Homespun Bride

Chapter TwoHuddled against the minus temperatures and lashingsnow, Noelle clenched her jaw tight to keep her teethfrom chattering.The whir of the frigid wind and the endless whisperof the torrential snowfall drowned out all sound. Itdeceived her into imagining they were being pulled alongin a void, cut off from the outside world, from everyoneand everything, including the stranger who had helpedthem. She knew he was leading the gelding; Aunt Henriettahad assured her of this fact as soon as they’d set out.It was only concern, she told herself, because she’dbeen behind two runaway horses in her lifetime. Shedid not wish a third trip. Of course she wanted to makesure they arrived safely home and that the strangerwould keep his stalwart promise to lead them there.The stranger. She couldn’t seem to rid him from hermind. Her thoughts kept turning over and over themoment she’d first heard his buttery-warm baritoneand the strange, vague sense of recognition she’d feltwhen he’d lifted her from the sleigh.