Brazos Bride Read Online Free PDF

incompetent. And he would do that very thing before he would let me marry you. He is a powerful man here and many are afraid to displease him." She paused from tugging on her shoes to glance up at him with solemn eyes. "You must understand, he truly believes you murdered my father."
    He shrugged again. He had been cleared by a jury. The subject seemed not to need more discussion. Why wouldn’t people in this county leave it alone?
    “ There is a buttonhook on the washstand,” she said in a breathy voice, as if so much talking had sapped her strength and stolen her air. “Could you hand it to me?”
    Micah grabbed the fastening tool and knelt on one knee at her feet. Seemed odd, helping her this way when he’d never held a woman’s foot before.
    " Sir ?" She moved her feet away as she snatched at her skirts.
    He looked into her face. “Many times I saw Pa help Mama with her Sunday shoes. I know what to do.”
    Thinking back to the flirting and laughing between his parents, he regretted this wouldn’t be the kind of marriage they’d shared. But he might as well get on with helping Hope if he was to become her guardian. "Let me assist you. It's going to be a long day for us both. Best conserve your energy."
    She hesitated for half a minute then slowly slid her feet in front of him. Cradling her slim ankle in one hand, he quickly fastened her shoe and moved to the other foot, trying to ignore the glimpse of slender calf his position afforded. His shaking hands were clumsy as bear paws and he fumbled. Finally, all the hooks were fastened and he stood.
    She smoothed the skirt over her shoe tops. “Thank you.”
    Meeting her gaze, he asked the question he'd wanted to ask at the trial. "And do you agree with your uncle? Do you believe I murdered your father?"
    "I would not have asked you here if I did, would I?" But she dropped her head and refused to look at him.
    Micah got to his feet. "You have a plan?"
    "Yes. Judge Henderson is in his study, where we spoke earlier. He can marry us and then we can take the marriage certificate to my solicitor. From there we will go to the bank and have all the records changed to your name and mine. I will see you get your money then."
    Mention of money reminded him he was only a paid employee to her. The land and the cash would save him, but would marriage to him really protect her life? He’d have to get over his hurt feelings and concentrate on her safety. Besides, she looked so fragile. How could he turn his back on her plea?
    Half a league of Montoya land adjoining his included plenty of access to the Brazos River. With the cash, he could build his herd, make all the improvements he’d planned and then some. Even help his brothers.
    He'd like to pay them back for the support they'd offered during the trial and since. Zach had his own land and cattle that needed his care. Joel was a lawman who’d taken indefinite leave to help here.
    Hope’s face might be a mask devoid of emotion, but her wide brown eyes betrayed her anxiety. And though she posed regally in the high-backed chair, he saw her hands tremble. She was hardly as confident as she would have him believe.
    He exhaled slowly, searching for the right words. “You thought about how this will look to others?”
    A slight frown puckered her perfect brow. “In what way?”
    “ Only thing that saved my neck from a noose was your testimony. Most people hereabouts still consider I’m the one who shot your father. We get hitched, it might look like we were in on it together.”
    He saw her surprise when his words registered. So, she hadn't considered that. She straightened her shoulders and flicked a hand to dismiss the idea.
    “ Then you will help me find out who killed my father and tries to kill me. You have been a lawman. You have found other killers.”
    He didn't bother to tell her that was the main reason his brothers had remained with him instead of getting on with their own lives. The Stone family had lost a lot, but