Outlaw Bride (Lawmen and Outlaws) Read Online Free PDF

can. That way, folks might offer us respect, maybe even confession and trust. He and I are God-fearing folks who believe the truth will set you free. I am a trained schoolmarm who also nursed the sick and wounded during the War of Northern Aggression. Now I’m a widow-woman trying to find the outlaw who killed my daughter back in Butter Creek, Texas. And the ‘postulants?’ They’re all innocent women in trouble, running for their lives. No one knows their truths but me.’
    She looked around the desolate mission like her neck had a wheel. “Such as it is, my ‘order’ is giving them sanctuary.”

Chapter Three
    Jessy Belle harrumphed and hopped herself out of the wagon, Renegade right behind. She knew very well Cleeland Redd and that nun were discussing her and leaving her plumb out of it.
    The nun’s forehead wrinkled with more than the sun in her eyes. Right now, they were striking some unholy bargain and shaking hands on it.
    So to spite him, she drove the wagon close as she could to what looked like a barn and set to unhitching the mules. She might as well earn her keep. Show him she wasn’t some prissy-faced weakling. So far, all the pitiful buildings seemed made from thick bricks of mud. Likely whoever had set up this place had good reason to leave.
    Nowhere did she see the bright soaring church she’d expected, with arched doors and windows that made pictures with bits of shining glass. There was a steeple and a cross atop a little shack-like thing, but that didn’t ease her disappointment one single bit.
    She turned back for a quick peek at Cleeland Redd, then reminded herself that ladies didn’t stare. Still, the looks of him made her mood better even if he made her mad.
    “How can I help you, ma’am?”
    The voice just about scared the rest of her wits from her.
    A boy who might be just as handsome as Cleeland Redd when he grew up all the way came out of the worn-out barn. He was likely a smidge younger than herself
    Then she remembered she couldn’t talk enough to answer him. Where was that slate? What was a dagnabbed person of the male persuasion doing here in a houseful of nuns? His dark hair and skin sure made him pretty. His black eyes looked her over, but in that way Renegade did, like it didn’t matter how she looked or what she’d done.
    It sure wasn’t at the impure way Ahab’s compadre Rolly Gitts had done since joining the gang two years ago. However, Rolly’s membership had expired last July when a lightning strike killed both him and his horse.
    Jessy Belle missed the horse. Crude and lewd, Rolly had asked for her body a thousand times and never once for her hand.
    Right now the young boy stood there, ogling in a nice way and saying nothing. Likely she ought to let this child know she intended to be a nun.
    From behind him, she saw some females inside the barn. One milked a cow, the other looped rope on a small hook. They looked up at her approach. Renegade spied a cat and ran off.
    They both wore ugly gray dresses, with white kerchiefs over their hair that sat flat at their necks. Nothing like the black batwings that hid the main nun’s hair completely from eyeshot.
    A brown-haired one came over. “Why, welcome. I’m Sister Avery, and that’s Sister Veronica.” She pointed to the cow milker who had yellow hair like Jessy Belle’s and a big smile on her face. “And this…” Sister Avery smiled at the boy, who stood staring when he should be stacking sacks. “This is Guillermo Fernandez. He’s doing handy work until we get all set up. But-” She stopped, shy for a bit. “We’re all hoping he’ll stay on and enroll in our school.”
    He frowned. “Ain’t no schoolboy, Sister. I’m a man.” His voice sounded hard now, but he turned to Jessy Belle with something of a smile. “I’m sixteen. Got no family or home, so help out folks when I can. Call me Will,” he said, holding out his hand.
    Jessy Belle placed hers into his, mannerly as she could. But he didn’t do a