Courting Holly by Lynn A. Coleman Read Free Book Online Page B

believe Holly requires some support, and for reasons I do not understand but am grateful for, she has chosen me.”
    John Graham collapsed in the chair behind his desk. “Very well. I don’t cotton to having other people know our business.”
    Emmett sat in the chair Bryce had been sitting in earlier. He wrung his hat in his hands. “Holly, I will answer all your questions.” His words were softly spoken and Bryce again felt her body relax even more.
    “Forgive me...Fathers, but you must understand one thing about all of this. I do not know who I am. My world is in total chaos. Not only have I lost my mother but I am not who I’ve thought myself to be. I am curious how a man could leave his child.” She turned to Emmett Landers. “I know by your letter to Mother that you didn’t abandon us, but I still feel that you did.”
    Emmett wrung his hat tighter. “I understand, and I cannot change the past. Your mother and I did what we thought was best at the time. Only you can accept our choices or not. Please understand I do love you. You’ve been a constant part of my daily thoughts. Which is why Lloyd Jarvis has a bundle of letters from me to you.”
    “But why Tennessee?”
    “It was family land and something your mother and I worked hard to acquire, and I’ve worked many long hours to bring life from it. It’s a horse and cattle ranch and has tripled in size since you and your mother left. My roots were there, not here in Savannah.”
    Bryce massaged her shoulders. “I would like to say I understand but...” She paused.
    “It’s too soon,” Emmett proposed. “Like I said, I’ve had this knowledge and have lived with my decision for fifteen years. I’d love to say there hasn’t been a day when I didn’t regret my decision, but that wouldn’t be the truth. There were a few days here and there, but overall I was at peace with it. Seeing the hurt in your eyes, I do have my doubts. I am sorry for the pain, daughter. It was not our intent.”
    “Thank you.”
    Bryce observed John Graham and how he watched Emmett and Holly. Did fear of losing Holly worry Mr. Graham?
    She turned in Bryce’s arms and faced him. “Will you make a carriage ready for us?”
    “At your service, my lady.” Bryce winked and left her there with her fathers.
    * * *
    Holly turned to the two men representing all the confusion that now defined her life. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful to either of you, but I am having a hard time with all of this.” She turned toward Emmett Landers. “I cannot say that I fully understand why you chose to do what you did. I do understand that at the moment you thought you were doing what was in my best interest.”
    She turned to her stepfather. “And I understand that you and Mother wanted to wait until I was older. But I am sorry, twenty-one seems a bit old to me. I could understand sixteen, possibly as late as seventeen, after I graduated from school. But why wait until I was twenty-one?”
    “It was the age when your mother and I started courting,” John whispered.
    She turned back to Emmett. “How old was my mother when you and she married?”
    “Seventeen. Right after she finished her schooling.”
    She turned back to John. “Why would you feel I had to wait until twenty-one when my mother married Emmett at seventeen?”
    “She and I both felt she was impulsive at that time. That perhaps, if she had waited a bit longer, she wouldn’t have...” His words trailed off.
    “That she wouldn’t have married me?” Emmett stood. “Did you try to convince Allison that our relationship wasn’t genuine because we were young?”
    “Not exactly. It doesn’t matter what Allison and I discussed.”
    Holly stood. “Yes, it does, Father. However, I am not going to be a part of the two of you fighting about the past. Father Emmett...” She turned to him. “I’ll want to visit with you again after I return from my outing with Bryce.” She turned to John. “And I’ll be home when