Brazos Bride

BRAZOS BRIDE Chapter Eight

　

Brazos Bride

Chapter Eight

Her cousin dropped to the floor, a stunned look on his face. He shook his head then touched his jaw. He rose slowly, his gaze never leaving Micah.

Micah appeared ready to land another punch if Eduardo gave him cause.

She moved to her cousin and laid her hand on his shoulder. "Eduardo, your parents were exceedingly kind to move in and look after me, but now I have a husband to take over. I am sure Aunt Sofia and Tio Jorge will wish me happiness. You know they will be relieved to return to their own home."

Eduardo still looked angry enough to bite a dog. "Why did you trick me like that? Saying you had to come in to pick out your burial clothes and then had to rest at the Hendersons's place? Had me worrying this might be your last few days."

She patted her cousin's arm. "Truly I am sorry if I alarmed you, but you would never have brought me to town had you known why I wanted to come, verdad?"

"Si, that is true. Still, I do not like it," Eduardo barked, but some of the steam left him. He still frowned but he looked down at her upturned face. "Well, since it is done and all and...and you look happy enough. Aw, Hope, I guess there is nothing I can do if you want him." He spat the last word like a curse.

"Thank you, Eduardo." She tiptoed and kissed his cheek, aching with guilt for her duplicity. But she knew no other way to save herself. Some day surely everyone would understand. "You know I hold you and your parents in high regard. I think of you as a brother more than a cousin."

Why couldn't she say the word love? What was wrong with her? It would help if she knew whether or not her aunt and Tio were the ones poisoning her.

"If this is what you want, so be it." Eduardo glared at Micah and pointed a finger at his chest. "But, Stone, you had better watch your step. If I hear you have been mean to her, I will come after you." With that, he turned on his heel and stalked out.

"Well, that was pleasant." She resumed her seat and smoothed her napkin across her lap. Suddenly the day's events caught up with her and she wished she were already in bed so she could curl up and sleep for hours and hours.

Examining his fist, Micah sat down beside her. "His parents aren't going to be any happier than he was. Reckon they'll challenge us on this?"

"There is nothing they can do now." But the thought dulled her appetite and she declined dessert.

She hated to hurt her aunt and Tio if they were innocent, but no one else had as much opportunity to poison her. Aunt Sofia appeared genuinely concerned for her welfare, convinced Hope had the same affliction as her late mother. Tio Jorge had always doted on her, almost as if she truly was his daughter, but money's lure did terrible things to people. Eduardo was in and out of her home. Even he could have slipped something into her tonic or in food waiting on a tray. How horrid to suspect her family, but she had no choice.

Preserving her life was too important to take chances. She knew no other way to insure her safety-or theirs if they weren't a part of the plot against her. If the guilty person turned out to be someone else, as she hoped, she would apologize to her family. In the meantime, they would have to accept her decision and Micah's.

Aunt Sofia insisted Hope's symptoms were exactly like those of her mother. What if they were? Did that mean that Hope was destined to die, or could it mean that someone also poisoned her mother? The thought had taken root weeks ago. Although they'd never been close-due to her mother's coldness rather than Hope's preference-Hope hated to think a killer had been successful in eliminating her mother. If they found whoever was guilty, perhaps they'd also have the answer to that horrible idea.