by Renee Ryan
Her sorrow instantly vanished. Yes, Bridget thought with happy tears welling in her eyes, this was her family now.
Epilogue
Years after the blessed event, Bridget knew she would remember her wedding as a happy affair shared with family, friends and many of Will’s employees. The event had come together seamlessly, thanks to the welcome assistance of her sisters and future mother-in-law.
Now she was standing in front of the preacher, with Will by her side reciting his vows as she’d done herself moments before.
Smiling into his eyes, Bridget fingered the light blue silk of her dress. Maeve had supplied the lovely handmade creation as a wedding gift, with the help of Ardeen Nolan and her aunt Mrs. Kennedy’s skillful assistance. Not to be outdone, Nora had created a special cake—a chocolate one, of course—for the celebration after the ceremony.
Will squeezed her hand as he finished his vows. “…until death do us part.”
The preacher nodded, then took a moment to impart a bit of sage advice. “Wise couples recognize that they’re going to see things differently, and this will cause them conflict. The solution will be loving compromise.”
Bridget shared a meaningful look with Will. The day after asking her to marry him he’d hired a work crew to rebuild the stairwell in her house. She’d not only accepted his gift, but had sent him a thank-you note that was so full of gratitude he deemed it the sweetest love letter he’d ever received.
Oh, how she adored this man. He looked especially handsome in his black frock coat, matching trousers and crisp white shirt. A shiver of anticipation traveled up her spine. The ceremony was almost complete. She was moments away from becoming Will’s wife.
As her groom slid a beautiful diamond ring onto her finger, Bridget cast a glance at the children standing at the front of the church with them. Olivia and Caleb were behaving beautifully.
Of course the very moment she had the thought, Caleb began fidgeting.
Bridget couldn’t really blame the little boy. The ceremony must seem impossibly long to a child his age. Despite several whispered orders from his grandmother to stand still, it was clear Caleb had had enough of minding his manners.
Eyes dancing with mischief, he reached out and pinched his twin sister. Olivia pinched him back.
Instead of stopping the misconduct, Bridget shared a secretive smile with Will. Their children were back to normal, at last.
As soon as Bridget slid the gold band onto Will’s finger, Caleb swiveled his head toward the back of the church and let out a war whoop. Before either parent could grab him, he tore down the aisle. Olivia was one step behind.
Neither had been given their cue.
Squealing in delight, the twins dodged outstretched hands and all other attempts to slow them down. They were met at the end of the aisle by a very handsome, well-groomed dog that had somehow broken free of his restraint.
The preacher’s eyes widened at the mayhem erupting right in front of him. “I—I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Seemingly undaunted by the uproar brewing at the opposite end of the church, Will pulled Bridget into his arms and kissed her soundly on the mouth. “I love you.”
She smiled into his blue, blue eyes, lifted on her toes and kissed him right back. “I love you more.”
“Not possible.” His arms slid around her and he went for another kiss.
The preacher cleared his throat and they laughingly broke apart. Arm in arm, they began their walk back down the aisle, heading straight for their children.
Bridget’s gaze landed on so many dear faces. Mrs. Fitzwilliam and the McCorkle brothers. Ardeen Nolan and her aunt. Ben MacDuff. Esther. Standing in the front row, Maeve winked at Bridget. She returned the gesture then smiled at her sister’s handsome husband. Flynn smiled back. Although the Gallaghers had been married less than a month, they were no longer the reigning newlyweds in the family. As of today, that honor belonged to Bridget and Will.
Three sisters, but only two happy endings.
A burst of unease shot through Bridget and her steps faltered. Nora was alone now, left to build her life in America without her sisters. She had Grace, but for how long? The baby’s family could claim her at any moment. Surely Nora deserved her share of happiness, too. She’d guided their family through lean years after their mother’s death, and had held them together when all seemed lost.
What would become of Nora now that Bridget and Maeve were married?
As if to drive home the point, Bridget caught Nora’s eye at the very moment a tear slid down her older sister’s cheek.
Bridget’s steps faltered. But then Cameron Long moved into view and whispered something into Nora’s ear.
Nora laughed in response, the gesture transforming her face.
Bridget sighed. This time the sound was full of hope. Perhaps her sister would be all right after all.
Will continued guiding Bridget down the aisle. Each step pulled her away from her past and closer toward her future, the one she would share with her husband. Her husband.
She turned her face to his.
He planted a tender kiss on her nose.
At the end of the aisle he turned and looked out over the crowd. “Please, everyone, follow us back to our home and celebrate our new family with us.”
Smiling at Bridget in a way that nearly made her swoon, he escorted their entire family into the carriage waiting for them outside the church.
Once everyone was settled, Will kissed Bridget again, on her lips, longer and with more enthusiasm than he had in the church.
When he finally pulled away, his eyes were full of promises. Promises she knew he would fulfill down to the letter.
“Ready to go home, Mrs. Black?”
“Oh, yes, Mr. Black.” She reached out and pulled both children close. “Oh, my, yes.”
To Bridget’s way of thinking, the journey across town was more than an exciting adventure. It was the perfect beginning to her new life as Mrs. William Black.
* * * * *
Dear Reader,
Thank you for choosing Mistaken Bride. I so enjoyed creating this story about an Irish immigrant and her journey to America, where she found true love with an honorable man and his adorable little children.
This book was especially fun for me to write because I had the chance to include young siblings who also happen to be twins. As a twin myself, I relished this opportunity to tap into memories from my childhood. According to my mother, my sister and I were very pleasant children, until we joined forces.
Together, we personified the term “double trouble.” Robin and I were especially proficient at escaping closed-in spaces. This included our crib. My sister, the more adventurous of us, would climb to the top of the railing and then help me over the edge with a hard shove. Once I landed on the floor (thank you so much, Robin) I would then help her down onto the floor with an equally enthusiastic pull (take that, sister dear). Free at last, we would proceed to empty shelves, explore cabinets, release the dog and generally wreak havoc. The only off-limits area was our brothers’ baby-alligator tank. Even the dynamic diaper duo knew better than to mess with those toothy reptiles.
Although Olivia and Caleb are far better behaved for most of their story, I made sure they overcame their shyness by the end of the book. I predict their parents have a lot of “joy” ahead of them in the coming years. Praise God for little children, especially twins!
I always love hearing from readers. Please feel free to contact me at my website, www.reneeryan.com.
In the meantime, happy reading!
Renee
Questions for Discussion
What led Bridget and her sisters to America in the first place? What makes this journey especially risky
for them? Why do you think they took this chance, even knowing the risks? What will they do if their new home doesn’t pan out? Would you have taken such a chance? Why or why not?
When Bridget first meets Will he mistakes her for his mail-order bride. Why did he make this mistake? What is motivating him to find a bride as soon as possible? Have you ever been in a situation that left you desperate to find an immediate solution, even if it’s not the best solution? What did you do and what was the result?
What happened to Will’s mail-order bride? Why does he only want a bride instead of a nanny for his twins? What eventually changes his mind?
Why does Bridget take the job as the twins’ nanny? What is the stipulation she gives Will? Do you think this is a good idea or a bad one? Why or why not?
What does Will discover when he arrives home early on Bridget’s first day of work? Why did he react that way? What immediate changes does he see in his children? How do those changes affect him?
How does Nora react when Bridget arrives home after her first day of work? What does she warn her sister about? Do you think she’s overreacting? Why or why not? Have you ever had someone in your life, a family member or friend, who warned you in a similar fashion? Did you take their advice? Why or why not, and what was the result?
How does Will react when he sees Bridget and the children bathing the stray dog? Have you ever adopted a stray pet? What was the result? Do you think Digger was a good addition to the family? Why or why not?
When Bridget and Nora move into their new home, Will offers to help. What does he discover about the Murphy women that day? Even knowing how important this house is to Bridget, why does he ask her to move into his home? Do you think he overstepped his bounds? Why or why not?
What does Flynn tell Will about Bridget’s life back in Ireland? How does Will react to the news of her heartbreak? Have you ever received startling information about a person that instantly changed your view of them? How did you react?
Why do you think Will is fighting his attraction to Bridget? Why do you think she is fighting her attraction to him? Do you think their reasons are valid? Why or why not? Have you ever held back a part of yourself because of something that happened to you in the past? What was the result?
How does Bridget react when Olivia asks God to make Bridget her new mommy? Do you think she should have agreed with Olivia, even if it was only between the two of them? Why or why not? Have you ever been in a situation that required you to be careful not to get someone’s hopes up? What did you do and why?
When Will and Bridget finally decide to declare their love for one another, who shows up at his house? Why is her presence such a disaster? What does Will decide to do about her? Do you think this is a good decision on his part? Why or why not?
How does Bridget react to Birdie’s sudden appearance? Do you think Bridget should have stepped aside like she did? Why or why not? Have you ever had to make a sacrifice for a loved one that meant unhappiness for yourself? What happened?
When Will offers to pay Bridget her wages, how does she react? Why does Will find her refusal of his money so frustrating?
What happened once Birdie joined Will’s household? What did Will decide to do for the girl? Was this a good solution? Why or why not?
ISBN: 9781459227873
Copyright © 2012 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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