Homespun Bride

Jillian Hart 175Her laughter was a gentle, musical trill as she pushedopen the door.He moved close to help her with it and time seemedto freeze. For an instant, anyway, as he noticed thedamp curls of her chestnut hair—she’d unbound herbraid and combed out her hair and it fell in a cascadeof color and light around her heart-shaped face andpast her delicate shoulders. He barely noticed shelooked beautiful in the dress of white and gold she’dchanged into because the sight of happiness on herface was drawing him more than any beauty.“Just you wait and see,” she said as the dooropened fully.He tried to imagine the entire Worthington familytaking his measure with a whole new outlook.The family was already seated around the elaboratelyset table. He hardly noticed the room and itsblue-and-silver wallpaper, crystal lamps and highlypolished woods because of the way the women in theroom were studying him, the younger ones with curiosityand the older ones with assessment.Henrietta, regal at the foot of the table, squinted hereyes at him. Her mouth pursed. “I hear from Robert weowe you yet another thanks. You saw the new foalsafely into the world. I hear there was a complication.”“Just had to get her hooves heading the right way,was all.” Thad shrugged. “It wasn’t anything Robertcouldn’t have done himself if he’d been up to the task.”Robert nodded in greeting from the head of the table.“You’re a humble man, Thad. I can learn a lot fromyou.”“I’ve been around horses all my life.” Thad took