantile last week,” she said as she walked over to peek into the oven.

“Mollie…”

“I really think you’ll like it. It’s a new recipe that I got from Madeline Porter when I ran into her at the mercantile, and she swears by it.”

“Mollie!”

She turned, startled. “Yes?”

“What is going on?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Why do I keep finding you locked away in our bedroom every day when I come home?”

“I…I was just laying down, taking a rest.” She averted her eyes and turned to pick up a wooden spoon, stirring the soup that simmered on the stove.

“With the door locked?”

“Well…you know in Boston, we always locked our doors. It wasn’t a bad neighborhood, by any means, but being in such a big city, it wasn’t immune to crime.”

“The front door was unlocked.”

“Was it? I suppose I should be making sure it’s locked, shouldn’t I?” She kept stirring, without turning to look at him.

“Mollie, I feel as if you’re trying to hide something from me. What’s wrong? Have I upset you somehow? If I have, you can tell me.”

She turned, flashing him a brilliant smile, which didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Of course not. You haven’t done a thing.”

He hesitated, unsure if he should bring up his mother’s observations.

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