Homespun Bride

Jillian Hart33thinking love was what mattered. He was a man strongenough to resist making a mistake like that—like her—again.The white-out strength winds blasted harder; Sunnyshied and veered off the faint path of the road. Not agreat sign. Thad pulled his mustang up, so he wouldn’tlose his sense of direction. It wouldn’t take much for aman to get himself lost in a blizzard like this. He shadedhis eyes from the wind-driven downfall to try to get agood look, but he couldn’t see a thing. Still, he dismounted,to make sure. Something could be in theroad—like another rider driven off track by the stormin need of help.The curtain of snow shifted on a stronger gust ofwind, and something red flashed at the roadside onlyto disappear again. Keeping hold of Sunny’s reins andhis sense of direction, Thad knelt to find a lady’s hatboxtied up with a fancy red ribbon and, next to it, a smallflat ice-covered package.Must be Noelle’s things, he figured, scanning whatlittle he could see for landmarks. This sloping slant ofground was probably at the junction of the main road.The sleigh had made a sharp turn onto the drivewayhere. Combined with the wind, the goods had probablyslid right over the edge of the sleigh.It looked as though he wasn’t completely done withNoelle yet. The small package fit into his saddlebag,but not the bulky hatbox. That he had to hang over hissaddle horn by the ribbon.Just his luck. Now, as he nosed Sunny north into thestorm and toward home, there was a reminder of Noellehe could not ignore. The blizzard grew with a ruthlesshowl, baring its icy teeth. He was cut off from the