Promises Kept Read Online Free Page A

through the window, and Victoria had to force herself from the comfort of her small bed. She had tossed and turned all night, trying to decide what she should do. She walked to the window and pushed back the curtain, allowing the morning breeze to fill the room. Hearing voices from the street, she peeked out to see Mr. McBride talking to the stagecoach driver. Mr. McBride’s deep voice resonated in the quiet of the early morning, and the light of day did nothing to lessen his intimidating countenance. He looked even larger than he had last night with that big, black cowboy hat on his head. She watched as he tossed his valise to the top of the coach with little effort.
    The banker approached and Colt turned to him and shook his hand in farewell. The banker walked away and Colt opened the door to the coach and started to step inside, but paused in mid-motion. As if he knew she was watching, he tilted his head back and looked directly up at her window, pinning her with his dark gaze. Their eyes held for a long moment before he tipped his hat and climbed inside the stagecoach.
    Colt leaned back and stretched out his long legs in an effort to find a comfortable position in such a confining space. He thought about the woman at the boardinghouse window. He’d had a feeling someone was watching him, and when he caught her reflection in the window as he spoke to the banker, he was certainly surprised. He halfway expected it to be the hombres he’d tangled with in the restaurant last night. When he looked up at her, all he could do was stare. He’d never seen a more lovely sight, with her dark auburn hair cascading over her shoulder, shimmering in the morning sun. He had to force himself to get in the stagecoach and leave.
    He wasn’t sure why, but she’d occupied his thoughts most of the night. That was a first for him; he never lost sleep thinking about a woman. Cattle maybe, but a woman? Never. He told himself she was so lovely, any man would have difficulty forgetting someone like her. There were a few attractive women at home, but he couldn’t think of one who equaled her beauty. He covered his eyes with his hat and let out a loud sigh. If she didn’t have a family, he would have told the stagecoach driver to leave without him.
     
     
    Victoria was still thinking about Mr. Barlow’s letter as she rolled out the dough for biscuits. It’s a plumb crazy notion to travel clear to Wyoming to marry a complete stranger. What if he is nothing at all like his letter? What if he is the kind of man who beats women? He said he was a church-going man, but as she had learned from her past, there were no guarantees where men were concerned. She’d seen her share of supposed Christian men who beat women, particularly when whiskey was involved. What happens if I take the boys to Wyoming and he’s mean to them? What if . . . what if . . . what if . . . Her mind was reeling from the unanswered questions when Mrs. Wellington breezed into the kitchen a few minutes later.
    “Good morning, Victoria. It’s going to be hotter than blue blazes out there today.”
    “Yes, it is hot.” Victoria tried her best to sound like her mind wasn’t miles away in Wyoming. Before her mind caught up with her tongue, she blurted out, “I wanted to tell you that I’m going to Wyoming to see . . . an ill cousin. I will leave next Monday. That will give me time to find someone to help you out while I’m gone.” Her own words surprised her. She had planned on taking the day to think things through. Too late for that, she told herself. Her course was set and she would not back out.
    Mrs. Wellington crossed the room and put her arm around Victoria’s waist. “Oh dear, I hope no one is seriously ill. Are you taking the boys?”
    More lies. She couldn’t think about that, she had to keep her focus on the future for the boys. “Yes, I will,” she replied.
    “That is a long trip for two young boys. Why don’t you leave them here? I can look after