Stephen’s Bride Read Free Page A

health was failing for months.”
    “I take it this Mr. Melrose is the man you said you didn’t want to marry?”
    “Correct. I don’t like Rupert, don’t trust him, and he’s a very controlling person. I just know if I married him, he would take over the farm, make all the decisions, and expect me to sit in the house and knit him socks.”
    Stephen swallowed his chuckle at the scowl on her pretty face. “And you don’t want to knit.”
    “I have always worked the farm with Papa. But even then, he made all the decisions and wouldn’t listen to any of my suggestions on how to improve things.” She sat forward, excitement in her eyes. “I read a lot, and I know there are so many new things that would improve our land, and make more money.” She sat back and slumped. “But Papa dismissed my ideas as being foolish because I’m a woman.”
    “And you think this Rupert would do the same thing?”
    “Oh, I know he would. He’s even worse than Papa when it comes to women. He was married once before and his poor wife died after about a year of being married to him.” She raised her chin. “I even have reason to believe he beat her.”
    Stephen’s jaw tightened. If there was anything that set him off, it was a man who picked on women or children. God put men on this earth to protect them, not raise their hand to those who depended on them.
    Miss Bender took a sip of her coffee. “Anyway, he came by yesterday with this dress,” she waved her hand over her body, “and said he would be arriving this morning to drive me to town for us to get married.”
    “You do realize he couldn’t have forced you to make your vows.”
    She shook her head. “You have no idea how forceful he can be. I know he would have worked it out ahead of time with the Judge to make sure he ignored any of my protests.”
    “So you ran out on him, got onto the stagecoach and arrived in Bartlett Creek and asked for a man—any man—to marry you.”
    “Yes.”
    He folded his arms on the table and studied her. “And how will that help you? Isn’t one husband as good as another?”
    “That’s part of my plan. I want you to sign a paper agreeing to leave the farm in my name and . . .”
    His insides went on alert. “And?”
    “And agree to a marriage in name only.”
    Stephen just about spit out a mouthful of coffee all over Miss Bender’s wedding gown. “What?”
    She sniffed and drew herself up. “Well, surely you don’t expect me to . . . you know . . . with a stranger!” She hurried on as he continued to stare at her open-mouthed. “The only reason I want a husband is to keep Rupert from insisting I must marry him.”
    It was hard to tell, but from where he sat it appeared she was completely sincere. Marry this gorgeous woman and not avail himself of his husbandly rights? “That might be your reason for marrying, but the wedded state takes two people. When you jumped up on top of the stagecoach with your beautiful fiery hair and flashing green eyes, waving your bridal bouquet, you thought whoever agreed to marry you would settle for a ‘hands off’ policy?”
    Her delicate fingertip drew circles on the tablecloth. “Yes,” she mumbled.
    “Honey, you have no idea how men’s minds work.” He leaned down to look at her downturned face. “Do you think Alfred Minton, who was the first man to offer to marry you, would go along with this plan?”
    She looked up at him. “I guess I hadn’t thought through that part of it. I was just so anxious to get away from Rupert I must have missed a few things.”
    “A few important things, I would say.” He still didn’t understand why he’d agreed to marry her. He didn’t usually make such rash decisions, but something about Miss Bender captivated him, made him want to rescue her from whatever she was running from. And from any number of the men leering at her who would have been more than happy to take her to wife.
    And make her life miserable.
    When she had mentioned the farm,