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Authors: Jane Henry
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thrum and crackle of the flames licking at the wood. It felt nice to sit by the fire after a long day, and I couldn’t help but think eagerly of getting to the established homestead. I longed to stretch my aching limbs upon a real bed.
“You once told me you don’t read,” he said.
I nodded.
“Do you want to?”
I looked at him curiously. “Sir?”
“My mother was a schoolteacher back in her day,” he explained. “And I know a thing or two about readin’ myself.”
My eyes went back to the fire, and I marveled at my opportunity. I’d always wanted to read, but it seemed at my age and lot in life, it was a hopeless endeavor. I frowned as I thought of all Aaron’s family had done for me thus far.
“You look troubled,” he said. “What have I said that’s troublin’ you?”
“Oh, no, sir,” I said. “I’m eager to learn to read, and excited about the possibilities.”
He nodded. “Very good.”
“It’s just that… sometimes I wonder how I can repay you for the kindness you’ve shown me.”
He smiled softly, and we sat in silence by the fire some time longer.
I don’t know when I fell asleep, but I was vaguely aware of his deep voice and his hand shaking my shoulder. I startled awake, embarrassed to find my head had fallen against his shoulder. How long he let me stay that way, I didn’t know, but I felt my cheeks flame with embarrassment.
“Come, now,” he said. “It’s early yet, but best get you to bed if you’re dozin’ by the fire.”
For some reason, it was unnerving being woken up like this. My neck hurt from the awkward position, and I felt irritable. I frowned as I sat up. No. No, I would not be sent to bed like a child. I was a full grown woman, and he wasn’t going to tell me what to do.
Frowning, I crossed my arms across my chest.
“I’m fine, thank you,” I said. “I’ll go to bed when I see fit.” I didn’t look at him, but could feel him stiffen beside me.
“Pearl,” he said, warning.
“No,” I said stubbornly.
What would he do, then? Pick me up and carry me to the wagon? Let him then! I would not go willingly. I hated falling asleep and being woken up, and the little rest seemed to stoke my fire and make me more ornery than ever. I didn’t know what I expected him to do. Raise his voice, maybe. Physically bring me to bed himself? Leave me to grouse by the fire?
I felt his hand on my chin as he turned me to look at him. I was frowning, my eyes still blurry from sleep, and I avoided his eyes. But he placed a finger under my chin, lifting my face, and I couldn’t help but look at him. His honey-colored eyes were fierce, and my bravado failed me.
“Brave girl,” he murmured. “Comes with strangers to an unknown land and plows her way through. Risks everything at a chance at a new life.”
I swallowed as he continued, his finger still under my chin, my eyes trained on his.
His voice hardened. “And now you defy me, knowin’ you risk a thrashin’.”
I trembled, but though I did fear him, I also felt a twinge of something different, and primal. Here I was in the presence of a sturdy man, one who would not harm me in any way but rather do the opposite—dedicate himself to making sure I was safe and well cared for. He would not allow me to sabotage myself, but would decidedly ensure my obedience.
He leaned closer to me, so close his breath brushed my ear as he whispered, “Will you obey me, or must I aid you with the flat of my palm against your backside?”
I knew then that he would aid my obedience and I wouldn’t sit pretty for some time. I felt stripped of my annoyance.
“I’ll obey you, sir,” I whispered. He pulled back just a little, enough so that his eyes met mine, probing, and his lips were so close to mine, I felt as if it was his own breath I inhaled. He drew me to him, his hand pressed to the small of my back just seconds before his lips met mine. The sensation was quite different from anything I’d ever expected. My hips
“You once told me you don’t read,” he said.
I nodded.
“Do you want to?”
I looked at him curiously. “Sir?”
“My mother was a schoolteacher back in her day,” he explained. “And I know a thing or two about readin’ myself.”
My eyes went back to the fire, and I marveled at my opportunity. I’d always wanted to read, but it seemed at my age and lot in life, it was a hopeless endeavor. I frowned as I thought of all Aaron’s family had done for me thus far.
“You look troubled,” he said. “What have I said that’s troublin’ you?”
“Oh, no, sir,” I said. “I’m eager to learn to read, and excited about the possibilities.”
He nodded. “Very good.”
“It’s just that… sometimes I wonder how I can repay you for the kindness you’ve shown me.”
He smiled softly, and we sat in silence by the fire some time longer.
I don’t know when I fell asleep, but I was vaguely aware of his deep voice and his hand shaking my shoulder. I startled awake, embarrassed to find my head had fallen against his shoulder. How long he let me stay that way, I didn’t know, but I felt my cheeks flame with embarrassment.
“Come, now,” he said. “It’s early yet, but best get you to bed if you’re dozin’ by the fire.”
For some reason, it was unnerving being woken up like this. My neck hurt from the awkward position, and I felt irritable. I frowned as I sat up. No. No, I would not be sent to bed like a child. I was a full grown woman, and he wasn’t going to tell me what to do.
Frowning, I crossed my arms across my chest.
“I’m fine, thank you,” I said. “I’ll go to bed when I see fit.” I didn’t look at him, but could feel him stiffen beside me.
“Pearl,” he said, warning.
“No,” I said stubbornly.
What would he do, then? Pick me up and carry me to the wagon? Let him then! I would not go willingly. I hated falling asleep and being woken up, and the little rest seemed to stoke my fire and make me more ornery than ever. I didn’t know what I expected him to do. Raise his voice, maybe. Physically bring me to bed himself? Leave me to grouse by the fire?
I felt his hand on my chin as he turned me to look at him. I was frowning, my eyes still blurry from sleep, and I avoided his eyes. But he placed a finger under my chin, lifting my face, and I couldn’t help but look at him. His honey-colored eyes were fierce, and my bravado failed me.
“Brave girl,” he murmured. “Comes with strangers to an unknown land and plows her way through. Risks everything at a chance at a new life.”
I swallowed as he continued, his finger still under my chin, my eyes trained on his.
His voice hardened. “And now you defy me, knowin’ you risk a thrashin’.”
I trembled, but though I did fear him, I also felt a twinge of something different, and primal. Here I was in the presence of a sturdy man, one who would not harm me in any way but rather do the opposite—dedicate himself to making sure I was safe and well cared for. He would not allow me to sabotage myself, but would decidedly ensure my obedience.
He leaned closer to me, so close his breath brushed my ear as he whispered, “Will you obey me, or must I aid you with the flat of my palm against your backside?”
I knew then that he would aid my obedience and I wouldn’t sit pretty for some time. I felt stripped of my annoyance.
“I’ll obey you, sir,” I whispered. He pulled back just a little, enough so that his eyes met mine, probing, and his lips were so close to mine, I felt as if it was his own breath I inhaled. He drew me to him, his hand pressed to the small of my back just seconds before his lips met mine. The sensation was quite different from anything I’d ever expected. My hips
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