The Marriage Agreement. Carolyn Davidson

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      “I didn’t mean to frighten you,”

      Gage said, reaching to grip her arms lest she fall into the water. “I just watched you here, with the breeze blowing your dress against your body, your hair tangled and curling over your shoulders, and I had to touch you.”

      “Touch me?” She felt dazed from the desire blazing from the eyes of the man who held her.

      “Only a bit,” he said softly, persuasively. “Like this.” His head bent and he kissed her, a sweet, seeking union of lips that made her breath catch in her throat. His hands held her, and she leaned forward until she was supported by the firm strength of the man.

      “You draw me like a magnet, Lily.” He lifted his head and she felt the heat of his gaze, felt the beating of her heart in her throat and knew the wonder of being a woman….

      Acclaim for Carolyn Davidson’s recent titles

      Texas Gold

      “Davidson delivers a story fraught with sexual tension.”

      —Romantic Times

      Tempting a Texan

      “A pleasant bubble-bath read with Carolyn Davidson’s usual fine writing to recommend.”

      —Romantic Times

      A Marriage by Chance

      “This deftly written novel about loss and recovery is a skillful handling of the traditional Western, with the added elements of family conflict and a moving love story.”

      —Romantic Times

      The Tender Stranger

      “Davidson wonderfully captures gentleness in the midst of heart-wrenching challenges, portraying the extraordinary possibilities that exist within ordinary marital love.”

      —Publishers Weekly

      The Marriage Agreement

      Carolyn Davidson

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

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      The Marriage Agreement represented the end of a journey for me. I finally wrote the story of Yvonne Devereaux, the third of the Devereaux siblings.

       She was what my editor and I called A Fallen Woman and, as such, one of those ladies who used to be kept in the closet. I loved Yvonne, found her to be honest, forthright and, above all, loyal to her family.

       So what if she made some mistakes in her life? Don’t we all! So this book is dedicated to Lily, to all the Lilys who are a part of our families and who deserve all the love and respect we have to offer. I loved the Devereaux clan, and I hate to leave them, but they’ve all managed to find their way in this world and in the world of my imagination, so I have no choice.

      To Mr. Ed, my own hero, and manager of all my affairs (yes, even that one) I offer my love and devotion for all time.

      Contents

      Prologue

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Chapter Seventeen

      Epilogue

       Prologue

      Mississippi River

       North of Memphis

       Spring, 1878

       T he messenger stood in the shadows beneath the overhang. The deck was deserted, except for the silent man who watched and waited; but waiting and watching was what he did best. It was his job. And he was very good at it.

      The tall man who strolled casually toward him did not change direction, yet the messenger sensed he’d been spotted. And that was all right. It was because of Gage Morgan that he’d come to this place. So he watched as Morgan leaned with languid ease against the rail of the steamboat, looking across the muddy waters of the Mississippi toward the faint lights of a house.

      Lifting a slim cigar from his jacket pocket, Morgan held it to his mouth and, with a soft scratching sound, set fire to the match he carried. He puffed once on the cigar and the smoke dissipated as it blended with the darkness, leaving only the red glow to remain.

      “What news do you have?” His words were soft, barely carrying to where the messenger waited. Morgan stood as if mesmerized by the water flowing past the ship, as though deep in thought.

      “I heard from Washington today. Everything is being put in place. They’re leaving it up to you to set the stage, but they want you to know that a lawman in Sand Creek is aware of the situation.”

      “What would they like me to do about a cover?” His laugh was low, as if his thoughts amused him. “Forget I asked,” he said.

      “You can go in as a married man who’s sent his wife off to keep her safe.”

      “That won’t do it,” Morgan argued mildly. “Aren’t there any agents available?”

      “You don’t want much, do you? A woman like that is hard to come by.”

      “Not if the price is right,” Morgan returned mildly.

      “Maybe you’d better find one yourself,” the messenger suggested, then with barely a whisper, he slipped through the shadows and made his way from his hiding place, leaving Gage Morgan to consider the situation.

      What he needed was going to be well nigh impossible to come up with, but he was willing to give it a shot. The cigar flared again briefly and then was extinguished by the water below as it was cast into the muddy depths.

       Chapter One

       T hree aces, fanning before him as he edged the cards apart, was a good beginning, Gage Morgan decided. The chance of the dealer delivering the fourth was slim indeed, but even three of them were worth more than the fifty cents he tossed in the pot to up the ante. This just might be another lucky night. He leaned back in his chair, eyed the pile of coins in the middle of the table and waited.

      A haze of smoke hung low over the men who were contributing to his wallet, and Gage wished idly for a wandering breeze to ease the