Outlaw’s Bride Read Online Free PDF

felt empty, forsaken, and neglected. Actually, the whole ranch gave Patch an eerie feeling. Something was terribly wrong here. She wanted Ethan home, so he could explain just what disaster had befallen him.
    Patch heard the raccoon shoving the cuparound on the floor in the kitchen. The tiny, sightless kittens were mewing for the calico cat, which had momentarily abandoned them. She looked around at the mess and heaved a giant sigh. Since she had told Nell she was the new housekeeper, she had better do a little housekeeping. She shoved up her sleeves and set to work.
    “First things first,” Patch muttered as she headed for the kitchen. She had once had a pet raccoon herself, so she wasn’t the least bit afraid of the animal. It was simple to grab the raccoon by the scruff of its neck. To her chagrin, the kitchen door that Leah had slammed was stuck closed. She shoved it open with her shoulder and dropped the raccoon on the back porch. No sooner had she pulled the door shut again than the raccoon was back inside.
    “Durn it! How’d you do that?” Patch grimaced when she realized what she had said. Over time, that fancy finishing school in Boston had soaped all the
garns
and
dangs
and
durns
right out of her. It was amazing how they came back to haunt her in moments of stress. She had worked hard to become a lady. She didn’t want to have a lapse now, when it was important to impress Ethan with what a good wife she would make.
    She stooped down to examine the place where the raccoon had snuck back in and discovered that a section of the floor board had rotted away, leaving a hole that led under the house. Obviously both the cat and the raccoon used the convenient opening as a way in and out.
    Patch picked up several of the split logs frombeside the stove and stacked them over the hole to block the entrance. No animal was coming through there anytime soon. “That ought to keep you out from now on, you little bandit,” she murmured to herself.
    Patch was unused to the heat of a Texas spring, and found herself already wet under the arms. The window above the pump was open, and she walked over to it, placed her palms on either side of the frame, and let the steady breeze cool her. It felt wonderful.
    But standing in the kitchen like a scarecrow in the field wasn’t getting the house cleaned up. She turned to survey the mess and saw the raccoon had climbed up on the table and was eating scraps.
    “Come on, Bandit,” she crooned to the masked animal. “It’s back outside for you.”
    This time the raccoon wasn’t as easy to catch. The animal anticipated her attempts to snare him and evaded her. He hopped off the table and ran behind the stove. At last she had him cornered under the trestle table. He stood up on his hind legs and chattered at her.
    “All right, you little bandit, let’s—go—now!” She lunged and grabbed the raccoon by one paw, which she used to reel it in. However, she sat up too quickly and banged her head against the bottom of the table.
    “Garn!”
    “Serves you right!”
    That was the first inkling Patch had that Leah was back in the house.
    Patch scooted out from under the table, wishing she could rub her head where she had bumped it, but needing both hands to hold the wriggling raccoon.
    “I thought you left,” Patch said.
    Leah eyed her suspiciously. “I came back.”
    “To help?”
    “To make sure you don’t steal the silverware!” Leah retorted. “After all, we only have your word that you’re who you say you are. The minute Ethan gets home, I’m going to ask him if what you said is true.”
    “That’s fine with me.” Patch worked hard to keep the dismay she felt from showing on her face. She was going to have to find a way to head off Ethan and speak to him before Leah revealed her lie. “I don’t suppose I could talk you into taking this little bandit outside.”
    “Give him to me.” Leah was halfway to the door when she turned and asked, “How did you know his name is