Jane Bonander Read Online Free Page A

scolding him for his behavior the night before. She’d thought that having a watchdog around was the perfect solution to her problems. After last night, she realized there was no such thing.
    Corey squeezed past her and scooted down the steps.
    “Stay right where I can see you, Corey. If you mind Mama, we’ll play a game later.” Susannah watched his attempt to throw the ball for Max to retrieve, and laughed as he dissolved into giggles when Max ignored the ball and licked his face.
    Her gaze went to the fallen tree that had been on the east side of the cabin since she’d arrived, and probably long before. Just looking at it made her tired. It would be perfect for firewood come winter, if she could get it chopped up. But she’d been putting it off.
    With a rueful smile, she realized there were many jobs she’d put off, simply because she didn’t know how to do them. She’d try, though. She’d grown accustomed to having every one of her efforts belittled, but now, she could try and fail, and no one would slap her or laugh at her. This new life, as hard as it was, was infinitely better than the life she’d left behind, or the one that had threatened to keep her there.
    She carefully took the jiggly porch steps and knew that was another project she’d have to tackle. Corey never remembered her warning from one day to the next, and she was afraid one of these times he’d trip and fall, hurting himself.
    You’re a bad mother, just like Fiona was.
    Susannah stiffened, and curled her hands into fists. No! She wa
s not
like her mother. It had been days since she’d heard that nasty voice inside her head; she’d hoped it was gone for good. Squaring her shoulders, she made up her mind to ignore the images and voices from her past and concentrate on building a good life for her and Corey.
    She went around to the side of the porch, picked up the ax that leaned against the cabin and dragged it to the tree. For a moment, she stood still, listening to the sounds around her as her gaze traveled over the low ridge of hills that shielded her little valley from another. The hills were no longer a deep, rich green; they had abruptly turned a burnished gold that was slowly fading to brown. Up beyond the hills, below the snow line, the pine studded mountains were purple and black.
    With a wistful sigh, Susannah turned to her task. She lifted the ax, grunting at the weight of it, and brought it down on the dead tree. The backlash from the contact created a dull ache in her head, and, unfortunately, she’d barely chipped the bark of the tree. Gritting her teeth, she whacked the tree again and again, finding a small measure of satisfaction in her slow progress.
    Finally exhausted, she stopped and stretched. As she massaged a cramp along her spine, Max took off across the yard, barking furiously.
    Alarmed, Susannah turned. Her alarm changed to fear when she saw a man on horseback coming toward her.
    “Corey.” She felt an urgency she could not conceal. “
Corey, go inside
.”
    Apparently Corey had noticed the rider, too. With eyes as big as saucers, he toddled to the porch, crawled up the steps and went into the cabin.
    As the rider drew closer, Susannah recognized him as the man who had saved her from Eli Clegg—twice. Her cabin was off the beaten path. No one just “happened” to come by. She frowned, wondering what he wanted this time.
    A reluctant memory shook her, reminding her that perhaps the world wasn’t a big enough place in which to hide.
    The man openly watched her. “Everything all right here this morning?”
    “Everything’s fine, thank you. It wasn’t necessary for you to stop by again.” Hoping to ignore him, she took another pathetic whack at the tree.
    Max continued to bark.
    “Excuse me, ma’am. The dog is spooking my horse.”
    She eyed him cynically. “I thought you had a way with dogs.”
    “I do, but my horse doesn’t,” he answered with a wry smile.
    “Then perhaps you should leave,”