Be My Bride Read Online Free PDF

to make Cynthia suspicious of their motives, they asked to go to bed early that night. She was not completely surprised then to find that, when she retired sometime later, three rather large lumps had appeared under the coverings on her bed.
    The temptation to tease her sons was strong, but she forced herself to stride to the bed and thump on the largest of the three shapes. “John, James, Adam, come out of there at once.”
    The lumps wiggled, and John’s head appeared from under the covers, James and Adam shortly behind him. Cynthia put her hands on her hips.
    “What am I to do with you? Why aren’t you in bed?”
    John straightened and affixed her with a stern eye. “We had important matters to discuss with you.”
    James nodded seriously. Adam hiccupped.
    Cynthia sank onto the bed beside them. They seldom felt the need to confront her like this, so it must be important. “I see. Is something wrong?”
    “Not wrong,” James started.
    “Yes, wrong,” John interrupted insistently. “Mother, we have decided that we need a father.”
    Cynthia glanced around at the serious faces. “You had a father. He died.” The words came out colder than she had intended, and to cover it up she reached for Adam and pulled him onto her lap. “Why do you want another one so soon?”
    “Has it been so soon?” James asked thoughtfully. “I remember Father, but it seems as if he’s been gone a very long time.”
    Cynthia gathered him closer too. “I know, James. He was out at sea so often, I’m sure it seems as if he’s been gone much longer. But it has been barely six months. I’m still wearing mourning.” She plucked at the hideous black dress.
    “It does not signify,” John insisted. “We would like a new father. You have to marry him.”
    “I see,” she said, trying not to brindle at his authoritative tone. However, she couldn’t help adding, “And have you picked out the gentleman and chapel as well?”
    It was the wrong choice. “Yes, we have,” John replied. “You will marry Mr. Daniel in the Wenwood Church.” He quailed before her frown. “Please?”
    “Yes, Mother, please?” Adam chimed in, baby face turned entreatingly to hers and making it impossible to scold John. She took a deep breath and smiled at the three of them.
    “I’m very glad you like Mr. Lewiston so much, my sweets, but I assure you, we would not suit.”
    “Why not?” John demanded, crossing arms over a puffed out chest. “He’s very good to us.”
    “He gives us cakes,” Adam piped up, “and candy.” He sighed gustily. “There’s nothing sweeter than candy.”
    “He has the most wonderful house,” James put in. “With a very large library full of books, almost as many as Uncle Jonathan.”
    “He has a large estate, a French chef, and thirty thousand pounds per annum,” John summarized. “And I heard he thinks you’re a diamond of the first water.”
    Cynthia suddenly had the image of Daniel’s visit that morning. Good heavens, had he been attempting to court her? The very idea so agitated her that she set Adam off her lap and got up to pace the room.
    “You must be mistaken, John,” she tried. “Daniel Lewiston may be pleasant to you, and he certainly has been pleasant to me, but he cannot be interested in making me his wife. The last he knew of me, I was a rather giddy young girl. In fact, I hate to tell you this, but his younger sisters and I tormented him to no end. We used to play the most shameful tricks on him.”
    John bounced to the foot of the bed and watched her with wide eyes. “Like what?”
    Cynthia was almost afraid to confess how shallow she had been, but if it would convince them that she and Daniel could not make a match of it, then it was worth a try. “Well, we used to tell him tea was later than it was so that when he arrived his mother would scold him for being late. We must have played that trick on him at least a dozen times, and he never seemed to catch on. And once Daphnia, his closest