Page 18 of Conveniently Wed
“I’m so bored,” Emma burst out, sending the blanket flying. “I can’t breathe under this thing, and I can’t lie still another moment!”
Fran was joyful for a moment that Emma had spoken, even in an outburst, but then she sent a panicked look to the front of the wagon, where indeed Seb was sitting. Now looking over his shoulder right at her, he winked. And whistled shrilly.
“Whoa,” he shouted to the horses, and began slowing the wagon.
By the time they had rolled to a stop, she could see through the front opening of the canvas as Edgar rode a beautiful but huge black horse toward them.
“What’s going on?” he called out.
Seb jabbed his finger over his shoulder, and Edgar’s eyes flicked back into the wagon, widening in surprise when they clashed with Fran’s gaze.
“What are you doing? How did you get in there?”
He didn’t sound happy to see her.
Seb cleared his throat.
Edgar shot a look at his brother as he swung one muscled leg over the horse and dismounted. He rounded the wagon, brieflystepping out of sight, and then opened the back flap and took the tailgate down.
“Hop down.”
Fran slid her legs over the side and dropped to the ground, but after a morning spent nearly motionless trying not to be noticed, her legs were like jelly.
Edgar’s strong, wide hand settled at her waist, both steadying and unsettling her.
He frowned down at her, quickly releasing his hold on her as she straightened her spine. “Watch your step,” he ordered.
Bossy man.
He stared down at her for a long moment, looking half confused and half angry. Beneath his cowboy hat, his eyes were stormy.
At their feet, a barking white dog interrupted the moment.
“What’s that critter doing here?” Edgar threw the words at Seb.
Behind her, Seb chuckled as he rounded the wagon and helped Emma down. “He’s been following the wagon all morning. Thought he’d turn back, but he hasn’t.”
He caught his brother’s eye, and the chuckle turned to a cough that he quickly tried to hide behind his own hat.
“May I…have a moment to stretch my legs?” Emma’s soft question seemed to affect the man in charge, softening him the slightest bit.
“I guess.”
Fran watched Emma swirl through the golden grasses at their feet. She bent and said something soft to the dog, reaching out to pat its head.
Her sister’s small animation was such a relief after several days of near silence that Fran would’ve braved Edgar’s wrath all over again, just for this moment.
Edgar clamped a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Ride ahead and tell Ricky the wagon had a delay but we’ll be on the way shortly.”
Seb didn’t question his brother’s order, but he looked back over his shoulder as he walked away.
“What am I supposed to do with you?” her paper husband asked, still with that torn look on his face.
Fran swallowed hard. The unending prairie surrounded them, not a house in sight. Edgar wouldn’t just leave them here in the middle of nowhere, would he?
His frown gave her no answer.
“What exactly did you think you were doing? Did you think you were going to ride along in the wagon without being caught?”
