Adela's Prairie Suitor (The Annex Mail-Order Brides Book 1) by Elaine Manders Read Free Book Online Page B

if she wanted to hear more so he continued. “One of them’s pa ran off when he was a little fellow. Another one’s pa is in prison. Only one of them’s pa is dead, but it don’t matter. All of them need a man’s help.”
    “Mrs. Hawkins said you were a deacon.”
    Byron laughed. How did such tales get started? “No, I just help out with the boys. They seem to trust me more than anyone ‘cause I’m near to them in age, I guess.”
    “That’s wonderful, noble thing to do. Of course you must build that ranch.” She said it like it was easy to do. Funny, her confidence made it seem easier to him.
    His chest puffed a bit, then deflated in a sigh. “The trouble is, it’s been a hard year for the farm since Pa died. I’m not bringing in nearly enough money. Crops have been down, but there’s something else…prices have dropped, I guess, but others say not much. I can’t figure it out.”
    She laid a small hand on his arm. “You will figure it out. God is in this plan to help those boys, I know it.”
    “Yeah?” He couldn’t hold back a wide grin. “Well, tell me about yourself. How’d you get a job with ladies that go to Harvard? Heard that’s the hardest college in the country.”
    Her countenance fell, and she moistened her lips as her hands gripped the arms of the rocker. “I wasn’t exactly honest with you about that.” She swallowed and turned her deep brown, pleading eyes on him. “I wasn’t working for those ladies. I was one of them.”
    “You were going to college?” He tried to understand why she’d keep that secret. “Nothing wrong with that. Why did you think I’d mind?”
    She turned her head from the light, and he couldn’t see her features, but her voice strained. “I was afraid you’d think I was…I suppose I thought…well, the men back east were intimidated by educated women. They thought us haughty.”
    Byron chuckled under his breath. That attitude was understandable. East or west, men didn’t want to compete with women. The way things were, a man had to compete with every other man, the idea of competing with women too wasn’t pleasant. But Byron had never been intimidated by women—or men.
    He still didn’t see why she thought her education would offend him, but it obviously did. The cord in her neck strained with tension. Tapping her on the shoulder, he leaned in. As he hoped, she shifted around to make eye contact. “I remember the Blackwell sisters and Ruby Singleton. In school those three girls whipped every boy in class in every subject. But they’re happily married now. The girls, not the boys, though, yeah, most of them are happily married too. Out here folks don’t put as much stock in education as they do back east. So, there’s no reason to be cowed. I always figured girls liked bookwork more, but the truth is, they have more time. The boys have to work in the fields—not as much time for study.”
    She favored him with a half-hearted smile as a light breeze lifted the chestnut-colored tendrils hugging her face. Her mouth worked like she wanted to cry, and he sought to forestall that with a grin. “I’m sorry I was dishonest with you.”
    “That’s all right, Adela.” He tucked a wayward curl behind her ear. “I wasn’t entirely honest with you. I should have warned you about Hilda Jane…and while we’re confessing, I ought to tell you the farm’s not doing so well this year. We didn’t have enough rain in planting season.” He shrugged one shoulder. “The truth is, I might have to sell that land I was going to use for a ranch. But don’t apologize for being smart.”
    “I’m not smart, not smart enough for Harvard, anyway.” She scooted forward and threw her hands apart. “My aunt and uncle believed I was sent to them to take care of them in their old age. They didn’t say that, but I got the message as the years went by, and they discouraged any suitors.”
    Byron scowled his disgust, and she waved a hand. “Don’t misunderstand.