Free White Wolf by Susan Edwards

caught dead in any of those. ” She waved her hand toward the shelf of ready-made boots. “And besides, I’m not going to walk. I’m riding in the wagon. You know I have to protect my skin from the sun,” she said, lifting her skirts to flounce up the stairs.
    Jordan shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Pick out two pairs of boots for her. I’ll make sure she takes them.” He then followed his wife up the stairs.
    Orvil grinned. Yep, his little girl would be in good hands. Then he thought of something else. He lowered his voice. “Jordan?”
    “Yes, Mr. Baker?”
    “She’s not going to be happy about Jessie.”
    Jordan leaned over the wooden banister. “Coralie’s a married woman now, Mr. Baker. She and Jessie will have to make their peace.”
    Orvil listened to Jordan tromp upstairs. It wouldn’t be that simple, and he admitted to being a coward. He didn’t want to be anywhere near his daughter when she found out Jessie was going to Oregon.
    “You heard right, Coralie. Jessie is going to Oregon as our young brother,” Jordan announced, leaning one hip against the windowsill, his hat in his hands.
    “But how? I mean…” Coralie was momentarily stunned. This couldn’t be!
    Elliot, lounging in an upholstered Sleepy Hollow armchair, smirked at his sister. “You’d best start calling her Jessie or Jess from now on, Cora.”
    Coralie sniffed and turned to sit sideways in her chair, presenting her brother with her back. She hated to be called Cora and her brother knew it, but with Jordan looking on, she kept her features perfectly schooled as she continued her role as hostess and finished pouring the tea. She delivered a fragile cup and saucer to each man, then resumed her seat. Picking up her own cup, she took a careful sip of the hot liquid. “Surely you jest, Jordan,” she said, looking at him through her lashes.
    “No, Jessie is going with us, and though I have some reservations about pulling this off, I’m glad. It never felt right leaving her behind.”
    “But she can’t go to Oregon disguised as a boy! It’s—it’s preposterous.” Coralie ducked her head, letting her blond curls fall to curtain her face. Her nostrils flared with displeasure. She didn’t want to travel all the way to Oregon with Jessie. She’d planned on using the time alone with her husband’s family to establish herself as the lady of the household—a position she refused to share. Though a slow tide of anger rolled through her, she didn’t dare let Jordan see how his news affected her.
    She composed her features before lifting her head. Her eyes were innocently wide when she looked at her husband. “But Jordan, how gauche, pretending that Jessica’s your brother. Surely you can’t expect me to lie?” she asked, her voice high and breathless as her fingers fluttered at her throat.
    Ignoring Elliot’s muffled laughter, Coralie fanned her flushed cheeks with one white-gloved hand. “Why, the mere thought of practicing such deceit, especially after we had the good fortune to enjoy the reverend’s sermon on trust and honesty just last Sunday, does make me feel all-overish.”
    Jordan coughed and Elliot stood, clapping his hands. “Cora, that was one of your best performances to date. But I do feel I must remind you that truth and honesty or lack thereof have never seemed to bother you before. I propose that you go about your normal business and ignore those virtues in this instance.”
    Coralie laughed nervously. “Really, Elliot.” She turned her head to gauge her husband’s reaction and saw his lips twitch.
    Elliot sat down with a chuckle. “Jessie has courage and spunk.”
    Jordan grimaced and moved from the window to stand beside his wife. “Let’s just hope she keeps away from Wolf. Catching a weasel asleep will be easier than fooling that one. I wouldn’t want that man for an enemy.”
    Coralie opened her mouth to argue her opinion of Jessica’s deceitful plan, but Jordan knelt before her, and her