Chapter 4

I heard footsteps outside the door again, followed by Brody and Enid talking quietly.

There was the scratch of a match as Brody lit up his pipe.

"Connor came to me today," Brody said. "He wants to take Annie as his daughter-in-law. When I have a son, I'll need to save up to buy him a wife, too.

"So, I plan to agree to Connor."

I froze inside the door, a cold sweat running down my back.

The rough, calloused touch of Connor's hands still burned on my skin, haunting me.

I remembered his goofy son, always slobbering, desperate to…