Free A Convenient Bride by Cheryl Ann Smith

from the day’s ride having taken a toll. He watched her sleep, his arousal returning with a vengeance. Emitting a low frustrated growl, he snatched the rolled quilt from the bed, dragged the room’s only chair to the window, put his bare feet on the sill, and jerked the blanket over him.
    A night of suffering in the uncomfortable chair would be his penance for his heated thoughts. A mistake would be to share the bed with her. He knew better than to tempt fate.
    With moonlight filtering over his face, he slowly drifted into a fitful sleep.

Chapter Seven

    R ichard waited downstairs while Brenna reluctantly climbed from the bed to dress. The crumpled shirt and makeshift trousers had smelled so much like horse and grime the previous night that they offended her senses. She blanched at the thought of putting them back on and wished she’d thought ahead to pack a gown. Unfortunately, without that option, she had no choice but to seek out the offending items.
    With her resolve weakening, she forced herself toward the corner where she’d tossed the garments, but they were not to be found. Then she noticed a dress hung over the chair behind the screen. Upon further investigation, she found it to be nearly new, blue cotton, with the skirt divided for riding astride.
    Beside it was her slightly frayed cloak, shaken free of road dust and pressed.
    She smiled, delighted.
    Richard. He’d obviously ordered the dress sometime after she’d fallen asleep so that they could continue north without the delay of searching for a shop, though she suspected a delay was not his only reason for the purchase. His senses were likely offended by her old clothing, too.
    She didn’t care where the dress came from, only that it was clean and the skirt altered for riding.
    After hurrying through her toilet, she braided her hair intoone plait down her back and stepped into the gown. Though slightly bigger than she, the item fit nicely.
    When she joined him a few minutes later, she found him halfway through a breakfast of sausages, ham, and coddled eggs. A second plate awaited her arrival.
    The great room was half full of travelers and surly characters, but she gave them little notice. Richard had chosen a table in a corner, his face still unshaven and looking far more handsome than he should. Her heart skipped a beat.
    “Thank you for the dress,” she said, taking a seat across from him and placing the cloak on an open chair. She picked up her fork and gave him a luminous smile. “I hoped you burned my old garments.”
    He grunted in reply. Brenna was certain she’d seen a brief flicker of appreciation over her fresh appearance, despite his surly mood.
    “We should reach Gretna Green by tonight, then?” She took a bite of eggs, and he nodded. “I hope we find Anne. I would hate to think I’d spent these last few days enduring your foul moods for naught.”
    He paused and lifted his eyes to her. She stared innocently. He frowned and continued eating.
    “And as I have been an excellent companion and investigator, I shall expect payment.” She indicated the dress. “This dress will make an excellent wedding gown.”
    His fork clattered on his plate.
    “Once we are wed,” she continued unabated, “my father will have to accept you as my husband. Any anger he has over my running off to Scotland with you will dissipate under his happiness to see me successfully matched.”
    He grunted and spoke through a bite of ham. “Your father will despise me.”
    Brenna chewed down a nibble of sausage. “Once our first child is born, he will forgive you.” She knew she shouldn’t tease him but enjoyed it nonetheless. “By child five, you will have fully returned to his good graces.”
    Richard looked as though he wanted to paddle her. She reached for her teacup. “Oh, do not scowl so. I am teasing you. Truthfully, I need a husband, and you need a wife. If the worst happens and Anne married that bounder, you won’t want hischild inheriting Beckwith