Page 360 of Conveniently Wed
“That’s ridiculous. One freak accident doesn’t mean anything.”
“It happened to my fiancé and my father, too.” She brushed at the tears threatening to roll down her cheeks. “Gunther and I had plans to wed and he died alongside my father in a terrible accident that should never have happened.”
“For a smart girl with a lot of common sense, you aren’t making any.” Garrett ran a hand through his hair in frustration. When he considered the fact just moments earlier she’d been every bit as involved in whatever it was that sizzled between them, he didn’t know how she could try to push him away now. “Aundy, what are you afraid of?”
“That something will happen to you, too.” Her voice was so quiet, Garrett had to strain to hear what she said.
“Nothing is going to happen to me, unless God decides it’s my time to be called home to glory. You have no control over that, Aundy.” He turned her around so she could see his face. “I’m pleased to know you care about me enough to want to protect me, but I think you’re worried for no reason.”
“I mean it, Garrett. I just can’t get involved with you. I can’t. I…”
“You what?”
Aundy shook her head and swiped at the tears that spilled from her eyes. Garrett tried to hug her, but she pushed at his chest until he let her go.
“Please, Garrett, I think it’s best you leave now.”
“Fine, but let me give you one thing to mull over while I’m leaving you alone.” Garrett caught her roughly to him, kissing her like he’d never have the opportunity to do it again. Her arms wound around his neck as he held her close. She returned every ounce of the yearning and hunger he poured out to her.
Abruptly letting her go, he grabbed his hat and gave her one last, longing look. “I meant what I said last night. Anytime you need me, I’ll be here.”
When he slammed the door on his way out, Aundy was sure Dent and the boys could hear it at the bunkhouse.
Aundy leaned against the counter, uncertain her legs could hold her without support. Not when she watched every dream she’d ever had for a happy ever after walk out the door.
Forcing herself to stay away from Garrett was going to be the hardest thing she’d ever done, especially when her heart kept whispering he was the one she would love for a lifetime.
17
“It says, ‘Titus gave the city of Jerusalem over to his soldiers with orders for them to sack, burn, and raze. More than a million people died in the siege with those kept alive turned into slaves. Many were sent to be fodder for the gladiators and beasts in the Roman arenas.’” Nik stopped reading the history book in his hand and looked at Aundy as she mixed cake batter from a recipe handed down in her family for many generations. “What do you suppose it was like, being in one of those arenas?”
After pouring the batter into a pan and placing it in the oven, Aundy sat down across from Nik and thought about his question.
“I suppose it would have been loud. Think of all the people there, not to mention the noise from beneath the arena where they kept the slaves and beasts. From what I understand, there were vendors selling all sorts of things, so they were probably calling out to people, trying to get them to buy their wares. It probably smelled bad with all the blood and animals, and the sheer number of people watching. It was most likely hot, standing on the sand they used in the arena.” Aundy tried to recall her ancient history lessons. “What do you think it wouldhave been like to be a gladiator? What if you were in your own country, minding your own business, when one day the Roman army arrives and declares war against you. You fight, but despite your best efforts, you’re captured. Resistance is futile and you’re forced to comply. After days, maybe weeks of travelling, you find yourself at a ludus where you’re told you’ll train to fight in the arena or you’ll be killed.”
“What’s a ludus?” Nik asked. Enraptured with Aundy’s perspective of ancient history, he appreciated the interesting way she shared it with him.
“It was a training school for gladiators. They would break the men down and then build them back up as fighting machines.” She’d always liked history lessons. When they finished studying Roman history, she’d move Nik on to the Vikings. Tales of her ancestors’ battles often stirred her blood.
Thoughts of her blood stirring made images of Garrett come to mind, so she slammed the door on those mental pictures, much like he’d slammed the door on her several nights ago.
“How do you know so much about history, and everything?” Nik swept his hand over the table to emphasize his point. Piles of books and papers covered the surface.
Aundy smiled, straightening a stack of the boy’s homework. “I enjoyed school and learning. Books were a way to travel to faraway places I knew I’d never see in my lifetime.”
Nik looked at her, balancing what she said against what some of the men told him about book learning being a waste of time for a poor shepherd boy.
Mindful of his hesitation, Aundy grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. “Come with me,” she said, tugging him to the front room.
Quickly perusing the bookshelf, Aundy pulled several titles from their places and set them on the table in front of the sofa. She pushed Nik down on the seat and grinned at him.
Picking up the first book on the pile, she handed it to Nik then grabbed a parasol from the hall tree by the front door. She held it like a sword, prepared for an imaginary battle. “Dumas’The Three Musketeerslets you engage in sword fights and great battles for honor and truth,” Aundy said, jumping around the room, lunging at Nik with her makeshift sword, making him laugh.
After selecting the next book, she tossed it to him.
He caught it and read the titleFrom Pole to Pole. “What’s this one about?”
Aundy pulled a quilt off the arm of the sofa, draped it over her head so it fell down her back, and stuck her hands in front of her like claws. “You can read all about the adventures in the frigid zones of both poles. How else would you get up close and personal with a polar bear?”
