Big Meadows Valentine (Eastern Sierra Brides 1884) by Zina Abbott

Author:Zina Abbott [Abbott, Zina]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Prairie Rose Publications
Published: 2015-02-04T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 5

Beth no sooner stepped out of the small room she had rented for a week from Mrs. Ford than she saw Val waiting for her by the front door. He stood, hat in hand, studying the wallpaper across the room from him. With one hand on her doorknob and the other clutching her Bible, Beth silently watched him. It was the first time she had seen him not wearing his wide-brimmed Stetson.

No doubt about it, he was one handsome man. He appealed to her far too much, considering that she had no use for a man in her life right now, and maybe never. There was too much she needed to take care of on her own. She needed to start over. She needed to get settled so she could send for Zelly. And she was determined she was going to do it by herself and prove to the world that a woman could manage her own affairs. She refused to rely again on a man to whom the law gave the power to turn her life upside down. She didn’t need that kind of man, not even one dark-haired and good-looking helpful rancher that looked and smelled of the home she dreamed about having again.

Val caught sight of Beth and turned to her with a wide smile.

“Are you ready, Mrs. Dodd? If you don’t mind a short walk, I thought we’d stop by Gus’s place for breakfast before we meet up with Judge McLean. The selection gets a little thin this time of year, but maybe Gus can scare up some flapjacks or mush.”

Beth started to panic. She had not planned on spending any money on breakfast. She needed to find out from the judge where she stood financially first.

“Breakfast is on me,” Val said, sensing the source of her reluctance as he escorted her out the door.

“Can’t rightly say that I’m hungry.”

“You’re getting prickly on me again, Mrs. Dodd. Based on my experience with you last night, I half expected you to say that. But, I’d feel better if you ate something before you meet with the judge. I wouldn’t want you to faint away while discussing the estate.”

Val offered his arm to her, but Beth refused it. She kept her arms folded and her eyes focused forward as she spoke.

“That how you figure it is with women, Mr. Caldwell? Weak and fragile to where if we ain’t cared for proper, we’ll faint dead away? That how it goes with you? You plumb faint away when you don’t get your vittles?”

“No, ma’am,” Val said in all seriousness. “When I don’t get enough to eat, I get so cranky and impatient with people that they don’t care to be around me. I also tend to make foolish mistakes. But I wouldn’t want to suggest that you might react the same way I do to not eating regular.”

Beth glanced over at Val. Then, once again, she faced forward. Watching her expression, Val took her elbow and gently tugged it, encouraging her to start walking down the boardwalk.

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