Tabitha's Journey by Caroline Clemmons

Author:Caroline Clemmons [Clemmons, Caroline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Caroline Clemmons
Published: 2013-05-24T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Tabitha turned and scratched between the dog’s ears when he stuck his head over the seat back. “Hello, Pal. Do you enjoy riding in the wagon?”

Pal tried to climb over the seat.

Laughter bubbled from her at the dog’s enthusiasm. He was far too large for a lapdog, but apparently he didn’t know that.

“Down, Pal.” Bear glanced at his dog. “I told you not to jump on the lady, remember?”

As if he understood, the dog sighed and lay down on the wagon bed.

She glanced back and then toward Bear. “What a wonderful dog.”

Bear appeared surprised. “You like dogs?”

Frustration shot through her. “Yes, I like dogs. Tobias Baldwin, apparently your opinion of me is terrible. I’m sorry I can’t keep house like your mother—yet. I assure you I will learn, though. In the meantime, I have other fine qualities.”

He frowned but looked ahead. “I never said I have a bad opinion of you.”

She wanted to punch him on the arm—or in the face as she had that awful Lawson yesterday. “You didn’t have to. Each word and facial expression telegraphs you think I’m hopeless. You couldn’t make your judgment plainer if you placed an ad in the newspaper.” She grabbed the seat and braced as they jostled over a bump.

“Don’t get riled. Told you I don’t know how to talk to women.” He sent her an annoyed glare. “What do you expect?”

She exhaled in frustration. “I expected you to talk like your letters read. You wrote so eloquently about your ranch and the land, about your plans, about your pastimes. I thought you’d talk the same way.”

He sagged slightly. “Took me a long time to write each letter. They were private. I don’t appreciate Priscilla showing them to you—or handing me off like an outgrown shirt.”

“I explained she couldn’t bring herself to leave Boston. Her family members are close knit and she wanted to remain near them.”

He displayed a mulish expression, but she heard the hurt in his voice. “Why did she write me then?”

Sensing his pain, she softened her tone and explained again about Prissy’s situation.

His jaw jutted out. “So she never wanted to come here in the first place?”

She touched his strong arm and felt the taut muscles. Quickly, she drew back her hand. “She grew genuinely fond of you, Tobias. That’s why she couldn’t send back your ticket and jilt you. At the same time, I wanted desperately to leave Boston. I’d read your letters and those she wrote you. To Prissy and me, my coming in her place made sense.”

He shook his head slowly. “Not to me. Took us almost a year to get to the point where I sent her that ticket.” He frowned at her. “Turns out I should have written more about what I wanted from a wife.”

“You wanted a mail-order bride.” Unwilling to let his attitude defeat her, she extended her arms wide. “And here I am.”

Bear didn’t say anything, didn’t even look at her.

She almost gave up. “Tobias, you said you wanted a companion, someone you could be friends with and who would share all your hopes and dreams.

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