Read Online No One But You by Leigh Greenwood - Free Book Online

them.”
    â€œI’ve tried to point out that I married my husband in spite of his cows and his horses,” Rose clarified.
    â€œI think she married George in spite of us,” Monty said.
    â€œShe certainly married him in spite of you,” Jeff said.
    Sarah had noticed at supper that Jeff was missing his left arm. She wondered if he’d lost it during the war. She wanted to like him, at least be sympathetic, but his expression was so forbidding even some of his brothers avoided him.
    Rose laughed. “I married him in spite of all of you.”
    â€œShe didn’t marry George in spite of me,” Zac announced. “She loves me.”
    Everyone laughed, but Sarah hadn’t missed the angry glance Monty threw at Jeff, or the glance George gave Jeff that caused him to shrug his shoulders and look away.
    Sarah enjoyed watching the brothers tease Zac because it was so clear he enjoyed the attention. It made her sad that Jared had no older brothers whose love was strong enough to overlook his physical imperfection. Neither Jeff’s injury nor his bitterness had been enough to prevent him from being a valued member of the family.
    â€œDid you find anything interesting when you were in Austin?” George asked Sarah during a lull in the conversation.
    â€œI don’t know much, but I do know I don’t like the Reconstruction. They tried to tell me I owed a lot more taxes than I did.”
    Monty’s laugh was angry. “They did the same to us, but Rose sent them packing.”
    â€œWhat did you do about the taxes?” Rose asked Sarah.
    â€œI told them they’d have to see the president of the bank because he held the mortgage. They never bothered me after that.”
    â€œThat was right clever,” Salty said.
    â€œOf course she’s clever,” Rose said. “She’s a woman.”
    That got a good-natured laugh from everybody, as well as a slighting remark from Monty and a spirited rebuttal from Zac.
    â€œI knew you’d defend Rose,” Monty said, teasing, “because she spoils you.”
    â€œShe’d spoil you too, if you weren’t so mean.”
    That generated another round of mirth.
    The talk turned general with all the brothers except Tyler taking a part. It wasn’t hard to see that though there were many sharp edges in the brothers’ relationships, they were bound by a love that enabled them to look beyond their differences. Sarah had never known it was possible for men to do that. If her father and husband had been like any of these men, her life would have been immeasurably different. She was still thinking of that when Rose announced she was tired and was going to bed.
    â€œWe haven’t had our doughnuts,” Zac reminded her.
    â€œYou don’t need me to eat doughnuts, do you?” she asked the boy.
    â€œYou have to eat your doughnuts.”
    â€œI think I’ll save mine.”
    â€œIf you don’t eat them now, Monty will get them.”
    â€œTell on me, will you?” Monty grabbed for Zac, but knowing where to find the safest place in the room, the boy had already ducked behind Rose.
    â€œSalty, will you get the doughnuts from the kitchen?” Rose asked. “I wouldn’t trust Zac or Monty not to eat half of them before they got back. Jared will show you where I put them.”
    Sarah’s heart jumped into her throat. Her gaze flew to Jared, who looked stricken. Why would Rose do something that would expose Jared’s weakness to everybody in the room? She was about to make an objection when Salty got up, went over to Jared, and held out his hand.
    â€œLet me help you up.”
    Sarah held her breath when Jared reached for Salty’s outstretched hand. Taking a firm grasp, Salty pulled her son out of the chair and to his feet. Once Jared had his balance, Salty picked him up. Sarah couldn’t decide whether she was still angry or whether she was so relieved to see that no