Cody's Montana Sweetheart: A New Montana Brides Ebook (The New Montana Brides) Read Online Free PDF Page A

thought it was part of a boy’s curiosity, but I guess it was more than that.”
    Cody had put his head in his hands. “My God, what we did to that little boy. No child should be made to feel that way.”
    “I tried. I did all that I could for him,” Annabel said.
    “I wasn’t talking about you. I was talking about Bethany and me,” he said. “You were more of a parent than we ever were.”
    “There’s no point in beating yourself up over it now. The important thing is you’re here and we’re going to do something about it,” she said.
    “I don’t suppose you have a map do you?” he asked.
    “The only one we had was in his geography book, and he had to turn it back in when school was out for the summer,” she answered.
    “I’ll get one from the mercantile if they have one, when I go back to the hotel tonight,” he said.
    “You’re planning to go back to town, and then come out here tomorrow?” she asked. “I’ve got plenty of room, why don’t you just stay here tonight? We could talk.”
    She sounded desperate. Lonely.
    “I have an idea,” he said. “I’ll stay in your barn tonight, then you go in with me tomorrow morning, and we’ll get a map and whatever else I might need. I’ll see if Mose has a horse he can make me a good price on, and then I’ll set out the next day.”
    “You will not sleep in the barn” she said vehemently. “You can use Jeremy’s room.”
    “You sound just like your sister. Bossy,” he said with a laugh. “What would people think?”
    “They know you’re here. They wouldn’t know whether you slept in the barn or Jeremy’s room, or with me. Besides, I don’t really care. I will know and that’s all that matters. Will you humor me? Please?” she asked.

Chapter Eight
    One Mad Woman
    “Where all were you during the war?” she asked.
    “We were sent all over,” he said, “There were so many places, and so many horrible things happening.” He grimaced, “I still have nightmares about some of the things I’ve seen. And done. We won the war, but we lost a lot more men than the other side. It’s not something I like to talk about it. In fact, I doubt you could find many men that spent any time on the front lines willing to talk about it.
    “I didn’t realize Texas was involved,” she said.
    “Actually, after the war, when I decided to stay in, I was assigned to one of the units in Texas.
    The Indians were killing the settlers, left and right. General Grant wanted them stopped. He ordered us to put an end to it for good. Right after the first mission, our unit was ordered back to Ohio. Things happened on that mission that sickened me, and I decided enough was enough. I was tired, and I wanted out. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I would have mucked out stables if necessary.
    “At the time, I was hoping I could get back together with Bethie.”
    “You know, no one else called her that.” Annabel said.
    “It was my pet name for her. I never used it in public,” he said.
    She stood, and yawned. “What a day. I’m going to bed. If you’re awake before me, get me up, would you please?”
    “Sure. Would eight o’clock be too early for you to leave?” he asked. “I’ll take care of the animals when I get up.”
    Standing, he turned to go feed the livestock. She kissed him on the cheek. “Good night, Cody. You’re a good man.”
    The touch of her lips on his cheek was electric. He stood there, rubbing the spot where they had touched. I like that woman. It’s too bad she’s Bethie’s sister.
    He made sure her animals and Thunder had grain and water. He set his saddle down on the hay that was piled in one of the empty stalls. He covered himself with a pair of horse blankets he found, lay down, and fell asleep almost immediately. His dream that night was along the usual theme, however, it wasn’t Bethany’s face in the dream, it was Annabel’s.
    It was a moonless night, and when he awoke, the sky had become gray, with a reddish