Grasping the knob, she pushed the door inward. The darkness inside brought her to a stop. Over time, her vision adjusted, and the fixtures in the room appeared in view. A settee, straight ahead, covered in maroon brocade. A pair of straight-backed chairs angled toward a small fireplace. On the left, through a doorway, she glimpsed a large woodstove and the end of a dining table.
A bulbous shape leaned over the table top. Looking harder, the plaid shirt and brown trousers were that of a man … a man of great girth. Who was he?
Audra spun in place, searching her husband’s face. His brow lay creased with guilt. Guilt? What should he have to feel guilty for?
He cleared his throat. “Har-harold? We’ve arrived.”
Harold? Why did he call his own name? Harold Warren was the man she’d accepted, and the name spoken over their nuptials.
He rounded her and pushed through the doorway. There, he came to a sharp halt. “Harold?” He spoke the name again, distress in his voice. Reaching one hand out, he shook the man draped over the table. “Harold. No. No, it cannot be,” he said.
Audra approached the pair cautiously, but didn’t have to go far to notice the man was dead. Grasping her husband’s shoulder, she begged his attention. “Please …” she said. “You are Harold, and I am Audra … your wife.”
His skin washing pale, he gulped and moistened his lips. He nodded toward the dead man. “No. Harold’s my brother,” he said. “I’m Gilbert, and you’re his widow, I … I guess.”
The walls of the room swirled, and her legs gave way. With a gasp, Audra crumpled to the floor.
A bulbous shape leaned over the table top. Looking harder, the plaid shirt and brown trousers were that of a man … a man of great girth. Who was he?
Audra spun in place, searching her husband’s face. His brow lay creased with guilt. Guilt? What should he have to feel guilty for?
He cleared his throat. “Har-harold? We’ve arrived.”
Harold? Why did he call his own name? Harold Warren was the man she’d accepted, and the name spoken over their nuptials.
He rounded her and pushed through the doorway. There, he came to a sharp halt. “Harold?” He spoke the name again, distress in his voice. Reaching one hand out, he shook the man draped over the table. “Harold. No. No, it cannot be,” he said.
Audra approached the pair cautiously, but didn’t have to go far to notice the man was dead. Grasping her husband’s shoulder, she begged his attention. “Please …” she said. “You are Harold, and I am Audra … your wife.”
His skin washing pale, he gulped and moistened his lips. He nodded toward the dead man. “No. Harold’s my brother,” he said. “I’m Gilbert, and you’re his widow, I … I guess.”
The walls of the room swirled, and her legs gave way. With a gasp, Audra crumpled to the floor.
❤
He’d gone all these years without companionship, and at this childish gesture felt his masculinity greater than ever before. And strangely, a need for her softness, for the gentle hand and loving gaze a woman would give. As strong as he thought he was, alone, with her, he could be that much stronger.
Audra Pazikas came to America with her Papa for better opportunities, but his drinking and harsh life in the city soon reduced them to a miserly existence. His death, years later, leaves her with no choice but to accept the hand of a gentleman out west, seeking a bride. Perhaps, though, she’ll find success and happiness in a new part of the country.
Family resentment put Gilbert Warren under his older brother’s thumb from the youngest age. What his half-brother was too lazy to do for himself, he’d always force him to do. Including, taking his place during his nuptials. He just wishes his brother’s bride knew he wasn’t her new spouse.
The death of his brother before she can meet him throws their lives into unforeseen disorder. She was his brother’s bride, but the days passing by, more and more, the marriage that should have happened was their own.
*Other ebook retailers includes: Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Tolino, Vivlio, Smashwords, Gardners, Fable, Everand, Overdrive, Odilio, cloudLibrary, Hoopla, BorrowBox, Bookshop, Vivlio
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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com
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