Read Keegan's Bride (Mail Order Brides of Texas 2) for Free Online Page B

stretched across his face. Married, who would have thought? He urged Strike on and laughed when he saw all the diapers drying in the sun. Now that was a sight he hadn’t expected to see.
    He rode to the corral, leaned down to open the gate and rode Strike in. “You know what, Strike? I think this marriage thing is going to be good for us.” He dismounted and took all the tack off the horse. “I’ll be back to brush you in a bit.” He closed the gate behind him and started to whistle while he walked to the house. His nose wrinkled. He thought he’d built the outhouse far enough away from the house to avoid such odors.
    He continued up the steps and opened the door. Addy sat on the floor with pieces of cloth around her. “Making a dress?”
    Her eyes turned moist as she shook her head. “I was going to try to alter my only other dress, and I put the scissors on the table. I never gave Peg a thought. I thought she was napping. I had the door open so I could hear her, but I didn’t hear her.”
    “She cut up your dress?” His lips twitched. “We’ll figure something out. Did Peg get hurt?”
    “No. Look at her she’s quite happy with herself.”
    “She’s just proud of herself is all. What in tarnation? That isn’t my shirt is it?”
    Addy nodded miserably. “Both of your shirts.”
    He stared at the pieces of his shirts then stared at Peg. She immediately let out a wail and hid behind Addy’s skirt. Sighing, he shook his head. “There ain’t nothin’ you can do about it now. I’m starved.”
    Addy nodded and quickly gathered all the pieces of his shirts and her dress and put them in a basket. “I’ll have dinner on the table as fast as I can. Why don’t you have a seat?”
    The chair scraped against the planked floor as he pulled it from beneath the table. “We don’t play with scissors right, Peg?”
    “Yes.” She nodded.
    “Yes, what?” he asked not sure if she agreed not to play with the scissors.
    “No.” She smiled. “Yes and no.” She giggled.
    “Addy, she does know not to play with scissors right?”
    She stopped in mid-ladle. “I hope so. The best thing is to keep them where she can’t get at them.” She finished ladling the stew into the bowl and set it in front of him. “Oh, you need a fork.” She quickly retrieved one and handed it to him.
    There were charred bits of meat and mashed up potatoes in a watery soup. Not what he was used to, but he’d be more than happy to try it. The warmth of her stare warned him to keep his expression blank. He stabbed a piece of meat with his fork and put it in his mouth. It was tough to chew, but he’d had plenty of tough meat before. His eyes watered from the pepper and his taste buds protested at the salt. He grabbed his cup of water and drank deeply. Still, she stared.
    “I appreciate you made dinner. Sit, join me. I bet you’re hungry.” Shoot, Peg was probably hungry too. He waited until she sat with her bowl in front of her. “Try it before you give it to Peg, I think it might be too hot.”
    Smiling, she nodded. She popped a piece of meat into her mouth, and her eyes grew wide as she grabbed for her cup of water. Gulping it down, tears ran down her face. “This is awful!”
    “I’ve had better.”
    She met her gaze and panic flashed in her eyes. “I’m used to cooking on a stove. I’m sure once I get used to cooking over the fire, the meals will be better.”
    “Hungry,” Peg said, reaching for her mother.
    “Oh dear what shall I feed her?”
    He stood up and grabbed the kettle of food and the bucket of warm water. Carefully he ladled the meat and potatoes into the warm water, trying to not add more of the soup than necessary. “This will probably wash some of the salt and pepper off.” He took their filled bowls, picked out the food, ladled some of the hot water into the bowls, and rinsed them out. Then he served up two bowls of meat and broken potatoes. “Let’s give this a try.”
    Taking a bite he smiled. It was