Gillian: Bride of Maine (American Mail-Order Bride 23) by Kirsten Lynn Page A
Authors: Kirsten Lynn
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Saga, Maine, Western, Military, Short-Story, Religious, Christian, Christmas, holiday, Inspirational, Bachelor, Marriage of Convenience, Faith, father, winter, Weather, misunderstanding, victorian era, Forever Love, Single Woman, Fifth In Series, Fifty-Books, Forty-Five Authors, Newspaper Ad, American Mail-Order Bride, Factory Burned, Pioneer, Evil Plans, Lighthouse Keeper, No Letters, No Ad, Bass Harbor Head, Helpmate, Christmas Time, Festive Season, Mistletoe
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didn’t frighten her, and she let it wash over her and pull her deeper in love with Rhys Chermont. She dropped her gaze from his and started filling bowls with red potatoes and canned corn heated on the stove. She loved him. It frightened her to admit it to herself; she was terrified of letting it slip to him. Today, they’d taken many steps forward, but the truth about her father and his first wife still lay thick between them. She sensed Rhys wouldn’t accept her declaration of love with joy. Yes, he enjoyed hearing how much she desired him, but love was still forbidden.
They finished dishing up the dinner in silence until it was time to join the Ambroses around the table.
“Thank you, Gillian.”
“Whatever for?”
“For tending the light and for all of this. You please me, Gillian Chermont.”
“You’re welcome. You please me, too, Rhys Chermont.”
It was as close as she could come to saying what was in her heart. The urge to hear him say he loved her had become almost overwhelming. Before she said something that would ruin the moment, Gillian pivoted and moved into the dining room.
*
“For being here such a short time, you certainly seem to fit in as though you had been here for years.”
Gillian looked over her cards at Alice. The men had gone to tend the light and bell since the fog seemed determined to keep them away from the party. She’d offered to help, but Rhys told her to stay warm and enjoy her visit with Alice.
“I feel like I’ve been here longer, and I mean that as a compliment to the kindness of the villagers when I first arrived, and the friendship offered by you and Deacon. But mostly because Rhys has made me feel as though I returned home Christmas Eve instead of like a stranger.”
Alice gave a small chuckle and played a card in their game of Rummy. “Deacon almost had to get the smelling salts when he told me what they’d all done and that Rhys went along with the marriage. Although it shouldn’t surprise me. Rhys’ heart has always been too soft, and he’s always rescuing some lost soul starting with the wolf I refuse to call Wee.”
Gillian flinched, and Alice covered her hand. “Not that you’re a lost soul, dear; my mouth started running, and my brain didn’t catch up. I just meant he’d make you feel safe and welcome.”
“I understand. Sometimes I still can’t believe all of this is happening. That I answered the advertisement and actually came Downeast to marry a stranger. He could have been a cruel and horrible man with the ability to write beautiful prose. Instead, it turned out it was a whole village that could write like Byron.”
Alice shook her head. “Everyone loves your Rhys. Since the day he took over the light from Deacon, he became that person everyone adopted as their own. Everyone, that is, except Miriam.”
Gillian focused on the part of Alice’s statement about Deacon being the lighthouse keeper. She would not discuss Miriam with anyone but Rhys. He’d already shared about the local girl who had made sure he noticed her when he visited Bass Harbor. He never said he loved Miriam Granger, just that, eventually, she caught him. Gillian had no desire to know more about the woman.
“I didn’t know this was once your home.”
“Oh yes, for forty years. Rhys is kind enough to let Deacon tend the light from time to time. He’d still be here, but it was time to move on and let younger hands guide our fishermen and sailors home.”
They played in silence for a few more minutes, and Gillian digested all Alice shared. She felt honored and a bit frightened that the people of Bass Harbor chose her for Rhys. They’d probably watch her like a hawk to make sure she was doing right by him, but that didn’t bother her because she intended to do right by him.
“His parents will love you, I’m sure.”
Gillian almost spewed her coffee on Alice. “Rhys has parents?”
“Well, he wasn’t carved from a tree, dear.”
She gave a weak chuckle. “Of
They finished dishing up the dinner in silence until it was time to join the Ambroses around the table.
“Thank you, Gillian.”
“Whatever for?”
“For tending the light and for all of this. You please me, Gillian Chermont.”
“You’re welcome. You please me, too, Rhys Chermont.”
It was as close as she could come to saying what was in her heart. The urge to hear him say he loved her had become almost overwhelming. Before she said something that would ruin the moment, Gillian pivoted and moved into the dining room.
*
“For being here such a short time, you certainly seem to fit in as though you had been here for years.”
Gillian looked over her cards at Alice. The men had gone to tend the light and bell since the fog seemed determined to keep them away from the party. She’d offered to help, but Rhys told her to stay warm and enjoy her visit with Alice.
“I feel like I’ve been here longer, and I mean that as a compliment to the kindness of the villagers when I first arrived, and the friendship offered by you and Deacon. But mostly because Rhys has made me feel as though I returned home Christmas Eve instead of like a stranger.”
Alice gave a small chuckle and played a card in their game of Rummy. “Deacon almost had to get the smelling salts when he told me what they’d all done and that Rhys went along with the marriage. Although it shouldn’t surprise me. Rhys’ heart has always been too soft, and he’s always rescuing some lost soul starting with the wolf I refuse to call Wee.”
Gillian flinched, and Alice covered her hand. “Not that you’re a lost soul, dear; my mouth started running, and my brain didn’t catch up. I just meant he’d make you feel safe and welcome.”
“I understand. Sometimes I still can’t believe all of this is happening. That I answered the advertisement and actually came Downeast to marry a stranger. He could have been a cruel and horrible man with the ability to write beautiful prose. Instead, it turned out it was a whole village that could write like Byron.”
Alice shook her head. “Everyone loves your Rhys. Since the day he took over the light from Deacon, he became that person everyone adopted as their own. Everyone, that is, except Miriam.”
Gillian focused on the part of Alice’s statement about Deacon being the lighthouse keeper. She would not discuss Miriam with anyone but Rhys. He’d already shared about the local girl who had made sure he noticed her when he visited Bass Harbor. He never said he loved Miriam Granger, just that, eventually, she caught him. Gillian had no desire to know more about the woman.
“I didn’t know this was once your home.”
“Oh yes, for forty years. Rhys is kind enough to let Deacon tend the light from time to time. He’d still be here, but it was time to move on and let younger hands guide our fishermen and sailors home.”
They played in silence for a few more minutes, and Gillian digested all Alice shared. She felt honored and a bit frightened that the people of Bass Harbor chose her for Rhys. They’d probably watch her like a hawk to make sure she was doing right by him, but that didn’t bother her because she intended to do right by him.
“His parents will love you, I’m sure.”
Gillian almost spewed her coffee on Alice. “Rhys has parents?”
“Well, he wasn’t carved from a tree, dear.”
She gave a weak chuckle. “Of
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