Page 61 of Mail-Order Bride Runaway
They spent the rest of the day checking the pasture, but the thought of fire dogged Andy’s thoughts and he continually glanced in the direction of the ranch. Luke noticed.
“Anxious to get home, are you?”
“Fire isn’t the only thing to worry me. Mr. Hartman’s not a nice person. I’d hate for the ladies to be alone if he showed up.”
“Wally and Alfred are there.” Luke tried to sound unconcerned, but his brow furrowed as he looked toward the ranch. He glanced back at Andy. “I think we’re done here.” The pair turned toward home.
Andy didn’t stop at the barn but rode directly to his house as did Luke.
“Hello.” His call echoed in the silence. He raced outside. Luke bolted from his house.
“No one is home,” he called.
“No one here either.” Andy rubbed the knot in his neck. A movement behind Luke caught his eye. He edged forward. “There they are.” He pointed down the valley where the four women and two children walked along the river. He didn’t know where Wally, Alfred, and Mrs. B were, but the sun shone in Della’s hair and his lungs released the air stalled there.
“Guess we should take care of our horses.” He led Amigo toward the barn, Luke on his heels. Neither of them admitted that they’d been frightened for the women, nor how relieved they were to see them safe.
Andy left the barn before Luke and headed for the trail down the slope. He meant to join the women and children. He was half tempted to take a rifle with him just in case that man showed up but that would alarm the others, so he left it behind.
Kit was the first to notice his approach and waved.
Andy waved back his attention on Della as she turned, her smile reaching him even across the distance. Welcoming and warm.
He pushed aside those thoughts. He had to stop letting them creep into his head.
* * *
Della’s heart did a happy,bouncy dance as she watched Andy stride toward them. She’d missed him despite enjoying the day. The women had taken her on a tour of the buildings and told her how each of them had come as a mail-order bride. Gwen to be a mother to Lindy. “But not a wife to Matt.” Her cheeks had flared red at this admission and Della understood that condition had been removed.
Honor had come pretending to be the educated woman Luke sought. He’d married her before he realized her deceit. He’d promised to honor his vows to remain married but declared he’d never love her. Honor chuckled. “He soon changed his mind.”
Olivia told how she’d come in place of her friend who’d altered her decision about the mail-order arrangement when she fell in love with another. “Riley tried to persuade me to go back when he discovered I didn’t know how to cook or clean house.” She lifted one shoulder and gave a crooked smile. “There came the day he asked me to marry him. And here I am.”
Della enjoyed their stories just as she enjoyed their company. She wished she’d have the opportunity to get to know them better. Share their lives. But she must get home as soon as possible. Her mother would be worried about her.
Della had been informed they all attended church in Crow Crossing on Sunday and then returned home to share a meal. She’d helped Mrs. Bennet prepare stew then gone to help Olivia make a cake though the woman didn’t need help. She insisted she liked company though.
And now Andy was here to spend the rest of the day with her. They lingered behind the others as they walked along the edge of the river not turning back until Kit complained that he was hungry.
Honor laughed and ruffled his hair. “You’re always hungry, but I guess it is time to have supper.”
The others climbed the hill and made their way back to their houses.
Della wasn’t in a hurry to end the outing, but neither did she have an excuse to delay their return other than she enjoyed sharing the quiet moments with Andy.
If she hoped to spend time with him in the evening, her plans were derailed by the announcement it was bath night. Not that a bath wasn’t most welcome, and she gladly immersed herself in the warm water Mrs. Bennet prepared for her. She slipped into bed before Andy returned and immediately fell asleep.
Sunday morning dawnedbright and clear. She chose one of the gowns Olivia had lent her—a demure gray dress with a shimmering finish. She coiled her hair around her head in the same style she’d admired on Gwen yesterday. Satisfied with her preparations, she hurried to the kitchen to help Mrs. Bennet with breakfast. Several times she glanced to the hallway wondering when Andy would appear.
“He’s gone to do chores,” Mrs. Bennet said. “He’ll be back soon.” Steps sounded outside the door. “Here he is now.”
Della purposely did not look up not wanting Mrs. Bennet to get the wrong idea about her feelings for him. She’d been curious that was all. Her determination to avoid meeting his gaze went out the window when he said her name and “Hello. Good morning.”
His smile tilted her world sideways. He couldn’t help being so handsome, but did he have to be so welcoming?
She blurted out a response. Then struggled to find another word to say throughout the meal. Thankfully, if anyone noticed they put it down to some reasonable cause such as worry about appearing in town. To reinforce that idea she asked, “What if Mr. Hartman has come this far in looking for me?”
Andy’s cup stalled halfway to his mouth. “You are under the protection of the Shannons.”
