Renee Ryan - Mistaken Bride

“Stay focused, Bridget.” Nora placed a light touch to her arm. “We still need to locate our luggage before we rendezvous with Maeve and Flynn.” Her tone was pure Nora—brisk, efficient and more than a little impatient.

Nora was in her sensible mood. Best to move out of the way and let her take charge.

“Why don’t you give Grace to me?” Bridget reached out her arms to the wiggling bundle. “I’ll take her out of the hot sun while you search for our luggage.”

Nora hesitated.

“If I stand over there—” Bridget cocked her head toward a spot directly behind her “—I’ll be able to watch for Maeve and Flynn.”

“That’s not a bad plan.” Slowly, with more than a little reluctance, Nora handed over the baby. “But stay put,” she ordered, her warning gaze proving she knew there was a good chance Bridget might not do as commanded. “I won’t be long.”

Bridget had no doubt. “Run along, Nora. Grace will be quite fine with me.”

That seemed to mollify her and she scurried off at a quick pace.

With the infant nestled safely against her, Bridget moved into the shadow cast by the ship’s hull and continued watching the activity around her.

As though sensing all was well, the baby promptly fell asleep in her arms.

Equally content, Bridget sighed. The starkly handsome ship rocked in the brackish water behind her. Caged in the dark pool, the enormous structure swayed its lofty head in impatience. The groan of the rigging sounded like an angry mutter of protest against its current confinement.

Bridget had felt that same way back in Ireland. At least in the end. But she and her sisters would soon claim a home of their own, their first, the one deeded to their mother years ago. It was the discovery of that long-hidden deed that had spurred the sisters to set out for America. Now, she couldn’t wait to see where their journey led.

So many possibilities lay ahead. Her mind wanted to wander. She let it.

Far too little time passed before Bridget caught sight of Maeve disembarking with her new husband. They hadn’t seen Bridget yet. Arms linked, leaning into one another, the newlyweds moved as a single unit. Flynn’s dark head bent over Maeve’s lighter one. He whispered something in her ear. They both laughed, and the sound reached all the way to where Bridget stood with Grace.

Did they know how happy they appeared to outsiders?

Something hard knotted in Bridget’s stomach and she looked away as a familiar sense of loss filled her.

No. She would not give Daniel McGrath such power. It had been a year since he’d left her heartbroken and humiliated. Nothing was going to ruin this day for her, especially not bad memories of the one man who’d disappointed her.

For I will turn their mourning into joy…

Letting the Scripture sink in, Bridget decided to wait a moment longer before she approached Maeve and her husband.

Just as she was ready to step out of the shadows, a movement caught her eye.

Something was coming toward her. No, someone—weaving through the thick crowd with purpose.

Bridget struggled to moderate her breathing, even as she craned her neck to see over the bobbing heads.

One blink, two and she saw him. The same man she’d watched from the ship’s main deck.

The sound of her heartbeat echoed in her ears.

How could a stranger affect her so?

He was a full hundred feet away and Bridget still couldn’t make out his features, yet she couldn’t look away. She knew—she knew—he was different. Special. And just like earlier, she was inexplicably drawn to him, fascinated, perhaps even bewildered.

A shiver of anticipation skittered up her spine and she instinctively leaned forward. Toward him. Her eyes narrowed for a better look.

He wore a dark frock coat over lighter-colored trousers and carried what looked like a soft-crowned brown hat in his right hand. By his dress alone she knew he was no average dock worker. Or weary traveler.

He had to be a businessman. An American businessman?

In spite of the impeccable clothing and dark hair cut in a very modern style, a shocking air of raw masculinity resonated out of him.

He surveyed his surroundings with meticulous care, checking faces only. Occasionally he would stop and ask a question of someone, shake his head, then continue his search.

She still couldn’t see the color of his eyes, but he seemed to be looking for someone in particular.

Grace? Was he here to claim Grace?

No, that couldn’t be right. The baby had been born on the journey over. This man had not been on the ship, she would have remembered him. He couldn’t possibly know of the child’s existence. Could he?

Her body reacted with an odd sensation and she tightened her hold on Grace. The baby wriggled in her sleep but didn’t awaken.

Bridget lowered a soothing kiss to the child’s forehead, even as she kept her gaze locked on the stranger.

Meeting such a person on her first day in America could be a dangerous prospect, especially if he was here to seize Grace.

If only Bridget could see his eyes, she would know more about the man’s intentions and his character.

Look at me, she silently ordered.

As though hearing her call, his head turned in her direction. It was only then that Bridget realized several people were pointing at her.

Her? Or Grace?

Oh, Lord, please no. No…

Despite her desperation, or perhaps because of it, the moment her gaze met the stranger’s Bridget lost her ability to breathe. She couldn’t look away, didn’t want to look away. The man’s eyes were indeed blue, a liquid silver-blue, and filled with a fathomless pool of blank emotion, except for a flicker of…what? What was it she saw in that instant? Hurt? Loneliness?

For that brief instant, she felt an undeniable pull. She reached out her hand, as if she could soothe him from this distance.

He gave one hard blink and the moment passed.

Her throat clenched.

He was coming her way.

And looking very determined.

She almost considered melting deeper into the shadows, but if Grace belonged to him, Bridget couldn’t deny him his right. She had to trust he would be good to her.

She took a step forward. Toward him.

He took one slow deliberate step, as well.

Feeling a bit light-headed, Bridget sighed.

Grace gurgled.

The stranger took another step forward.

Bridget sighed again. Really, this odd reaction to a total stranger was beyond ridiculous. She didn’t know this man. Or his intentions. She should slip back into the safety of the shadows.

She almost did just that, thinking it the wisest course of action. Except one of Bridget’s flaws was that she never retreated from a dare. And, oh, my, the man’s intense blue eyes held quite the dare.

Chapter Two

William Black stood in muted astonishment. That hair. Wild and glorious, the sight of those untamed curls refusing to obey their pins drew him yet another step forward.

Was this woman his future bride, the one he’d sent for all those months ago?

Surely not. Yet several people had pointed at her when he’d mentioned her name—Bridget—and then given her ordinary description of brown hair and dark eyes.

There had to be some mistake. There was nothing ordinary about the woman. She was a blend of the unexpected and the extraordinary, a beautiful female impossible to overlook. In short, everything he avoided in a woman.

As if to mock him, a beam of sunlight escaped like a finger through a crack in the clouds, landing directly on her, bathing her in golden brilliance. Under the bold light of midday she looked delicate, inviting, almost ethereal.

What if this was his Bridget?

He’d paid for her passage and promised to marry her, promised to make her a much-needed part of his family. He couldn’t go back on his word, regardless of his current misgivings. Duty and honor were the principles that guided his life, all that a man had left when everything else was stripped away.