Then Came You: A Prequel to The McPhee Clan Read Online Free
Author: Jillian Hart
have patches. If anyone is in need of a prince charming, it's you."
And she suspected what Lawrence was really saying is that he was the one in need of a Cinderella, of someone to fill the loneliness and emptiness in his life. Her heart twisted in sympathy, because she knew how that felt.
"Really, that's kind of you, Lawrence." She hiked up her chin, taking care to keep her voice gentle. "But I don't need a prince charming. I'm the kind of girl who puts her own shoe on, thank you, so please hand it over."
"Oh, if you're sure." His face fell. Disappointment etched onto his long, narrow face for one moment, as he thought it all over, then shrugged sheepishly. "Guess I already knew that, especially now that you're with Gil and all. That must be why I like you so much. You're independent, and that's a strength in a woman as beautiful as you are."
Stop already, she thought, biting her lip to keep from laughing. Really, what did it take? He'd already gotten the hint, in fact he understood her quite well, but did that stop him? No. She rolled her eyes heavenward, batting her eyelashes against the constant barrage of snowflakes, remembering to count to ten.
"I should help you with your wagon." Lawrence straightened his narrow shoulders, handing over her shoe. A thin note of hope rang in his words and hitched both eyebrows up in big, hairy arches. "Or perhaps I could offer you a ride?"
"No, thank you." Maebry clenched her back teeth, a bit frustrated. He had persistence, she had to give him that. "It was really nice of you to stop and offer assistance. Very gentlemanly."
"Well, I try." He knocked snow off the narrow brim of his bowler, looking her straight in the eye, for he was barely an inch taller than she was. "Guess I'll see you at the Montgomery's party, but keep me in mind. You know, if things don't work out with you and Gil. I mean, I have enough money to buy out your contract with Maureen, just something you might want to know."
"Oh. Well, Maureen won't cash me out, she's made that terribly clear." Her throat closed, cutting off her words. No one but Maureen—and she suspected Maureen's daughter Aumaleigh—knew the reason she was in such insurmountable debt. It wasn't enough that she was an indentured servant to Maureen, but she'd borrowed money too. Money that would take almost a decade of daily work to pay off.
Thinking of her little sister, her chin hiked up. It was worth it. "You are truly kind to stop, Lawrence. We'd both better get home before we freeze into icicles."
"Right." Lawrence planted his feet. "At least lean on me while you put on that shoe. No lady falls on my watch."
"Well, I—" She hesitated, not knowing what to say, when a dark looming shadow broke free from the veil. He dominated the storm, emerging from it as if the fury of wind and snow dared not touch him. Her pulse skipped a beat or two—likely from surprise, she thought, and not anything else like, say, complete and total happiness at seeing him.
"I'll take it from here, Latimer." Gil's deep tone held friendliness, but the low notes rang with an unspoken warning. "Thanks for stopping to help."
"S-sure. My pleasure." Lawrence paled again, terribly small when compared to the hulking cowboy. The little man tipped his bowler cordially and backed away toward his cart. "Couldn't drive by and leave a lady in distress."
"Right." Gil tipped his hat cordial but remote-looking, as expressionless as a rock. Hard to figure out what he was thinking.
Probably wondering why I'm standing here like a heron, she thought as Lawrence disappeared into the storm. Embarrassed, she lifted her stockinged foot to try and stick it into the shoe she held.
"Here, let me." Suddenly Gil was there, his big body blocking her from the wind. His gloved hand ripped the shoe from her grip and he knelt before her. "I can't have you falling over."
"I was never in danger of falling over."
"Still, it's my cowboy's duty to help those in need."
"I think that means the
And she suspected what Lawrence was really saying is that he was the one in need of a Cinderella, of someone to fill the loneliness and emptiness in his life. Her heart twisted in sympathy, because she knew how that felt.
"Really, that's kind of you, Lawrence." She hiked up her chin, taking care to keep her voice gentle. "But I don't need a prince charming. I'm the kind of girl who puts her own shoe on, thank you, so please hand it over."
"Oh, if you're sure." His face fell. Disappointment etched onto his long, narrow face for one moment, as he thought it all over, then shrugged sheepishly. "Guess I already knew that, especially now that you're with Gil and all. That must be why I like you so much. You're independent, and that's a strength in a woman as beautiful as you are."
Stop already, she thought, biting her lip to keep from laughing. Really, what did it take? He'd already gotten the hint, in fact he understood her quite well, but did that stop him? No. She rolled her eyes heavenward, batting her eyelashes against the constant barrage of snowflakes, remembering to count to ten.
"I should help you with your wagon." Lawrence straightened his narrow shoulders, handing over her shoe. A thin note of hope rang in his words and hitched both eyebrows up in big, hairy arches. "Or perhaps I could offer you a ride?"
"No, thank you." Maebry clenched her back teeth, a bit frustrated. He had persistence, she had to give him that. "It was really nice of you to stop and offer assistance. Very gentlemanly."
"Well, I try." He knocked snow off the narrow brim of his bowler, looking her straight in the eye, for he was barely an inch taller than she was. "Guess I'll see you at the Montgomery's party, but keep me in mind. You know, if things don't work out with you and Gil. I mean, I have enough money to buy out your contract with Maureen, just something you might want to know."
"Oh. Well, Maureen won't cash me out, she's made that terribly clear." Her throat closed, cutting off her words. No one but Maureen—and she suspected Maureen's daughter Aumaleigh—knew the reason she was in such insurmountable debt. It wasn't enough that she was an indentured servant to Maureen, but she'd borrowed money too. Money that would take almost a decade of daily work to pay off.
Thinking of her little sister, her chin hiked up. It was worth it. "You are truly kind to stop, Lawrence. We'd both better get home before we freeze into icicles."
"Right." Lawrence planted his feet. "At least lean on me while you put on that shoe. No lady falls on my watch."
"Well, I—" She hesitated, not knowing what to say, when a dark looming shadow broke free from the veil. He dominated the storm, emerging from it as if the fury of wind and snow dared not touch him. Her pulse skipped a beat or two—likely from surprise, she thought, and not anything else like, say, complete and total happiness at seeing him.
"I'll take it from here, Latimer." Gil's deep tone held friendliness, but the low notes rang with an unspoken warning. "Thanks for stopping to help."
"S-sure. My pleasure." Lawrence paled again, terribly small when compared to the hulking cowboy. The little man tipped his bowler cordially and backed away toward his cart. "Couldn't drive by and leave a lady in distress."
"Right." Gil tipped his hat cordial but remote-looking, as expressionless as a rock. Hard to figure out what he was thinking.
Probably wondering why I'm standing here like a heron, she thought as Lawrence disappeared into the storm. Embarrassed, she lifted her stockinged foot to try and stick it into the shoe she held.
"Here, let me." Suddenly Gil was there, his big body blocking her from the wind. His gloved hand ripped the shoe from her grip and he knelt before her. "I can't have you falling over."
"I was never in danger of falling over."
"Still, it's my cowboy's duty to help those in need."
"I think that means the
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