Newton (Prairie Grooms Book 9) by Kit Morgan

Author:Kit Morgan [Morgan, Kit]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Angel Creek Press
Published: 2016-03-14T06:00:00+00:00

* * *

Arya saw the man standing next to the stagecoach extend his hand to help a woman get out. She was petite and strangely beautiful, her features not unlike Ayra’s, and she briefly wondered if that was how others saw her. She couldn’t tell what color her hair was because of the funny hat she wore. She’d seen other women with hats, but this one looked much finer – made of straw, with a wide ribbon across its brim that was tied under her chin. What did Susara call that … a bonnet?

“Arya,” Newton said as he reached for her hand. “Let’s go meet His Grace.”

She pulled her hand out of his, then looked between him and the people gathering outside. She wasn’t sure she wanted to meet this man or his wife.

“Arya, what’s wrong with you?” Newton asked. “Come along now.”

She took one last look at the crowd and gave him back her hand. He drew her up from her chair and led her outside and halfway down the mercantile steps. Grandma and Doc Waller were hustling down the street toward the scene, Doc Drake and his wife Elsie not far behind. The Mulligans also came walking over from the saloon. In fact, everyone in town seemed to be heading their way.

It made Arya nervous and she tried to back away, but Newton put an arm around her. “It’s all right, darling,” he soothed. “Here, let’s go where we’re not so closed in. He led her back onto the porch, where they had a much better vantage point and weren’t in the middle of the chaos.

“Land sakes, Duncan!” Grandma Waller cried as she shoved her way through the crowd. “We didn’t expect you this soon!” Arya watched the woman grab him, pull him into a hug, then kiss him on the cheek. “We’ve missed you so much!”

Grandma did the same with the duchesses as people started to form lines around the couple. It was the most hugging and kissing Arya had ever seen. Some of the people even cried. A wild cacophony of greetings followed: “I can’t believe you two are home at last!” “It’s been so long – so, so long!” “Did ye have a good trip then, lad?” “How long are you going to stay?” “I bet you can’t wait to have some of Irene’s pot roast!”

Then … “Duncan Cooke!” Arya jumped as Mrs. Dunnigan appeared in the doorway of the mercantile, a ladle in her hands. “Move it, out of my way, step aside!” she huffed as she shoved her way through the crowd. She reached the couple and held her ladle up threateningly. “Where have you been?”

“My dear Mrs. Dunnigan,” the duke said diplomatically. “Put that ladle down and give us a kiss.”

Mrs. Dunnigan gasped in shock. “I’ve a mind to smack you with this for saying such a thing!”

“Ah, go ahead and kiss her,” Wilfred said with a grin.

Duncan smiled slyly and, in one swift move, grabbed the ladle from her hand, put his arms around her and kissed her on the cheek.

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