Adams, Eve - The Banished Bride [Brides of Bachelor Bay 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (20 page)

“Do you know something I don’t, Miles?”

“Now what kind of cousin would I be if I bothered you with, ahem,
petty
details.”

“The kind that doesn’t want me to make a scene.”

Miles grinned and the gesture never reached his unkind pale eyes. “There’s been rumor that someone has underbid you for your price on scrap lumber.”

Andrew tensed. “Is that so? And who would this someone be, precisely?”

“You know, his name escapes me at the moment.”

“How kind of you to mention this to Andrew.” Amelia jumped in the middle of their conversation in the hopes to sway Miles with a bat of her blue eyes. She even threw in a flirtatious smile. “Mr. Petty, you are truly one of a kind.”

“That I am, Miss Prescott.”

“Pray tell, if you were in Andrew’s position, what would you do?”

“Why, I’d be on the next boat back to San Francisco to save my business. Of course, with the most recent rumors, I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable leaving my beloved alone again.”

Amelia lost her smile and swung her shocked gaze up to Andrew, who’d grown red as his gaze hardened on Miles.

“Explain yourself, Miles.”

Miles brought his hand up and cracked a smile when Constance giggled beside him. “I mean no harm, cousin. Considering what you came home to this time…What that must have felt like, walking in on your own brother taking liberties with the woman meant to be your bride.”

He slithered his thin lips into a smile and looked at Amelia. “You are a very lucky woman, Miss Prescott. You have both Andrew and Noah completely captivated by your beauty.”

“Amongst other things,” Constance muttered loud enough for them all to hear.

Andrew pushed Amelia back and charged Miles, his hand doubled up into a fist. “How did you possibly hear about that?”

“You forget that your aunt is also mine. She so loves her afternoon tea. Since Miss Prescott here is challenged when it comes to the simple task of making tea, I’ve been having a coach bring her to my house on some afternoons.”

So that was where Mildred had been disappearing to. Miles used the old woman to spy on the Gallaghers. How dare he!

“Why you—”

“Come along, dear.” Andrew dragged her from Miles and Constance before she ended up making a scene. She’d never been a violent person, but she’d like nothing more than to haul off and punch that Miles Petty right in his pale, puffy face.

“Oh, Andrew. How many others know of that horrid night?” As she glanced around, she saw too many pairs of eyes watching her, their combined heated glares sending her into a burning blush of humiliation.

“Apparently too many.”

“Where’s Noah?”

“If he knows what’s good for him, he’s already left.”

“There you are!”

Amelia and Andrew exchanged looks. Of course Noah wouldn’t know what was good for him.

He had a plate in each hand, one piled high with fried chicken and the other with a heaping plate of potato salad. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“We’re leaving,” Andrew told him.

Noah lost his smile. “Why? I stood in line for this.”

“We’ll take it with us then.” Amelia grabbed his arm and pulled them both toward the buggy.

“Harlot,” someone called out.

Amelia slowed to see one of the last of the single brides staring right at her. “What did you just say?”

The woman held up a piece of paper and lifted her brow. “I had no idea how far you’d go to get attention. I pity you, Amelia Prescott.”

“I’m not looking for anyone’s pity.”

“That much is clear.” She shook the paper in her hand.

Amelia took it from her and read it. It looked like a journal entry to Lucy McTaggert’s journal. She didn’t have to read the entire entry to know it didn’t put her in a favorable light. It described in elicit detail the excursions of Amelia’s time together with her men up in the meadow behind town. “How did she know about this?”

“Does that matter? First you take Noah home and seduce him while Andrew is out of town, then you find a way to seduce them both right out in the open. Is there no end to your trickery? You should be ashamed of yourself. It’s hard enough for the rest of us to compete with your beauty. With you on your back, none of us stand a chance.”

“That does it.” Andrew stepped forward. “No one talks to my betrothed in that manner.”

The woman jumped back, yet didn’t lose that venomous smile. “I see you’ve convinced at least one Gallagher to take your hand. Congratulations.”

“She’s my betrothed as well,” Noah declared, and Amelia and Andrew muttered the same curse.

There were several gasps in the crowd.

Someone shouted out. “Are you saying you are both going to marry her?”

Noah thrust out his chin and squared his shoulders. “Absolutely.”

“That’s illegal!”

“That’s immoral!”

“Heathens!”

Andrew and Noah pushed through the crowd, and Amelia tried to ignore the hateful things she heard directed at her. Words she only heard on the ship coming over from Boston now rested in her ears, all because of her.

“Oh no,” Amelia whimpered as the crowd closed in around them. “Andrew? Noah?”

Andrew pushed both her and Noah away from him. “Get her out of here, Noah. I’ll take care of this.”

“Are you sure? I can’t leave you alone like this, brother.”

He nodded, first at Noah and then at Amelia. He mouthed something Amelia didn’t catch and she hollered out for him, but the shouts from the crowd drowned her out.

When Noah tried to pull her from Andrew, she jerked out of his grasp and turned back. “Andrew!”

“Take her, Noah! Now!”

“No.” She jerked away, shock and panic racing through her veins. She couldn’t leave him to face this angry crowd alone. This was her fault, not his. “Andrew!”

Noah grabbed Amelia’s hand and dragged her away from the park, away from the crowd spouting such hateful things. She kicked and clawed at his hands, screaming for him to let her go. She had to get to Andrew and stand by him. He shouldn’t be forced to face this alone.

“Let me go!”

“Amelia.” He didn’t raise his voice and that had more of an effect on her than if he had. “This is no place for a lady. Come with me now.”

“Noah, I can’t.”

“I will come back and stand by my brother, and I won’t be alone. You have to trust us. Please, as your future husbands, trust us.”

She stopped struggling and allowed him to lead her away. Once he had her tucked into the buggy and had them out on the road, he turned to her. “Pay no mind to them, Amelia.”

She broke down and buried her face in her hands. She’d never had so many people hate her. No, they didn’t just hate her. They now hated Andrew and Noah as well, and it was all her fault.

“How can I not? Noah, this is terrible. I’ve placed Andrew in terrible danger. And you! You plan to go back to fight with him. Oh, this is all my fault.”

“We’ll figure something out.”

“But I wish to marry you both. Surely that makes a difference.”

“Of course it does,” he said and smiled at her, but she saw the truth in his eyes. He knew better. Anything outside of what a person perceived as normal was not acceptable.

Noah pulled the buggy up in front of Mildred’s house. “Stay here until one of us comes for you. Understood?”

She nodded. “Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

“I’ll be fine. I plan to gather the rest of my brothers and help Andrew before his pride gets him killed.”

She watched him pull the buggy up next to the large Gallagher homestead and jump out. He disappeared inside the house, and Amelia opened the door.

“I’m afraid you’re too late.”

She heard Mildred’s voice and frowned. Who was she talking to? Amelia walked into the main room and stumbled to a stop.

No. Oh, dear God.
No!

“Uncle,” she whimpered, not able to hide the terror in her voice.

Uncle Robert grinned and turned to her. She took a step back when he took one toward her. “There you are, my dear. I’ve been waiting for you. We have a boat to catch.”

“Amelia, this man claims to be your relative.”

“He is.”

Mildred frowned. “I see no resemblance. He’s short and frumpy, and seems to have overactive sweat glands.”

“Hold your obnoxious tongue, woman.”

“You do not talk to her like that!” Amelia charged a step toward him.

He laughed and put up his pudgy hands. “I had no idea you felt a soft spot for the old woman. My apologies. Get your things. We’re leaving.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Fine. Don’t get your things. Your new husband will probably keep you on your back anyway.” He gave her a once-over. “From what I hear, that’s not a new position for you.”

Amelia gasped when Mildred walked right over and slapped him across his fat face. She then screamed when he backhanded her and sent her flying. She fell to the ground, and Amelia started toward her.

Uncle Robert hooked her around the waist. “I don’t think so, honey. You have no idea the shit I’ll get if I don’t bring at least one of you back with me.”

“Unhand me!” She punched at him until her fists ached. “I’m not leaving with you! I’m betrothed.”

“To two men, no less. Don’t look at me like that. It isn’t that big of a town. Word travels fast.” Uncle Robert glanced around the room. “So where are they?”

“At the park, defending my honor.”

He laughed, loud and hard, and it brought tears to her eyes. She’d never be able to break free from his grip. If she screamed no one would come to her aid. All of the Gallagher’s were now at the park, fighting off a crowd, all due to her.

She’d brought this fate upon herself, and worse, she’d dragged Andrew and Noah—and even dear Aunt Mildred—with her. If only there were a way to right the plethora of wrongs she’d done since arriving in Port Steele.

Unless…

The answer hit her so hard she stopped struggling. She thought about the common cause of all the chaos storming around her .

Her.

If she removed herself from the lives of those she loved, they’d no longer be in this situation. They’d no longer be in danger.

Swallowing her fear, she put the lives of her true family ahead of hers. “If I leave with you, will you promise to do one thing for me?”

“And that is?”

“Tell Lizzie and Liv that I died on the boat back to Boston.”

Uncle Robert scrunched his caterpillar eyebrows together so they joined. “Why would you want me to do that?”

“That’s my only request.” He didn’t deserve an explanation for her wishes. She owed him nothing and prayed her sacrifice would finally bring peace to her sisters.