A Bride for Logan by Barbara Goss (free children's online books TXT) 📗

comfortable. I often sleep there when my husband is away.”

Logan was still holding Emma’s hand in his, and when Rachel said they’d be sleeping in the same room, she tried to jerk it away, but he squeezed it tighter. She remembered her part in the play and assured Rachel it would be fine.

Rachel fed Alan and Logan. While they ate, she made up a bed for Alan on the settee. Emma sat with the men while they ate. She worried about sleeping in the same bed with Logan, especially because there wasn’t a lounge chair or sofa in the bedroom, just a straight chair, dresser, and bed.

Before Logan and Emma went to their room, Rachel embraced Emma. “I’ll miss you.”

“And I, you.” Emma squeezed her back. “I’ll write.”

“I’d love that.” Rachel wiped a tear from her eye and pushed Emma gently toward the back bedroom. “Sleep well, you two.”

“How am I to get undressed?” Emma said as she gazed around the small bedroom.

Logan shrugged. “I can’t very well wander around someone else’s house. How about if I turn my back?”

“Give me your word you won’t peek.”

“I promise.”

Logan turned to the wall. Emma quickly shed the dress Rachel had loaned her and slipped on the borrowed night gown. Once the nightgown was on, she slipped off her underthings and laid the clothes on the chair.

“All right. I’m done.” Emma got into bed and pulled the quilt up to her chin. “I’ll turn to the wall so you can undress.”

“You can look, if you want. I’m not shy,” Logan said with a chuckle.

“No, thanks.”

She felt Logan slip into bed.

 “Now, you stay on your side of the bed, and we’ll be just fine,” Emma said.

Logan turned the lamp off. “I’m not tired.”

“I’m not either.”

“Let’s talk,” he suggested.

“You first.”

“Turn toward me or I won't be able to hear you.”

Emma sighed, but she turned toward him. “Talk.”

“Now I can’t think of a thing to say.”

“Does your shoulder hurt?”

“It does now. It didn’t before because I focused my mind on finding you.”

“Did the doctor give you some salve or anything?”

“No.”

“I’m sorry Dallas shot you.”

“Let’s talk about you, Emma. Here we are, married, and I don’t know much about you at all.”

“You know my parents died, and I went to live with my best friend.”

“Didn’t you have any relatives to take you in?”

“No. My mother almost died giving birth, and the doctor told her she probably wouldn't be able to have more children, so I was an only child. My mother’s family is in Germany, and my father was an orphan.”

“Your mother came from Germany?”

“Yes. Father and I helped her with her English. By the time she took that fateful train ride, she spoke it very well. She also taught me quite a lot of German.”

“What was your father like?”

Emma smiled in the dark. “He spoiled me rotten. He taught me to ride and shoot. We spent a lot of time together.”

“You don’t seem like a spoiled person.”

“I‘m definitely spoiled, but not in a material way. I was spoiled by the time my parents spent with me. We always went to church, had Bible studies, and tried to live as the Bible teaches.”

“You grew up in a home very different from mine.”

“Tell me about your home life, then.” Emma heard what she thought was a groan coming from Logan.

“It was just Pru, me, and my father. My father was strict, and Pru and I never got along. She was a tomboy and always trying to best me at everything. It was demeaning since she was a girl, but she was a lot older.”

“I would have loved a sister or brother,” Emma said. “I think it’s time you told me about your mother.”

“I should…but it’s a sore subject.”

“Do you remember her? How old were you when she…left?”

“She walked out on us when I was about four. I hardly remember her.”

“I’m sorry, but she might have had no other choice.”

“A mother shouldn’t leave her children.”

Emma sensed anger and resentment in his voice. She knew she’d prodded enough.

“I’m glad you got your money back from Dallas.”

“I was more concerned about getting you back, Emma.”

Emma felt a warmth spread through her chest. Did he really care? It couldn’t be an act since it was just the two of them.

“Goodnight, Emma.”

“Goodnight.” Emma rolled over, said her prayers, and soon drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Fourteen

Emma awoke to the sound of dishes clanging in the kitchen. She felt unusually warm, and then she remembered she wasn’t in bed alone. She turned to see Logan asleep close beside her. The heat seemed to be coming from him. She touched his forehead. He was burning up with fever.

Emma shook his shoulders. “Logan!”

He groaned and opened his eyes. “What?”

“You’re burning up. I think your wound might be infected.”

“No wonder it hurts like blazes.” Logan sat up and fell back down. “I don’t suppose there’s a doctor around here.”

“I think not. I’ll get Alan.”

Knowing that Rachel was starting breakfast in the kitchen, Emma grabbed her clothes and scampered into Rachel’s bedroom to dress. Once she was dressed and her hair was done, she ran into the sitting room. Alan wasn’t there, so she went into the kitchen to find him nursing a cup of coffee at the table.

“Alan, Logan’s burning up with fever. What can we do?”

Rachel dropped the frying pan she’d been holding and dashed down the hall. Alan and Emma trailed behind her.

After feeling Logan’s forehead, Rachel called out orders. “Alan: go to the well out back and bring in a bucket of water. Emma: get a few rags. They’re in the cupboard under the sink.”

When Emma returned with the