Hannah Howell Read Online Free Page A

move away. “Wait a moment, please.”
    “Ah, ye have finally decided to ask me that question, have ye?”
    “How did you know I had something I wanted to ask you?” The shock of having him guess her intentions stole some of her resolution.
    “Ah, weel, ye had that air about ye, lass,” he replied as he resumed his seat by her side. “Ye are a wee bit tense, as if ye are steadying yourself for something,but when ye didnae say anything—” He shrugged. “I decided ye must have had a change of heart.”
    “No, I have not changed my mind. In truth, I
cannot
change my mind.”
    “Weel, then ask me what ye wish. ‘Tis always best just to spit these things out.”
    She felt that he was probably right, but the words were stuck firmly in her throat. Despite the speeches she had hurriedly rehearsed, she could think of nothing to say. The way Ballard sat there watching her with an amiable expression was not making it any easier. There was little doubt in her mind that, unless she presented her plan with the utmost care, he was going to think she was utterly mad, yet no clever words or phrases presented themselves.
    The harder she thought, the worse her confusion became, until, in sheer desperation, she blurted out, “Will you marry me, Mr. MacGregor?”

Chapter Two
     
    Ballard blinked, then stared at her blankly for a moment. He noted a little dazedly that her soft ivory skin was now tinted a lovely rose. Finally he shook his head, but that did not dislodge the words he had just heard.
    “Did ye just ask me to marry ye?” he asked cautiously, still afraid that he had misheard and would now embarrass himself.
    “Yes, I did. Oh, I am dreadfully sorry,” she said, her meager courage swiftly waning. “I am doing this all wrong, terribly wrong. I had it all planned out so that I would approach the matter slowly, asking a few questions, then explaining a few things, and only then putting forth my proposition, but you started to leave sooner than I had planned. That put me into such a state of confusion and—” She stared at him, wide-eyed, when he lightly placed one long finger over her full mouth.
    “Ye are getting yourself into a dither, lassie. Why dinnae ye just start all over again, doing it just as ye planned to? Ask me your questions, make all yourexplanations, and we can see how it rides. Weel, what did ye want to ask me?” he prodded gently when she hesitated.
    She sighed and nervously smoothed her skirts. “All right. Why did you want to marry Sarah Marsten, aside from the fact that she is very comely?”
    “Weel, I did notice that first,” he admitted.
    “Ye-es, I am certain you did,” she drawled.
    “Also, she showed some interest and was willing to let me call on her. She is a lady and all, with learning and fine manners. I am a rough mon, I ken it, and I live a rough life, but Kentucky is getting settled. ‘Tis a state now and ‘tis becoming mighty civilized. I reckon I was looking to take some of that culture back home with me. How did ye feel about that Thomas fellow?” he asked in an abrupt change of subject.
    “That can wait. I am not finished with my questions yet.”
    “Fine then, ye ask me a few more. Then I shall be wanting an answer.”
    Clover was about to tell him that it was none of his business how she felt about Thomas, but quickly bit back the tart words. It certainly
was
his business if he accepted her proposition. If he was to be her husband, he had every right to know all about her former beau.
    “There is only one more question,” she said. “Did you think of marriage only when you saw Sarah Marsten or was the thought of marriage already in your head and she just seemed suitable?”
    “I was thinking of marriage when I set out from Kentucky. This summer I will see in eight and twenty years. I have got my house built, my land’s all cleared and is producing nicely, and the horses I breed arefetching a fair price. So now I am able to set aside some coin and spend it on