Winds of Change Read Free Page A

anything?”
    “Yes, but I think he’d understand if I give her up for pure reasons.” Goodness knew he didn’t want to let Candace go. He wouldn’t say he loved her, but he cared deeply for her. Before the fire, he lived for those smiles she would bestow upon him. Now she’d probably never smile at him again.
    “You’re a fool if you believe that.” Spitting on the ground, Sam’s face was red with anger. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
    “You don’t understand.”
    “Oh, I understand plenty.” Sam’s nails dug into him as he tightened his grip on Patrick’s arm. “I might not know much about women, but I do know if you send Candace away, it will crush her. Have you, for one second, stopped to think that maybe she is insecure right now?”
    “Insecure?” He stumbled backward. What kind of husband was he that he hadn’t thought of that?
    The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Candace was timid, shy and reserved, unlike any other girl he’d been involved with. She was wife quality, but he hadn’t treated her as such. In Pine Prairie, where they’d met, he’d toyed with her, convinced her to give him mild affections, knowing he had no intention of becoming involved with her. It went against her character. He’d known that, but had still pressed, coercing her with the words he knew she wanted to hear.
    An unintended side-effect, their marriage had little basis beyond two people caught in circumstances. They’d moved forward since then, talked and agreed to make their marriage work, but did she really trust him? Unlikely—trust took time. In reverse roles, he certainly wouldn’t trust him, considering his history. Only he knew for certain that his heart had genuinely changed. He could only pray others could see it through his actions.
    Sam’s grip loosened, and he removed his hand. His muscles relaxed as the anger visibly left him. “Don’t make any rash decisions. What we might think is best, isn’t always the right thing to do.”
    They continued to walk for several more minutes. The new home site was far enough behind them that the sounds of construction fell silent to their ears. Up ahead, the old house’s ruins were crumbled to the ground in a pile of ash. Little had been touched, as the sole focus had been to complete the new house before winter set in, and they were in a race against time.
    He spotted two dress-clad figures walking toward them. Maeve’s red hair gave her away, but Patrick’s focus was on Candace, her blonde curls escaping the chignon she often wore. When she was ten feet away, their eye met and held briefly. In that short time, Patrick tried to read her, see if what Sam had said was true, but Candace turned away too quickly.
    Maeve gave her husband a kiss on his cheek. “We were about to load a cart and haul it to the men. Now you can help.”
    A scowl crossed Patrick’s face, and he looked at his own wife. “You shouldn’t be doing anything with your arm yet.”
    “The doctor said it’s healing nicely and the risk of infection is gone.” Her words went straight into the ground, upon which her gaze was fixed.
    Doubt filled Patrick. Was it insecurity or blame that caused her not to look at him? He wished he knew for certain. “Either way, I don’t want to chance any setbacks. Tell me what you need to be done, and I’ll take care of it.”
    Candace’s demure voice pierced his heart. “We fixed three pots of stew and several loaves of bread that need to be put on the cart. There’s also the bowls and spoons Nell from the restaurant loaned us.”
    “Where are they? Better yet,” Sam winked at his wife, “why don’t you come and show me where they are, Maeve.”
    Giggling, Maeve followed her husband, leaving Patrick and Candace standing in uncomfortable quiet. Envy whooshed over Patrick—his brother had found a perfect wife in Maeve. By all accounts, their marriage was special, contented, and filled with love. An arrangement