Anna_Bride of Alabama
Page 10
The sky was dark, storm clouds lingering overhead and the somber feel in the air didn’t help. He was anxious to see her, to stop whatever the Grants had planned. He just hoped he wasn’t too late.
The rain started falling when he reached the outskirts of town and he was soaked by the time he made it to Winter Place. He jumped from the horse, tying the reins to a bush near the road and pushed his wet hair out of his eyes as he took the walkway up to the house.
He knocked four times before anyone answered. It was Nathaniel. He stepped back, looked him over from head to toe then laughed. “Good Lord, man, what are you doing?”
“Where’s Anna?”
“Why do you want to know?”
He bit his cheek, counted to ten, and said, “Tell her I’m here. Now.”
Nathaniel smiled but there wasn’t any humor in the action. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have guests.”
He shut the door in his face. Gabriel raised his fist and banged on the door until it opened again. “I want to see Anna. Now.”
“Go away or I’ll have you removed from my property.”
“I’m not going anywhere without Anna.” He leaned toward the door and yelled her name. When Nathaniel tried to shut it again, he stuck his foot inside.
Nathaniel called out to someone named Clinton and three men came around the corner. Gabriel braced himself. That headache was about to get brutal.
They hit him with enough force to knock him from the porch. He swung at one of them, connected and was paid back in triplet.
It wasn’t much of a fight. Three on one is hardly fair and had he been in top form, he may have been able to hold his own longer than a few minutes. When they got the best of him, he yelled Anna’s name until the breath was knocked out of him.
* * * *
The rain helped drown out some of Francesca’s voice but not nearly enough. Anna covered a yawn behind her tea cup and tried to look interested.
When Nathaniel Grant had showed up at Laurel Haven with a supper invite from his grandmother, Mabel, she’d wanted to refuse in the worse way. She knew without asking Francesca would be in attendance but with the somber mood at home, she thought it may be a good idea to get out of the house.
Francesca stopped talking and tilted her head. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what, dear?”
“It sounded like someone yelling.”
“Oh, its probably Nathaniel and his friends. You know how they are when they’re playing cards.”
“You’re probably right.”
Francesca went back to her story and Anna looked toward the window. The rain was more interesting than the latest suitor her host had. She’d heard about them all, even Gabriel, if she were to believe that.
She stopped talking again and huffed out a breath. “I must be going daft. I heard it again.” She stood and went to the window and looked out, then gasped. “My goodness.”
Mabel got up and joined her. Her exclamation drew Anna.
When she looked out and saw four men fighting, she watched in fascination until she realized it wasn’t as it seemed. Three of the men were giving the fourth a good pounding. He was tossed back and forth, his voice hoarse as he yelled and when he was turned, she could see his face. “Oh my goodness!”
She ran for the door and out into the rain as he yelled her name. When he hit the ground, her heart was in her throat. “Gabriel.”
He lay on the walkway, rain drenching his battered body. He rolled, spit out blood, and crawled to his knees.
The men started toward him again before she screamed at them to leave him alone.
She reached his side as the three men turned and walked away. Dropping to her knees in front of him, she grabbed his face with both hands and lifted his head. Blood was pouring from his nose and his eye was red and looked like it was swelling. “Gabriel? What are you doing here?”
“Anna.” He laid his palm against her hand. “I’m so sorry, Anna. I’m so sorry. Don’t marry him.”
“Don’t marry who?”
“Nathaniel.”
She blinked.
He looked up at her, one eye nearly closed. “I love you, Anna. I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you sitting on that train. I know I have a terrible way of showing it, but I don’t want to spend another day without you knowing how much I care about you. How happy you make me. Hate me all you want but don’t marry him. Anybody but him.”
“I could never hate you, Gabriel.”
“And Nathaniel? Are you still going to marry him?”
“Why on earth would I?”
He licked his lip. It was swelling too. “Isn’t that why you’re here?”
“No, Mabel Grant is from my hometown. She wanted to reminisce and invited me to supper. Nathaniel just offered my a ride over here.”
“Then you’re not marrying him?”
“No.”
He smiled, and blew out a breath before laying his forehead against hers. “Is it too late for us?”
“I don’t know. There were a lot of hurtful things said between us.”
“I know and I promise you, if you’ll have me, I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
He placed a soft kiss to her mouth, lingering long enough to cause her heart to pound in her chest. “I want babies,” she said. “Lots of them. I don’t want Julia to grow up and have no one when we’re gone.”
“Does that mean you’ll marry me?”
She smiled. “Yes, Gabriel. I’ll marry you.”
Epilogue
Every thing was as it should have been. Anna stood on the porch, James by her side. Everyone of any importance was gathered by the summerhouse and was looking at her. She smiled and started down the steps, her gaze locked on Gabriel’s once she reached the ground and started to walk toward him.
Their wedding day would be one people talked about for years to come. The house had never looked so fine with its new coat of paint, the gardens were expertly manicured and every sweet blossom they’d planted was in bloom.
Laurel Haven had never looked so magnificent.
They reached the summerhouse and stepped up into it. The circular building with its open sides was the perfect spot to say their vows.
Julia stood by her father. Anna wasn’t just getting a husband, she was getting a daughter and she wanted her to be a part of the ceremony. When she vowed to love, honor and cherish Gabriel, she promised to love, protect and adore Julia for all the days of her life. She loved them both and they loved her in return, the shy girl from Lawrence, Massachusetts whose entire life fit into one carpet bag.
She’d taken a chance and gambled her heart away to a man and his daughter and found a love so great she knew the rest of her life would be one long adventure. With Gabriel and Julia, there was no way it could be anything but spectacular.
The End
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Other books by this author
Western Romance
The Lawman (Willow Creek #1)
The Outlaw (Willow Creek #2)
The Gambler (Willow Creek #3)
The Rancher (Willow Creek #4)
His Brother's Wife (Willow Creek #5)
A Willow Creek Christmas (Willow Creek #7)
Contemporary Romance
Wicked: Tempt Me Not (Wicked Series #1)
Wicked: Leather and Lace (Wicked Series #2)
Wicked: Jade Butterfly (Wicked Series #3)
Wicked: Sweet Temptation (Wicked Series #4)
Wicked: The Complete Series (Books 1 - 4)
Blame It On The Mistletoe (single title romance)
That First Chr
istmas ( single title romance)
Paranormal Romance
The Calling (Night Breeds Series #1)
The Gathering (Night Breeds Series #2
About the Author:
USA TODAY best-selling author Lily Graison writes historical western romances and dabbles in contemporary and paranormal romance. First published in 2005, Lily has written over a dozen romance novels that range from sweet to spicy.
She lives in Hickory, North Carolina with her husband, three high-strung Yorkies and more cats than she can count. On occasion, she can be found at her sewing machine creating 1800’s period clothing or participating in civil war re-enactments and area living history events. When not portraying a southern belle, you can find her at a nearby store feeding her obsession for all things resembling office supplies.
For more about Lily Graison, visit any of the following locations around the web:
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Copyright © 2015 Lily Graison
Published by Lily Graison at Amazon
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First Electronic Edition, December 2015
First Edition
All characters in this publication are purely fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.