Noelle Marchand - The Runaway Bride

“Will you take this man...”

The only husband Lorelei Wilkins ever wanted was Sean O’Brien, but she’s wasted too long waiting for him to love her back. When another man proposes, she accepts—until she stands at the altar…and realizes she can’t marry without love. Bolting out of town toward a fresh start, she never suspected her parents would send Sheriff O’Brien to bring her home!

After an innocent mistake leaves Lorelei and her reluctant rescuer with compromised reputations, marriage is their only option. But first they must triumph over suspicious locals, shady characters, an inconvenient groom and the bride’s own stubborn heart. Will it take their lives on the line for Sean and Lorelei to realize that only love can conquer all?

“I don’t want this any more than you do, but it looks like there is no choice.”

For him to be that…fatalistic about even the thought of marrying her hurt more than she’d ever admit. Lorelei shook her head. “With a proposal like that, how can I say no?”

She forced herself to calm her rapid breathing as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Sean was agreeing to marry her. For so many years, she’d longed for a moment like this between them—now she deplored it. It didn’t mean that he loved her. It simply meant that he was doing his duty. Logically, it was the best option. Emotionally—it just felt plain awful.

At least she didn’t love him anymore. That would have sealed the hopelessness of her fate.

A wry smile touched his lips. “You look like you’ve been assigned a fate worse than death.”

She nodded slowly. He seemed to think so. Why shouldn’t she? “Maybe I have.”

NOELLE MARCHAND

Her love of literature began as a child when she would spend hours reading beneath the covers long after she was supposed to be asleep. Over the years, God began prompting her to write. Eventually, those stories became like “fire shut up in her bones” leading her to complete her first novel by her sixteenth birthday.

Noelle is a Houston native who is currently a senior, double majoring in mass communication with a focus in journalism and speech communication. Though life as a college student keeps her busy, God continues to use her talent for writing as a way to deepen her spiritual life and draw her closer to Him.

The Runaway Bride

Noelle Marchand

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Bear with each other and forgive one another

if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together

in perfect unity.

—Colossians 3:13–14

Dedicated with love to my sister by blood,

Ashley Marchand, and my sisters in spirit,

Cynthia Rouhana and Erika Gutierrez.

Also, to my mother, Juanita Marchand,

for her continued encouragement.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Excerpt

Chapter One

Peppin, Texas

August 1887

“Lorelei Wilkins, will you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health: forsaking all others, keeping only unto him so long as you both shall live?”

Lorelei’s eyes widened as she stared silently at Reverend Sparks. Did he have any idea how formidable those words sounded? If she was making a mistake, it would be irreversible. Yet, he stood there waiting. Waiting—just like the man beside her who’d gone through the trouble of slicking back his hair, shining his boots and donning a fancy shirt. She glanced at her groom. Lawson Williams swallowed nervously.

“I…” Her gaze slipped to Lawson’s best man. Sean O’Brien’s green eyes watched her carefully. He was probably wondering if she was going to prove that his suspicion about her had been right all along. Hadn’t he secretly warned Lawson not to court her? Some secret. She’d heard the words he hadn’t intended for her ears two years ago, and they reverberated in her thoughts even now.

“You’re making a mistake. Lorelei isn’t the kind of girl you can count on. She’s always been flighty and insincere. If you aren’t careful, you’ll end up with a broken heart.”

She turned back to Reverend Sparks. “Will you repeat the second question?”

Nervous laughter spread through the church behind her, but she listened carefully as he repeated. “Will you love—”

He continued, but that one word was all she needed to hear. Would she love Lawson, as a wife should love her husband, for as long as the two of them lived? She couldn’t do this to herself, and she certainly couldn’t do it to Lawson…because the answer was no.

Shaking her head, she took a halting step backward. Gasps tore through the air as she lifted her white skirt and ran down the aisle she’d just marched up. The doors of the church burst open with a bang, and light flooded the sanctuary as she tripped quickly down the stairs onto the lawn. Gasping in quick hard breaths, she only escaped a few feet before she heard footsteps behind her.

“Lorelei!” a strident voice called.

She ignored it. Pressing the back of her hand to her lips, she felt the lump of her engagement ring. A hand caught her arm. “Lorelei?”

She swung around to face her intended. “I can’t. I can’t do this. I’m so sorry, Lawson.”

His handsome face noticeably paled. “What do you mean you can’t do this? We’re getting married today. Right now.”

She swallowed. “It isn’t right.”

“What are you talking about?” Painful silence lingered in the air until he stepped toward her. “I thought you loved me.”

“I do love you, Lawson, but not in the way a woman should love the man she’s going to marry. I wish that I did,” she said sorrowfully, then tilted her head to survey him carefully. “Do you love me like that, Lawson? Can you honestly tell me that you do?”

He turned away from her and dragged his fingers through his hair before he met her gaze again. His answer was halting, almost inaudible. “No.”

She pulled in a deep breath and tugged the ring from her finger. “Then this shouldn’t belong to me.”

His eyes filled with resignation as he took it from her. He allowed her a curt nod before he walked back toward the church where his best man waited on the steps. Her gaze caught only briefly on that figure before she turned away.

She’d barely made it to Main Street when her delicate white boots began to pinch her feet. She allowed herself a grimace as she leaned against the wall of Maddie’s Café and rustled through the satin overlay and layers of tulle to reach her shoes.