Gillian: Bride of Maine (American Mail-Order Bride 23) Read Online Free

as if giving each a silent blessing. “I’m afraid we did something out of love for you, Rhys, but let it simmer too long without your knowledge. And Gillian, you dear, were brought here by the village, not Rhys, though we hope you’ll be his wife this night.”
    “What the—”
    Father McDonald raised a hand to cut off Rhys before he could curse. “You’ve been lonely for years now, Rhys, and afraid to open your heart again. We all love you and only wanted to see you happy as you were before. So I took an advertisement out in the Grooms’ Gazette in your name. I provided the highest of recommendations to meet the paper’s, and the matchmaker, Miss Miller’s, high standards.” The priest nodded to Gillian. “Miss Darrow answered, and through her letters, she entered our hearts, as well. When I asked you to retrieve a young woman I thought of as family, it wasn’t a lie. At least not a complete lie.”
    Rhys noticed the priest mumbled the last line and crossed himself. He ground his teeth and held back the line of profanity burning his tongue.
    “So you wrote to me?” Gillian swayed, and Rhys rested a hand on her back to keep her steady.
    The priest nodded. “Yes. Young Charlie would pepper Rhys with questions after we received your letters. Then we would meet in the church and compose a letter in reply we hoped was truthful as possible using his answers.”
    “So that’s why Charlie was suddenly so interested in everything I was doing and my feelings on marriage.”
    “I’m afraid so, Rhys.”
    Father McDonald reached into his jacket and pulled out a bundle of letters. “These are Gillian’s letters to you. I hope you’ll read them, son.”
    Rhys took the bundle and gave a sharp nod. He wanted to rail against the priest and people of the Bass Harbor, but he couldn’t. His gaze fell to Gillian, her face upturned to meet his in an honest and open fashion.
    “So, we won’t be married tonight?”
    Rhys’ fisted his hand and let it drop from her back. “No. I’m sorry, Gillian, but I have no intention of marrying again.” It felt strange using her given name, but it also felt very comfortable and right.
    Her shoulders dropped in defeat as hope died in her dark gaze. “I understand. This is the chance I took.” She rested her palm on his cheek. “I am sorry though. You seem like a good man. I so wanted a good man.”
    With that, she turned and walked from the room. Rhys turned his ire on Father McDonald. “How could you do that to her? She’s a fine lady; anyone can see it, and you’ve all lied to her and brought her here under false pretenses.”
    “They weren’t false, Rhys. Moreover, I think your heart is already telling you that truth. I still believe you should marry her and marry her this night.”
    “How can you ask that of me when you know everything about Miriam? You helped secure the annulment by the Church, for Pete’s sake.” How the priest could dismiss those dark months of petitioning the church for an annulment on the grounds of adultery, Rhys couldn’t fathom. It hadn’t taken long for Rhys to realize Miriam wasn’t cut out to be his wife, and his infatuation with her died before the end of their first year, but her betrayal cut him to the core. “Do you think I’ll take another woman to the seclusion of the lighthouse, so she can grow to hate me and then leave me for a rich man? No, Father, the shame of one divorce is enough to last me my whole life.”
    A strong hand landed on Rhys’ shoulder and squeezed. “When I received Gillian’s first letter, I read in her words the longing for peace and, yes, even seclusion. I also recognized a loving and faithful heart. Do you think we chose the first woman who wrote? We prayed and dissected every word for anything that might lead us to believe she would deceive you. I found nothing. Would you leave her single, penniless, and alone here in Bass Harbor, or send her back to an unknown, and I’m sure, equally harsh fate in