Page 71 of Mail-Order Brides Wishes
Rowena had continued.“You don’t have a home. And even if you did, I’m not interested in living in the west. It’s a nice place to visit but…”Her words had trailed off. Her way of saying he'd need to fill in the details.
Almost four years ago. It was the past. And now the past had come to steal joy from the present.
She’d certainly not wasted any time marrying and having a little one.
Regrets, wishes, and despair jolted ran through his body and he kicked his horse into a gallop. He had to get home and settle things with Bryn.
Chapter Eighteen
Bryn rushed to the window at the beat of an approaching horse. Coming fast. Was it Flint? And if so, what did it mean?
ItwasFlint and he didn’t go to the barn but came directly to the house.
She pressed her hand to her throat, trying vainly to quiet the pounding thunder from her heart.
He hadn’t shaved in two days and whiskers darkened his jaw. He barely waited for the horse to stop before he left the saddle and trotted to the house. Everything about the way he moved spoke of urgency. But did that mean good or bad for her?
Her breath labored from her lungs.
The door slammed against the wall as he threw it open and stared at her. His Adam’s apple worked as he swallowed.
“We need to talk.” His words were hard.
She tried to answer but no words came, and she nodded.
He scanned the room. “Where’s Susie?”
“Outside.” She tipped her head to where she saw the child playing house with Kitty. Thankfully, the cat was a willing participant.
“Good. That’s good.” His hat clung to the hook where he tossed it. He rubbed his hand over his head, sending his hair into disarray. “How old is Susie?”
“What?” That was the last thing she’d thought she might hear. “Three.” Why was he asking when he knew the answer?
“When was she born? When did Rowena get married?”
“Flint, why these questions?”
“Just answer them.”
“Fine. Rowena and Manfred married two weeks after she returned.” She hated to give him that news. Surely it would make him feel even more keenly rejected by Rowena. “She said she’d made up her mind and saw no reason to delay. Manfred didn’t object. He’d been asking her to marry him for quite some time.”
Flint’s harsh breathing filled the room. “How long after they married was Susie born?” Each word came from his mouth like he was shooting out bullets.
“Only seven months.” She rushed on. “There was speculation, of course, but most of us put it down to the fact Rowena had been so sick throughout her pregnancy. Susie was thin at birth but seeing as Rowena had hardly been eating, it wasn’t a surprise.”
Flint’s gaze went to the window watching Susie. A long indrawn breath sucked the air from the room. He rubbed his forehead. Scrubbed at his neck and sighed again. Then brought his gaze to her.
“Bryn, I think that child might be mine.”
“Yours? You mean—?” She couldn’t even think it. The strength went out of her legs.
Flint shoved a chair under her and pulled out one for himself.
“You think you might have fathered a child?” Shock, surprise, and soul-deep disappointment made her words thin. Then anger replaced everything else. “You only wanted a wife to make your meals and run your house. I’m only a substitute just as I said.”
“It’s not like that at all. Will you let me explain?”
“Seems I don’t have a choice.” Though there was nothing he could say to erase the pain his words had inflicted.
