Winds of Change Read Free Page B

he suspected he would never experience.
    At least all his shenanigans brought one good thing. If he hadn’t been delayed in Pine Prairie, he would have come home, not married to Candace, and married Maeve. That would have been another disaster to add to his list. He liked his sister-in-law well enough, but the love she and Sam shared was obvious to everyone. Besides, if he listened to his heart long enough, he knew it was only Candace who could make it beat faster.
     
     
    Patrick nodded, absently. A rickety wagon in the distance stole his attention. There was no lumber loaded behind the driver, and the contraption didn’t look familiar. It hit a rut, and the man bounced, uttering an oath so loud it carried to where Patrick stood with Candace.
    With that one word, Patrick recognized the man.
    “Go to Sam’s cabin and stay there, Candace. Don’t leave until I come for you.” His jaw locked, and Patrick patted his hip, feeling for his revolver. It was there, just as it always was unless he was sleeping. “Now, please,” he ground out between clenched teeth.
    He prayed he wouldn’t have to use the weapon.

Chapter Three
    “I’m staying.” Candace dug her heels into the ground.
    “I’m your husband, and you’ll listen to me.” His gaze never left the approaching man, but she didn’t miss the glint of anger flashing in his eyes.
    Let him be mad—that was okay. For the first time in her life, she was standing up for herself. She snorted. “You might be my husband, but you’re not my boss. Besides, we both know our marriage is in name only and means nothing.”
    Patrick flinched. His chest rose with a quick intake of air then deflated. “I’m sorry, but now’s not the time to argue. We need to talk but later. Please, for the love of everything, go find Sam and Maeve.”
    Her hands flew to her hips and rested there. “And hide from Pa? No.”
    “I’m begging you, Candace. There are lots of things I’ve done wrong, but I won’t let him inflict any more pain upon you.” He turned to her for a split second. “Until I know why he’s here, indulge me this one request.”
    Despite the urgency of their current conflict, a pleasant shudder passed through her. For the first time since the fire, Patrick talked to her as though he really cared. Hope infiltrated her soul. Regardless, she wasn’t leaving. Whatever Pa’s business was, it concerned her as well.
    “I’m staying. If it makes you more comfortable, I’ll stand behind you.”
    “What kind of concession is that?” Patrick gave her another quick glance, his brows drawn into tight lines. “Fine, but make sure you stay behind me. I’d trust drinking water after a cholera casualty before I trusted your pa.”
    Time was up. As promised, she positioned herself a foot behind him but craned her neck to watch Pa. Her arm itched and bothered her. The wounds were healing better than expected, but Doc Foster told her to keep them bandaged for another few days. To her disappointment, the skin remained puckered, as she feared it would. It created a hideous vision and forgive her vanity, but she couldn’t stand to look at her arm.
    Shaking the thought, she focused on her small victory. Her bold refusal to cower to a man and not be left in the shadows renewed her spirit—never mind that she was in Patrick’s physical shadow at the moment. She moved her gaze, taking in the barren-looking landscape. Maybe it was the wildness of this place, living on the vastly untamed land instead of skipping from one town to the next that unleashed her bravery. Or it could be that, finally, she’d discovered that she was a survivor and had acknowledged that she possessed an inner strength. Whatever the reason, she was changing, no longer the person she’d been just a few weeks ago.
    “No greeting for your pa?” The slurred words broke Candace’s wayward thoughts.
    Looking up, she saw her father had stepped down from the wagon and was standing several feet from Patrick. Had