Sweet Surrender (Mercers of Montana Book 1) by Evelyn MacQuaid Page B
Authors: Evelyn MacQuaid
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assume he's going back to retrieve them for us." She watched closely for a reaction on the older woman's face, but aside for brief glint in her eye, she gave nothing away.
Charlotte stuck out her lip. "That's the wrong direction." She shaded her eyes with her hands and pointed further to the right. "That's the way you came from. I bet he's heading back to his cabin."
"Shush now." Abigail nudged her daughter, who helped Olivia up the front steps.
"I'm sure Jackson is just gone to gather a few necessities before he returns. He will be joining us for dinner." A voice boomed from the front door.
Abigail looked over toward the doorway and beamed. "Lady Olivia, please let me introduce my eldest son, Joseph, and his wife, Verity. They just had the pleasure of meeting Lady Dubuque."
Olivia's chaperone peered down the road in the direction Charlotte pointed. "I do wish he had gone after our belongings." She giggled. "I stashed away the perfect bottle of champagne for tonight."
Verity tossed back her blond curls and clapped. "Champagne, what a treat." Her warm smile revealed perfect dimples in each cheek.
Besides the same blue eyes, Jackson didn't look at all like his older brother. Joseph Mercer was pale skinned and had a short crop of blond hair smoothly parted on to a side. He was shorter, more compact, both his strength and his personality more grounded. The man seemed to melt every time his wife smiled.
"We can't have Lady Dubuque and her charge going another minute without their things. How else will our guests make themselves comfortable?" Verity asked, driving home her argument.
Joseph thrust his shoulders back. "Lady Olivia, if you point me in the right direction, I will have your belongings here at the ranch within the hour."
Olivia accompanied him as he rounded the house and called for a cart. A young man tripping over his own gangly legs brought out two large-chested bay horses and handed Joseph the reins. The freckled-faced youth then buckled the horses into the stays, shooting glances at Olivia every now and then. After the third time he missed a fastening, Joseph puckered his face and bent to help him.
While they were busy, Olivia looked up at the ridge where Jackson's retreating figure had disappeared. She'd stewed for months in the embarrassment of being nothing better than a mail-order bride. Now the very real possibility of rejection filled her with dread. What would become of her sisters if her father's debt was not paid?
"Please don't worry, milady. Jackson is never one to leave unfinished business." Joseph gazed into the distance.
Olivia blanched at the thought of him finishing off the conversation at the thieves' camp differently, had she not been in the vicinity. Joseph saw his mistake and patted her arm. "Looks can be deceiving, milady, especially out here in Montana. Distances look farther, weather looks closer, and men act like they have to instead of how they want."
Olivia wanted to smile, but the sense of hopelessness that weighed her down did not allow it. What am I going to do way out here? It seemed her father's careful plan for her to marry rich here in Montana was falling apart before her eyes. Just an hour earlier it was she who wanted to cut off the engagement, but now that Jackson had abandoned her she put the fault squarely on him.
Joseph climbed up in the cart. "And some women act like they want, not how they should."
Olivia's eyebrows knitted.
He laughed and tossed his head toward Charlotte, who was perched on the railing of the front porch like a small schoolboy, oblivious to her skirts gathering high up her calves. The freckle-faced young man gawked until he caught Olivia's stern look. Turning beet red, he picked up his heels and retreated to the barn.
Olivia relented and smiled at Joseph. "Well, at least I can be useful until my plans are solidified.
Ms. Charlotte, would you be as kind as to show me the gardens?"
----
" I 'm telling you the rockslide was forced." Silas
Charlotte stuck out her lip. "That's the wrong direction." She shaded her eyes with her hands and pointed further to the right. "That's the way you came from. I bet he's heading back to his cabin."
"Shush now." Abigail nudged her daughter, who helped Olivia up the front steps.
"I'm sure Jackson is just gone to gather a few necessities before he returns. He will be joining us for dinner." A voice boomed from the front door.
Abigail looked over toward the doorway and beamed. "Lady Olivia, please let me introduce my eldest son, Joseph, and his wife, Verity. They just had the pleasure of meeting Lady Dubuque."
Olivia's chaperone peered down the road in the direction Charlotte pointed. "I do wish he had gone after our belongings." She giggled. "I stashed away the perfect bottle of champagne for tonight."
Verity tossed back her blond curls and clapped. "Champagne, what a treat." Her warm smile revealed perfect dimples in each cheek.
Besides the same blue eyes, Jackson didn't look at all like his older brother. Joseph Mercer was pale skinned and had a short crop of blond hair smoothly parted on to a side. He was shorter, more compact, both his strength and his personality more grounded. The man seemed to melt every time his wife smiled.
"We can't have Lady Dubuque and her charge going another minute without their things. How else will our guests make themselves comfortable?" Verity asked, driving home her argument.
Joseph thrust his shoulders back. "Lady Olivia, if you point me in the right direction, I will have your belongings here at the ranch within the hour."
Olivia accompanied him as he rounded the house and called for a cart. A young man tripping over his own gangly legs brought out two large-chested bay horses and handed Joseph the reins. The freckled-faced youth then buckled the horses into the stays, shooting glances at Olivia every now and then. After the third time he missed a fastening, Joseph puckered his face and bent to help him.
While they were busy, Olivia looked up at the ridge where Jackson's retreating figure had disappeared. She'd stewed for months in the embarrassment of being nothing better than a mail-order bride. Now the very real possibility of rejection filled her with dread. What would become of her sisters if her father's debt was not paid?
"Please don't worry, milady. Jackson is never one to leave unfinished business." Joseph gazed into the distance.
Olivia blanched at the thought of him finishing off the conversation at the thieves' camp differently, had she not been in the vicinity. Joseph saw his mistake and patted her arm. "Looks can be deceiving, milady, especially out here in Montana. Distances look farther, weather looks closer, and men act like they have to instead of how they want."
Olivia wanted to smile, but the sense of hopelessness that weighed her down did not allow it. What am I going to do way out here? It seemed her father's careful plan for her to marry rich here in Montana was falling apart before her eyes. Just an hour earlier it was she who wanted to cut off the engagement, but now that Jackson had abandoned her she put the fault squarely on him.
Joseph climbed up in the cart. "And some women act like they want, not how they should."
Olivia's eyebrows knitted.
He laughed and tossed his head toward Charlotte, who was perched on the railing of the front porch like a small schoolboy, oblivious to her skirts gathering high up her calves. The freckle-faced young man gawked until he caught Olivia's stern look. Turning beet red, he picked up his heels and retreated to the barn.
Olivia relented and smiled at Joseph. "Well, at least I can be useful until my plans are solidified.
Ms. Charlotte, would you be as kind as to show me the gardens?"
----
" I 'm telling you the rockslide was forced." Silas
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