Page 1 of The Mountain Man's Unexpected Bride
Prologue
11 years ago
Savannah
I'm kneeling at my father's bedside, and my stomach is tied up in knots. I knew he was sick, but I didn't think it was this bad. His hand is cold and clammy as I hold it between my own, and I can tell he's having a hard time breathing.
"Nooni…"
"Yes, daddy. I'm here with you."
There's rustling behind me where the three of them stand, waiting like vultures. I've tried to be good, kind, and welcoming, but it's no use.
"Nooni, Nika will take care of you…when I'm gone."
My blood freezes at that. That means all is lost, because Veronika is not a nurturer. She's a witch.
"Daddy…"
There are no words. My father is dying and I'm going to be left alone. No, even worse. I'll be at the mercy of my stepmother and her equally evil daughters.
"I love you, Nooni."
He opens his eyes for a brief moment to make sure I understand how he feels about me.
"I love you, too, Daddy."
His eyes close, and Veronika starts to pull me away. From what I can see, he's still breathing, but it's very weak. My stepmother leans down to hear his whispers. I hear my name and imagine he's asking her to take care of me.
I stand beside Masha and Dima. They are crying. Could they love him as much as I do? Are those real tears? The doctor takes a chair to where Veronika is still leaning down, listening to my father. She accepts the chair without saying a word.
Then we watch and wait. The doctor checks my father’s vitals every half hour or so, but his dour face never changes from sadness. He's a good friend of my father's and was there for my birth. He took care of my mother when she fell ill.
It's close to midnight when I see my father grow agitated, and I see him take his last few breaths. The doctor leans down and takes the vitals again. I hear the sigh of defeat as he tells us that Nikolai Ivanov has finally passed.
Grief fills me, and silent tears roll down my face as I mourn my father. I throw myself at the feet of the bed and grab at the sheets to feel a connection to him.
I'm not really sure what's happening, but I feel motion around me. Then I'm pulled by the collar of my dress and dragged across the room. It's my stepmother, and she's angry. When she gets me to the door, she opens it and shouts to one of my dad's staff who's waiting in the hallway.
"Take her and lock her in her room. I'll deal with her later."
The man seems surprised by the request, but acts quickly, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me down the corridor towards the stairs. When we get to my room, he opens the door and waits for me to go in. The tears haven't stopped flowing down my face, but now for a different reason. I'm alone.
He gives me an apologetic look and closes the door, locking it before I hear his steps fade away. If I thought the last two years had been bad, I can hardly conceive what my life will be like from this moment on.
The next morning, I'm summoned to the living room, and Veronika and her daughters seem to be having some sort of party. I'm outraged by this and express my feelings.
"My father just died! Why are you celebrating?"
"Don't take that tone with me. Here, I've got a list of tasks for you to take care of. If any of the servants need anything, they can ask you to do it, and you'll add it to your list."
I'm dumbfounded and grab the sheet of paper she's waving at me. The to-do list is huge, and some of the tasks will be hard for a ten-year-old to accomplish.
"What about my studies?"
"If you have time, you can listen in on the lessons my daughters receive."
"But you promised my father…"
