Blood Blade Sisters Series (33 page)

Chapter Fourteen

Over the next couple weeks, Brynne didn’t have much time to consider Richard’s proposal. Brynne went about her duties, doing as much as she could to ease the suffering of the sick and the heartache left when their administrations failed. She did whatever she could to help Richard. Luckily, fewer and fewer cases were coming in and they had been extremely fortunate in being able to save many of those that came to them for help. The supplies Brynne had obtained went a long way toward easing the suffering of those under their care. Still, whenever they were able to carve out a few moments of time, Richard seemed to make it his mission to get Brynne to say yes.

Brynne paused, her hand still grasping the sheet of the bed she’d been stripping, her mind on Richard rather than the task at hand. She wanted to accept Richard’s proposal, so very much. Especially when he touched her. A brush of his hand, a stolen kiss in the hallway, even a heated look from across the room, could make Brynne’s insides turn to jelly.

But something still held her back. It was one thing to admit she had feelings for Richard, and even that was something she struggled with. But actually marrying another man was something she hadn’t ever considered she’d do. She’d no longer be Brynne Forrester. She’d be Brynne Oliver, a name that made her fairly quiver with delight. But…it felt like it would be severing the last connection she had with Jake. She’d be definitively stating to the world that she was no longer Jake’s wife, but belonged to another man. And she knew it was crazy, but that felt wrong somehow.

She couldn’t keep putting Richard off forever. But she did wish she could talk to someone about it. Her sisters were too far away, Cilla in California and Lucy in Maryland. But her in-laws had returned. Cora had sent a note to the clinic informing Brynne that while she and her husband had decided to come back to the city, Lucy and Coraline had remained in Maryland. They were having a good time and everyone felt it was best to keep Coraline far from Boston until the epidemic had passed.

Brynne ripped the linens from the bed she was changing with more vigor than necessary, earning her a curious stare from Mrs. Birch. Brynne turned her blushing face from the over-observant woman and marched out of the infirmary toward the kitchens to deposit the pile of dirty linens.

As she passed Richard’s office, his door opened and Richard pulled her inside. She dropped the linens in her arms, stifling her squeak of surprise as he spun her around, his lips meeting hers in a quick, urgent kiss.

“Richard,” she laughed, batting him away, “someone will see.”

He kissed her again. “If you’d agree to marry me, I could pull you into my office whenever I wanted and no one would care a whit.”

Her heart fluttered as it always did at the thought of being alone with him. She couldn’t keep him waiting. It was time to make a decision.

“I’m sorry I’ve kept you waiting so long. Thank you for being so patient with me.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I know I joke, but I do want you to be certain. I will wait as long as you need.”

Brynne bowed her head and rested it against his chest for a moment. She didn’t deserve him.

“I was hoping to go pay my mother-in-law a visit today. You said the worst of the epidemic was over. Now that the crisis has passed and they have returned…”

Richard paused for a moment. “Yes, it should be safe.” His tone implied he understood exactly why Brynne wished to see her mother-in-law. He was a saint for understanding.

“I will have an answer for you tomorrow.”

“Brynne, I meant it. You can take all the time you need. There is no rush. I want you to be sure.”

She reached up on her tip-toes and kissed him, a long, lingering kiss that left them both craving more. “I will have an answer for you tomorrow,” she said again.

“I look forward to the morning then.”

He winked at her and went back to work, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

…

Brynne sat across from Cora, plucking at the handkerchief in her hands.

“So, our good doctor has proposed,” Cora said. “I confess, I am not surprised.”

“You aren’t?” Brynne had been surprised. She still was. Why did such a wonderful man want to marry her?

Cora smiled and shook her head. “Of course not. It is as plain as the nose on your face how he feels about you. And how you feel about him.”

Brynne felt the heat rush to her cheeks and focused on the twisted handkerchief in her lap. “Is it that obvious?”

“Yes. It is. So…why are you hesitating? You love him, don’t you?”

Brynne took a deep breath. She’d never said it out loud. Saying it out loud would make it real. But it was time to decide once and for all. “Yes. I do love him.”

“Well then,” Cora said, reaching over to take her hand, “I think you’ve got your answer.”

A lump formed in Brynne’s throat. “Yes, but…”

“Ah, my dear. Jake would have wanted you to be happy. He wouldn’t want you to live your life alone. He’d want Coraline to have a father to protect her. And Dr. Oliver is a good man. I couldn’t have chosen a better step-father for my granddaughter if I had hand-picked him myself.”

Something in Cora’s tone made Brynne think her mother-in-law had done exactly that.

“Now,” she said, pulling Brynne to her feet. “Go put that wonderful young man out of his misery.”

Brynne laughed and hugged her mother-in-law. “Thank you, Cora. For everything.”

Cora patted Brynne’s cheek. “It is I who should thank you. You brought some happiness back into our lives. And being able to be near Coraline has been a blessing that we never dreamed would be possible when we lost Jake. Now, you deserve some happiness of your own.”

Brynne hugged Cora. When she left, it was with a light heart and clear conscience. A new phase of her life was about to begin, one she’d never dreamed would be possible for her again. She couldn’t wait to get back to Richard and start their lives together.

Brynne jumped down from the carriage and bounded up the steps of the clinic. Her whole body sang with happiness and for the first time, she didn’t feel guilty about it. There would always be some sadness when she thought of Jake. But Cora had been right. He wouldn’t have wanted her to live alone and miserable for the rest of her life. She wanted love, more children, a man who loved and respected her, who would be her partner, not merely her spouse. And she had no doubt that Richard was that man.

She was so excited to get inside and tell Richard that she accepted his proposal that she didn’t see who was coming out of the clinic until she’d almost run smack into her. Brynne stumbled back a step and mumbled an apology.

“Good morning, Mrs. Forrester,” Mrs. Morey said.

Brynne’s light, happy mood threatened to deflate, but she’d be damned if she’d let the odious woman ruin what was going to be one of the happiest days of her life. “Hello, Mrs. Morey. How are you this beautiful morning?”

“Oh, I am quite well, thank you.”

Brynne cocked her head. She had never heard the dreadful bitch sound so cheerful. “Well, that is good to hear. If you’ll excuse me…”

“It’s too bad I can’t say the same for you.”

“Pardon me?”

“I’ve just had a word with poor, dear Richard. It seems he’s been laboring under a few misconceptions concerning a certain woman in his life. Being a good, Christian woman, I couldn’t, in good conscience, allow him to be dragged down anymore by someone so unworthy of him.”

If Brynne had had any doubt as to who Mrs. Morey meant, it would have been erased by the delighted way the woman raked her gaze over Brynne. Like a snake eyeing a particularly delectable rabbit.

“I am sure I have no idea to what you are referring.”

“Oh, I’m certain you do.” Mrs. Morey smirked and brushed past Brynne. “Good day, Mrs. Forrester.”

A lump of dread formed in Brynne’s gut. What had the woman done? Surely, it couldn’t be all that bad. Yes, there were things in Brynne’s past that she needed to tell Richard, but nothing so horrendous that it would change his feelings for her, of that she had no doubt. And Brynne couldn’t fathom how Mrs. Morey could have discovered anything much about her in any case. They were nearly three thousand miles away from California, and Brynne didn’t think there was anyone left who would willingly spread tales about her.

She entered the clinic with a heavier tread than she had begun with, doubt sinking into her despite her best efforts to stay positive. Richard loved her. That was all that mattered. Surely he wouldn’t let a bit of idle, malicious gossip change the way he felt about her.

The moment she entered the foyer, Mrs. Birch looked up from her table. “Dr. Oliver would like to see you in his office, Mrs. Forrester.”

Brynne merely nodded and headed back to find Richard, her dread deepening more with every step. Why was she being summoned to his office like some misbehaving employee? She shook her head and tried to throw off her unease. Richard had asked her to marry him. He wanted her for his wife. Nothing a bitter old crone like Mrs. Morey could say would make him change his mind. For heaven’s sake, Brynne had only been gone a few hours. A fine wife she’d make, suspecting her future husband’s feelings were so fickle that they could be changed in a moment.

Brynne squared her shoulders and marched in to meet her soon-to-be fiancé, her head held high. She pictured Richard’s happiness when she finally accepted his proposal. Maybe she’d greet him with a kiss. That would surprise him.

She knocked on the office door and opened it without waiting for him to answer. She strode into the room with a smile.

“Richard, I’ve made my decision. I…”

Brynne stopped mid-sentence at the look on Richard’s face.

“Richard, what is it?”

For a moment, Brynne feared someone must have died. Richard’s face was set in hard lines, his brow furrowed in anger…or confusion. In his hand, he clutched an old newspaper trimming. Brynne couldn’t see the headline of the article, but she did recognize the illustration. It was a portrait of her brother-in-law, Leo, when he’d been elected sheriff of Bethany Ridge.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Richard asked, his voice low, quiet. Brynne would have preferred that he shouted.

“I was going to tell you everything.”

“When? After we’d married and it was too late for me to change my mind?”

Brynne gasped, all the breath rushing from her lungs as if Richard had slugged her in the stomach. She almost wished he had. It would have hurt less than the anger and accusation in his voice.

“I saw no reason to share everything that happened in my past until I knew how serious you were about me. And then, when you proposed, I was afraid…”

“Afraid of what?”

“Of this! Of you reacting like this. I didn’t want to jeopardize what we had together until I knew for sure that we had a future together. I would have told you everything before we married. In fact, that is what I came here to do. Until this moment, I didn’t truly believe that anything I was about to tell you would change how you felt about me.”

“My feelings haven’t changed, Brynne. But…”

He wouldn’t meet her gaze. Brynne’s heart sank. But she wouldn’t let that miserable woman destroy her happy future without at least trying to get him to understand.

“I love you, Richard.” She didn’t realize how badly she’d wanted to say those words aloud until they passed her lips. It felt so good to at long last tell him the truth. Tell him how she felt. “I love you. And of course, I’ll tell you everything. Anything you want to know. All you need to do is ask.”

Richard bowed his head. Not the reaction Brynne was hoping to get from her declaration. The lump of dread hardened into ice that chilled her through and through.

What if she’d left it too late? She should have told him. At least about Leo.

“I love you, too. At least, I love the Brynne I thought I knew.”

“What is that supposed to mean? I am the same person, Richard. Nothing about me has changed.”

Richard waved the newspaper at her. “Everything I believed I knew about you has changed. You consorted with bandits? Perhaps even rode with them? There were rumors that your own sister was the bandit Blood Blade. Going by your recent activities with the medical supplies, I’m inclined to believe that one, though I’ll admit, it’s nearly impossible to fathom. What did you do, ride the trails robbing stage coaches?”

Brynne could almost laugh at the incredulity on his face. She honestly had no idea how to respond to him. She couldn’t see how admitting that Cilla
was
Blood Blade, and that Brynne had indeed done her share of robbing and banditry, would ease him any. She shrugged, albeit a bit sheepishly.

Richard huffed and waved the clipping again. “And why didn’t you tell me that you had married again?”

Brynne sighed. What was it about men? Jake he could handle. Jake was dead. But another husband, one who was alive?
That
was intolerable.

“I would have told you, before we went any further. But I didn’t think it mattered.”

“Of course it matters! Brynne, you’ve been married twice now. Once to a husband who died under very mysterious and brutal circumstances, and then you almost immediately married your dead husband’s brother, while you were still carrying the child of your first husband. And then your second husband divorced you to marry your own sister. How can that not matter?”

Brynne flinched. It sounded so much worse when he spelled it all out like that. “That wasn’t exactly how it happened. I mean…it was but…”

“But what?”

Brynne sighed. She had no idea how to explain this where it wouldn’t sound horrible. “First of all, Leo didn’t divorce me, our marriage was annulled. Which means in the eyes of the law and God—”

“Yes, speaking of the law, was your
first
marriage even legal? There is supposedly no record of it. Do the Forresters know you bore their son a child out of wedlock? Do they know your marriage to their second son was annulled or do they even know about it? Did you lie to them, too?”

“I didn’t lie to them or anyone else about anything, Richard, and yes, they know
everything
.”