Free Twice Promised (The Blue Willow Brides Book #2): A Novel by Maggie Brendan Page B

second he envisioned her looking out the window, those incredible eyes searching for him or waiting for him to return from a buying trip.
    Jess shook his head to clear his muddled mind. What had happened to his head since yesterday? Quickly, almost forcibly, he grabbed Greta by the elbow and steered her out of the street to the porch, where Zach and the others stood gaping at what had just happened.
    “My goodness, girl!” Granny traipsed down the porch steps. “That was a close call. What in tarnation—” She stopped when she saw the puppy in Greta’s arms. “Well, I declare . . .”
    “I’m fine, everyone. Now we need to find out who’s the owner of this sweet little puppy. Do you know, Zach?”
    Zach walked over and patted the puppy. “I haven’t a clue. There’re plenty of strays around here, and people dump pets when they move on.”
    Greta’s blue eyes grew wide. “How could they? That seems so cruel.”
    Jess let out a sigh. Could she really be that naïve? He almost laughed seeing her splattered with mud, since she seemed quite fussy about her appearance.
    “Be that as it may, they still do it,” Granny said.
    “Greta, come on in and let’s get you cleaned up,” Cora said, taking the pup and pushing it toward Zach. “Would you please see to its needs until we can find the owner?”
    Seeming reluctant, Zach took the pup and looked around as if to say, “Now what?”
    Jess shrugged. “You’re the one with all the ideas, remember?”
    The sounds of a harness and horse hooves caught the small group’s attention, and they all turned to see a sleek black surrey trimmed with scarlet fringe halt at the hitching post in front of the mercantile. Jess already had Greta, a puppy, and Granny to deal with first thing this morning, and now there was Agnes in all her finery stepping onto the scene to pay a visit. No doubt to pour salt in his wounds. Zach handed the dog back to Greta and moved to assist Agnes.
    ———
    Greta stared intently at the vision of beauty in the fancy carriage. She watched the lady climb down from her wagon and noticed her trim, slender ankle, briefly exposed above the delicate slipper that matched her stylish blue dress. Her head and shoulders were perfectly straight, and her broad hat was trimmed in pale blue roses. She tipped her head slightly upward to speak softly to Zach, smiling through perfectly even teeth as they strolled toward the group.
    Greta realized that she’d been openly staring when she finally heard the voice coming from the lovely vision as she drew nearer to them. Whoever she was, the very sight of her commanded a certain attention, and Greta couldn’t help but notice people on the sidewalk pausing to admire her. She was sure that the lady must be aware of the attention attributed to her arrival.
    That’s when she noticed Jess’s smile as he grasped her gloved hand and said hello. It was apparent that he knew her by the way he was looking at her. Greta stiffened. More competition? Somehow she managed to be cordial when Jess introduced her and Cora.
    “Ladies, I’d like you to meet Miss Agnes Cartwright,” Jess said, turning around with his hand at the small of Agnes’s back.
    “How do you do?” Agnes murmured with a nod of her head, then eyed Greta’s mud-caked dress.
    Greta mumbled a greeting, thoroughly feeling like Agnes was scrutinizing her entire ensemble. She felt like running up the stairs to hide until the beautiful lady was gone. If she thought Cora’s clothing stylish, then Agnes’s outfit outshined them all. Greta felt almost shabbily dressed in her homespun working dress and apron, and the mud only added to that effect.
    “So nice to meet you, Agnes,” Cora said. “Is there something in the store we can help you with?”
    Agnes’s eyes swept approvingly over Cora’s dress. “Could be,” she answered in a voice so rich it was like cream being poured out. No wonder men’s heads turned as she continued up the steps.
    “Let’s