Rancher's Woman by Sarah Christian

Author:Sarah Christian [Christian, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Salt of the Earth Press
Published: 2016-12-29T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The storm of the night before left several inches of wet snow on the ground but when the sun rose, much of it melted. Jack’s wagon rolled slowly over the ground, creating a little rooster tail of muddy slush as the narrow iron wheels turned. After one particularly large bounce Esther looked back into the wagon box at the two large bags of laundry she was taking into town.

When Jack had mentioned he was going into Sweet Town to pay Mack Cofman for the work he’d done the day before, she asked if he would take along the laundry.

“Why don’t you come along. You can choose that fabric we talked of.”

“You mean for a dress? Are you sure you still want to do that?”

“Of course,” he’d said forcefully. “Get your things and meet me at the wagon in five minutes.”

She’d had to rush to get everything together in time but now, several minutes into the journey, she was uncomfortable with his silence and regretted accompanying him.

If only his proposal the night before had included mention of love, she might have considered his bid for her hand in marriage. Now they were stuck in this alliance, knowing each other’s secrets.

She scrambled for something to say to fill the silence. “Did you try on the trousers I made you yesterday?”

He didn’t even glance in her direction. “Yes, they are fine. Thank you.”

“I can alter them if they don’t fit perfectly,” she offered.

“They are fine,” he repeated firmly.

“I can make more. You could pick out some fabric, maybe something lighter in weight for the coming warmer weather.”

He raised and lowered his arm in a quick chopping motion. “Enough about the pants.”

They continued on in silence for another mile or two. She was getting a crick in her neck from looking so determinedly away from him. “Oh, I can’t take it anymore,” she cried, turning in her seat to face him fully, one leg bent under her. “Please, can we talk about it?”

He glanced at her, his face stoney, before turning back to the wagon ruts ahead, leading toward the small cluster of buildings ahead. “What is there to speak of?”

She watched his profile for a while, his strong chin and aquiline nose. He was a very attractive man, she thought. Part of it was the way he was put together, but most of it was his bearing. He carried himself with such dignity and strength.

She was growing very fond of him, and hated that she’d made him feel bad. She should have stayed after he’d made his remarkable pronouncement, talked with him, and explained that she had no reason to marry except for love. She didn’t need a man to support her; she could do that on her own just fine. Instead she had rushed out of the room like a child, nursing hurt feelings. Again she considered how their trip would be very different had he only told her he cared for her.

There was no doubt in her mind that she had grown fond of him.

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