Page 21 of Mail-Order Bride Substitute
“You’re going to dig in your heels, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “I’m not leaving. I’m certainly not going back to bear the gossip. It would be different if Sylvia were still there but she’s going to marry and move away.”
“Your aunt and uncle are there.” From what she’d said, it didn’t seem they had turned on her.
“I know but they’ve already paid for my disgrace. I can’t allow that.” She bit her lip and shook her head.
“How would they pay?”
Her eyes darkened. “Uncle Harris is a businessman, and his business suffered. You know how gossip ruins things. Uncle Harris never said anything to me, but I overheard men saying they wouldn’t do business with a man who tolerated the presence of a…” She swallowed audibly and didn’t finish.
Riley wanted to argue that surely that wouldn’t be the case, but he knew people were often too ready to believe ugly rumors. From what she didn’t say he knew very ugly things had been said of her. He didn’t need them spelled out to understand that her reputation had been attacked. Out of spite, he guessed, by the man who was supposed to love her.
“My pa would admire your determination.”
She sat up straight, her eyes wide. “Really?”
“Yeah. He thought it to be a good trait.” The elder Shannon had plenty of what he called grit.
Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t?”
“I didn’t say that. But it only goes so far.” Remembering how his own determination had almost gotten him killed, he chuckled. “I learned that the hard way.” He leaned back as he began his tale. “We drove a herd of cattle here when we moved to this place. I was sixteen at the time and a little…well, cocky.”
She grinned, suggesting she thought he might not have entirely outgrown that trait.
He continued. “I was eager to prove myself. So, when something spooked the cows and they stampeded, I said I’d turn them back. Pa called me to stop and wait for help. But I rode on without heeding him. It took a lot of hard riding to get them headed in the right direction. There was a time or two I thought I’d be knocked from my horse and trampled but I refused to give up. Pa, my brothers, and the hired cowboys finally caught up and helped corral them. Pa told me to go back and let Ma know I was in one piece. He never scolded me, simply shook his head and said Ma would likely tear a strip off me. I passed a couple of the cowboys as I returned. They both touched the brim of their hats and nodded. I knew they admired what I’d done.” The incident had taught him he could do a hard job even if he was scared at times and it had earned him respect.
“Did she?”
“Ma? Yeah, she did.” He remembered what she’d said and thought it might apply to the situation with Olivia. “She said there was a time to persevere and a time to quit. A wise man learned to distinguish one from the other.”
She met his hard look with one of her own. “There is also a time to admit you’re wrong.”
“What are you suggesting I’m wrong about?” If she heard the warning note in his voice, she ignored it.
“Me. I am not a quitter. I am not going to run back east crying or otherwise.”
“Olivia, I once trusted a city girl. More than that, I loved her. She loved me. But love wasn’t enough for her. The West was too rough, too challenging.” His voice grew to a croak. “In the end, it cost her life.” His tone hardened. “I don’t intend to make that mistake again.”
Olivia leaned forward, touching the back of his hand. It was all he could do not to jerk away. He didn’t want sympathy or even understanding. “I’m sorry you were hurt. I know what it’s like.”
It wasn’t the same. No one could claim to feel what he’d felt. He pushed from the table and looked down at her. “I made myself two promises the day Nina died. First, I will never again fall in love and second, I would allow no city girl to be part of my life.” With those words ringing in his ears, he strode from the room and into the bright setting sun that stung his eyes, making them water.
* * *
It wasall Olivia could do not to sputter. Because she was from the city, didn’t mean she didn’t deserve a chance. She wasn’t asking for love. She’d learned a few valuable lessons herself and meant to keep her heart under lock and key. But she should be allowed to prove herself without being judged unfairly because of another woman’s actions.
Riley had stepped outside but strode back in, crossed to the living room, plunked down in an armchair, and took up a book.
She stared after him a moment then turned her attention to the kitchen, muttering under her breath about unreasonable demands.
“I can hear you, you know.”
Harumph.She didn’t care.
The kitchen clean, she stood by the cupboard, uncertain what to do.
At that moment, Alfred entered. “Why don’t you join Riley?”
