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Caroline finally made it out of the store after wrestling herself free, and all but slammed the door behind her. She tugged her dress into place with a 'humph'. "Doesn't anyone know how to fix anything here?"
Her diatribe of complaints continued outside as she nearly tripped on a loose slat, and maneuvered around a couple of men who forced her to the outer edge of the walk. She continued toward the hotel, hugging the outer posts when she could. "I see manners are lacking here as well."
She was so busy mumbling complaints to herself she didn't notice anyone else on the walk. It was too late by the time she did. She ran into a man. It felt like she hit a brick wall.
Unbalanced, she teetered, grasping for air, and fell off the walk. She found herself deposited face down in the muddy street. She righted herself quickly, and sat there stunned and fuming. Her hat was down on her forehead. She pushed it back, and with clawed fingers dragged the mud from her eyes, then wiped the mud from her face, which only added more mud.
An open hand slipped into her limited field of vision. "Let me help you." There were some gentlemen here, evidently. She started to accept until he added, "Sorry about this. Didn’t mean to knock you off the walk."
She snatched her hand back. This man, the one with whom she collided, was trying to offer her assistance. "How dare you? You weren't watching where you were going!"
Caroline renewed the attack at the mud on her face with the backs of her hands.
"Ma'am, honest, I'm really sorry but..."
It was a good thing he stopped talking, because it sounded like he was going to blame the entire situation on her.
"There are no buts about it. You ought to be sorry! Just look what you've done! Do you realize how much this dress cost?" Muddy tears filled her eyes. Caroline lifted her arms from the mud. The sleeves, weighted and wet, hung heavily, like muddy flags in the air. She flapped them. "Look at this mess you've made!"
"Can't comment much on the dress, ma'am. But it was you who ran into me. I'd be happy to help you." He stepped behind her, reaching down for her, and caught her under the arms and began to lift.
Caroline craned her head back to look at the stranger. He had soft and strangely familiar blue eyes. He was even somewhat handsome.
But he was dirty.
The buckskin britches and the shirt he wore were filthy and sweat-stained. He looked like he hadn't seen water in weeks.
Caroline continued her rant as she flapped her arms. "How dare you touch me? Remove your filthy hands from me this instant!"
"I daresay my hands are a heck of a lot cleaner than you are right now, ma'am." He smiled. She noted he had nice white teeth, and a little dimple playing just to left of his lips. "Besides, I doubt you want me to let you go right now."
"I do." Caroline stiffened her legs, and used her dead weight against him. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Ma'am, you're in a precarious position."
"Only because you're touching me." Nice eyes, bright smile, and dimple aside. "I don't want your foul hands on me! Now let me go!"
"Whatever you say." The stranger shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, as you wish." He let go of her. She flopped back into the mud, making a sploshing sound when she landed.
"How dare you! How dare you!" She kicked her legs and screamed, like a two-year-old having a tantrum.
******
Tina Pinson resides in Mesa, Arizona with her husband of thirty plus years, Danny. They are blessed to have three sons, and six grandchildren with another on the way.
Tina started her writing in elementary school. Her love of writing has caused her to seek creative outlets be it writing poetry, songs, or stories. Her WWII story Trail of the Sandpiper won third place in the Genesis in 2003. In the Manor of the Ghost and Touched By Mercy and When Shadows Fall Book 1 in the Shadows Series are available through Desert Breeze Publishers.
To Catch a Shadow the next installment of the Shadow Series about the civil war and the Oregon Trail, will be available, June 2013. To Carry her Cross will be available January 2013 and Then There was Grace a Sept 9/11 type story will be available Sept. 2013 and Christmas in Shades of Gray an offbeat Dickens type tale releases December 2013.
Blurb:
Matthew has braved the war and near death with one thought in mind… Rebekah. He won her hand in marriage, and now he has a few short months to make her see how much he loves her. How much he needs her. Given the wall she's put up between them, he prays he'll have enough time.
After fleeing the war, Rebekah is determined to go west to Oregon, only to be turned down when she tries to join the train. Matthew's proposal of marriage, in name only to help her west, becomes the miracle she needs. Loving him as she does, she dreads the idea of letting him go once they reach Oregon, but how can she ask him to stay with her, to love her? How could he love her once he's found out her secret? She must guard her heart and his.
My website -- http://www.tinapinson.com/
Twitter:@Tina_Pinson
Facebook-- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754617103
Purchase my books at:
Desert Breeze Bookstore.
When Shadows Fall
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
Shadowed Dreams
Amazon:
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams
Barnes & Noble
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams
Christian Books Distributors
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall
Tina E. Pinson--
Touched By Mercy, In the Manor of the Ghost, When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams Twitter @Tina_Pinson My Website, My Blog
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD... " Jer. 29:11
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