Book 3: Brides of Serendipity
“Let me introduce you,” Rosamund said. “Matthew Kincaid, this is Aunt Hester Sherry.”
Hester examined Matthew Kincaid as an interloper but she remembered her manners.
“Sheriff,” Hester said, extending her gloved hand.
“Ma’am,” he said with rakish charm.
Auntie’s gaze cut him with razor sharp precision. He hadn’t won her over.
Sheriff Kincaid looked about as out of place on a veranda as a man could be. He took Aunt Hester’s hand and shook it vigorously.
Hester retrieved her hand from his grasp.
“Aunt Hester has traveled all the way from Richmond,” Rosamund explained. His gaze shifted to Rosamund. She saw a hint of a smile.
“I hope your journey was agreeable,” he said with positively touching good manners.
Aunt Hester recoiled as if she’d come in contact with a hot iron. “You’re a Yankee,” she said, responding to his flat Northern accent.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Hester looked at him in horror.
“Let’s go along to my house,” Rosamund said, taking Hester’s arm before there was a confrontation. Hester could be a formidable in an altercation. “Jason will bring your cases.”
“Rosamund, how can this be? A Yankee sheriff taking Jake’s place?”
“I will explain when we are at the house.”
Their sheriff put two fingers to the brim of his hat. Hester ignored him.
“Luckily the house isn’t far,” Rosamund said, steering her aunt in that direction.
“Yes, I could use a proper cup of tea.” The fan came out.
“Make no mistake, that’s a handsome woman just arrived on my stage.”
Aunt Hester stiffened.
Rosamund shot a look of disapproval over her shoulder. The stagecoach driver rubbed his grizzled face as he watched them walk away. Matthew looked like he was about to burst out laughing. Instead, he winked at Rosamund.
“And Rosy is pretty too,” Matthew said.