Page 382 of Conveniently Wed
“I’ll go get her.” Jeb opened the door and called for Katherine before coming back to sit across from him.
A moment later, Katherine’s regal beauty caught his breath as she glided across the porch with her head held high. Her dress accented the iridescent hue of her eyes, turning them a deep vibrant blue. She settled on a chair, her back as stiff as an over-starched collar. A quick smile came and went but never reached those beautiful eyes.
The clip-clop of his heart beat hope into his soul. He was confident he could win her love if only she would agree to marry him.
She turned to him. “Mr. Richardson, I will accept your arrangement, but I would like to go for a walk so we can talk privately.”
His mind spun in crazy circles. Chaotic. Confused. Had she just agreed to marry him?
She waited for his response, but his tongue felt stuck to the roof of his mouth. He swallowed. “Of course.” His heart kicked into a gallop, and finally, a wide smile split free. Not what he expected.
She offered a slight curve of her mouth in return.
“Katie girl, are you sure?” Her pa’s brows arched.
“It’s a sensible plan for our family, but I have a couple of questions I’d like to ask Mr. Richardson privately.” Her eyes flicked to the door.
Arrangement. Sensible plan.These were not quite the words he longed to hear, but what did he expect? He’d hardly taken the time to court her. She was right. His decision to secure the marriage was indeed a wise arrangement and a sensible plan.
“I’ll tell the women folk to hold the tea. We can visit after you talk.”
She stood. “We’ll be back shortly. Tell Ma to keep the kettle on.” She headed down the porch steps and started up the dusty drive.
Jeb opened the screen door and nodded in Katherine’s direction. “You’d better go. One thing you’ll learn about Katie is that she’s as headstrong as she is kind.”
Josiah took the steps two at a time. With the stride of his long legs, he didn’t take long to catch up with her. He slowed to match her gait. “What did you want to talk about?”
She shook her head. “Not yet.”
One glance back told him why they walked in silence. Her family now congregated on the porch. She wasn’t about to have them within hearing range.
“I love the outdoors,” he said. “How about you?”
Her eyes lifted to his, and, for the first time, he witnessed a genuine smile.
“Mr. Richardson, it looks like we may have one thing in common after all.”
“My name is Josiah.”
The smile vanished, and she looked ahead. “I have three questions.”
“Only three?”
“Only three that matter right now.” The way she said it, she sounded hopeless.
“This is not a death sentence, Katherine. You do have a choice in the matter. If you don’t want to marry me?—"
“Why do you want that farmland Pa owns in Dayton? What will you do with a piece of land so far from your home?”
He pulled off his hat and raked his hands through his hair. He had to be careful how he answered. The last thing he wanted was to insult her pa. He twirled his hat in his hands before plopping it back on his head.
“I need to know.” She stopped walking and grabbed his arm. Even the touch of her fingertips on his shirt set his heart to bucking.
He looked down, and she jerked her hand away. The wind kicked up and tugged at tiny sprigs of hair, working them free of the tight bun. The urge to brush a curl from her face itched beneath his fingertips.
He swallowed hard against the knot forming in his throat. “Most every man wants, more than the air he breathes, to provide for his family. And when that ability is taken from him, it’s demoralizing. Your pa had the worst of the war thrustupon him. I can’t imagine losing two sons, my home, and my livelihood.
“I traded that property with him so this arrangement”—he tripped over the word she’d used—“wouldn’t feel like a handout. Thought maybe, if one of your sisters gets married in the future and needs a head start, we could make it a nice wedding gift. And keep it in your family.”
