It took Judith by surprise when Sean tapped her shoulder and extended his hand. “I am stealing my wife for a short walk if you ladies don’t mind.”
“Of course we don’t,” Lorna replied giving Judith a knowing look.
Sean wondered why the women all exchanged conspiring looks when he’d neared to ask his wife to take a walk with him. He’d spied a family of rabbits he knew Judith would love to watch and planned to walk with her. Nothing pleased him more than to see her excited over the smallest of things. From her, he learned to appreciate the beauty he’d otherwise not notice. Just like the moment seeing the rabbits in a thicket had taken his attention where before he would have ignored it.
“Oh, my,” Judith said breathlessly already kneeling to admire the rabbits, who scurried away. “How beautiful they are!” She smiled brightly at him. “I hope they are warm enough.”
She took his hand and tugged him down to sit beside her. “I have something to tell you.” Her fingers tightened on his hand sending alarm immediately through him.
“Is something wrong?”
Judith laughed. “We have to stop thinking something is wrong when someone has news. I caught myself doing the same thing when Lorna announced she had a surprise for me.” She hesitated. “It was a new bolt of beautiful fabric.”
Sean relaxed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. His lips lingered on her temple and she closed her eyes soaking in his attentions.
“I hope you never stop being so wonderful. Especially when I grow round.”
His chuckle rumbled deep. “I will love you when you are plump if that happens.”
“Oh, it will,” Judith said with conviction and he looked to her with a curious expression. “In the next few months.”
Sean wasn’t sure why she predicted the weight gain, but instead of trying to figure out how women thought, he went along with it. “Very good. Do you want me to help you gather some flowers before we go back to the group?”
Judith didn’t move. She kept her head bowed. “You haven’t asked me what I want to tell you.”
He scrambled to remember what she’d said earlier. Not quite knowing what to expect, he took her hand and looked into her beautiful, shining eyes. “Tell me.”
When she swallowed visibly, he did his best not to fret. “Well, I suspect…I’m pretty sure I’m expecting.”
“Go on.”
“With what?”
This was not going well, he could see it by the way her brows came together in a frown. “With what you are going to tell me.”
“I did.” Judith pushed away, both hands flat on his chest. “Did you not hear me? I’m expecting.”
He forced himself to be patient. “Dearest. What exactly are you expecting?”
Her mouth fell open and he waited for her to snap at him. Instead, she began laughing. Mirth-filled eyes met his and she burst into guffaws. When she tried to talk, once again laughter would take over until he, too, joined in, unable to resist.
Finally, she stopped laughing and wiped at tears that threatened to spill. “You are so adorable.” She kissed him then and he wished they were alone so he could take advantage of the wonderful curves that now leaned against him.
“I’m sorry if I don’t understand what you’re saying,” he told her and pressed another kiss to her lips.
“Sean,” she looked into his eyes. “In seven months, we will have a brother or sister for Bethany. I’m expecting a baby.”
His eyes rounded and all the blood drained from his face. His heart thudded against his chest as he tried to remember how to breathe. “A baby?”
“Yes,” Judith said softly, her face flushed. “I’m so happy.”
Sean wrapped his arms around her and let out a long breath. “You just made me the happiest man alive.”
In the end, things had worked out for them. From the loss of her family and everything she knew back in Massachusetts to Sean’s journey of having to raise a child alone. They’d come together in the most unconventional way, but in Judith’s estimation, it was all a perfect plan for what they had now.
The End
About the Series
Judith, Bride of Wyoming, is book number forty-four in the unprecedented 50-book American Mail-Order Brides Series. There are forty-five authors involved in this project. I hope you will pick up each book and enjoy.
If you enjoyed reading this book there are 49 more in the series! Find out about the rest of the American Mail-Order Brides here, http://www.newwesternromance.com
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Judith, Bride of Wyoming. I hope you enjoyed it. If you were curious about the two men who stopped at the mercantile, they are US Marshals, whose story begins in the book Beneath a Silver Sky. I believe you’ll love it. It’s a great book featuring the Scot, Brogan Hage.
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Happy Reading!
Hildie McQueen
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Table of Contents
Prequel
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
About the Series
Thank You for Reading!
Judith: Bride of Wyoming (American Mail-Order Bride 44) Page 9