Dacey: Bride of North Carolina (Amercan Mail-Order Bride 12) by Shanna Hatfield Page A

Miss Butler and Mother are quite close.”
    “And what about you and Miss Butler?” Miranda asked with malice in her tone.
    Rather than answer, Braxton intercepted Ernie and shoved Miranda forward. “Ernie, my friend, you know Miss Beaudry, don’t you? Would you be so kind as to escort her over to the punch table? Since her mouth runs constantly, I’m afraid she’ll soon become quite parched.”
    Indignant, Miranda huffed as Ernie grinned and turned her toward the punch table.
    A slap on his back drew Braxton’s gaze to his good friend, Jackson Hollis.
    Jackson chuckled as he shook his head. “That was a particularly fitting remark, but I don’t know that it’s in your best interest to provoke Miss Beaudry. She’s already been acting like a scorned tempest since that debacle back in the spring. Antagonizing her this evening will not end well.”
    “I know it, Jack, but that woman is such a…” Braxton stopped himself before he said something he shouldn’t. “Anyway, Ernie will keep her entertained this evening and hopefully she’ll keep him too busy to bother Dacey.”
    Jack followed Braxton’s gaze to where Beatrice introduced Dacey to a group of older women. “She’s a sweet, lovely young thing, Brax. What are you going to do with her?”
    Braxton frowned at his friend. “Do with her? I’m not going to do anything with her. And she isn’t all that young. She’ll be twenty-three in January.”
    “Sounds to me like she’s ripe for the picking,” Jackson said, grinning at his boyhood chum. “In light of your disinterest in the matter of winning her heart, I suppose you won’t mind if I give it a go.”
    Jackson took a step Dacey’s direction before Braxton placed a hand on his arm, pulling him to a stop.
    “That’s enough of your nonsense,” Braxton cautioned.
    Jackson laughed and thumped Braxton on the back again. “Even if you won’t acknowledge your feelings, you’re entirely gone for the girl, my friend. You might as well surrender to the inevitable and admit it.”
    “I’m not admitting to anything.” Braxton glowered at a young man who approached Dacey with a cup of punch. “I’ll talk to you later, Jack. Enjoy your evening.”
    Without another word, he hustled across the ballroom to thwart any plans the young man might have held about charming her.
    Later, after they’d enjoyed a delicious feast, the first notes of music floated across the ballroom, beckoning dancers to the floor.
    “Shall we?” Braxton asked, leaning close to Dacey from his seat beside her at a table.
    “Are you sure I can’t just sit back and watch?” Dacey asked as Braxton stood then held a hand out to her.
    “Positive. Mother would be terribly disappointed if you didn’t join in the fun, especially after all those hours you spent with the tutor.” Braxton led her out to the dance floor and positioned his hands to lead her in the waltz.
    At first, Dacey appeared stiff and tense. As the music engrossed her and she watched the other dancers in their formal attire, eventually she relaxed.
    “Oh, Braxton, isn’t her dress something?” Dacey whispered as one of his mother’s friends twirled past them. “It looks like the stars fell out of the sky and latched right onto her gown.”
    Braxton grinned. “Those are rhinestones. Blue velvet certainly sets them off.” He nodded in the direction of the woman wearing the sparkling gown. “Mrs. Wilkins is one of mother’s closest friends. As a young lad, she’d bring me sassafras drops when she came to visit.”
    Dacey smiled. “That was kind of her.”
    The look he gave Dacey held a bit of repugnance. “I love all types of sweets, but sassafras drops taste like medicine to me. For years, I thought she didn’t like me and brought them as a form of punishment. Mother always made me thank her and eat one to be polite. It was horrid.”
    Laughter spilled out of Dacey, drawing the gazes of nearby dancers their direction. Embarrassed by the attention, she