Paradise Falls Read Online Free PDF Page A

be seen through the windows. “That’s him now. I think I’ll go wash up, before he sees me. Otherwise, he’s bound to find some work he wants done.”
    Flem ambled away, leaving Fiona to stare at the man who leaped down from the wagon and wrestled her trunk from the back and up the steps. Behind him raced the biggest hound she’d ever seen. It was nearly as tall as a colt, its shaggy coat the color of caramel.
    She hurried to open the door to the sunporch.
    The man was so tall, Fiona had to tilt her head back to see his face. Unlike Flem, his hair was black as coal and his eyes, though blue, more nearly resembled the sky at midnight. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled to his elbows. His pants and shirt were streaked with dirt and damp with sweat.
    He paused on the threshold and simply stared at her. “You’d be the teacher.”
    She stepped aside. “You’ll want to put that down. I know it’s heavy.”
    “Not so heavy.” He set it in a corner, then turned to see the hound sniffing at her feet. “You know better than to come in here, Chester.”
    Fiona knelt down and touched a hand to the hound’s head. “Hello, Chester.” She looked up. “Why can’t he come in here?”
    “Because Ma would hit him with her broom if she caught him inside. She has no use for him.”
    He walked outside, with the dog at his heels, and retrieved her satchel before setting it down on top of the trunk. This time the hound remained on the step while his master went inside.
    As he crossed the room Fiona couldn’t help staring at the way his damp shirt stuck to his skin, revealing a ripple of corded muscle across his back and shoulders. Such wide shoulders. Though the conductor had been a big man, it had taken the help of a second man straining beneath the weight of her trunk, yet this man had carried it with seemingly little effort.
    He carefully wiped his hand on his pants before extending it to her. “I’m Grayson Haydn. Everyone calls me Gray.”
    “Hello, Gray. I’m Fiona Downey.” She was aware of his big, calloused fingers wrapped around hers ever-so-gently, as though taking great care not to hurt her. “Thank you for fetching my things.”
    “You’re welcome. Gerhardt Shultz told me you walked here. Too bad he didn’t know I was heading into town. If you’d waited at the station, I’d have saved you the long walk.”
    She nearly groaned at the thought that she’d taken that long, miserable walk in vain. Aloud she merely smiled. “It’s all right. I’m here now.”
    Under her scrutiny he suddenly colored and turned away. “Sorry. I’ve tracked mud into your room. I’d better wash and fetch my father.”
    It was on the tip of Fiona’s tongue to ask where his father was, but he was already out the door and climbing up to the seat of the wagon, with the hound close on his heels. He snapped the reins and the horse headed toward the barn.
    She turned her attention to her trunk, grateful that she would have time to change into something clean and fresh before facing the Haydn family for supper.
    Because there was nowhere to hang her clothes, she laid them out on the bed and sifted through them until she found a simple dark skirt and crisp white shirtwaist with a high, modest neckline and narrow, fitted sleeves. She ran a brush through her dark curls and tied them off her face with a ribbon. Since she couldn’t bear the thought of forcing her feet into her new boots, she slipped into her old ones, gratefully wiggling her toes.
    Hearing voices in the other room, she took a deep breath and opened the door of her room.
    The parlor was empty, as was the dining room. She followed the sound of voices to the kitchen, where the Haydn family had already gathered. Their conversation ceased abruptly, and everyone turned to stare at her as she stood in the doorway.
    Rose turned from the stove, where she was stirring something in a pot. Seeing Fiona’s clean clothes, she gave a huff of disdain. “No need to dress for supper