The Unexpected Bride (6 page)

It touched her deeply. He was a man who truly cared about people. Here he was, forced into a rather precarious situation with her, and yet he treated her with the utmost kindness and courtesy and protected her despite their highly unusual circumstances.

Haydon was what Ferrin should have been to her.

A guardian. A protector. A provider.

But Ferrin was quite the opposite. Under his care, she struggled daily with hunger, and most of her clothes had become threadbare, except for the few she had hidden
away in a trunk. And instead of protecting her, Ferrin had caused her bodily harm many times. That was why she had to flee her once-love-filled home. Homesickness sprinkled over her, but she washed it away. Instead, she determined to enjoy the rest of her day.

On her way to the meadow, she neared one of the smaller houses. A very pregnant woman was standing on the porch, leaning over the railing, shaking out a rug. Or rather the rug was shaking her.

Rainee hiked up her skirt and scurried toward her. “Would you like some help with that?”

The woman stopped and looked at her. “No, but thank you very kindly.” She tossed the rug over the porch rail and faced her. “My name is Hannah. Hannah Bowen.” She stepped off the porch and extended her hand toward Rainee. “And you’re Rainelle.”

“Yes, ma’am. I am Rainelle Victoria Devonwood.” She returned her handshake, then curtsied. “But please call me Rainee.”

Hannah looped her arm through Rainee’s and flashed her a mischievous smile. “I have someone who wants to meet you.”

Stunned by the woman’s fast speech and take-charge manner, all Rainee could do was nod.

Up the steps they went.

They stepped into a very tidy, roomy kitchen. Rainee was surprised to see the cabin was much bigger inside than it looked from the outside. Yellow curtains covered the long windows. A yellow cloth graced the table, and a bowl of fresh fruit had been set in the center of it.

Rainee tried to take in more of the room but was hurried into a bedroom off of the kitchen.

A man with a bandage wrapped around his head lay there with his eyes closed.

Not knowing what to do or say, Rainee waited near the foot of the bed.

“Sweetheart.” Hannah touched his arm. “Rainelle is here.”

The man bobbled his eyes open. “Rainelle.” He started to rise, but pain shrouded his face, and he immediately lay back down. “I’m Jesse.” His smile was wobbly and sheepish.

Hannah stepped off to the side of him, and Rainee stepped closer.

“I’m the one who sent for you.” He spoke as if every word pained him.

“Yes, I know.” She smiled shyly and did a quick curtsy.

“I want to apologize to you for bringing you out here under false pretenses. But to be perfectly honest with you, when I saw your ad, I prayed long and hard about it.” He rolled onto his side and strained toward the glass of water sitting on the nightstand. Hannah snatched it up and held the glass while he took several sips. “Thank you, sweetheart.” His eyes and smile spoke of the intense love he had for the woman.

Rainee envied Hannah. What she would give for a man to smile at her like that. To marry a man who truly loved her. She pushed those gloomy thoughts away.

“I would have never sent for you if I hadn’t had this peace inside of me.” He laid his hand on his chest. “I’m sorry.” His Adam’s apple slid up and down. “I must have missed God.”

Rainee desired to ease his mind straightaway. “There is no need for you to apologize. I prayed about my decision to come here as well. And I, too, had peace. At first I must say I was shocked to discover the truth. But
even so, I still believe that God, for whatever reason, led me here.”

The wrinkles around his eyes disappeared and his body relaxed. “Thank you, Rainee, for saying that. Now if only Haydon would forgive me,” he whispered and then his eyes drifted shut.

Hannah motioned for them to leave the room. “Would you like a cup of tea?”

“That would be lovely. But, please, allow me to get it.”

“Don’t be silly. I can do it.”

Rainee politely led the woman with her bulging stomach over to a chair and after finding all the ingredients, she fixed the tea.

An hour later, after Rainee shook out the remaining pile of rugs Hannah had by the front door, she headed toward the field, wondering what had happened to Jesse’s head.

Ever since the ride into town, Haydon felt scattered. He tried not to think of her, but every step brought a reminder of the situation, which inevitably yanked thoughts of her right back into his mind. Worse, every time he got things in his life and around the ranch under control, Jess and his willfulness did something to throw a kick into the works.

This morning he’d been so frazzled and frustrated when Michael told him Jess wasn’t coming out because he still wasn’t feeling well, in his haste to get the extra chores done so he could get to town, Haydon had left the corral gate open and the horses had gotten out. Gathering them by himself had cut mightily into his already-long day.

And now Kitty was missing.

If only he hadn’t been so thickheaded and allowed his anger at his brother to get the best of him, then Jess wouldn’t be laid up and he wouldn’t be dealing with Rainee. There she was again, invading his thoughts. He pressed his hand down his face. It was driving him to distraction seeing what Jess’s latest antics were costing that poor woman. And himself. Having Rainee around was wreaking havoc in his life. He had enough pressures to deal with—he didn’t need to add a woman on top of everything else. “That Jess,” he grumbled.

No more dwelling on it, Haydon. You have work to do.

“Here, Kitty.” Haydon swung his leg over the saddle and dismounted. “Come here, Kitty.” He scanned the trees and field in front of him looking for her, wondering where she was. Usually when he called her she came right away.

“Good afternoon, Haydon.”

Haydon spun toward the voice. It was just as he feared. Her. Again. “What are you doing here?” Guilt snapped into him at his lack of keeping the impatience he felt at seeing her from his tone. But he couldn’t help himself. He didn’t want to be around this woman who stirred his heart and bombarded his thoughts any longer. She was making him senseless.

One look at the hurt expression on her face, and he pushed aside the unwelcome feelings of attraction she aroused in him. Besides, that was no way to treat another human being. His mother’s tongue lashing before Rainee had shown up this morning had reminded him of that fact.

Mother said he needed to let go of the past. But he didn’t know how to stop blaming himself for Melanie’s death.

He sent Rainee what he hoped was his best welcoming smile. “It sure is a nice day for a walk.” He hoped his words would put her at ease. Haydon dropped Rebel’s reins, knowing the horse would stand there.

“Yes, it is.”

“Whatever you do, try to stick to the baseline of the trees. If you do decide to go up into the woods, make sure at all times you can still see the meadow. That way you won’t travel so deep you get lost.”

“Thank you, Haydon. I shall do that.” She looked around as if searching for something. “Yes, well, I will be on my way now. I am quite sorry to have bothered you again. I would not have, but I heard you calling for a kitty.” She shrugged. “Well, I had hoped to see it. I love cats.”

Before he could correct her, her eyes widened, her face paled and she let out a scream so loud he thought his eardrums had certainly burst.

R
ainee’s scream pierced Haydon’s eardrums, making him cringe. He whirled to see what had scared ten years off of not only Rainee’s life, but his, too. He didn’t see anything but his fun-loving pet trotting toward him with her ears flapping and her belly jiggling.

Having thought something or someone might have killed her, relief trotted through him. “Kitty, girl, you’re okay.”

Kitty leaned into his leg, and Haydon started rubbing her behind the ears.

Movement behind him hooked his attention. He turned just in time to see Rainee slump to the ground.

“Rainee!” He knelt down on one knee next to her collapsed body. “Rainee,” he repeated while tilting her face away from the dirt. Kitty sniffed her with her big nose. Haydon placed his hand on her snout and gently pushed her away. “Not now, girl.” Kitty pushed back, shoving her way toward the woman’s face. Again Haydon forced her back. Kitty placed her head against his hand and moved her backside around in a half circle. Butting her head, she yanked Haydon’s hand off of her nose. Her snout was inches away from Rainee’s face.

The woman opened her eyes, and abject horror was the only way to describe what Haydon saw there. She opened her mouth wide, filling her lungs with enough air to be heard clear into Paradise Haven. Haydon braced himself for the piercing scream, but no sound came. Instead her eyes rolled closed, and her head fell limp to the side.

Haydon placed himself between her and Kitty. He scooped Rainee up into his arms and held her, debating whether to take her back to the house or to the river. The river won. It was closer.

Kitty followed closely behind him, oinking the whole way. If Rainee woke up, he didn’t want her screaming or fainting again, so as much as Haydon hated doing it, he bent his knee and gave a swift kick to Kitty’s rump. The pig squealed, more from shock than pain. She whirled and trotted toward the thick brush. Haydon felt like pond scum for doing that to Kitty, but he had no choice.

He laid Rainee on the grass near the river’s edge. He pulled his eyes away from her soft womanly curves, grabbed the clean handkerchief from his pocket and dipped it into the river. He knelt beside her and blotted her forehead. Seeing her so helpless, he fought the emotions rising in him. Haydon had always been a sucker for a woman who needed him to be strong.

Her head swayed from side to side, and her eyes slowly opened.

She bolted upright, clipping his chin with her head in the process.

“What are you doing, woman?” He rubbed his throbbing chin.

“Where is it?” Her wild eyes and hands darted about. Shifting on her rump, using her feet, she scurried to her
left, then to her right, before making a complete circle, apparently looking for an unseen threat. “That—that thing.”

“What thing?”

“That—that
pig!
” she all but shouted.

“That
pig
has a name. Her name is Kitty.”

She blinked and stared at him as if he had lost his mind. Well, one of them had but it wasn’t him. “Kitty is a—a pig?”

“Last time I checked she was,” he answered with a slow chuckle.

Rainee’s eyes narrowed, and she pursed her lips. She shifted her legs off to the side, pushed herself onto one knee and, using her hands for balance, she started to stand.

Haydon leapt up and placed his hand under her elbow to brace her. Touching her was not a good thing. Well, it was, but it wasn’t. It made his blood pump faster. But he had no choice. He couldn’t very well let her fall again.

“You named your pig Kitty?” She blinked up at him.

“No.”

“No? What do you mean ‘no’?”

“No. Abby named her Kitty.” He moved his gaze away from her, not able to handle how her eyes always seemed to pierce through him. After making sure she was stable, he released her arm to rid himself of the tingling sensation she aroused in him. He could feel her eyes on him even as she brushed the dirt off of her arms and skirt.

“Is there just the one…” she gulped “…pig?” She said the word “pig” the same way Abby said the word “ghost” when she was scared.

The protective side of him wanted to wrap her in his
arms and comfort her like he did Abby, but the way his insides were shaking, his urge to protect her would not be a good thing. “No. Actually, we have fifty sows and three boars.”

“Fif— Fifty!” The whites of her eyes were no longer hidden. “But—but why?”

Did the woman have a stuttering problem or what? “Because,” he drew out, “we raise them. That’s why. Didn’t Jesse tell you?”

Merciful heavens, what had she gotten herself into? “No, Haydon. Jesse did not mention that bit of news. I assure you if he had, I would have never come here. I am terrified of pigs.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because when I was a young girl, I was attacked by one. That is why.” The memory made Rainee’s knees feel as flimsy as a hair ribbon. She searched for something to sit on and noticed a felled log. On shaky legs she took the few steps toward it, tucked her skirt under and lowered herself onto the piece of wood.

Haydon placed his bulky frame next to her. His hard features were softer now.

“What happened?” he asked, sounding like he actually wanted to know.

She brushed the fallen hair from her face. “My parents owned a few head of swine. An acquaintance of mine and I wanted to see the newborn babies up close.” Careful to not mention her brother’s name for fear Haydon would ask where Ferrin was, she chose her words wisely, “I was told by someone it would be fine to pet them, that the sow would not hurt us.”

One of Haydon’s eyebrows spiked.

“My friend Tamsey and I opened the gate and headed
toward the mama sow. The other pigs came toward us and surrounded us. One of them pushed me. When I screamed, they started acting fidgety. We were so frightened. We did not know what to do.

“Everything happened so fast after that, I am not sure what happened next. All I know is the mama sow was charging toward us. We ran toward the gate. Tamsey made it out, and I almost did except I slipped and fell.”

“Were you hurt very badly?”

She stared at the crystal-clear water that washed over the rocks and disappeared down the creek. “Yes. The sow kept snapping at my legs, and when I fell trying to get away, she tromped on my hip and thighs until her sharp hooves ripped through my clothing and skin. When I was finally able to roll over, she came after me again, heading right for my face with her mouth wide open. I raised my arms to defend myself, and when I did, my arm brushed against a piece of broken board, so I grabbed it and shoved it into the swine’s mouth.” Rainee pinched her eyes shut and shuddered at the memory.

When she turned her attention back to Haydon, she squirmed under his intense scrutiny, especially when his gaze landed on her hands. Knowing she could not tell Haydon about her brother and that it was Ferrin who had inflicted the scars on her hands and back and not the pig, and that the only scars the sow had caused were the ones on the back of her legs and hip, her mouth turned dry and swallowing became difficult.

Having secrets was a heavy burden to carry.

In an attempt to stop him from asking questions about her hands, she looked away and quickly added, “My
father snatched me out of the pen before that wretched thing inflicted any more harm on me.”

And afterward her father had given Ferrin a beating for telling her it was okay.

Rainee never understood her brother’s hatred toward her, although she had felt it often even before her parents’ deaths. Many times she thought it was because Father doted on her, but there had to be more to it because their father had spent many hours with Ferrin, spoiling him, too.

“Rainee.”

Rainee’s gaze collided with his. “Yes?”

“I hate for you to think all pigs are mean. Granted, they can be when they’re trying to protect their young, but most of the time they’re very loving animals.”

“A pig? A loving animal?” Rainee scrunched her nose. “What a ludicrous notion. Just thinking about them makes me cringe. I have no desire to be anywhere near the little beasts. Ever.”

“Well then, ma’am—” he stood and offered her his hand “—I suggest you stand behind me.”

“Why?” She laid her hand in his abundant one and allowed him to help her up.

“Because.” His chin jerked upward once. “Here comes Abby, and Kitty is hot on her heels.”

Rainee whirled. To her utter horror, that four-legged thing was heading her way. Fear dropped into her stomach like a heavy crumpet. She wanted to flee, but her feet were as transfixed as her mind. Worse, there was nowhere to go.

The closer the curly-tailed beast got to her, the weaker her knees became. “Help me, Jesus,” she whispered, gulping down the fear attacking her from all sides.

Haydon stepped between her and the pink animal he
called Kitty. “Hi, Abby.” He tugged on one of his little sister’s pigtails. “What are you up to, Squirt?”

“Just playin’ with Kitty.”

“So I see.” He knelt down. “Hey, Kitty girl.”

The pig trotted toward him with her ears flapping like an upset hen. She leaned into his legs. He stumbled but caught himself before the swine toppled him over.

Rainee moved her tongue around to moisten her mouth, but it did no good. Dampness covered the palms of her hands. And air was sorely lacking.

“Hi, Rainee.” Abby’s sweet voice pulled her gaze away from the frightening creature. One look at her and the little girl’s smile vanished. “Hey, you don’t look none too good.” Abby’s eyes narrowed. “You okay?”

“I—I…” She tried to breathe but her tight corset prevented it. The bright outdoors turned into a cloud of hazy black. The only other time she remembered fainting this much was during one of Ferrin’s vicious beatings because the pain had become so unbearable her body had succumbed to it with blessed blackness. And that blackness descended upon her now.

Her legs gave way.

In slow motion, she felt herself slipping to the ground, but instead of hitting the rough terrain, her body connected with solid arms before blackness engulfed her in its embrace.

Haydon carried Rainee’s limp form back to the house. This was becoming a habit. One he wanted to break. Holding her in his arms affected his heart in a way he didn’t need nor want. “Abby, open the door, please.”

Abby raced ahead of him and held the door open. The wooden planks creaked as he climbed up the steps
and onto the porch. “Mother,” he hollered, stepping inside. “Mother!”

His mother bustled into the living room carrying a load of sheets in her arms. One look at Rainee and she thrust the sheets onto the chair and rushed toward the sofa where she propped up a pillow.

Once again, he laid Rainee’s small frame on the sofa.

Mother sat next to her and removed her jacket. “What happened?”

“Kitty happened.”

Mother’s gaze darted up at him. “What do you mean ‘Kitty happened’? Did she attack her?” Anger and concern flowed from her voice and eyes.

“No. All it took was one look at Kitty, and she fainted. Twice.”

“Twice?” Mother’s eyes widened, then narrowed. She looked at Abby, standing beside him. “Abby, grab me a wet cloth.” She glanced at Haydon. “I’ll call you if I need you.”

That was his mother’s way of dismissing him.

Even though Haydon saw Rainee as another weak city female, it bothered him she lay there unconscious…again. He hated to leave without knowing if she was all right or not, but he did as his mother bade. With a quick spin on his boot heel, he headed outside. He’d check in on her later.

Leah met him coming in with an empty clothes basket. “Hi, Haydon. What are you doing here? I thought you were checking on the pigs.”

“I was. Rainee—” he gave a quick nod of his neck toward the inside of the house “—fainted again.”

Leah dropped the basket on the porch, brushed past him and rushed inside. “Mother,” she hollered.

“In here.”

“Is she okay?” Leah’s voice clouded with concern.

“She’ll be fine.”

Although he was relieved to hear she was fine, he wondered if he ever would be again. How had the little filly gotten under his skin so quickly? And more important, what was he going to do about it?