Mountain Rose by Cheryl St.John

Author:Cheryl St.John [St.John, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488096044
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-01-15T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

Olivia had read extensively, and she knew the term meant seeking a woman with the purpose of courtship, but hearing it used regarding her caught her by complete surprise.

Jules recovered his composure first. “Excuse me then, while I read with my niece before her bedtime.”

He headed into the cabin and closed the door. Emily glanced up at him from where she sat at the table. She’d lit a lamp and sat with a book open. “Where’s Miss Rose?”

“She has a visitor.”

Her eyebrows rose in curiosity. “A visitor?”

“Yes, a rancher from a spread nearby.”

Emily got up and started for the door, but Jules stopped her by saying, “Give ’em privacy.”

Emily paused and turned wide brown eyes up at him. “Is she safe?”

He nodded. “I know the man well. If I had any doubts, I wouldn’t have left her out there with him.”

“What does he want?”

“Apparently, he came calling.”

“What does calling mean?”

“It means—” He had to force out the explanation. “He needs a wife, and he came to see if your teacher would make a suitable one.”

Emily scurried over to stand right beside him. Worry creased her forehead. “Would she?”

“No doubt she’d make any man a fine wife.”

“But she doesn’t know him.”

Recognizing her concern, he sat and explained. “Many people marry for practical reasons, Emily. Men out here sometimes send for a bride by mail and get one sight unseen.”

She absorbed that information in silence, moved back to her chair and perched. Jules wanted to get up and go look out the door, too, but restraining himself, he remained seated.

After a moment, Emily spoke again. “Why don’t you marry Miss Rose? Then we’d all be able to stay together.”

Her suggestion wasn’t a terrible one, and he wasn’t completely loath to the idea.

In fact, it was a simple solution. But easy didn’t always mean best. What if he wasn’t ready for marriage? Marrying for the wrong reasons could be disastrous and end up making everyone involved miserable.

Marriage hadn’t been in his plan just yet, but then neither had Emily or the new house. His plans had been knocked askew by the arrival of these females, and he wouldn’t be getting his life back in proper order anytime soon.

He’d seen a lot of things during the war that made him question people and not take anything or anyone at face value. He’d believed he needed more time between himself and those experiences before he started looking at being capable of love and trust.

But what was there about Olivia not to trust?

No. It was her vulnerability that frightened him. He didn’t know if he was ready to be the man she needed.

Had it been Lee who’d suggested the nearby men would soon be making efforts to snag her? He’d been right. Marcus had only just heard about Olivia, hadn’t set eyes on her beforehand, but he’d come calling. Calling. What did that entail, anyhow? And how long was it supposed to take? Shouldn’t she be coming in by now?

Jules had been pushed off center by Marcus’s pronouncement.

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