Shotgun Bridegroom by Day Leclaire

Author:Day Leclaire
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-06-21T16:00:00+00:00

“You don’t understand, Aunt Myrtle.”

The older woman glanced up from her knitting. “What don’t I understand, dear?”

Annie paced to the window and stared out at the night sky. “Sam’s trying to seduce me. He’s admitted as much.”

“I’m sure he’s just teasing. He always was a mischievous boy.”

“No! It’s more than that. He wants revenge because I...” The words caught in her throat and she gripped the sill. “Because I—”

“Asked the Musketeers to intervene on your behalf seven years ago?”

Annie’s shoulders slumped. “You heard about it?”

“Really, Annie. How can you ask a question like that? It’s common knowledge. Secrets don’t keep on Delacorte Island. You should know that by now.”

“You’d have thought so,” she muttered.

Myrtle’s knitting needles clicked for a time. “I also know that your bags were packed to go that night,” she mentioned sedately.

Uh-oh. Annie turned around. “Where... ?”

“Pansy mentioned it.”

Blast Pansy and her big mouth. “What else did my dear sister say?”

“That you and Joe had an unholy row.”

Annie returned to her chair and perched on the edge. “Pops found out I was going to run off with Sam,” she explained.

“Hmm.” Myrtle dropped her knitting onto her lap. “I can understand him being a trifle upset.”

“He’s always hated Beaumonts.” Annie shot the older woman an apologetic look. “Not you, I’m sure,” she lied.

“Oh, yes. He hated me, too.”

Good grief! Was there nothing Myrtle hadn’t uncovered? Annie’s eyes widened in alarm. Surely she didn’t know the rest. “What else did Pansy tell you? Did she say what the fight was about?”

Myrtle’s regard intensified. “I thought you said it was over your eloping with Sam.”

Annie sighed. Maybe she should take up knitting. It would give her hands something to do other than twist together in her lap and betray her. “Yes. Of course.”

“Joe must have said something quite horrible to keep you from going with Sam. I know for a fact you loved him very much.”

More twisting. “Pops convinced me to wait.”

“Now you’ve waited. Seven whole years.” Myrtle picked up her cane and nudged Annie with the tip. “So? Why haven’t you made things up with him?”

“I told you. He’s not interested in making up. He’s interested in revenge.”

Myrtle snorted. “Oh, stuff and nonsense. Say you’re sorry. Give him a hug and a kiss and he’ll come around.”

I’ve already done that, she was tempted to confess. “And if that doesn’t work?”

“Then you tell him the real reason you didn’t go with him that night.”

Annie froze. “What do you mean?”

“You can’t fool me, missy. I know Joe Delacorte better than you might think. He said something to you that night.”

She shook her head. “No.”

“He said something that stopped you from going.” A strange sadness flickered within the depths of her dark eyes. “And I’m telling you that if you want to work things out with Sam, you’ll tell him what it was.”

“I can’t,” Annie whispered.

“Yes, my dear, you can. And you will.”

Myrtle didn’t know what Pops had said or she’d never have offered that advice. “I’m not going to marry Sam.”

The knitting needles resumed their clicking.

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