Mail Order Matilda (Widows, Brides, and Secret Babies Book 18) by Tanner Margaret

Author:Tanner, Margaret [Tanner, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2020-07-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Hank walked into the room grinning. “Howdy, boss. Did I hear you right? You’re not going to get hitched to Miss Freeman, even though I supplied you with a preacher and all.”

Brodie glared at him.

“If you don’t want her, maybe I could….”

“I didn’t say I didn’t want her,” he growled. “I just don’t want a kid. I’m too busy.”

“She sure is a pretty little gal baby. I wouldn’t mind.”

“You’re forty-five years old and a confirmed bachelor,” Brodie scoffed.

“A man can change his mind if the right gal comes along.”

He didn’t like where this was going. Didn’t like that Hank might fancy Tilly.

By the smirk on the old man’s face he was enjoying this exchange.

“Tell me what happened with the holdup. Were the horses harmed?

“No.” Hank told him what had happened in more detail.

“Sons of….” He cut off the curse because of his guest’s presence.

“I’ll report it to the sheriff tomorrow, too late to go in now. The undertaker will have to go out as well. I’ll tell you this, that gal of yours showed a lot of courage.”

That was more like it – his gal, and that was exactly what she was. All he had to do was get her to stay. By the appetizing aroma from the kitchen she was obviously a good cook. He hadn’t heard a squeak out of the baby. His siblings had been bawling and squawking all the time. They probably didn’t have enough to eat. The realization suddenly hit him. How many times had he gone to bed hungry?

His stepmother had not been particularly maternal, just kept popping one baby out after another. There had been a couple of sets of twins. She did the barest amount of house chores, the kids, mainly him, had to do them.

“Excuse me, I better go and see how Tilly is getting on.” If he wanted her to stay it was time to eat some humble pie.

“I’ll go.” Hank leapt to his feet.

“No, I will.” As he left the room, he heard the two men laughing, probably at him. Thank goodness the horses had escaped harm. That poor woman being killed was a tragedy although it could have been far worse. He shuddered just thinking about it. Hopefully those varmints would be caught, not that he thought it likely. They would be well and truly gone by now.

He stepped into the kitchen, his gaze settling on a dozen or so biscuits cooling on a rack. Everything was orderly, not that it had ever been untidy as Liz was a fussy housekeeper. He had left a few used things lying around.

Tilly was sitting with her back to the door. He could see the creamy white flesh of her neck exposed where her hair was pulled up and was tempted to reach out and touch it.

He had to persuade her to stay. If she agreed, dare he risk suggesting they have a real marriage. What kind of fool wouldn’t want to consummate their union? Had she been a hag it would have been easy.

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