Snippet – Mail Order Angelique – Widows, Brides and Secret Babies

SNIPPET:

I’m leaving for the ranch. I should have ignored your message and not bothered riding all this way in to see you.” You’re a fool Clinton McKenzie. If you don’t watch yourself, you’ll get trapped again.

“Take me with you.” Slowly she ran her tongue across her lower lip. “You must feel in need of a woman’s company living out there all alone.”

“I’m warning you,” he snarled, losing patience. “Don’t come near me. I don’t want to marry you. I don’t want you at my ranch. In fact, I never want to set eyes on you again.” He swung away.

Her taunting laughter bordered on the maniacal. “You’ll marry me. I just have to bide my time and when the opportunity arises, I will.”

Swearing under his breath, he strode from the hotel and headed to where his horse was tied to the hitching rail. He was tempted to go to the saloon and down a few whiskies, but he had to keep a clear head to foil any plans Celia might devise to force him into marrying her.

He mounted and rode off, inwardly cursing for having let himself be duped yet again. What had he hoped to find out about the fire from her? She hadn’t even been there.  Why his wife had deliberately lit the fire? He already knew, she had done it to try and force him to sell the ranch and only a fool would believe otherwise.

He had been away from the ranch at the time taking cattle to the railhead, hoping to get a better price if they were shipped directly to the buyer as he needed the money to replace some of what Josephine had squandered. His real guilt stemmed from not being sorry she had died. God forgive him, all he felt was relief at finally being free from her.