lack.
Flynn felt her stiffen beside him. He slanted a look at her from under the brim of his hat. The expression on her face was made from equal parts of happiness and pain. A ragged, halting breath escaped her lips, and she shuddered. He felt as if he were intruding on private thoughts just sitting beside her.
“Do you want to get down?” Flynn asked in a voice so rough and dry it would have taken the paint off wood.
“Is—is Rachel here?” Marydyth asked while her heart thudded painfully against her ribs.
“No.”
“Then I don’t want to stay. I want to see Rachel as soon as possible.” She. never looked at Flynn, just kept her eyes on her house. Knowing that it was here, that it had weathered and survived as she had, gave her a renewed sense of strength.
She had to remain strong for herself and for her child. Besides, after she spoke to Victoria she was certain that Flynn O’Bannion would be packing his bags and leaving Hollenbeck Corners forever. For even a woman as cold as Victoria would yield now that Marydyth had been vindicated and freed. After all, Marydyth had given Victoria a granddaughter…J.C.’s daughter.
Chapter Six
“A fter I take these bags inside we can go pick Rachel up at Victoria’s.” Flynn never looked at her when he spoke.
Marydyth wrung her gloveless hands together and forced herself to look at Flynn. His face was wreathed in shadow and it made him look even harder. “Maybe you should take the time to pack all your things.” Marydyth found the courage to smile at him. “Because I am certain once I speak to Victoria she will see reason and change the guardianship papers.”
Flynn tilted his head and stared at her in silence. She wished she could read his thoughts, but his impassive face betrayed nothing.
“I’ll only be a minute,” he said as he took his bag and hers and marched up the steps to the front door. Marydyth thought he opened it with the ease of someone who felt at home—something she was going to change.
That thought sent an arrow of anger flashing through Marydyth. Then to her surprise he turned and speared her with a penetrating gaze before he stepped inside.
“I hate you,” she mumbled under her breath. “I really hate you, Flynn O’Bannion.”
* * *
All the way to Victoria’s house on the other side of Hollenbeck Corners Flynn carried on a running argument with himself. One part of him wanted to stop the buggy and take Marydyth by the shoulders and tell her some hard truths. The other part of him didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news again. She really believed Victoria would welcome her home. It was foolish, he knew, but he wanted to avoid seeing that pained look in Marydyth’s blue eyes for a while. Something about the way she bit her bottom lip and held her body straight as a post made him feel worse than when she cussed him and called him a bastard.
But there was a part of him that knew he should tell her about Victoria’s strokes. And that Victoria had no knowledge of what was in the letter that persuaded the judge to free Marydyth. He and Marydyth were bound together now and nothing was going to change that.
If only she didn’t believe there was some easy way out. Then at least she wouldn’t feel it so hard when she saw for herself the way things were and would remain.
No, even if he told her right now, she probably wouldn’t believe him. She didn’t trust him, and that wariness made it necessary for her to see with her own eyes. No matter what he said she would think it a lie.
The prospect didn’t make him happy.
And what would she do when she realized that their situation was permanent? Would she stay or would her hatred of him drive her away from Hollenbeck Corners and Rachel?
A million questions ran through his head. He couldn’t find a good answer to even one of them. This was turning out to be much more complicated than he had imagined. He vowed he’d see it through—for Rachel—so he set hisjaw and concentrated
Flynn felt her stiffen beside him. He slanted a look at her from under the brim of his hat. The expression on her face was made from equal parts of happiness and pain. A ragged, halting breath escaped her lips, and she shuddered. He felt as if he were intruding on private thoughts just sitting beside her.
“Do you want to get down?” Flynn asked in a voice so rough and dry it would have taken the paint off wood.
“Is—is Rachel here?” Marydyth asked while her heart thudded painfully against her ribs.
“No.”
“Then I don’t want to stay. I want to see Rachel as soon as possible.” She. never looked at Flynn, just kept her eyes on her house. Knowing that it was here, that it had weathered and survived as she had, gave her a renewed sense of strength.
She had to remain strong for herself and for her child. Besides, after she spoke to Victoria she was certain that Flynn O’Bannion would be packing his bags and leaving Hollenbeck Corners forever. For even a woman as cold as Victoria would yield now that Marydyth had been vindicated and freed. After all, Marydyth had given Victoria a granddaughter…J.C.’s daughter.
Chapter Six
“A fter I take these bags inside we can go pick Rachel up at Victoria’s.” Flynn never looked at her when he spoke.
Marydyth wrung her gloveless hands together and forced herself to look at Flynn. His face was wreathed in shadow and it made him look even harder. “Maybe you should take the time to pack all your things.” Marydyth found the courage to smile at him. “Because I am certain once I speak to Victoria she will see reason and change the guardianship papers.”
Flynn tilted his head and stared at her in silence. She wished she could read his thoughts, but his impassive face betrayed nothing.
“I’ll only be a minute,” he said as he took his bag and hers and marched up the steps to the front door. Marydyth thought he opened it with the ease of someone who felt at home—something she was going to change.
That thought sent an arrow of anger flashing through Marydyth. Then to her surprise he turned and speared her with a penetrating gaze before he stepped inside.
“I hate you,” she mumbled under her breath. “I really hate you, Flynn O’Bannion.”
* * *
All the way to Victoria’s house on the other side of Hollenbeck Corners Flynn carried on a running argument with himself. One part of him wanted to stop the buggy and take Marydyth by the shoulders and tell her some hard truths. The other part of him didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news again. She really believed Victoria would welcome her home. It was foolish, he knew, but he wanted to avoid seeing that pained look in Marydyth’s blue eyes for a while. Something about the way she bit her bottom lip and held her body straight as a post made him feel worse than when she cussed him and called him a bastard.
But there was a part of him that knew he should tell her about Victoria’s strokes. And that Victoria had no knowledge of what was in the letter that persuaded the judge to free Marydyth. He and Marydyth were bound together now and nothing was going to change that.
If only she didn’t believe there was some easy way out. Then at least she wouldn’t feel it so hard when she saw for herself the way things were and would remain.
No, even if he told her right now, she probably wouldn’t believe him. She didn’t trust him, and that wariness made it necessary for her to see with her own eyes. No matter what he said she would think it a lie.
The prospect didn’t make him happy.
And what would she do when she realized that their situation was permanent? Would she stay or would her hatred of him drive her away from Hollenbeck Corners and Rachel?
A million questions ran through his head. He couldn’t find a good answer to even one of them. This was turning out to be much more complicated than he had imagined. He vowed he’d see it through—for Rachel—so he set hisjaw and concentrated
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