MB02 - A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund Read Free Book Online Page B

was obviously not seeing anything but numbers and calculations.
    For a long moment she didn’t know what to say to him, how to answer without looking like the poor uneducated peasant girl that she was. Ja, Vater had allowed her to attend the freepublic school in Detroit during the time they’d lived there. But that hadn’t been long enough to learn to read and write well. And she’d certainly never heard anything about evaporation and boiling points.
    At the tiny yelps coming from the front of the cabin, Gretchen gasped and wiggled her hand free of Annalisa’s grasp. “Mama, Snowdrop needs me.”
    A furry bundle strained and jumped against the dirty rope that bound him to a stake in the ground near the cabin, wagging his tail and prancing at the sight of them.
    Gretchen started to run, cutting across the vegetable garden that would soon need planting. Her legs could hardly keep up with her body, and her clunky boots threatened to trip her.
    Annalisa followed her daughter, not sure who was more anxious for the reunion—the new puppy or Gretchen. And when the little girl dropped to her knees in front of the slobbering, quivering mass of black fur and wrapped her arms around him, Annalisa smiled—a real smile, one that came from all of the motherly love stored deep in her heart.
    Frau Pastor had brought them the puppy earlier in the week. Annalisa had been hesitant to take another mouth to feed. They were already thin and hungry from winter, and their provisions were long gone. She was having a difficult time finding enough food for the two of them, and she didn’t need to worry about a growing puppy too.
    But Herr Pastor and his wife had insisted she keep it, telling her the puppy would soon grow into a helpful watchdog, one that would keep her safe. As a woman alone, and with dangerous men like Ward to deal with, she could use all the help she could get.
    “Mama, can we untie Snowdrop?” The dog’s tongue lapped at Gretchen’s nose. She giggled, and the sweet sound danced inthe air, filling the moment with something infinitely precious, a memory that would stay imprinted in Annalisa’s mind forever.
    The thump of the bucket against the muddy ground next to her sent the smile scurrying back into hiding. Gretchen’s smile faded too.
    Carl cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms. Then he examined Gretchen and the muddy paw smears that now covered her skirt and coat.
    Annalisa stiffened and braced herself for the rebuke he was sure to give, not only about Gretchen’s carelessness with the mud but also the fact that animals were not meant to be coddled. Everyone knew that farm animals were not pets. They were there for one reason and one reason alone—much like a farmer’s wife—to do the work necessary for survival.
    He crouched next to Gretchen and scratched the top of the puppy’s head. “She’s named Snowdrop?”
    Gretchen nodded.
    He cocked an eyebrow at Annalisa.
    “ He is only a puppy.” She wanted to defend Gretchen’s affection of the tiny beast. What harm would come from letting her daughter enjoy the dog? Couldn’t Carl see how much fondness she already had for the creature? He wouldn’t deny her that, would he?
    “He? I’d venture to say he’s less of a Snowdrop and more of an Inkblot.” He scratched the dark-furred puppy behind each ear, earning a number of drooling kisses across his hand.
    When he glanced up at Annalisa, his eyes twinkled. “Wouldn’t you say?” His lips curved into a dashing smile.
    Her insides fluttered, and she caught her breath, speechless.
    He combed his fingers through the dog’s curly hair until they came to the knotted rope. But all the while his deep brown eyes didn’t let go of hers.

    “Unless, here in America, snowdrop means black instead of white.” He worked at loosening the knot, but still he didn’t release her gaze.
    “Nein.” The feathery tickles in her stomach moved up her chest. “Gretchen picked the name Snowdrop because in the story