The Unwanted Wife (Grass Valley Mail Order Brides Book 2) by Grace Georgia

Author:Grace, Georgia [Grace, Georgia]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2014-06-12T16:00:00+00:00

The next afternoon, Stanford returned home early from work, placing his coat tidily on the chair, and then coming over to where she was sitting, watching her as she added another row of patches to the quilt.

“Ma always sews at the kitchen table,” he said, and took off his boots, dropping them onto the floor with a crash. Specks of gold fell to the floor, and he picked each one up and placed them inside his handkerchief. All the gold miners did, she knew, but it still made her wince every time she saw him scrabbling on the floor after a few dots of metal.

“Women sew.” She was about to say more, but then closed her mouth, looking at him and then down at her work. Finally, she said, “I should have known that it was your mother writing those letters when she was so keen about the quilt.” She thrust her needle through the cloth, poking it up sharply, and then thrusting it down again.

He nodded. “Maybe. Can’t say I’ve ever been much interested in needles and thread. I’d like to know what else those letters said about me.” He nodded toward her bedroom, and Clara knew that he wanted to take those letters.

She put down her sewing, looking at him directly. “I’ve burned them.” She had left the packet in the grate, and it had gone up with the first fires this morning. She had not worked while it had burned, but sat there watching as each page turned into flame and then to smoke.

“Burned them?”

“Today. In the grate.” She put her hand into the ashes, and pulled out the dust, still warm to the touch.

He rubbed his fingers across his chin. “That bad, eh?” He looked regretful, but she shrugged.

“I don’t see why I am still here. You could have got rid of me to marry your widow.” She was determined to confront him on this, but he seemed just as determined to avoid her.

He looked away from her, his face burning red. “Don’t let’s get into that now,” he said. “Let’s go for a walk along the Main Street.”

She folded the quilt back into her sewing box, and stood up. “I’m as dressed as I’ll ever be,” she said.

He laughed, and took her by the arm, holding it gently, and not dragging her but letting her walk beside him, like a wife rather than an unwanted addition.

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