Rebellious Bride by Lizbeth Dusseau Page B

please!”
    “You
going to use your head the next time I’m not there watching over you?”
“Yes, I promise.”
    “And no
more drinking,’ he said with an added degree of sternness, the paddle
emphasizing his message with a few partic-ularly hard
strikes.
    “No,
never, I promise, Aaron. Please I can’t stand it anymore.” There were
tears steaming down her cheeks as she turned her head
so he could see her forlorn face.
    And ending
with two especially sharp smacks on the center of each crimson cheek, Aaron
finally laid the paddle down on the table next to him. Placing his hand on
Abigail’s hot bottom, he massaged her aching cheeks.
    “Let this
be a warning to you. You will behave yourself with Darcy Greenwood. I don’t
care what kind of schemes that girl cooks up, you keep your head about you, or
you’re going to be feeling a lot more of this. Is that understood?
    “It
is,” she said, snuffing her running nose.
    Lifting her to
his lap, Aaron handed her his handkerchief to wipe her tears. Then holding her
in his arms, he made her look at his grim face. “Sometimes I don’t think
you realize how much I care about you. As much as I’m fond of Darcy, I wasn’t
really happy to see her. She manages to escape trouble like a magician, but it
seems to follow her no matter where she goes. This is a warning as much as
anything, Abby. Watch out for yourself.”
    “This
wasn’t trouble, Aaron. It was just a foolish little trip,” Abigail
replied.
    “I know,
and I’m glad about that. But don’t be surprised if you get roped into something
else. I can almost feel it coming.”
    “I think
you’re all wrong, Aaron,” Abigail answered.
    “Let’s
hope I am,” he said. Giving her a big squeeze, he planted a kiss on her
lips and smiled. By all accounts his anger and her punishment were over, and he
had other things in mind. “So, my dear wife, if you’re not too sore to
enjoy my company in bed, perhaps we could work off the rest of the tension
there.”
    Abigail
smiled, thankful for the sug-gestion . Leaving the
shed, the two retreat- ed to their room, where they
spent the remainder of the evening in each other’s arms, underneath the
soothing sheets of their warm bed.
    “ Mornin ‘, hon ,” Darcy said
brightly, bounding down the stairs for breakfast one morning a week after their
episode with Old Hannah’s brew and Aaron’s stern rebuke. The sassy redhead
stared at the biscuits and gravy sitting on the table. Aaron had already eaten
breakfast and was on his way to the mill. “Boy does that look good,”
she said.
    “You look
especially happy,” -Abigail remarked. She was particularly fond of Darcy
when her bright face shined the way it was now.
    “I
am,” Darcy replied. “It comes with being ready to move on.”
    “Move
on?” Abigail said surprised. “I thought you were going to stay
through the winter?”
    “Did I
say that?” Darcy asked. “You should know me by now. How restless I
get. Besides, I can’t stand watching you two love birds all the time.”
    “Love
birds?” Abigail questioned.
    “Yeah.
You’re hopelessly in love, even if you fight it sometimes. Anyone would be a
fool not to see it.”
    Abigail
appreciated the appraisal of her marriage. Sometimes, even she won- dered about the status of her relationship with Aaron, he
could be so distant, and she so petulant. The outsider’s positive view-point
made her smile inside.
    “So, when
are you going?” Abigail asked.
    “A day or
two, or maybe this afternoon.’
    .So
soon?”
    “Yeah,
there’s this a guy in town that I thought I’d rather not see again. The soon- er I leave the better.”
    “What’s
that suppose to mean?” Abigail asked, concerned by Darcy’s remark.
    “Well,”
she hedged. “I kinda owe him money.”
    “What
kind of money?”
    “A few
bucks.”
    “How many
bucks? I thought you had some stashed away.”
    “Well,
that’s sort of run out. Another reason why I should leave.”
    “I could
loan you some