A Reluctant Bride Read Online Free PDF

upper arm and moved to her side, preventing her from falling. “The ground is uneven here.”
    She regained her balance as their eyes met. His other hand skimmed the back of her waist before he released her. “Are you okay?”
    His concerned tone and gentle touch stole her words. She balked, expecting to recoil from the gesture.
    She didn’t. And that scared her more than anything.
    â€œSadie?”
    When he stepped toward her, she rushed past him, confused. The surge that went through her when he touched her, when he showed her unexpected kindness, didn’t make sense. She wasn’t going to stick around and contemplate what had happened.
    She hurried back inside the basement and went straight to Abigail. “We have to leave,” she said, breathless and still reeling from her reaction to Aden.
    Abigail cast a bewildered look at Joel before addressing Sadie. “We just got here—”
    â€œ Now .”
    â€œAll right.” She looked at Joel again. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œIs everything okay?” he asked, his words directed at Sadie.
    â€œEverything is fine,” Sadie said through clenched teeth. “We just need to geh .”
    Abigail nodded. “I’ll get Joanna.” As she walked by Sadie she leaned over and whispered, “What’s going on? You look white as a sheet.”
    â€œI’ll be in the buggy.” She brushed past Abigail and walked out the basement door. As she raced to the buggy, she looked to see if Aden, Sol, or their father was outside. But the yard seemed deserted. Thank you, Lord .
    She climbed inside the buggy and sat on the bench seat, placing a steadying hand over her chest. She gripped the leather reins and fought for calm, praying her sisters would hurry up so she could get away as fast as possible.
    I shouldn’t have come tonight.

    I shouldn’t have touched her.
    Aden stood by his beehives and watched Sadie as she ran from the basement and straight for her buggy. He had to fight the urge to follow her, to ask her if she was okay. He could kick himself for touching her, but it had been instinctive on his part. And for that brief moment when his hand rested on her waist, he hadn’t wanted to let her go.
    For years he’d wanted to apologize to her for what had happened, for running away and leaving her with Sol. He wasn’t sure what actually had happened between Sadie and his brother in the cornfield that day, but Sol had returned home a couple of hours later, fuming and more sober than he’d been earlier in the day. Aden had known better than to question him.
    And if he were honest with himself, he’d have to admit he didn’t want to know what had transpired between Sol and Sadie. Which made him just as cowardly now as he was back then, when he was sixteen and afraid of Sol’s fists and his father’s retribution.
    If he was a man instead of the weak-willed boy his father always called him, he’d go after Sadie right now. He’d ask her forgiveness. He’d tell her she’d never have to worry about Sol again.
    But something more powerful than guilt and fear held him back. He’d observed Sadie during the singing, watching her as she stood in the corner, looking alternately pained and anxious. The only thing more surprising than her coming tonight was that she stayed as long as she did. And he knew part of the reason she was leaving was because of him.
    He couldn’t approach Sadie again. He didn’t have the right to.
    He heard the back porch door hinges creak and saw his father step out onto the patio. The flicker of a match glowed in the near darkness as he lit his pipe, smoke coming out in puffs from his mouth. Aden ducked out of sight farther behind the barn. Eventually he would sneak back into the house before his father noticed he was missing.
    Aden heard the sound of a buggy leaving, and he knew it was Sadie’s. Someday he would find a way to