Free To Have and To Hold by Tracie Peterson, Judith Miller Page B

haughty behavior, he decided to begin anew. “I am here at your father’s request. He asked that I pay him a visit at my earliest opportunity. Since I am currently between jobs, I decided this would be the perfect time to journey south.”
    He didn’t miss the flash of surprise that crossed her face before she remembered to mask her emotions. This was one strange woman.
    Her eyebrows knit tighter than the knots in a fisherman’s net. “You say my father wrote to you? And he asked you to come to Bridal Veil Island?”
    â€œHe did. And I must say that from the reports I’d heard about Southern hospitality, I’m more than a little disappointed.” Marshall glanced toward one of the wicker chairs. “Since you’re obviously not going to invite me inside, I’ll just wait right here on the porch. I’m certain the chairs are comfortable.” He turned, took two giant strides, and dropped into one of the nearby chairs. “I hope I can at least count on you to tell your father of my arrival. I wouldn’t want to spend the night out here.” He tipped his head and gave her a cocky grin.
    Heat flooded Audrey’s cheeks. “I told you my father isn’t at home right now. You may await his return right where you are.” She turned on her heel and scurried inside before he could question her further.
    â€œSamson! Samson!” He heard the woman call from inside the house. “Samson, there’s a man on the porch awaiting Father. Please keep an eye on him.”
    Marshall shook his head. Good grief. What a ruckus she was stirring up. He imagined a beefy servant standing guard at the door to bar him from any discourteous deeds.
    â€œSorry to disappoint,” Marshall muttered.
    Settling back, he pushed his hat forward to shade his eyes, stretched his legs, and rested his head against the back of the chair. He didn’t know how long he’d been there before he was roused from his nap by someone grasping his shoulder. His hat slid to the ground, and he jumped to his feet.
    Before he came fully awake, Boyd Cunningham grasped his hand and offered a smile as wide as the front porch. “Marshall! What a great surprise,” he said as he took the chair next to him. “I was hoping you’d get down this way before winter set in up north.” The older man glanced at the house. “Why didn’t you go inside and have Audrey get you settled in one of the upstairs bedrooms?”
    Marshall bent down and swooped up his hat. “From all appearances, she was none too happy to see me, though I’m not sure why. I’ve tried to recall if I did or said something that would have offended her, but for the life of me, I don’t know what it would be.” A fat gray tiger-striped cat rubbed against his trouser legs before jumping up to sit on his lap. “She even called for someone to keep watch over me in case I caused trouble.”
    â€œTruly? And who did she call on?”
    Marshall gave the affectionate cat a scratch behind the ears. “Somebody named Samson. Said he was to keep watch over me.”
    Boyd laughed heartily. “Samson, eh? Well, meet your guardian.” He pointed to the cat.
    The cat gave a deep, throaty sound that came out more like a croak than a meow. Marshall looked at the animal and then to Boyd. “A guard cat?”
    Boyd sighed and shook his head. “Don’t worry about Audrey. She’s a bit standoffish from time to time. I didn’t tell her you were coming, so she’s probably unhappy with me.”
    Marshall didn’t believe that Audrey’s lackluster welcome had anything to do with her father. There’d been something else, something about him that had set her on edge. Maybe once they became acquainted she would tell him. Then again, he wondered if he’d be around long enough to thaw that icy exterior of hers. Samson jumped off Marshall’s lap, ambled off the