hidden affections

8/7/2019 Hidden Affections

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Chapter One We s t e r n P e n n s y l v a n i a

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Annabelle Tyler may have hoped she would marry again someday,but she never dreamed she would be wearing handcuffs duringthe ceremony when she did.

Scarcely thirty-six hours after leaving Hanover, Pennsylvania,to forge a respectable future for herself, she barely listened to theman next to her as he grumbled his vows. She was still strugglingto make sense of the frightening turn of events that had led herhere, to this nondescript ministers cottage in a small rural hamlet where she knew absolutely no one.

Despite the sheriffs coat around her shoulders and the heartyfire burning in the small parlor, Annabelle shivered with coldthat had penetrated every bone in her body. She glanced up at the man by her side. Harrison Graymoor had been a complete


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stranger to her until only yesterday, but the ordeal they hadendured together had taken its toll.

His finely tailored vest and cambric shirt were badly soiledwith the same dirt and grime that stained her travel gown, andexhaustion had painted dark circles beneath his ebony eyes. Hisdetermined fight to prevent this marriage had now been replacedby a resignation that surprised her, since he had far more at stakeby marrying than she did. The grim reality that he was beingforced into this marriage, however, had erased his rakish smileand the surprisingly deep dimples in his cheeks, but he held hishead high when he finally gritted, I do.

She swayed a bit, locked her knees, and dropped her gaze. Shehad not eaten since the day before yesterday, and she used everylast bit of her waning strength to keep standing on her own twofeet, if only to maintain a modicum of dignity in front of the four

men who were witnessing this mockery of a ceremony. When sheadjusted the heavy coat about her shoulders, she inadvertentlyyanked the short chain on the metal cuff on her right wrist that kept her linked to Harrison.

She froze instinctively, and his hiss of pain distracted herfrom the ministers monotone recitation of the vows she wassupposed to pledge. When she looked down, she saw a freshtrickle of blood ooze down the back of his hand from beneaththe too-small cuff that dug deep into his swollen left wrist. Shequickly averted her gaze, but not before she got a glimpse of theend of the rifle barrel nudged against his back. I didnt mean tohurt you again, she whispered. I-Im sorry.

The proper response is I will or I do, Reverend Wood

admonished, as if she had been speaking to him.When she turned her attention back to the minister, shewondered if he could see anything more than a few inches infront of his face, since his eyes were so clouded by age.

Im still waiting for you to recite your vows and acknowledge


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H I D D E N A ff ections them, he demanded, clearly annoyed that he had been draggedfrom his bed shortly before dawn to marry them.

One of the two men standing directly to her left edged closerin an unspoken warning to cooperate, reinforced as the two menon Harrisons side nudged him closer to her. Determined not to utter any words that would seal her union to Mr. Graymoor,she took a deep breath to gather up the last of her rapidly fad-ing strength. Now that it appeared she had no other choice, sheswallowed her pride and decided she had to admit she was not the maiden they believed her to be. Please. Just let me explain.Theres no need to force this man to marry me.

The ministers voice hardened with impatience. Do you ordo you not recognize the scandalous nature of your situationand the attempt were all making on your behalf to salvage yourreputation? he snapped.

Im a God-fearing woman of faith, and Im telling you that nothing improper happened, she insisted, repeating the claimshe had made to the four men when they had rescued her, aswell as Harrison, less than an hour ago. I give you my word.

Harrison cleared his throat. Im afraid its not your word andyour character that are in question. Its mine.

She looked up at him and frowned. That may be, but myfutures at stake, too, she quipped before turning her attentionback to the minister again and softening her voice. The menwho stopped our stage robbed us, handcuffed us together, andleft us tied to the stagecoach while they escaped with the driverand all of our possessions. Its not Mr. Graymoors fault or minethat it took a full day and night to find us. Mr. Graymoor was a

complete gentleman and quite concerned for my well-being theentire time, she insisted, remaining silent about his attempts toflirt with her when they first boarded the stage or the fact that the robbers would never have robbed the stage if he had not been aboard in the first place.


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The sheriff snorted. Harrison Graymoor may be exceed-ingly wealthy, but hes also a cad and a libertine who needs to be

held accountable for his outrageous behavior, particularly withwomen. His reputation, I assure you, is well-known far beyondPhiladelphia, where he resides.

Were far from Philadelphia, and we should all avoid gos-sip that no one here can confirm, she argued, but she was alsorelieved they were a far cry from Four Corners, the small townwhere she had become equally infamous.

The minister nodded. Im retired from active ministry now,but Im not a hermit. I recognize the family name, as well asthis mans reputation, he informed them and looked directlyat Annabelle. The sheriff told me he found you lying in thismans arms after spending the night with him alone. Are younow disputing that fact, or is it true?

She blushed, although she could not remember exactly howor when she had ended up cuddled against his side during thenight. Yes, its true, she admitted, but the weather had turnedexceedingly cold again and the thieves had stolen my cloak as wellas his coat. Mr. Graymoor eventually freed us from the ropes theyused to bind us to the stagecoach, but there was nothing he coulddo to remove the handcuffs, she explained, still ridden with guilt for injuring Harrison when she tried to do just that. We triedwalking to find help, but a thunderstorm forced us back to thestagecoach for shelter. By then, we were both drenched and

And this wretched man used this poor womans distress tohis sinful advantage. The man directly to her left squared hisshoulders and took a step forward. My name is James Jenkins.

One of Graymoors country estates is near my home in ChadsLanding. My wife, Camille, went to work there when he showedup four months ago, and this man . . . this man . . . seduced her,he murmured, repeating the charges he had made to the sheriff earlier.


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H I D D E N A ff ections I did no such thing, Harrison argued in a low voice that

was just as authoritative as it had been earlier when hed tried to

reason with Jenkins and the sheriff. I did not seduce Mrs. Jenkins,and I did not seduce Miss Tyler.He gave this to my wife, Jenkins charged, pulling an intri-

cate gold bracelet from his pocket and dangling it in front of the minister, who leaned his face so far forward to see it that Annabelle wondered how he kept his balance. What sort of man gives a married woman an expensive gift like this unlesshes seduced her?

The minister pulled back and pursed his lips. Mr. Graymoor?Harrison shrugged. It was a parting trinket to thank her for

her work as a temporary member of my staff. Nothing more.Jenkins shoved the bracelet back into his pocket. You gave

it to her to assuage your conscience, although Im surprised you

have one, he charged and drew in deep breaths of air as his cheeksreddened with the shame of his wifes betrayal.I did not seduce your wife, and she did not betray you. Not

with me, Harrison argued.Sheriff Taylor shook his head and addressed the minister.

Im afraid Mr. Graymoors reputation as a womanizer makes it difficult, if not impossible, to take him at his word. Not wherewomen are concerned.

The minister cleared his throat, effectively ending the discus-sion. Perhaps if Mr. Graymoor were to be married to a God-fearing woman of faith, he said firmly, using Annabelles ownwords against them both, she might inspire him to lead a lifeof honor befitting the name he carries. More importantly, Miss

Tyler should not bear the burden of having her reputation orher name sulliedThere is no burden, Annabelle argued, tilting up her chin.

Although she was weakened by fatigue as well as frustration, shecould not overlook the absurdity of the predicament she was in


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or the fact she was actually handcuffed to the man she was beingforced to marry. Handcuffed!

Even the appearance of impropriety demands that you beprotected. If you were a married woman, that would be a matterfor Sheriff Taylor to address. You are, however, a single woman,and it is a matter for me to remedy, he insisted and turned toHarrison. Are you prepared to fulfill the vows you have alreadypledged or do you rescind them?

Harrison sighed. No. I do not rescind them, he murmuredand arched his back as if the barrel of the rifle had been pressedharder.

And you, Miss Tyler, will you accept this man as your lawfulhusband and be faithful to the vows Ive already recited for you?

She swallowed hard. She was only twenty-four years old. Shecould hardly believe that all the hopes she had had for the future

would be gone once she married this stranger, but she was toodisillusioned and too exhausted to argue anymore. Holding tight to her faith in God, if only to give strength to her belief that Hewas totally in charge of the new path her life was taking, she let out a long sigh and finally uttered the words the minister wantedher to say. I . . . I will.

Then as a minister of the Word, I now declare that you areman and wife. Go in peace, together, to serve Him in this worldin order to rejoice with Him for all of eternity. Now then, wouldyou like to kiss your bride, Mr. Graymoor?

Harrison held up the handcuffs that still bound them together.I believe my wife and I would like these handcuffs removedbefore I consider anything else, he countered.

When she nodded her agreement, the minister smiled for thefirst time that morning. Theres a blacksmith not more than afew miles from the inn, which is about five miles farther away,he offered. Sheriff, I trust youll deliver Mr. and Mrs. Graymoor


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H I D D E N A ff ections there? Theyre obviously both in need of nourishment as well asrest before they continue their journey.

I will indeed.Then once the marriage certificate is duly signed, you canall be on your way. He walked over to a small table in the cornerof the room and signed the paper lying there. One of the menwho had helped Sheriff Taylor rescue them signed right after thesheriff, who ordered all three of his companions to go outsideto ready the horses.

In turn, the minister motioned Annabelle and Harrison tocome to the table. While you two sign this marriage certificate,Ive got to record the marriage in my book, which Ive left in theother room. Sheriff, perhaps you could ask one of your men tosaddle up my horse for Mr. and Mrs. Graymoor to ride. JoshuaLawrence, down at the inn, will see that its returned, he said

before taking his leave.As Annabelle and Harrison slowly made their way to thetable, she took great care to make certain she did not pull on thechain that bound them together. Under the sheriffs watchfulgaze, they each signed the document, and she noted the crookedscrawl the minister had managed to write.

Wait here. Ill be back to get you both as soon as we haveyour horse ready, the sheriff ordered before he left them alonefor the first time since they had been rescued.

Once the ink dried, she folded the certificate, planning to addit to the few things she had been able to hide from the thievesby storing them in a cotton pouch she had pinned to her che-mise. She also pressed her arm to her side to make certain the

knitting stick she had convinced the thieves to let her keep wasstill at her waist. There was no need for you to be saddled withme as your wife. Why didnt you argue with those men more?she whispered.

I seem to recall having the barrel of a rifle planted in the


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H I D D E N A ff ections speak, she reminded him, worried that he was either overcon-fident or merely accustomed to getting what he wanted because

of his immense wealth that everyone else had mentioned.Well never see any of these people again. Even if their gos-sip spreads to the city, Ive learned that rumors quickly disap-pear when no proof emerges, he countered. Dont worry. Imabsolutely certain I can have our marriage annulled. When I do,it will be as if it never existed at all, legally speaking, he saidas he led her closer to the fire to share one last bit of warmth

before they ventured outside again into the freezing cold that had blanketed the area for most of November. If all else fails, of course, I can always petition for a divorce, which will be a first for anyone in my family.

A chill raced up the length of her spine, and she trembled.Im afraid it wont be the first time. Not for me, she whisperedso softly she barely heard her own words.

At least this time she knew the man she had married was awomanizer before they were wed.


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Chapter Two For half a heartbeat, Annabelle feared that the young blacksmith

would refuse to remove the handcuffs, even though Sheriff Taylorhad given his assurances that there was no legal reason the newlymarried couple had been handcuffed together in the first place.

Once the sheriff left to make arrangements for them to stayat the inn, Matthew Owens reluctantly started to perform thetask, but only after she had added a plea of her own. Holdinga chisel in one hand and a mallet of some sort in the other, he

looked directly at Harrison. Are you quite certain you want thesehandcuffs removed, sir? Might be a good way to keep an eye onthis new wife of yours. Id be willing to bet my finest horse that your missus will be quite a looker. Once shes cleaned up, that is, he teased.

Annabelle blew away a wisp of blond hair that had fallen

across her face, along with the mans audacious compliment,and glared at him, hoping Harrison would say something to theimpudent young man to defend her honor. With her wavy hairin disarray and her travel gown carrying enough dirt and grimeto double its weight, she did not need anyone to remind her how


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H I D D E N A ff ections bad she looked at the moment. In point of fact, she could scarcelyimagine that a full month of hot baths would even thaw out her

bones, let alone get her clean again.Much to her relief, Harrison snorted his displeasure. Yourcavalier comment about my wife is both unwarranted and unwel-come, he said firmly.

I-Im sorry, maam. I . . . I meant no disrespect, sir, Owensstammered.

Harrison lifted up his left wrist, forcing her to lift her arm aswell, and laid the chain links in the center of the anvil that stoodbetween them and the blacksmith. He tugged back the cuff onhis shirt to reveal the narrow U-shaped metal band, held in placeby a metal pin with a lock at one end, that was far too small forhis wrist. I should hope that if common sense does not dictateyour full cooperation, this nasty wound will be reason enough

to comply with our very simple request. Now unless the sheriff made a mistake in thinking youd be willing to help us, I suggest you break these cuffs apart and remove them. Immediately, heordered.

Y-yes sir. Right away. Im not quite certain if I can removethem, but I can separate the links in the chain easily enough, hesaid as he carefully arranged and rearranged the three links lyingon the anvil. When he was apparently satisfied, he looked up at both of them. Just . . . just hold very still. And keep the chainlax, he urged, forcing Annabelle and Harrison to step closertogether before he started working on breaking one of the linksin the chain.

Annabelle turned her head to avoid seeing what would hap-

pen if he missed his mark and flinched when he struck each blowto the links. Although it was merely uncomfortable for her to feelthe vibrations absorbed by the metal cuff around her wrist, shecould only imagine how painful it must have been for Harrison.

There. Youre separated, once and for all, he announced,


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H I D D E N A ff ections Still cradling his wrist, he moved beside her and nodded

toward his chest. Theres a handkerchief in my vest pocket. Id

be obliged if youd remove it for me. Once Owens removes thecuff from my wrist, Ill need it to wrap the wound to stem thebleeding.

Harrison was not an uncommonly tall man, but comparedto her own small stature, he seemed very tall indeed. Avoidinghis gaze, Annabelle reached into the very same pocket wherehe had kept the pocket watch the thieves had stolen. When herfingertips brushed against his chest, her heartbeat quickened,but she dismissed her reaction to him as merely a consequenceof her utter fatigue.

After tugging the monogrammed linen handkerchief free,she took a step back and handed it out to him. It looks cleanenough, I suppose.

He looked down at his injured wrist and shook his head. SinceI dont have a free hand at the moment, perhaps you should keepthat handkerchief for me until I need it.

Moistening her lips, she tucked the handkerchief beneaththe wooden knitting stick still safely secured to the narrow bandof fabric at her waist. Although all of the knitting needles sheusually kept stored in the sheath were now gone, including theone she had bent trying to pick at the lock on the handcuffs, shecould one day replace them.

The knitting stick itself, however, was priceless, if only toher. With the tip of her fingers, she traced each of the letters of her mothers name that her father had carved into the sheath of wood when he made this courtship gift for her. Annabelle was

deeply grateful she had been able to convince the thieves to let her keep it.When Owens abruptly returned to the shop a solid five min-

utes after he had left, reality quickly consumed the memory of her late parents. She dropped her hand away, placed her wrist


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back onto the anvil, and made certain the lock was back in placeexactly where it had been when the blacksmith left.

Ready? Owens asked as he placed several tools onto thetable next to the broken chain.She rolled her eyes.While holding the pin steady with one hand, he lifted her

wrist until there was a small gap between the U-shaped metalband and her flesh. Hold it right there, he murmured and slida narrow wad of muslin between the metal and her wrist. That should help absorb some of the blows I have to make to break the lock, but Im afraid

Just get the cuff off, she insisted and used her other handto hold her arm steady. She closed her eyes and braced herself.If he was going to end up smashing her wrist, she had no desireto watch him. To her surprise, Harrison stepped closer to her, as

if offering his presence as support.Seems a shame to ruin a fine pair of Darby cuffs. Ive onlyseen one other pair. Theyre rather rare, he explained as he startedtapping at the lock.

Harrison huffed. Apparently not rare enough if commonthieves can acquire them and use them for nefarious purposes.

The thieves were hardly common. Not if they deliberatelychose to target you, she quipped, still annoyed that he had chosento ride the very stage on which she had also been a passengerafter his private coach had broken an axle.

How kind of you to remind me. Then again, you seem tohave a penchant for reminding me rather often that this wholeaffair is my fault, he retorted. If the thieves were that smart,

they would have brought along a pair of handcuffs that wouldhave actually fit me properly.Actually, Darby cuffs are made in four or five sizes, Owens

interjected. But if theyd used one to fit you, sir, your wife couldhave slipped her wrist right through. Then again, the cuffs are


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H I D D E N A ff ections rare enough that they probably only used what they could get their hands on.

Harrison scowled at him.You would have fared better if you hadnt fought the thieveswhen they tried to put them on or made such a vigorous attempt to remove them later, which only made your wrist swell evenmore, she offered.

He frowned at her.Actually, its nearly impossible to remove these cuffs without

a key. Or some good tools like mine, Owens added proudly.Just do your best to remove the cuff. Quickly, she urged

before Harrison could remind her that she had been foolish tothink she could have used one of her knitting needles to forcethe lock to open.

Many long, nerve-racking taps later, she heard the lock at

the end of the pin pop free and she opened her eyes. Amazedby how efficiently he had completed his task, she watched asthe blacksmith slid the pin free before he eased the metal bandaway from her wrist. Thank you, she murmured as she rubbedat the skin that had been chafed by the metal.

He grinned at her before giving Harrison a nod.Annabelle forced herself to watch as her companion placed

his cuffed wrist onto the anvil and cringed. The flesh aroundthe metal band was scarlet now and even more badly swollen.Apparently, the simple process of removing the chain holdingboth cuffs together had reopened the wound and fresh bloodtrickled down onto the metal anvil.

Owens studied the cuff for a moment and shook his head.

Swallowing hard, he paled. I . . . I dont think I can cushion theblows at all for you, sir, but if you could just turn your wristJust do what you have to do, Harrison gritted.Wait. Just a moment, Annabelle insisted and stepped around

him to snatch the muslin that Owens had used earlier to cushion


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her wrist from the table where he had tossed it. Have you anymore muslin I could use to make a bandage?

I might be able to find more in the house. Might take a fewminutes to find it.Make do with what you have, Harrison demanded.Perhaps for now we could, she replied, knowing how badly

he wanted to be free from the restraint. As she returned to herplace, she slipped his handkerchief free, ready to use both themuslin and the handkerchief as a makeshift bandage, if necessary.

Instead of watching Owens or closing her eyes this time, shekept her gaze squarely on Harrisons face. With each tap on thelock, he paled and tightened his jaw, but he stared directly downat the anvil and made no effort to halt what must have been anexceedingly painful process. His eyes flashed with relief whenthe lock finally popped free, but he quickly shuttered his gaze

and reached forward.She tensed and watched in horrified fascination as he pulledthe metal band free from his swollen flesh. Without hesitation, shepressed the muslin against his wrist and quickly bound it against the wound with his handkerchief. Is there a doctor nearby? sheasked the blacksmith.

Doc Marley is

The inn. How far is the inn? Harrison asked, using theauthoritative voice that told Annabelle not to interfere.

Owens looked from Annabelle to Harrison. About five miles.Straight down the road, sir, but Doc Marley is

How much for your services? Harrison asked as he scoopedup the pieces of the handcuffs and shoved them into his trousers

pocket.Since you were robbed, and I really dont expectHow much for your services?If I could keep the handcuffs, Id be willing to call it even,

he replied sheepishly.


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He cocked a brow. In that case, Ill just let my reasons remainsecret.

Fine. You keep your secret and Ill keep mine, she retorted,determined to keep a far more important secret to herself, as well.


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a hot fire, a hot bath, and a hot meal for this young lady. Tworooms. Thats all I need.

The balding man dropped the coins into his apron pocket andshrugged. Id like to accommodate you, but the common roomupstairs that most travelers find quite comfortable has no hearthto provide any heat at all. Even if it did, during last weeks storm,the roof leaked pretty bad, and I havent been up to fixing it yet.

But surely you canLike I said before, Ive only got one room available for you,

and its on the first floor, right next to the kitchen. I promisedSheriff Taylor Id have that room ready for you and your newbride, Mr. Graymoor, and I do. Leaning closer, he lowered hisvoice to a whisper. My wife aint as young as she used to be, andshe cant climb steps so good anymore either, so its probably best if you stay close to the kitchen so she can help see to your needs.

Annabelle glanced at Harrison and frowned. It appears youllhave to add another name or two to that list of people who knowabout our marriage. Please do something about securing a separateroom for me. Anything. Please, she urged, apparently as anxiousas he was to avoid sharing the same room.

He bristled. Although it was a toss-up as to whether he was

more aggravated by the fact that the innkeeper knew his nameor that Sheriff Taylor had also told the man about Harrison andAnnabelles marriage, he decided he was most annoyed with thiswoman for reminding him, yet again, that keeping their marriagesecret might not be as easy as he had originally thought.

Sleeping in the common room without any heat was startingto sound rather appealing, but he determined hed try one last time to convince Lawrence there had to be a way to provide himwith a room he did not have to share with his new wife.

Wife. Harrison shook his head. He had trouble accepting theidea he had a wife at all, so contrary was the very word to his


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H I D D E N A ff ections confirmed stance against marriage. But he calmed his agitationwith the realization that she would not be his wife for very long.

Just then a rotund woman hobbled her way over to them,drying her hands on her soiled apron as she approached. You must be the Graymoors. Just look at you, poor dear thing, she crooned,putting her arm around Annabelles shoulders. She turned hertoward the large dining area, which was nearly deserted at mid-morning, except for three elderly women sitting at a table nearthe fire blazing in the hearth.

Youre such a tiny thing its a wonder you didnt freeze todeath, riding around in this cold without a proper cape to keepyou warm. Come along, she insisted. Ive got a good fire goingin your room, and Ill have hot water for your bath right quick.

As the woman ushered her away, Annabelle looked back at him over her shoulder, a look of pure panic etched in her features.

She mouthed, Do something .Obviously, she was just as unhappy about sharing a room,

so Harrison made one final effort to secure separate rooms forthem. I dont mean to be indelicate, but after the ordeal that my wife has experienced, she needs

What that poor woman needs is a man who will stand by

and protect her reputation, Lawrence said as his gaze hardened.The sheriff told me how you took advantage of that sweet,lovely woman, so dont bother denying it. Id have no objectionif you took a seat over there by the fire, as I expect your wifewould like a bit of time alone before you join her. Ill bring yousomething hot to eat and drink while youre waiting. He turnedand walked away.

Harrison tightened his jaw. He was sorely tempted to turnaround himself, get out of this inn, and ride straight back to Phila-delphia, leaving that sweet, lovely woman right here. Unfortu-nately, the horse they had borrowed from Reverend Wood was


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so old, he doubted the animal would even make it back to itsowner without a full day of rest first.

He shifted his weight to take the pressure off the wound inhis thigh he had gotten as a result of Annabelles attempt to forcethe lock on the handcuffsbut winced when he flexed his left wrist. In his current state, he doubted he could manage to ridethat far even if he had a strong horse. The way the temperaturewas continuing to drop, he would likely freeze to death alongthe way.

Resigned yet again to circumstances well beyond his control,he glanced beyond the three women still chatting together tothe table sitting directly in front of the fire. Exhaustion, cold,and hunger overruled caution, and he limped his way past thetrio, offering only a smile and a quick nod to acknowledge them.Judging by their country style of dress and their conversation, hehad no fear they were women traveling to or from Philadelphia,at least not in the same social circle he enjoyed.

He eased down on a bench positioned near the fire and restedhis bandaged wrist on his lap, grateful for the opportunity torest. While he avoided putting any pressure on the wound that encircled his wrist, he slid his knees beneath the planked tableto hide the bloodstains on his trousers.

The fire quickly did its job of thawing him out. Unfortunately,the warmer he became, the more exhausted he felt and the morehis wounds throbbed. But the warmth also helped him to think beyond mere survival, which was a greater blessing.

Blessing, he murmured and shook his head. There was not a single blessing to be found in this whole wretched affair, but he was not surprised. He could not recall a single instance in thepast twenty-odd years when God had shown that He really caredabout himwhich made it quite easy to rely on his own wits,instead of the faith he had been raised to claim.

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H I D D E N A ff ections Two hours later Harrison had a full stomach, but he was barely

able to follow Mrs. Lawrence and limp into his room for want

of sleepdeep, healing sleep that would give him some respitefrom the constant pain in his wrist and thigh. Once he was insidethe room, he was relieved to see that Annabelle was alreadyslumbering, but he gave up any hope that the innkeepers wifewould quickly take her leave when she closed the door behindthem and pressed a finger to her lips.

Ive got fresh hot water in the tub for you, and I set somebandages out right next to the towels, just like your wife askedme to do. Just be very, very quiet. And dont you dare wake yourwife. Youve done quite enough to her already, she admonished.

The accusatory look in her eyes and the tone of her voicemade it perfectly clear that she expected him to refrain fromexercising his husbandly rights, even before she hobbled her way

to the door, turned, and shook her finger at him. That poor thingneeds her rest, she added before easing the door closed behindher, completely unaware that he had no intention of sharing themarriage bed with the woman sleeping just a few feet away fromhim. Or any other woman, for that matter.

As he tiptoed several steps to the tub, which was on the flooron the far side of the small room between the bed and the fireblazing in the hearth, he studied the only woman who would evercarry his name. The matted blond hair that had framed her facenow lay in shimmering waves on the pillow. Beneath her closedeyes, which he remembered as being a pale shade of green, dark shadows testified to her total exhaustion. Her cheeks were chafedpink from being exposed to the harsh winter elements for too

long and marred the porcelain complexion he recalled as flawlesswhen he had first met her upon boarding the stage in Hanover.A huge mound of blankets and quilts concealed her lean,

diminutive form, but he had already been surprised by the wom-anly curves he had inadvertently discovered last night when she


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had turned to him in her sleep and he had held her close to hisside to keep them both warm.

Sad to say, that wasnt the first mistake I made during thisregrettable trip, he muttered, but blamed the subtle scent of summer roses she had worn for distracting him from using hiscommon sense. He closed his mind before he replayed the entirefiasco that had begun by his paying far too much attention toCamille Jenkins while staying at his country estate.

In all truth, when it came to women, he did not discriminate.Short or tall, raven-haired or blond, single or married, he foundthem all equally fascinating and enjoyed flirting with them. Whenpressed, however, he did have to admit to a particular fondnessfor dark-haired, voluptuous womenwomen exactly like Camille.

Vowing to confine his interests to single women in thefuture, he eased out of his vest and shirt. He tossed them both

to the floor in disgust. The only person he could rightfullyblame for ending up in this mess was himself. If he had not fallen asleep holding Annabelle, placing them both in a verycompromising position, he would have heard the sheriff andhis band of rescuers ride up. There was nothing he could havedone, at least at that point, to keep Camilles husband from

pressing the sheriff to do something to avenge his wifes honor,but he never expected the sheriff to force him into a marriagehe clearly did not want.

Stooping down, he tugged the marriage certificate he hadcommandeered from Annabelle out of his vest pocket, took thepieces of the handcuffs out of his trousers pocket, and placedeverything next to the towels stacked on a small table by thetub. Once he had pulled off his boots, which was no easy task one-handed, he tucked the treasures inside of one of his boots.

Treasures indeed, he murmured. They were far too impor-tant to his plans for an annulment to leave them lying about in


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H I D D E N A ff ections full view, and he had no intention of revealing the reason he hadkept the handcuffs, either.

The other women he had known who were as young, petite,and fair as Annabelle had been nearly devoid of any intellect, let alone common sense. Annabelle, however, was surprisingly differ-ent. She was clearly very bright, and if she gave it any thought,she should be able to figure out the reason he wanted to keepthe handcuffs.

He could not prove he had had a rifle pressed at his back at Reverend Woods, but the handcuffs were hard evidence that they had both been coerced into marriage, even if the scar heknew he would carry on his wrist did not suffice.

Since Annabelle had been as opposed to the marriage as hehad been, he had no fear she might be attracted by his wealthand tempt him to consummate the union. He had successfully

eluded women far more determined to marry him than this oneto avoid the heartache and grief that marriage eventually wouldbring into his life. He was equally confident that his very compe-tent, very expensive lawyer would be able to arrange for a quiet annulment before anyone in Philadelphia heard the faintest bit of gossip that might reach the city.

Satisfied he had regained control of his life, he turned andstudied Annabelle for several long minutes. When he was abso-lutely certain she was in a deep sleep, he attempted to removehis trousers but stopped almost immediately. The blood cakedon them had dried so stiffly that he knew he would rip open thehole she had punched into his thigh with one of those knittingneedles of hers if he forced off his trousers. Instead, he eased

into the tub while still wearing them to let the warm water work through the dried blood first.He had to sit rather awkwardly and bend his knees to fit into

the tub. Once he got as comfortable as he was going to be, hegrabbed one of the towels from the table, folded it into a makeshift


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pillow, leaned back, and closed his eyes. Hed remain just untilthe warm water did its job on his trousers and eased out every

last bit of cold in his bones, as well. Then hed fully undress andwash himself clean, make a bed on the floor out of some of thosequilts, and get a well-deserved nights sleep.

hidden affections

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