Ashley Merrick - India: Bride of Indiana (American Mail-Order Bride 19) by Ashley Merrick Page A

but wasn’t sure.
    “There’s not much you can do about it now, though, right? After all, they are married?” she heard a voice say.
    “I’m not ready to give up yet. She’s just a mail-order bride, someone he brought from Boston to take care of his children. More like a nanny, really. I heard that there’s nothing romantic there. If they haven’t consummated the marriage, it could be annulled. I’ve wanted him to be my husband for as long as I can remember.”
    “Is it him you want? Or just to be married to someone with his level of wealth and power?”
    Olivia chuckled. “What do you think?”
    The other woman laughed. “You’re terrible. Are you ready to go out there? If you’re going to make your move tonight, you’d better do it soon, while his wife isn’t around.”
    “Let’s go.”
    India heard the door close and then waited a few moments for her temper to subside before she exited the stall and washed her hands, and then checked her appearance in the mirror. Olivia may be beautiful, but she wasn’t looking too bad herself and Olivia and another think coming if she thought that India was going to stand back while she made a play for her husband.

Chapter 19
    W hen India came out of the ladies’ room, she slowly made her way back to the ballroom and scanned the crowd. Richard was at the same table he’d been at earlier and her glass of wine was by his side. But so was Olivia. Everyone else was off dancing, so it was just the two of them and Olivia was laughing and flirting with Richard. She was lightly touching his arm as she talked and looking up at him, batting her eyelashes. It made India feel sick to her stomach to see it. She felt even worse when she saw Richard smiling back at her. He was obviously enjoying the attention. She supposed it was understandable. Olivia was a beautiful girl, after all. She almost felt like she was interrupting something as she sidled up to Richard’s other side and reached for her wine glass. Olivia shot her a dirty look.
    “Hello, India. So nice to see you. That dress looks familiar. One of Laura’s I believe?” she said in a sugary sweet voice that set India’s nerves on edge. Who would dare point out that someone was wearing a borrowed dress? She thought that was incredibly rude, but Richard didn’t even seem to notice.
    “Yes, it’s Laura’s. Isn’t it beautiful?”
    Olivia narrowed her eyes. “Yes, it’s lovely.” Then she turned on the charm again, looking directly at Richard as she spoke to India. “I was just telling Richard how much I love this song. You don’t mind if I steal him for a dance?”
    The nerve of her! There was no polite way for India to say no, so she just nodded and said, “Of course.”
    Richard shot her an apologetic look as Olivia led him onto the dance floor. India seethed as she sipped her wine and watched them. She supposed that it was what she deserved, though. Richard had likely felt the same when she’d danced with Smith earlier. But maybe he hadn’t? Maybe he hadn’t cared at all, and it was Olivia that he preferred to dance with. Maybe it was just bothering India so much because she was starting to realize that she had developed romantic feelings for Richard. That she wanted to be more than just the mother of his children. But as she watched the two of them twirling and smiling and they made their way around the dance floor, she wondered if Richard had any feelings for her. Maybe it was completely one-sided and he would never be able to get over losing his wife. Or maybe he just wasn’t interested in her that way? And Olivia was more his type. She thought about what Olivia said and wondered if it was true. Maybe they could get an annulment. Then Richard could be free to marry Olivia and consummate that marriage.
    India couldn’t stand to watch them together a moment longer. She went to take another sip of her wine and realized that her glass was empty. She’d said earlier that she was only going to have one