AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nora snorted. “Not yet. I haven’t seen much of him for a couple days. But that’s all right. I can be patient…for a little while longer, at least. Preacher told him that he’s still trying to work out the whole issue with annulling a marriage that isn’t legal anyway. At one time, I suppose it would have gone through some ecclesiastical court, but we don’t have one of those here.”
She frowned and shrugged. “Honestly, it’s probably as easy as just scratching out the record of the marriage in the church register. As long as we don’t consummate the marriage, which would be rather difficult considering the man avoids me at every turn,” she said with an amused half grin.
Martha chuckled, and Nora patted her horse. “We’ve got a few more weeks until the end of the month. Our plan still has time to work.”
“You could always abandon that ship and make an arrangement with one of the other newcomers. I’d love to see you happy and settled down.”
Nora grimaced at the thought. To Martha, being settled with a man was a requirement of womanly fulfillment. Not a notion Nora agreed with. “So far, the men I’ve met are all looking for an actual wife. That is not something I have any desire to be.”
Not that any man had ever looked atheras a wifely possibility, but she wasn’t going to point that out.
Martha still looked concerned, and Nora laughed. “Don’t fret,” she said, patting Martha’s hand. “I’m perfectly happy with the way things are. The last thing I need is another man to look after. I just need a temporary man until the deed is settled. Then I will be more than happy on my own.”
Martha didn’t look entirely convinced but thankfully didn’t push the issue.
“So, will you be needing an extra bushel of thyme for your next order, or is—”
CRASH!
Nora and Martha both jumped as the sound of breaking bottles echoed from the tavern, and then they hurried over to see what had happened.
Adam stumbled out the door, dripping wet and reeking of liquor. He pulled up short when he saw them.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” he said, nodding at them and acting for all the world like he didn’t look like a cat who’d just taken a swim in the whiskey barrel.
“Husband,” Nora said, smiling at his grimace while Martha just gaped at him. “Busy day?”
He wiped a hand across his eyes and licked his lips. “Reggie has decided he is better off without my services,” he said, clapping his hat on his head and sending a stream of liquid cascading down his face.
“I see,” Nora said faintly, biting her lip to keep her laughter inside. Going by the squeak that emanated from Martha, she was having similar difficulties.
“Is there a bathhouse or perhaps a water barrel or stream nearby?” he asked.
Nora didn’t know how he was still standing. The fumes coming off him alone were making her head spin.
“At the end of the street, just around the corner, there’s a bathhouse.”
“Thank you,” he said, tipping his hat. “Good day.”
He sloshed off, pausing after a few steps to remove a boot and empty it of several ounces of amber liquid.
Nora clapped her hand over her mouth, unable to keep her laughter at bay any longer, and Martha devolved into peeling giggles at her side.
“For the love of heaven, that man is a walking menace,” Martha said. “He’s making our job easier than I ever expected.”
They both laughed again, and Martha put a hand to her chest. “Did you know he sent a whole bucket of nails onto Mrs. DuVere’s head the other day?”
Nora took a shaky breath, trying to rein it in, but Martha’s reminder of the bucket of nails set her laughing again. “I did. I was there. I don’t know how he didn’t turn her into a walking pincushion.”
Martha snorted. “If her hair were any thinner, he would have.” She shook her head. “He sure is handsome, though. Not as striking as Harrison, of course, but if I weren’t already spoken for, I might be willing to risk injury for the likes of him.”
Nora glanced after his retreating form. She didn’t disagree. In fact, his handsome face had been featuring prominently in her dreams every night since he’d shown up in town. But she didn’t see any need to share that tidbit with Martha.
“Thank you for holding that fabric for me,” Nora said, climbing onto the wagon bench. “My father has been in need of a new shirt or two. It will work perfectly.”
“I’m so glad,” Martha said, standing back to wave. “And yes on the thyme. An extra bushel would be wonderful if you have it.”
“I should. I’ll bring it by later.”
