Free Aundy (Pendleton Petticoats - Book 1) by Shanna Hatfield Page A

chickens are any the wiser. Watch out for that little rooster. If he gives you any trouble, let me know. He’s got a pretty big attitude for such a little chicken.”
    Aundy laughed, which made Dent smile, and she nodded her head. “I’ll keep my eye on him. I’ll be going over to the Nash’s for dinner, so don’t worry if you don’t see me around for an hour or two.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” Dent said, tipping his hat and walking back to the barn. He’d wait until after supper tonight to let the guys know Aundy was keeping the farm and staying. He figured a few of the hands wouldn’t like that news, but they better get used to it. If he read her intentions correctly, Aundy would be right in the thick of things once her arm healed, if not before.
    Hastening into the house, Aundy decided she smelled like the barnyard and wanted to take a bath before going to the Nash’s. Filling the tub, she took a quick bath and washed her hair, finding it a challenge to accomplish with only one arm.
    Getting out of the tub, she towel dried her hair and shook it with her good hand, trying to get out most of the water before working her way into her clothes. Everything took twice as long when she only had one usable arm.
    Unable to put up her hair, she had become adept at pulling it back in combs and letting it hang loose. It seemed to always be in her way, but she didn’t know what else to do. Incapable of braiding it one handed or pinning it up, she managed the best she could. She was adjusting the second comb in her hair when she heard a knock on the front door. Leaving her bedroom, she grabbed her coat from a peg by the kitchen door and hurried to the front room.
    Opening the door, she was surprised to see Garrett standing on the front porch, holding his hat in his hand.
    “Mrs. Erickson,” Garrett said, smiling broadly as he took in Aundy’s fresh scent and glowing cheeks. Although he knew it was highly improper to think it, he wanted to pull the combs out of her still damp hair and bury his hands in the waving golden mass.
    For a fleeting moment, he was glad the cast on her arm kept her from putting up all that glorious hair. Trying to regain his focus, he looked into her face and felt himself drawn into the depths of her sky-blue eyes.
    Diverting his attention from her face and hair seemed the best course of action, so he looked down, admiring the fancy stitching on the hem of Aundy’s skirt.
    Surprised by the beautiful clothes she wore, he wouldn’t have expected someone who worked in a factory and traveled out west as a mail-order bride to be so well dressed. His mother mentioned something about Aundy’s sister being a talented seamstress. Maybe she’d added the elaborate embellishments to the woman’s wardrobe. “Ma said you were coming for dinner and asked me to fetch you.”
    “I’m fairly certain you have better things to do than escort me, Mr. Nash,” Aundy said, realizing Garrett spent a lot of time helping her since Erik’s accident. She knew he had his own ranch to run.
    Garrett’s silvery gaze met her blue eyes with a playful grin. “I reckon I might, but when Ma barks an order, we all jump to carry it out.”
    He refused to admit he would have volunteered for the job if his mother had asked someone else to get Aundy.
    For reasons he didn’t want to examine, he looked forward to time spent with the plucky widow. Garrett could spend all day listening to her lyrical voice and never grow tired of the sound, although she wasn’t one given to idle chatter.
    “So it would seem,” Aundy said, as her neighbor’s light-hearted comment made her lips turn up in a smile.
    “You ready to go?” Garrett asked, taking Aundy’s coat from her hand and helping her slip it on.
    “I believe so,” Aundy said, stepping outside while Garrett pulled the front door closed behind her. Not seeing a wagon or buggy outside, just Garrett’s saddle horse, she looked around, wondering how he planned to take her to the