Dacey: Bride of North Carolina (Amercan Mail-Order Bride 12) by Shanna Hatfield Page B
Authors: Shanna Hatfield
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Saga, Western, Short-Story, Religious, Christian, Inspirational, Bachelor, Marriage of Convenience, Faith, north carolina, Past Issues, misunderstanding, victorian era, Forever Love, Single Woman, Fifth In Series, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, American Mail-Order Bride, Factory Burned, Pioneer, new beginning, Conniving Mother, Reluctant Groom, Family Plantation, Asheville, Simple Farmer, Unknown Existence
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stood around in various stages of slack-jawed surprise that the young woman had just taken him to task for a foolish mistake, using language none of them quite understood.
No one dared confront him in such a manner, yet she’d boldly spoke her mind before she spun around and approached the horse that had dumped her in the dirt.
With a firm hand, she took the reins and swung onto the animal’s back then rode him around the pen as all the men watched.
Chastised by the fact he had been at fault, Braxton climbed over the fence and disappeared inside the barn.
He needed time alone. Time to think about the havoc the brave, bright girl had wreaked in his orderly life. He’d never been as attracted to a female as he was to Dacey and her feisty spirit.
Quickly saddling a mount, he rode off for the nearby hills.
Hours in solitude helped clear his head and he returned to the house in a better frame of mind.
Eager to see Dacey, anxiety simmered in his gut when she didn’t appear for dinner that evening. Cornelia delivered a message to Beatrice that she wasn’t feeling well and would see them the following day.
When she didn’t show up for breakfast, worry etched lines across Braxton’s forehead.
Concerned, he picked at his food then excused himself halfway through the meal. He took the stairs three at a time up to the third floor and tapped on Dacey’s door.
Cornelia immediately opened it.
“Is Miss Butler unwell?” Braxton asked, wanting to peer into the room to ensure she didn’t suffer from some malady.
“I believe she’s quite well, sir. She went down to the kitchen more than an hour ago and asked for a biscuit and apple butter before venturing outside. However, upon your inquiry she did request that I inform you or Mrs. Douglas that she has gone for a walk.”
“Thank you, Cornelia.” Braxton spun on his heel, hurried down the stairs and out the back door.
Ribbons of orange, gold, and pink streaked across the sky as he rushed to the stables and saddled his favorite horse.
The morning stillness surrounded him as he rode away from the buildings of the main area of the plantation toward the nearby hills.
Although the apple harvest ended weeks ago, the tart scent of the fruit still hung in the air. It mingled with the spicy, loamy aroma of earth settling down in preparation for winter.
The temperature was cool, but not cold, garnering his gratitude for the mild, sunny autumn they’d enjoyed.
Normally, they experienced several cool, rainy days, but the sun had shone nearly every day since Dacey arrived.
Mindful of his fanciful thoughts, Braxton mused that perhaps she brought the sunshine with her. If she left, he would definitely miss the light of her presence at Bramble Hall.
If he cared to admit the truth, which he most certainly did not, he couldn’t imagine life without her in it.
In the short time she’d been at his home, she’d become such an integral part of it. His mother couldn’t stop talking about her, and the servants adored her. Even his father seemed quite taken with her in spite of her “western” ways, as Daniel called them.
Braxton rode over the top of a rise and caught sight of Dacey sitting on a large rock, looking out over the valley below her as the sun spread welcome light across the sky.
Quietly, he dismounted and tied the reins around a branch before walking up behind the girl who had dominated his thoughts since her arrival.
“Dacey? What are you doing out here?” he asked as he sat down beside her.
Startled, she jumped and placed a hand to her chest. Once she recovered from his sudden appearance beside her, she reached over and popped him on the arm. “You practically scared me spitless, Braxton. You shouldn’t sneak up on a body like that.”
“I didn’t sneak,” he said with a grin. He removed his hat and forked his fingers through his hair out of habit before settling the hat back on his dark head. “You appeared lost in your thoughts. Are you well? You
No one dared confront him in such a manner, yet she’d boldly spoke her mind before she spun around and approached the horse that had dumped her in the dirt.
With a firm hand, she took the reins and swung onto the animal’s back then rode him around the pen as all the men watched.
Chastised by the fact he had been at fault, Braxton climbed over the fence and disappeared inside the barn.
He needed time alone. Time to think about the havoc the brave, bright girl had wreaked in his orderly life. He’d never been as attracted to a female as he was to Dacey and her feisty spirit.
Quickly saddling a mount, he rode off for the nearby hills.
Hours in solitude helped clear his head and he returned to the house in a better frame of mind.
Eager to see Dacey, anxiety simmered in his gut when she didn’t appear for dinner that evening. Cornelia delivered a message to Beatrice that she wasn’t feeling well and would see them the following day.
When she didn’t show up for breakfast, worry etched lines across Braxton’s forehead.
Concerned, he picked at his food then excused himself halfway through the meal. He took the stairs three at a time up to the third floor and tapped on Dacey’s door.
Cornelia immediately opened it.
“Is Miss Butler unwell?” Braxton asked, wanting to peer into the room to ensure she didn’t suffer from some malady.
“I believe she’s quite well, sir. She went down to the kitchen more than an hour ago and asked for a biscuit and apple butter before venturing outside. However, upon your inquiry she did request that I inform you or Mrs. Douglas that she has gone for a walk.”
“Thank you, Cornelia.” Braxton spun on his heel, hurried down the stairs and out the back door.
Ribbons of orange, gold, and pink streaked across the sky as he rushed to the stables and saddled his favorite horse.
The morning stillness surrounded him as he rode away from the buildings of the main area of the plantation toward the nearby hills.
Although the apple harvest ended weeks ago, the tart scent of the fruit still hung in the air. It mingled with the spicy, loamy aroma of earth settling down in preparation for winter.
The temperature was cool, but not cold, garnering his gratitude for the mild, sunny autumn they’d enjoyed.
Normally, they experienced several cool, rainy days, but the sun had shone nearly every day since Dacey arrived.
Mindful of his fanciful thoughts, Braxton mused that perhaps she brought the sunshine with her. If she left, he would definitely miss the light of her presence at Bramble Hall.
If he cared to admit the truth, which he most certainly did not, he couldn’t imagine life without her in it.
In the short time she’d been at his home, she’d become such an integral part of it. His mother couldn’t stop talking about her, and the servants adored her. Even his father seemed quite taken with her in spite of her “western” ways, as Daniel called them.
Braxton rode over the top of a rise and caught sight of Dacey sitting on a large rock, looking out over the valley below her as the sun spread welcome light across the sky.
Quietly, he dismounted and tied the reins around a branch before walking up behind the girl who had dominated his thoughts since her arrival.
“Dacey? What are you doing out here?” he asked as he sat down beside her.
Startled, she jumped and placed a hand to her chest. Once she recovered from his sudden appearance beside her, she reached over and popped him on the arm. “You practically scared me spitless, Braxton. You shouldn’t sneak up on a body like that.”
“I didn’t sneak,” he said with a grin. He removed his hat and forked his fingers through his hair out of habit before settling the hat back on his dark head. “You appeared lost in your thoughts. Are you well? You
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