Leaving from Louisiana (THE PIONEER BRIDES OF RATTLESNAKE RIDGE #12) by Elaine Manders EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
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- Authors: Elaine Manders
- Language: English
- Genre: Historical Romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
New Orleans, May 1882
Gieselle Dubois peered over the rim of her teacup and wondered what
she’d ever seen in the man facing her. His tall, lanky frame sprawled
out on the sofa, arms over the back, legs stretched out, crossed at the ankles.
He’d changed in the four years he’d been away at college, and not for the
better.
Sam Grimes hadn’t lost his dark good looks, but the sparkle in his
brown eyes she remembered from his boyhood was replaced with a
hardened glint. The mischievous grin of his former boyish face had turned
into a sneer.
She’d known Sammy since they played hoops in her courtyard. Their
parents had watched the childhood friendship grow and started planning
their future before either of the youngsters became aware of what those
plans were. Still, both Gieselle and Sam had assumed they’d get married
when they grew up.
That future had seemed so far away when Gieselle started finishing
school and Sam had enrolled in Harvard. At first they’d exchanged letters
every other week, but those letters dwindled during the following four years
to nothing.
What affection Gieselle had held for Sam had also dwindled. Although
she was never presented to society as her friends were, she engaged in an
active social life, attending balls and soirees. Her calling card and dance
card were always full. But everyone knew the daughter of the city’s richest
riverboat owner was off limits.
Then Sam returned, dressed to the nines and full of his own
importance. He’d been home for at least six weeks and had only come
calling three times, yet he acted like they should pick up where they left off
four years ago. He hadn’t said so, but she knew he expected her to start
planning their wedding.
In truth, she couldn’t remember him ever proposing, and she certainly
had never accepted. Her friends thought him the catch of the season, but
they could have him as far as she was concerned. Gieselle had decided
she’d never marry him, even if she were to remain a spinster. The only
problem was she didn’t know how to let him know.
“Gieselle, have you heard a word I’ve said?”
She jumped at his caustic tone and her gaze flew to Sam. He leaned
forward, hands clenched into fists between his knees. Her teacup still rested
in her lap and she feared setting it on the table lest her hand shake. She
wouldn’t let him see that he’d scared her.
With a smile she didn’t feel, she faced him. “I’m sorry, Sam. I guess
you caught me woolgathering. What did you say?”
“I was telling you about my position in the President’s cabinet and our
new house in Washington.”
“Washington D.C.?”
His face darkened to a shade of the red clay roads in North Georgia.
She’d visited her cousin Julia there last summer. Then it hit her. Our new
house.
He sat up straighter. “Of course, Washington D. C. I’m certainly not
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