Read Heidi Vanlandingham - Lucie: Bride of Tennessee (American Mail-Order Bride 16) for Free Online Page A

wall!” Martha interrupted.
    “She asked me to look in on her, which I did,” Sebastian continued. “I overheard him yelling at her again. I went inside to put a stop to it. He had her by the arm.”
    “Then how did she end up like she is now?”
    “I’m getting to that.” Sebastian took a drink and continued. “I had just returned from an errand when I saw him shove her into the street. I carried her to the hotel, left her with Janssen, and went back to the store.
    “Beauregard met me carrying a rifle. Luckily, his shot missed. My fist didn’t.” He emptied his glass and set it on the narrow table beside him.
    She turned her sharp glare on John. “Well? What are you going to do about this?”
    The sheriff raised his bushy eyebrows. “Figured I’d go start asking questions.”  He stood and with a quick tug on the brim of his hat, left the room.
                  Martha dropped onto the small floral chair across from him with a loud sigh. “Have you thought about what I said earlier? Marrying Lucie or moving back in the hotel? It’s high time you found a mother for Stella. She acts more like a boy than a little girl.”
    “But—”
    “No buts. You need help, Sebastian. Raising a child by yourself is hard enough, but you have no clue as to what you’re doing!”
    He opened his mouth, but she raised her hand to stop whatever he was about to say.
    “You’ve done a remarkable job on your own—she’s a loving, affectionate little girl. Who runs around in pants and never leaves the house without her gun. I had to confiscate the pistol this morning so she didn’t take it to school.”
    The doctor opened the door and motioned with a nod to Martha who stood and walked toward the room. Stopping behind his chair, she placed her chilled hand against his cheek and whispered, “Just consider it, please? It’s a logical solution for you and for Lucie. Stella needs a mother, and Lucie needs a home.”
    He sat stunned watching his mother talk to the doctor. His mother was crazy if she thought he needed help with Stella! The last thing he wanted was someone else underfoot. Without saying anything, he left the room.
    Outside the hotel, he waited for John to finish talking to a couple of women then walked up beside him. The sheriff’s jaw was clenched as he glanced at him with a hard glint in his eyes. “I knew better when I sent her there.”
    Sebastian frowned. “Sent who where? What are you talking about?”
    “I recommended that blasted job to her!” He yanked his hat off his head and hit it against his thigh in frustration. “Damn it, McCord—I sent Lucie. Those two busybodies verified everything you said.
    Sabastian laid a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “He’ll pay for hurting Lucie.”
     

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
    Lucie picked at the bedcover, partly from boredom but mostly from frustration. Sheriff Gurley had stopped by briefly to let her know Mr. Beauregard was in jail and wouldn’t be released until the judge heard the charges against him. She didn’t want to stay in bed any longer. She needed to be out searching for another job instead of lying here day after useless day.
    Her body was healing, and she was covered in dark blue and purple bruises. There was no part of her skin that wasn’t tender. She hadn’t even put her hair up because of how sore her scalp was from where Beauregard had pulled her hair.
    She glanced through one of the dusty windows, glad it was a corner room on the second floor and that her bed was close enough to the window so she could see part of the street below. She liked watching the people pass by, trying to imagine what their lives were like—did they have families, were they nice, what were their heartaches? She smiled, ignoring the pulling of her split lip as she watched her brother jog across the street as he came home from school.
    A couple of minutes later, his clomping footsteps announced his presence as he charged up the stairs