by Hannah West
Eric stared at them long and hard, but finally sighed with a look of defeat. “Fine, but I am going to tell him where she is.”
He put his hat back on. “I’ll be back for supper in a short while. Keep it warm.”
When he was gone Carrow looked to her sister a grinned. “I see why you like your husband. Good kisser.”
Emmy slapped her on the arm. “That’s not funny!”
“Maybe not to you. But thank you, I’m just not quite ready to see him, I think.
…
Twenty minutes later the door came crashing in as an angry blonde Clayton stormed into Emmy’s and Eric’s house. Upon spotting her on the settee next to Emmy he pulled Carrow up and to her feet dragging her to the door.
Not knowing him for being mean, Carrow panic and tried to slip free.
“Let me go! Hurt hurting my wrist,” Carrow snapped.
Eric came running in the door. “Clayton, Stop this! Let the girl go.”
“Stay out it,” he snarled at the other man, then turned flinty eyes to Carrow. “I’ve been worried sick about you all day and this is where you have been?” His voice rising.
Yanking her arm from his hand Carrow shouted back, “What I do is none of your business! Or where I go. The moment you kicked me from your bed I think that allows me my freedom from a pig like you!”
“Woman, you are crazy!” Clayton shouted back. “You left me!”
“You kicked me out! What was I supposed to do, beg at your feet for more heartbreak?” Tears pricked Carrow’s eyes.
“You left and I couldn’t find you! What were you thinking, something could have happened to you!”
“Well it didn’t and even if it did, you wouldn’t care!” she shot back.
His face flushed red. “Not care? Not care! You are my wife, I have to care if something happened to you.”
“Well something did. You hurt me, you broke my trust in you,” Carrow said quietly.
But it hit home louder than any shout could have.
“You used me and tossed me at the smallest thing. My past life wasn’t supposed to matter here. You promised me that in your letter, but you hold it against me. I forgave you about the railway and Sadie, but you can’t forgive me.”
Carrow looked at him as tears spilled over the edge.
The anger and shock of finding her died the moment her tears fell. Guilt filled him with each one and he knew she was right. He had promised and he did hold it to her. She had done nothing but give and he had nothing but take it.
Slowly, hesitantly he reached for her. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly, his eyes burning.
She tugged away from him.
“You’re right. I did nothing, but take from you and you did nothing but give to me. I am sorry for hurting you, I just felt as if you were using me, that you didn’t truly care if you had a husband or not.”
“I took vows and I meant them,” she sniffed.
“I see that now. Can you forgive me, Carrow? For being a fool?” Clayton pleaded softly.
Carrow bit her lip and thought about it. Giving in she nodded. “But you better promise that it won’t happen again and I want you to make up for it.”
She glared at him and he laughed softly. She smacked him.
She looked over to where her sister and Eric stood. They looked over the other couple with wide eyes.
“I’ll come visit tomorrow, Emmy,” Carrow said. Then after a moment and said, “Make that the day after tomorrow. He has a lot to make up for.”
Emmy giggled and blushed but nodded. “I’ll see you then. Have fun you two.”
They walked back to the house was held in silence, but the moment they got into the front door Carrow pushed him up against it.
“You’re gonna make it up to me,” she said as she worked the top button of his work shirt.
He looked down at her with a serious expression. “We need to talk Carrow. I’ll do whatever it take make it up to you.”
“Then you’re going to give me what you take away. You’re going to give me the perfect night you took away when you kicked me out of your bed.”
Clayton’s brows folded down. “What do you mean?”
She gazed up at him with smoky green eyes and sly smile curved her lips. “You’re going to make it up to me the way I want you to.”
She finished with the buttons on his shirt and slid her hands over his hard chest. “In bed.”
Her meaning dawned on him; she could see it in his eyes.
“But we need to talk-”
She cut his off with a kiss. “Shut up, we can talk after, you aren’t going to ruin this night too. Now let’s go upstairs and make up.”
Suddenly heady he nodded and dipped his head to kiss her. Picking her up in his arms he head for the stairs, not breaking their kiss.
As he closed the door behind him, he whispered in her ear, “Once upon a mail order bride…”
