Bonds of Matrimony Read Online Free PDF

and stared at her scarlet face. 'What's the matter?' he asked her.
    'Nothing!' she disclaimed.
    Benedict Carmichael gave her an amused look. 'Something awful has befallen her,' he announced. 'She's engaged herself to marry me as soon as we can arrange it. Perhaps you'd care to come along for the ceremony?'
    Bob's jaw dropped. 'I don't believe it!' He looked both upset and embarrassed. 'Does Betsy know ?'
    'Betsy introduced us,' Mr. Carmichael answered with a small smile. 'You don't have to worry about Hero, Bob. She's quite safe in my hands.'
    The young man's brow cleared. 'Oh, I'm sure she is!' he protested. 'Only she's had a few wild ideas lately and I was afraid you might be one of them. I suppose she's told you about the farm - must have done! She couldn't go on there by herself. The truth is that we've all been a bit worried about her, but if she's going to get married, we needn't bother any more. It's better than anything!' He looked curiously at Benedict Carmichael. 'I don't suppose you're British, by any chance? Because that would make it quite perfect for Hero-'
    'British to the core!' Mr. Carmichael assured him.
    Hero raised her eyebrows at them both, across the table. 'It's nice to know that I mean so much to you!' she said to Bob. 'You sound positively glad to be rid of me.'
    He grinned at her. 'Well, so I am! Betsy was convinced you were going to do something daft. She says you're as Greek as your mother when it comes to getting the bit between your teeth. Don't you be taken in,' he added to Mr. Carmichael, 'she may look all meek and biddable on the surface, but she's a deep one for all that! Her parents were the talk of Kenya. They absolutely adored one another when just about nobody else even pretended to have much time for their respective spouses - Kenya was famous for that sort of thing, you know - and Betsy says that Hero will be just the same, devoted and passionate.'
    'Bob!'
    Mr. Carmichael threw back his head and laughed. 'I think I can take it!' he murmured.
    Hero burned with indignation. 'It isn't like that at all!' she blurted out. 'And as for you, Bob, I wish you'd go away!'
    'What do you mean, it isn't like that?' the young man demanded. 'What is it like? Hero, are you up to something?'
    'Of course not!' she denied. Her eyes flew to Mr. Carmichael, seeking his help. The funny thing was that she was almost sure that she could rely on him to cover up for her and that when she had to admit that he didn't have to. He could quite easily have explained that she was marrying him to become a British national and that he thought her an adventuress and didn't either like or admire her, but she knew he wouldn't do that. And he didn't.
    'As you said yourself, Hero is shy,' he drawled, with such confidence that Hero could quite easily have believed him herself. 'It's all been rather sudden and she hasn't got used to the idea yet.' She was conscious of a mocking glint in his eyes. 'I don't suppose she'll ever kiss easily in public, but in private she more than lives up to Betsy's expectations of her!'
    Hero knew that it was no good wishing that the earth would swallow her up, but she simply couldn't imagine how she would ever hold up her head with Benedict Carmichael again. She pulled herself together with difficulty. 'I even call him Benedict in private,' she

     
    'Do you now?' said Bob. He smiled at her with genuine affection. 'I'm glad. It's been a rotten year for you and you were more than due for something nice to happen to you. I wish you every happiness, my dear.'
    Hero made a strangled sound, but Mr. Carmichael was comparatively unmoved. 'I don't want to push you, old chap, but Hero and I have a lot to talk about. She wants to hurry back to that farm of hers, and I want to go with her to make up our minds what we're going to do with it, and that means getting married as soon as possible.'
    Bob nodded agreeably, standing up at once. 'You won't be able to do anything with the farm. It's in the drought area.