Benedict's Bargain Bride (Dalton Brides Book 6) Read online

  Benedict's Bargain Bride

  by Kirsten Osbourne

  Book Six in the Dalton Brides Series

  Copyright 2015 Kirsten Osbourne

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the author and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  From the tender age of seven, Lillian knew there was only one man she would ever love. Her love was intense and strong, and totally oblivious of the fact that the object of her attention didn't care about her. Orphaned in her early twenties, she agreed to meet a man who was interested in marrying her, but realized she couldn't. Her love was too strong. When she went to explain she couldn't meet the man, she overheard something that turned her life upside down. When she was crying on the street, her only love, Benedict, came to her rescue, but made it clear he would only help her for a short time.

  Benedict was the oldest of three brother's and the second child in a family of six. He'd always known what he wanted from life, and he knew how he was going to get there. When his parents' reputation and their family mercantile were ruined by the three deacons who had tried to marry his sisters, he knew he had to find a new plan for his life. It couldn't possibly include his childhood nemesis, Lillian, could it? Could he possibly make a fresh start with her? Could Lillian convince him that they were destined to be together forever?

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  This book is dedicated to my wonderful friends and co-writers, Cassie Hayes and Kit Morgan. I love you both, even though you wouldn't let me title my book Bossy Benedict's Boring Bride.

  Prologue

  Lillian Nettles blushed as she sneaked into the schoolroom early. The teacher was already there writing lessons on the board. Lillian didn't want to be seen, so she tiptoed to the desk she was looking for and dropped the flowers and note onto the seat and ran from the room. She was only eleven, but she was in love, and she had to let the object of her affections know about it.

  Twenty minutes later, everyone wandered into the school room. Lillian took her seat, her head down. She knew that he was about to find her present and note, and she said a quick prayer that he returned her affections.

  There was a scuffle from the boys' side of the room, and Lillian looked up to see Benedict's best friend, Arnold, with the flowers and the note. He was guffawing like only a teenage boy could. Lillian sank down further into her chair.

  Her face was flaming red as she heard Arnold read aloud the words she'd worked so hard to write.

  "My dearest Benedict,

  I know we're too young to show our affections openly, but I needed you to know that you are the man I have chosen to be my husband someday. Every night before I go to bed, I kiss my pillow and I imagine it's you. I've even picked out the names for our children. Please say you'll wait for me. I know I'm younger than you, but surely that doesn't matter when love is true?

  All my love for the rest of my life,

  Lillian."

  The room erupted with laughter, and Lillian was mortified. She couldn't believe her most secret feelings were right there for everyone to see. How could Benedict have allowed Arnold to do that?

  She sneaked a peek at the object of her affection, and he was standing there, the tallest boy in the room, red-faced with embarrassment. He picked up the flowers and walked to the stove on the side of the room and threw them into it, his eyes cutting her across the room.

  Benedict took his seat, still shaking with embarrassment. What had boring little Lillian been thinking to leave that kind of note on his chair where anyone could read it? He was never going to marry her. He was never even going to be seen talking to her again. No, it truly wasn't going to happen. He just hoped he could live it down.

  All day, the boys teased him. At lunch, they suggested he go eat with his fiancée. They suggested she start bringing his lunch with hers. By the time school was out, Benedict was ready to refuse to ever return to the small one-room schoolhouse there in Beckham. How could he ever face the world again after what Lillian had done to him?

  When he got home, there she was in the kitchen with his sister, Gwen. They were eating cookies and talking softly. He heard Gwen say, "I don't know if he'll ever forgive you. He's not a terrible brother, but he's awfully bossy and always has to have his own way. He wouldn't want a girl who told him he should marry her that way."

  Lillian looked up and saw him, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Benedict, I'm so sorry. I never meant for anyone to read the letter."

  Benedict didn't respond. He held his head up as he walked to the stairs and up to his room. She was dead to him.

  Chapter One

  Benedict Blue looked around him as he strode down the main street of Beckham, Massachusetts. Nothing would ever be the same for him or his family. The deacons, who had wanted to marry his sisters, had seen to that. They seemed like such upstanding men until you got to know them.

  In the two years since his sisters had run from them, they had spread rumors that had ruined the Blue family business. Benedict scowled at the boards that had been nailed over the window of the mercantile he'd helped his father run. He wanted to shout and scream that things were unfair, but he knew there was no point. The anger would be wasted, and Benedict always did his best not to waste his energy on useless emotions.

  He crossed the street on his way to see Elizabeth Miller, the matchmaker who had sent his sisters to Texas as mail order brides. She'd informed him and his brothers that the deacons were involved in something much worse than they'd imagined. They were slowly culling single ladies from Beckham and selling them into slavery. He'd never heard of such a thing, but he'd promised to be on hand for Elizabeth if she needed him until it was time for him to join his family.

  His younger brother, Hank, had already rescued three of the women and brought them to their sisters in Dalton, Texas. He'd even married one of them. The youngest brother, Percy, had escorted their parents to Dalton. Benedict was staying behind until their home was sold, and he was certain Elizabeth could handle things on her own for a bit before heading off to join them in Texas.

  He was about to turn the corner, when he saw a woman pressing herself against the wall of a restaurant, weeping copiously. He could only see the back of her, but she had curves in all the right places. He was an admirer of the female form, and she had a nice one. She was slim with blond hair that hung in ringlets down her back. He didn't recognize her at first, but when he did he wanted nothing more than to cross the street and avoid her.

  Lillian Nettles. She'd been his sister Gwen's closest friend for as long as he could remember. And he'd never forgiven her. What she'd been thinking to embarrass him in front of the whole school, he would never know. It had been madness, and no one had ever let him live it down.

  Not a day had gone by for the rest of his school years that someone hadn't mentioned the note she'd left on his chair. His instinct was to abandon her and leave her to her own devices, but she was his sister's friend, and he was a gentleman.

  He stopped and put his hand on her shoulder, not wishing to touch her but not certain she'd be able to hear him over the sound of her loud sobbing.

  Lillian blinked at the person in front of her and almost fainted with relief. Bossy Benedict, as his sisters called him. He'd be able to make everything better.

  She brushed her hand under her eyes and looked at him. "I need help," she whispered. She knew she wasn't his favorite person in the world. She wasn't even his favorite person within a ten foot radius. In fact, she'd be willing to bet she was his least favorite person in all of Beckham. No matter. She needed him, and he'd be there for her. He was Benedict after all.

  Benedict sighed. He had no desire to help her. Of all the women he could have happened across... "What do you need, Miss Nettles?" He kept his voice polite but cold. They were the first words he'd spoken to her since he was fifteen.

  Lillian made a face. Surely he didn't hate her too much to use her name. "Please call me Lillian, Benedict. We've known one another too long for formalities."

  "I think it would be best if we kept things formal. What do you need?" He wasn't going to stand there loitering on the corner for hours. He had things he needed to do that did not include Lillian Nettles.

  "Fine. Do you know the deacons? The ones your sisters were going to marry?" She knew he did, but she had to get his attention somehow.

  At the word deacon, Benedict's ears pricked up. Did she know something about their slave operation? "Yes, I do."

  Lillian sniffled her eyes filling with tears again. "Well, they've been after me for months to meet Deacon Smith's nephew. They said he'd be the perfect match for me. I told them no repeatedly." She shrugged. "Let's face it. Deacon Smith is no prize, and I really couldn't imagine wanting to be married to any of his relations." She didn't add that she'd sworn to herself she would remain a spinster until Benedict took her for his bride. She loved him far too much to seriously consider another man.

  Benedict nodded slowly. "So did you meet the nephew?"

  Lillian shook her head. "No
, but a month ago my parents were killed in a fire." She sniffed loudly at that, pulling a handkerchief from her draw-string purse. "They left me alone for three weeks after that, but a week ago, they started pestering me to meet Deacon Smith's nephew again. I...I had no desire to meet him, but I'm all alone now. I was an only child, so there's no family to go to. I've never had a beau." Her eyes met his, trying to convey all the feelings she still had for him with a glance.

  Benedict grew uncomfortable and looked away. "So did you meet him?" She was taking forever to get her story out, and he was ready to be done with her. If she hadn't mentioned the deacons, he probably would have walked away already.

  "No, of course not. Weren't you listening?" She sighed. Benedict was an intelligent man, but he didn't seem able to follow a simple conversation. "I talked to them yesterday, and I finally agreed to meet him, not because I was interested in the man as a husband. No, I agreed to meet him, because I wanted the deacons to leave me alone once and for all."

  Benedict kept his hands balled into fists at his sides. He could cheerfully wring the woman's neck, but he kept his temper in check. To think, he'd been admiring her figure just minutes before. Of course, he hadn't realized it was her then.

  "And did they leave you alone?" He knew the answer, but he wanted her to tell the story in her own way. Maybe she had some evidence against the deacons they could take to court. What they had was too flimsy to do anything with at this point.

  She shook her head. "No, because I went to see them today, to tell them I'd spoken in haste and wasn't interested in meeting Thaddeus, no matter how many nice things they said about the man." She paused, sucking in her breath and lowering her voice for effect. "When I got to Deacon Smith's house, I heard them talking through the open window. It's a good thing for me it's spring, because if it had been winter, I never would have known. Anyway, one of them, I don't know which because I wasn't looking, said something that frightened me. You see, I flattened myself against the side of the house next to the window so I could hear them better. Don't you think that was smart, Benedict?"

  Benedict closed his eyes and nodded. If she finished the story before supper time, he'd be thrilled. Of course, he hadn't had lunch yet, so he'd also be mighty hungry. "Very smart."

  Lillian preened under his words. She was so happy that Benedict could finally see how smart she was. Maybe he'd change his mind about her after all. "Do you know what I heard the deacon say?"

  Benedict shook his head, not saying anything. He was afraid he'd yell if he found his voice again, and she was obviously frightened enough. Lord, the woman was exasperating.

  She dropped her voice to a whisper, stepping closer to him and putting her hand on his chest. "He said that Thaddeus had promised them a thousand dollars for me, and that he had a buyer all lined up." She looked up at Benedict, her eyes wide. "They were going to sell me!"

  Benedict stared at her for a moment. They'd never actually been able to confirm their suspicions about the deacons with any real evidence. Now there was no doubt. He didn't mention it to her, but he was certain it had been the deacons who caused the fire. Why wouldn't they? There was money involved, and they knew the deacons would do anything for money.

  "Would you walk with me, Lillian?" he asked, dropping his use of her formal name. He needed to get her to Elizabeth Miller as soon as possible, so they could make plans to get her out of Beckham and away from the deacons.

  Lillian blushed as she reached for Benedict's arm. Those were words she'd waited her entire life to hear, since she'd first spotted him in the schoolyard when she'd started school at age seven. She'd known he was the man she would marry since that very day. "I'd be honored."

  Benedict gave her a strange look, but he offered his arm, and she took it happily. "Where are we going walking to? The park? I see courting couples in the park all the time."

  Benedict sighed. Now she thought he was courting her? He thought about giving her the setting down she deserved, but he knew it was better left for Elizabeth's house. They would talk when they arrived, and Elizabeth could help them.

  "No, I was on my way to visit a friend and thought you might want to come along."

  He was introducing her to his friends? She wanted to squeal with excitement, but she simply smiled and walked beside him. She hoped her bonnet was on straight. She'd never dreamed Benedict would actually show an interest in her after all these years. Of course, she would never look at another man, so she was glad he was there. She didn't want to be alone forever.

  Benedict said nothing as they walked the five minutes to Elizabeth Miller's home. He wished he could say the same for Lillian. She chattered like a magpie the entire way, talking about how thrilled she was that he'd happened along, and how lonely it was living at the women's boarding house. She was just thankful her parents had been smart enough to put their money in the bank, because she knew many people who kept their money stashed under a mattress. She went on and on until he felt like throttling her.

  By the time they reached Elizabeth's house, he was ready to shout at her, but he didn't. He couldn't. She'd been through a hard time, and she was Gwen's best friend after all.

  They walked to the door, and he knocked loudly, praying the door would be answered expeditiously. He couldn't take much more of Miss Lillian Nettles.

  Chapter Two

  Elizabeth came to the door herself, which surprised Benedict. Usually her butler answered the door. "Oh, Benedict, come in. I've been expecting you. Who's your friend?"

  "Elizabeth, this is Lillian Nettles, a friend of Gwen's from school. Lillian, this is Elizabeth Miller. She's been helping me with a little project." He didn't mention what the project was, because he knew they needed time to break it to Lillian gently.

  "It's nice to meet you, Miss Nettles," Elizabeth said, holding the door wide. "Go ahead and take her to my office, Benedict. I'll be there in a minute after I ask the maid for tea and cookies."

  Benedict led Lillian through the huge house, taking her to the last door on the left. He didn't want to share the sofa with her, but unfortunately the only places to sit were Elizabeth's desk chair and the sofa. He sank down as close to one end as possible and stifled a groan when she sat right in the middle.

  Elizabeth entered the room and took her seat, turning to Benedict. "Have you learned anything new about our friends?" She worded her question as carefully as possible, not knowing why Lillian was there with them.

  Benedict nodded. "I ran into Miss Nettles on the way here. She has an interesting story to tell."

  Elizabeth gave her full attention to Lillian. "Do you know something about the deacons?"

  Lillian's eyes widened. What did Elizabeth Miller know about the deacons? "I think they want to sell me," she said in a loud whisper. Was it even polite to say such a thing? She didn't know, as she'd never learned the etiquette for such an odd situation.

  Elizabeth sighed. "I was afraid of that. I'm glad you ran into Benedict then." Her eyes met Benedict's. "We have to get her out of town. Today." Her voice was calm, yet urgent. She obviously knew more about what the deacons were doing than Lillian did.

  He nodded. "I know. Hank's already in Texas, though, and Percy has our parents to worry about. Do you have anyone else who can take her to Texas?" He needed to get her to his sisters, who would offer her sanctuary and find her a good husband.

  Lillian looked back and forth between Elizabeth and Benedict. "Texas? Why would I go to Texas?"

  Elizabeth frowned. "How much have you told her?"

  "Absolutely nothing. I've spent the last ten years doing my best to say as little as possible to Lillian Nettles." As soon as he said the words he regretted them, because Lillian's back stiffened, and she moved away from him on the sofa. He didn't want her close, but there was no reason to deliberately hurt her feelings either. He felt like a cad, but he'd had enough of her to last him a lifetime.

  Elizabeth looked back and forth between the two on her sofa, as if she was trying to understand what was happening between them. Finally she gave her attention to Lillian. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"