Lauri Robinson Read Free Page B

I might take a bite out of it.” Birdie ambled to the stove to lift the lid from the pot of beef stew.
    Wiping her hands with her apron, Hannah frowned. “Leave?”
    Birdie patted her shoulder. “Of course you’ll be leaving. All the good ones do. Get themselves married. That’s what happened to Emma, the cook I had before you. She married Jake, the town’s doctor. Thank goodness it was only a couple of weeks before you arrived.”
    “I have no intention of getting married.”
    “Oh, none of the other ones admitted it either. But then one of those McBride boys come along and off goes my cook,” Birdie said.
    Hannah piled the biscuits onto a plate. “The McBride boys ?” From what she’d seen, all three of the McBride brothers stood over six feet and could hardly be called boys.
    “Yes, the only one left now is Adam. Looks like you’ll be getting the best one of the bunch.”
    This time she did drop the biscuits. Frozen like an icicle in January, she could do nothing but stare as the plate bounced and the bread rolled across the floor like billiard balls.
    Extremely quick for a woman of her size and age, Birdie had them all picked up and resettled on the plate by the time Hannah thawed. “B-best one of the bunch?”
    Birdie nodded. “I suspect Adam’s thinking he best take a wife now that his brothers have. And with women more scarce than good water in these parts, you’re the prime candidate.”
    Hannah followed the woman into the dining room. “I-I’m already married.”
    Birdie chuckled. “Of course you are, dear.”
    The coppery taste of blood made Hannah lift her teeth off her lower lip. How had Birdie figured out she wasn’t really married? Did the woman also know Stewart wasn’t her real last name? Well, it was—kind of. Stewart had been her mother’s maiden name, so when she needed an alias, she figured the name was hers for the taking.
    Heart racing, she twisted and bolted back into the kitchen to busy herself at the stove. If Birdie knew, did Adam McBride know as well? Did the sheriff know she was wanted for breaking her cousins out of jail back in Ohio?
    Birdie re-entered the kitchen. “Oh, by the way, did I mention Adam is joining us for supper?”
    ****
    Adam took the front steps two at a time and pulled open the screen door. “Aunt Birdie?” He scanned the empty front room of the boarding house, his gaze lingering on the desk where Mrs. Stewart had stood this morning. A clatter sounded. Blinking away the delightful remembrance, he turned to walk through the dining room and into the kitchen.
    Birdie had a hold of Hannah Stewart’s elbow, leading her toward the sink.
    “What happened?” he asked from the arched doorway.
    “The child done burnt her hand. It’s already blistering,” Birdie said as she began to pump cold water over Hannah’s hand.
    “Let me see.” Adam strolled across the room.
    “No! No, it’s fine,” Hannah said as Birdie stepped aside.
    “Let me see, Mrs. Stewart,” he insisted with a tone that didn’t leave room for challenge. A long, red blister angled across her palm. He pushed her hand back into the basin of cool water. A sweet smell, reminiscent of wild flowers in springtime wafted from her bun of honey-colored hair. Every muscle in his body tightened. “What did you do? Pick up the kettle without a pot holder?”
    “Yes, that’s just what she did.” Aunt Birdie held out a bowl. “Here’s some butter.”
    He shook his head. “No, butter only holds in the heat. Get me some vinegar and a chunk of ice.”
    “Really, it’s fine.” Hannah tried to pull her hand out of the water.
    Being much stronger than a woman no larger than a school girl, he didn’t even need to increase the pressure holding her hand in the basin to keep her from moving. “No, it’s not fine. It’s blistered. The vinegar and ice will take out the sting,” he said.
    Birdie set the bottle of vinegar near the sink, and he emptied the water from the basin. As soon as air hit