Read Online Kaitlin's Silver Lining by Ciara Gold - Free Book Online Page B

“I
dropped my reticule, and Bryce kindly picked it up for me. We struck up a
conversation afterwards, and one thing led to another.”
    “She offered to show
me the town and I accepted. A goodly amount of time was spent in each other’s
company until I had to return to the family ranch. We’ve been correspondin’
since.”
    “Have you?” Farley’s
eyes narrowed. “Then I suppose she told you all about me?”
    “Not much.” Bryce
hedged. “So, how did you meet Emma?”
    “Through a mutual
acquaintance.” He squeezed her hand. Was it Bryce’s imagination, or did she
just flinch? “It didn’t take long for me to see how special my Em was.”
    “I do believe you are
one lucky man.” Farley’s smugness bothered him more than he’d like to admit,
but dadnapit, he’d had his heart set on courting Emma. “If I had a gal as
lovely as yours, I’d be settling my rope about her, too.”
    Emma blushed. “I’m
sure the right girl will come along soon.”
    Bryce expelled a
pent-up breath. He couldn’t fault her for finding her own happiness, but he
wasn’t so sure she was fully amenable to marrying Farley. While her words said
one thing, her body told him a whole other tale.
    “I hope you’re
right.” He settled the Stetson on his head, thinking he’d have to ask Emma a
few questions when her fiancé wasn’t around. “I won’t keep you folks any
longer. I know it’s cold out here, but it was good to see you.”
    “Maybe we’ll see you
again before you leave. Where are you staying?”
    Bryce took a step
down and looked up at the two of them. “I’m currently staying with Maggie
McGuire and Kaitlin Kanatzer. Do you know of them?”
    He watched Emma’s
eyes widen while Farley’s eyes narrowed to beady slits. What an odd reaction,
one he didn’t fully understand.
    Farley recovered
first. “Our local suffrage movement. They’ve done their best to put me out of
business.”
    “I’m sure they
wouldn’t do so on purpose. They seem like nice ladies.”
    “Bryce, you mustn’t
associate with those two. They’ll bring trouble to your door.” Emma’s brow
wrinkled in a worried frown.
    “That would be a
little hard since my door is miles away.” Bryce laughed. “Honestly, Emma,
they’re both wonderful women. America was built on strong views. You can’t
blame them for voicin’ their opinions.”
    “You sympathize with
them?”
    Bryce shrugged. “I
don’t necessarily agree with some of their ideas, but I’m not holdin’ these
differences against them. I admire their courage.”
    “Courage is one
thing, Mr. Stanton.” Farley stood, untangling himself from his fiancée’s hold.
“Stupidity is quite another.”
    “Are you calling
Maggie and Kaitlin stupid?” Bryce bristled. Farley made him think of a snake
oil salesman.
    “You may call it
anything you like, but a passel of women pecking at a man’s right to drink is
not the smartest thing for those women to do. They want the right to vote, but
there’s not a man alive who’s going to vote for suffrage if he thinks giving
women this right will ultimately set the stage for a no-liquor law to be
passed. They’d be cutting off their own noses.”
    “What better arena is
there than a saloon where a large number of men gather?” Bryce suddenly felt
defensive. “Maybe they’re smarter than a raccoon with a locked door. They’ve
just found another way in.”
    Farley narrowed his
eyes, and growled. “Well, that may be, but if they know what’s good for them,
they’ll find another lock to pick. I don’t want any trouble, but as a saloon
owner, I’ll do what I must to preserve business.”
    “I’m sure you will. Likewise,
I reckon they’ll do what they have to.” Bryce walked down the rest of the porch
steps but turned when he reached the last step. “Good day to you both. I reckon
we’ll be seein’ each other again, and congratulations on the comin’ nuptials.”
    “Thank you for coming
to visit.” Emma smiled.
    He tipped