Free Mail Order Bride: Westward Dance by Linda Bridey Page B

house, Mikey in tow.
Trouble followed them and jumped up with Seth.
    “Seth, my husband informs me that
you’re going to sit outside for a while,” she said.
    “Yeah. I’m going crazy in here, Tessa.
I’m not used to this,” he said.
    Tessa had come to know her
brother-in-law as the rugged outdoorsman who would sleep out in the
open as long as the weather was nice. Like Dean, he was used to
being in constant motion during the day and playing hard at night.
She knew his reputation with women around the area, but also knew
that he was a good man. Her heart went out to him. She couldn’t
imagine how hard this must be for him.
    “Well then, you’re going to need a few
cushions to put on those chairs they’re bringing over from your
bunkhouse. Come, Mikey, and help your Mama, ok? We’re going to help
Uncle Seth.”
    “’ Kay. Help, shush,” Mikey
said. He went over to Seth and gave him a hug. “Unc
Shush.”
    Seth hugged him back and kissed his
head. “Thanks, buddy. Now go help your mama.”
    “’ Kay. Mama, me help.”
Mikey went to her.
    Tessa took his hand. “Let’s
go.”
    Seth watched them leave and thought how
lucky his brother was to have such a wonderful woman for a wife and
three beautiful kids. He had a sudden wish for a family of his own
and then wondered where it had come from. Seth had never planned to
settle down. It just wasn’t his style. He was perfectly happy
running the cattle drives and traveling around and that didn’t fit
in with having a wife and family.
    Maddie came into the room and her
beauty mesmerized him again. She was wearing one of the simple
dresses like Tessa wore and she’d put her hair in a long braid that
she wore over one shoulder. With her hair down like that, her blue
eyes seemed even bigger and Seth could well imagine getting lost in
them forever.
    “’ Morning,” Seth said. “Did
you sleep all right?”
    Maddie wasn’t going to tell Seth that
she hadn’t been able to sleep for a long time. The sensation of his
kiss on her hand had stayed with her and brought about conflicting
feelings. She’d had no contact in that respect with a man ever
since the attack and wasn’t sure how she felt about it. On one
hand, Maddie had enjoyed it very much, but on the other, it had
been unexpected and she hadn’t been prepared for the rush of
emotions it invoked inside.
    “I slept very well, thank you. How are
you today?” she asked.
    His face, handsome as it was, showed
his fatigue and pain. “About the same. The army is assembling and
moving me outside. It’ll be a good change for me.”
    Maddie nodded. “Yes. I agree. What can
I do?”
    “Ask your sister. I’m not sure what
they have up their sleeves,” Seth said. “Um, I’m sorry about last
night. Not the story; that was too much fun. I’m talking about the
other thing. Not sorry I did it exactly, but sorry if it bothered
you.”
    He watched as her eyes lowered in an
indication that she had been affected, but he couldn’t figure out
if it was a good thing or bad.
    Maddie wasn’t sure how to answer him at
first. She didn’t want to offend him, but felt that she should be
honest. “I was surprised; however, it was also pleasant. That’s the
first contact of that sort that I’ve had since…” Her words trailed
off because she was too bashful to finish the sentence.
    Seth smiled. “I get what you’re saying.
Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.”
    Maddie gave him a small, coy look. “I
didn’t say that it couldn’t. I’m just asking for
patience.”
    Joy surged through Seth at her words.
“I’m not usually much for patience, but in this case, I’ll make an
exception.”
    Maddie chuckled. “Thank
you.”
    Tessa came out of her and Dean’s room
lugging some cushions. “Oh, Maddie, can you please help
us?”
    “Certainly,” she said.
     
    After breakfast, Seth was safely
ensconced under the oak tree. They’d sat three chairs in a row and
laid cushions on them. Physically moving Seth had been