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

Lizzie. Logan is trying to send me away. Don’t let him. Please, sissy. Please don’t let him do this to me.”
    Lizzie wrapped her in the safety of her arms, and Amelia knew she’d won. Lizzie would never send her away. She hugged her big sister tighter and cried harder, just to make sure.
    “This is for the best,” Lizzie said and kissed Amelia’s forehead. “It’s time you choose a husband.”
    Amelia stiffened and pushed away, staring up into the cool green eyes of a stranger. She crinkled her brow into a frown as she studied the chilly expression on her sister’s face.
    “Lizzie?”
    “I’m sorry, Amelia, but you need to make a choice. When I spoke with Mildred today, she was in agreement.”
    Shocked, Amelia dropped her jaw as she could only stare at her sister. “That’s why she was here today?”
    Lizzie nodded and pulled in a breath, not looking away from Amelia the entire time.
    And it clicked.
    Tears flooded Amelia’s eyes— real tears that hurt as they fell. The sobs that bubbled up inside her tore through her as they released. “You–you knew? You knew what Logan wanted to do and said nothing to me? Oh, Lizzie. How could you!”
    “This was my idea, Amelia.”
    Her entire world shattered, and the strength left her legs. She dissolved and fell back, landing in the chair with a whoosh of air from her lungs when she realized her own sister was nothing more than a Judas.

Chapter 6

    Constance Petty’s Journal, Saturday, August 12 th , 1865
    Port Steele, Washington Territory

    My, my, my. What tangled webs we weave. I escorted myself to tonight’s dance since my worthless man of a husband had a headache or some nonsense. Oh am I glad I did! I saw none other than the sweetheart of Port Steele, Amelia Prescott, dancing scandalously close with the town’s playboy, Noah Gallagher. To add to that, I saw them leave together after a single dance. It doesn’t take a genius to know what they could very well be doing at this moment. I love a good scandal, especially when it brings one of those Prescott women down—and even better when it includes one of her men. I only wish it were already morning so I could visit Lucy McTaggert and tell her of what I’ve seen. That gossip would no doubt take it upon herself to spread the good word at church and by the afternoon, the entire town would know of Amelia’s indiscretions. I for one would celebrate the fact that the most popular of all the brides will have finally received her just reward.

    * * * *

    “How could you?” Amelia whispered as the tears continued to melt down her cheeks and pull at Andrew’s heart.
    Those tears were going to be the death of him. Andrew gritted his teeth and fought to keep his manner aloof and uncaring as Lizzie continued to break her little sister’s heart.
    No, it wasn’t just her heart. Andrew spotted the exact moment Amelia’s belief in her sister, in Logan, and yes, even in Andrew shattered. It nearly destroyed him to do nothing more than stand back and watch. What did it feel like to learn that one’s own flesh and blood could deliver such a vicious blow?
    Andrew’s gaze flicked to Noah, and he clenched his jaw again. Strike that. He knew exactly how it felt.
    Amelia’s lower lip quivered, and Andrew’s insides clenched in response. He drew in a breath and turned his attention to the wall. He wanted to hate her. No, he didn’t just want to hate her. He wanted to despise her. He just wanted her to go away until he could clear his head.
    Yet when Logan and Lizzie had a plan to do exactly that, Andrew wanted to do anything he could to put a stop to it. He wouldn’t see her smiling face every day when he walked down the stairs, and that bothered the hell out of him.
    Besides, Amelia wouldn’t last five minutes with Aunt Mildred. She adored her boys, as she referred to the Gallaghers and Pettys, but she had no room in her finicky heart for the women in their lives.
    Aunt Mildred, like Amelia, loved the attention she