Page 19 of Colorado Bride
“No, I suppose I can’t.”
“You’d better not.Let’s get things perfectly clear right now.I don’t share.I won’t put up with infidelity on any level.You are now my husband and I expect the courtesy of you remaining faithful to me, or that we annul before we go any farther.”
“Whoa.”He lifted his hand, palm out.“No annulment will take place.You are my wife, you wear my ring, and I will never take that lightly.”
“I take my vows seriously.I’m glad to see that you do, too.”
“I do.My word is my bond.”
He waved his arm taking in the prairie around them.
“Out in this country, if your word can’t be counted on, you won’t have many friends or be able to do business.”
“My word is also my bond.I won’t lie to you.You can ask me anything and I will always tell you the truth.”
“I’m glad to hear it.So tell me about yourself.You said you were a governess, a teacher.”
Amid the landscape that was a riot of wild flowers, even this late in the year, she answered his question as honestly as she could.
“Yes, I was a governess, but was let go from my position and my friend Sally said I should become your bride.She said I had all the attributes you were looking for.Apparently patience is one of them and it does happen to be my strong suit.Why do you say ‘teacher’ like it’s a bad thing to be?”
“I have my reasons, but I’ll keep them to myself for now.Suffice it to say a teacher for a wife is not something I expected or aspired to.Why were you let go?”
“The lady of the house discovered the man of the house pawing me and thought I had instigated it.”
“But you didn’t.”
“Of course, I didn’t.I would never flirt in any way with the parent of my charge.Besides which the man was offensive, ugly and generally a swine.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
“I told you I would tell you anything.As to my family, I haven’t any.I was given to the sisters when I was about two and raised there until I was eighteen and took my first job as a governess.”
“How old are you now?
“Twenty-seven.And you’re thirty, I would guess.”
“That’s right.”
They came to a creek and stopped for a break.Ben watered and fed the horses while Emily set out the food they’d bought from the restaurant.
“Chicken sandwiches, a round of cheese, apples and peach cobbler.A whole peach cobbler!Goodness, just for the two of us?”
“I like peach cobbler.Did they pack any cream?”
She smiled and took a half-pint jar from the basket.
“Yes, there is a small jar of cream.”
“Perfect.There should also be a quart of lemonade.”
She pulled the drink out of the basket, along with a cup, plate, bowl, and cutlery for each of them.“You’re right there is.There are also half a dozen sugar cookies.”
“That’s for while we’re moving along.Easier to snack on the cookies than on the cobbler.”
Emily felt completely at ease with Ben.Eating their supper together seemed like the perfectly normal thing to do, even though it was their first time.And, for the first time, she wasn’t embarrassed about her appetite.
They finished their supper, got back into the wagon and continued on to his ranch.
