Capturing the Cook by Kirsten Osbourne

Author:Kirsten Osbourne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Unlimited Dreams
Published: 2018-06-18T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Two weeks later, Ashleigh sat on the edge of her bed, reading the letter from James Pendergrast.

Dearest Ashleigh,

I hope you do not find this correspondence too forward. After hearing of your beauty and intellect, I had to write you directly. I come from the east and have been in California for several years now. Like you, I am an orphan, and I have always longed to fill my home with the sounds of children’s laughter. Unfortunately, the women I have met here do not share my values or morals. Therefore, I must attempt to find a bride through family and friends. My friend, Mr. White, speaks highly of your cousin William. When he told me about you, I knew I wanted to make your acquaintance. I understand it is far too early to consider marriage, as I am sure you will have many offers. All I ask is that you write me back.

Yours,

James Benjamin Pendergrast

Ashleigh sighed as she re-read the letter. James Pendergrast seemed nearly too good to be true! Like her, he had experienced the pain of losing both of his parents. And like her, he also wanted to have a big family. What she liked even more about him was that he wasn’t presumptuous. He hadn’t asked for her immediate promise to marry him or even to meet him in person. He had only asked that she respond.

As she went over to the desk to begin composing a response, she suddenly thought of Alexander. How would he feel if he knew she was writing to another man? Ashleigh frowned as she thought about the way Alexander had treated her over the past two weeks. Ever since she’d given him her letter, he had been avoiding her. They never spoke more than a few words to each other at Graham’s Grub, and he seemed to go out of his way so their paths wouldn’t cross.

Although she felt sad when she thought about Alexander, Ashleigh realized she had to accept that he didn’t care for her the way she cared for him. He didn’t even want to see her or talk to her. She had to move on.

Even without Alexander’s affection, she found herself wishing that she and her cousins could stay in Creede. Although Creede had its issues, it seemed like there were many people who truly cared about the town and wanted it to change for the better. Ashleigh enjoyed meeting with them and spending time with them.

She knew her cousins would never understand this. They all had been getting more and more excited about their upcoming move to California and making plans for the money they’d make once they arrived. Ashleigh didn’t care about money all that much. She wanted to earn a wage while she was a single woman to help provide, but she didn’t long for riches or wealth like other people she knew.

She had to admit, though, that her cousins would be relieved if she ended up with a man who had money like James Pendergrast seemed to.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.