Angel Moore - Husband By Arrangement

Rena stopped rocking and leaned close to inspect the quilt. “What a lovely pattern. Did Ann make it?”

“My mother did. Ann has one like it, but hers is pink and green. Our mother made them for us when we were children.” He picked up the knife and wood and returned to his place in front of the fire.

She reached out a hand and caressed the blue and brown starburst that formed the center of the quilt. “Are you sure you want me to use it? What about you?”

“I have another.” He didn’t want to talk to her about his mother. The woman who’d given everything she had to care for him and his sister. She’d worked odd jobs, taken in laundry, baked for others and anything else to put food on their table after their father had died.

His mother was the perfect picture of everything a mother should be. He wasn’t ready to share that with Rena. Not on the night he’d married her to give her child a name.

They were completely different women. His mother had been quiet and settled. Determined and strong.

Rena was almost never quiet and certainly not settled. Though he couldn’t deny her bravery at marrying a man she’d always kept at a distance to protect her unborn child.

He wouldn’t talk about his mother to her. Not now. Maybe not ever.

Scott put the wood aside and stood to pace behind the settee that separated the kitchen from the main part of the room. “So.” He ran a nervous hand through his hair and stepped in front of her chair. “What do you think we should establish as a sort of ground rules for what’s going on here.”

She had to crane her neck to see him, so he dropped onto the front edge of the settee and leaned toward her.

“Do you mean things like how to address one another? How to comport ourselves in public? That sort of thing?”

“Yes. We’ll have to appear friendly, or people won’t believe the child is ours.”

Her face turned pink. “Really, Sheriff, I don’t think we have to verbalize every detail.”

“Scott. You’re going to have to call me by my name.”

The color began to fade from her cheeks. “Scott.” The word was soft and seemed to come with great effort.

He answered her in kind. “Rena.” He rubbed his palms down the length of his thighs. He should not be sweating on a cold December night. “I promise to be respectful of you. Neither of us expected to be in this situation.”

“Thank you.” She avoided his gaze. “I’ll try to be friendly toward you.”

He chuckled. “You better be careful. If you start being too nice to me, people will start to think you don’t dislike me anymore.”

She jerked her head up. “Surely getting married will convince them otherwise.” She looked away and made him wonder if she was trying to cover her true feelings. “I never actually disliked you.”

“Really?” He leaned back. “Then why all those suppers where you didn’t say anything to me? You passed the food and spoke to your father, but it was clear that you were avoiding me.”

“Standoffish is probably the way I’d describe it. I guess I thought you dismissed me. That you didn’t like me as a person. So I didn’t want to waste my time or efforts by trying to build a friendship with you.” She shrugged one shoulder and stared into the fire. “I never meant to be unkind.”

“You were never unkind. But you weren’t friendly.”

“If you feel that way about me, why did you agree to this marriage?” Her eyes were open, honest. She was seeking the truth.

“I needed help here. And your father was right. A scandal now could cost him his position as mayor.”

“And you the job as sheriff? I heard that part of the conversation. Do you believe that? Could he be ousted as mayor because of what I’ve done?”

“People can be mean-spirited and unforgiving. It’s not right, but it happens.” He didn’t want to add the weight of blame to her.

“That’s so unfair.”

“It is. But we can’t worry about what might happen. We did the right thing, and now we move on. God isn’t so much concerned with where we’ve been but where we are.”

“And where are we?”

“We are at the beginning of an arrangement to benefit both of us, the child and your father. We need to make the best of it.”

“But you agree that we aren’t expecting more from me than someone to help you handle the chores here?”

“Yes. And you know that I’ll take care of the needs of you and the baby, but I’m not wanting anything like a real marriage out of this. I wasn’t looking for that with anyone. I don’t expect it from you.” Did she flinch? “I don’t mean that in an unkind way.”

“You’re merely stating the obvious.” She brushed her hands across her skirt and stood. “I think I’ll turn in. It’s been a long day, and there’s a lot to do tomorrow, if we’re going to get my things from town. I’ve got my work cut out for me here, too.”

She picked up the quilt and hugged it close. “Thank you for all you did today. I am grateful. I hope you know that.” The effort it took her to say the words was unmistakable.

He nodded. “I do.”

She closed the door to Ann’s room.

He leaned against the back of the settee with his arms crossed behind his head. What have I gotten myself into?

Lord, this didn’t surprise You, but it has thrown me like a wild horse. Help me land without getting hurt. Or hurting anyone else.

The fire crackled and settled. He added several logs to it and headed for bed. He had a feeling that tomorrow wouldn’t be the only long day in his future. He’d take them one at a time. Riding into Gran Colina with a new bride in the morning would be a challenge. Their sudden wedding would surely keep the town gossips busy for weeks to come. He hoped he and Rena could portray a convincing couple without making either of them uncomfortable.

Chapter Three

The smell of frying bacon woke Rena the next morning. Her stomach wrenched.

Please help me, Lord. How long is this going to go on? I don’t have time to be sick all day, every day. I know I don’t have a right to ask You for anything, but I’d sure appreciate a dose of mercy.

She slid her feet into her slippers and tied on her robe. She opened the door enough to see Scott at the stove with his back to her. She tiptoed across the floor of the main room and out the front door. The chilly air and damp ground were the only evidence of the rain she’d heard in the middle of the night. The sky was bright and clear.

A few minutes later, with one hand across her middle and the other holding her robe tight at the neck, she returned and hoped to make her way back to her room unnoticed.

“Oh, there you are.” Scott was walking away from the door to her room. He pointed at the table but stumbled backward a couple of steps as he took in her appearance. “I, uh, breakfast is ready.”

Rena made an effort to pull her robe tighter. She wasn’t accustomed to being in a man’s presence in such a state. There hadn’t been time to brush her hair or make herself presentable before she’d taken ill. Shame covered her again. Scott continued his backward motion until he was on the opposite side of the room from her.

“Thank you. I’ll be out in a few minutes.” She dashed into her room and closed the door. Leaning against the cold wood, she vowed to avoid another instance of being caught in her nightclothes. Even if it meant she had to sleep in one of her dresses.

When she went back into the main room, Scott was taking his plate to the basin. “I thought we’d get an early start.” He didn’t look at her.

“That’s fine. Is there anything you need me to do before we go? Gather the eggs? Feed the chickens?”

“Nope. It’s all done.” He was at the door, donning his hat. “Have your breakfast while I hitch up the wagon.”