Page 36 of Mail-Order Bride Runaway
“What’s the matter?” He could see little in the darkness.
She scuttled to the end of the box to talk to him. “Look at the sky. Lots of shooting stars tonight.”
He tipped his head back.
“You’ll get a crick in your neck doing that.” She dropped to the ground, grabbed his hand, and pulled him down to lie beside her looking skyward.
A streak of silver flew across the sky. “There’s one. And another.” He made no attempt to hide the awe in his voice.
She pointed. “And another.” Their hands were clasped, and she squeezed. “Andy, it’s amazing. I counted five before I wakened you.” A gasp as one brighter than the others streaked overhead. “I hope you don’t mind me disturbing you, but I didn’t want you to miss it.”
“I’m glad I can see it.” It was awe-inspiring and it meant even more to have someone to share the display with. “Have you ever seen something like this before?”
“Once when I was very young. My pa woke me in the middle of the night and carried me outside to watch the sky.” She chuckled softly. “I was far more impressed with my pa’s arms around me and feeling safe.”
“You were a loved child.” The knowledge warmed his insides.
“You were too, I think.”
“Yes, I was.” He squeezed her hand. “Every child should feel special, don’t you think?”
“Completely.” She shivered.
He slipped his hand from her grasp and put his arm around her to draw her close. “I’ll keep you warm.”
She snuggled to his side, her hair tickling his nose. He turned, pressing his cheek to her head. To stop the tickling, he told himself. But he inhaled her scent, enjoying the closeness for other reasons as well.
Another star streaked across the sky. And another.
“Pa said it was a meteorite shower. From what he’d read, he knew there to be several throughout the year. In fact—” Her voice caught.
Andy tightened his arm around her, offering sympathy at the pain of remembering her deceased father.
She continued, “I’ve failed him.” Her words carried shards that pierced his heart.
“Why would you say that?” He pulled her closer.
“I almost sent my mother into the arms of Mr. Hartman. Oh Andy, can you imagine if she’d come?”
The barely controlled wail in her voice made it hard for him to breathe. “But she didn’t. You did. And you escaped him.”Thank you, God, that she did.
“How am I going to make sure she’s taken care of now?”
Another shooting star captured their attention for two seconds. Andy considered his answer. It seemed she was missing something in her degree of responsibility toward her mother.
“I think you need to discuss it with her. Won’t she have an opinion of what she wants?” He spoke slowly, not wanting to offend her but feeling he had to ask. “Was it her idea or yours to seek a mail-order marriage?”
Della didn’t reply immediately. Nor did she fly from his arms. When her answer came it was so soft that he barely heard. “It was my idea. All mine.”
“Did she protest at it?”
Again, a thoughtful quiet. “I believe she asked if this was a good thing. I said women did it all the time and were happy with the choice.”
Just when he thought she had finished, she spoke again.
“She said if it made life better for us she’d do it. But I think she meant better for me.” She sat up and stared at Andy her features were barely discernable in the darkness. “Do you think she agreed only for my sake?”
Coolness shivered along his side where she’d been. He pulled her back down. “I don’t know. You’d have to ask her.”
