Free His Brother's Bride by Denise Hunter Page B

ground, she whisked him off for a bath.
    By the time a simple supper was on the table, Cade was too angry to eat. Did she have any idea the fright she’d given him? He glanced at her over his glass of lemonade. She’d hardly spoken two words all through the meal. But then she didn’t need to with Adam here. The more details the boy gave about their little outing, the more he wanted to give Emily what for.
    She met his gaze then, and he gave her a look that promised a heated discussion later.
    â§
    Emily eyed Cade across from her, the ache in her stomach spreading outward and filling her with dread. Her relief at finding their way out of the cave had only lasted as long as it had taken to arrive home. Once she’d seen the worry and anger on Cade’s face, she’d known she was in for a dressing-down.
    â€œGet on upstairs and get ready for bed,” Cade told his son.
    Obediently, Adam wiped his mouth then trotted up the stairs.
    Cade’s chair scraped loudly across the plank floor, and Emily jumped.
    Without a word, he left the table, and Emily began gathering up the dirty dishes.
    She drew in a deep breath, exhaling loudly. She was plumb tuckered from the long day. Putting in chores, then searching for the gold, then getting lost. . . She smothered a yawn. Just before the lantern had flickered out, she’d seen the cave opening with the moonlight streaming in. If the light had gone out earlier, she and Adam might still be lost in the belly of the cave. She shuddered at the thought. After tonight, the thought of going back into the dank cave was more than she could bear. She could still smell the stale moisture of the rock walls, still feel them closing in on her.
    The floor creaked above her head, and her stomach twisted. Cade was waiting until he had her alone to confront her. He hadn’t had to tell her that; it was plain in the look he’d given her.
    She dried off the last plate, hung the towel to dry, and dumped the dirty water.
    She passed Cade on the stairs as she went up to bid Adam good night. He avoided her gaze, and her heart sunk. She was dreading the confrontation. She was guilty, after all, of causing him worry. And what if he’d become suspicious? What else had Adam told him about their adventure today? Would Cade believe she’d taken Adam there solely as a diversion for him?
    In Adam’s room, she sat on the edge of his bed and told him a story she made up as she went along. The story grew so long, she realized she was stalling. Finally, she tacked on an appropriate ending and smiled as Adam clapped with glee.
    After kissing the boy on the cheek and ruffling his dark hair, Emily blew out the flame in the lantern and pulled his door shut.
    She turned and faced the stairs with equal measures of dread and resolve. Might as well get this over with.
    He was waiting for her by the hearth when she entered the room. He turned, his face a mask of anger, his hand grasping the rough-hewn mantel.
    He wasted no time with trivialities. “Do you have any notion of the worry you caused me tonight?”
    She opened her mouth, but he wasn’t finished.
    â€œAt first I thought you’d just lost track of time. But when it started getting dark and you still weren’t back, that’s when I really fretted.”
    He crossed his arms over his broad chest.
    Her legs quaked under her and she sank onto the couch, hating the way he now towered over her.
    â€œWhat do you think you were doing in that cave? What if you hadn’t found your way out? What if it had collapsed on you—those things happen, you know. Or maybe you don’t know. Maybe you just went on your frivolous adventure all willy-nilly, never mind the chores that were waiting or the dangers of the cave, you took my son, my son, and risked his life.”
    â€œI’m sorry, I—”
    Cade continued, mentioning dangers of caves she hadn’t even known existed. Her gaze clung to her