perpetual feeling of inferiority, but that was nothing compared to Jeff’s loss of his arm.
“Clean up the milk,” George said to Jeff. “It’s your fault it’s spilt.”
It’s also your fault Monty has to go without dinner, Rose thought.
They finished the meal in silence.
Tyler was the first to get to his feet.
“If you’re finished, ask Miss Thornton if you may be excused,” George said.
“Why should I ask her?” Tyler demanded, looking at George like he’d lost his mind. “She’s nothing but the cook.”
“She’s as much somebody as you are,” George replied. “If you enjoyed dinner, say so. Then ask her permission to be excused.”
“You may go if you’re finished,” Rose said, not waiting for the mutinous boy to ask. She wasn’t sure he would, and she didn’t think she could stand another confrontation tonight.
“Everything tasted mighty good,” Hen said as Tyler made a hasty exit. “Mind if I go?”
“Not at all,” Rose said.
“Me, too,” Zac said, jumping up. “Don’t mind Tyler,” he whisperedin Rose’s ear. “He’s just mad you took away his job. Now he has to chase after cows, and he hates cows more than anything.”
“Don’t forget to fill the woodbox,” Rose reminded Zac before he could make good his escape. “I’ll need more wood if I’m to cook breakfast in the morning.”
Zac looked like he wanted to argue, but one glance at George’s stern expression, his thick eyebrows virtually drawn together, caused him to change his mind.
“I’d better be going, too,” Jeff said. “The food was excellent. George did well when he hired you.”
Just like I’d been a cow or a horse. Jeff was more of a snob than all his brothers put together. She’d never be more than the hired help to him.
“I hope you don’t mind if I don’t go right away,” George said.
“Stay as long as you like.” Rose hoped she didn’t sound as breathless as she felt. That she could feel anything beyond relief that such a horrendous evening was over was a mystery to her.
What was it about this man that appealed to her so much that she could virtually forget the most miserable meal of her life? He hadn’t done anything romantic since they left the Bon Ton. Neither had he gotten excited nor allowed his emotions to run away with him. He had supported her, but she was sure he had done it for practical reasons rather than any liking for her.
Yet she still felt drawn to him.
He made her feel safe. He was fair even when he didn’t want to be. And after her years in Austin, she knew just how important these qualities were.
Fine. Campaign for him if he ever runs for governor, but you’re thinking about feelings, not qualifications.
“Would you like some coffee?” she asked.
“No, thank you. But I’d like a little more milk.” He smiled at her surprise. “I’m afraid I’ll never make a true Texan. I don’t like coffee. I couldn’t drink it strong and black to save my life.”
“I don’t suppose it’s required.”
“I apologize for the way the boys behaved. I’m afraid it’s been an unpleasant evening.”
“Tempers are bound to fly at the end of a hard day. Then I came along and upset everything.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
“I doubt I could explain it to you. You’d have to be part of the family to understand.”
“Try.” She wasn’t going to be shut out that easily. She didn’t know if her knowing what bothered them would change anything, but she wanted to understand why they kept snapping at each other, if only to keep from unwittingly starting a fight.
“We moved to Texas six months before the war broke out,” George began. “Pa sent Jeff and me off to fight. We never knew he meant to leave right behind us. That left seventeen-year-old Madison to take care of four younger brothers and a ranch he hated. Mother’s health was too poor to allow her to help him.”
“What happened to your mother?”
“She died within the year.
“Clean up the milk,” George said to Jeff. “It’s your fault it’s spilt.”
It’s also your fault Monty has to go without dinner, Rose thought.
They finished the meal in silence.
Tyler was the first to get to his feet.
“If you’re finished, ask Miss Thornton if you may be excused,” George said.
“Why should I ask her?” Tyler demanded, looking at George like he’d lost his mind. “She’s nothing but the cook.”
“She’s as much somebody as you are,” George replied. “If you enjoyed dinner, say so. Then ask her permission to be excused.”
“You may go if you’re finished,” Rose said, not waiting for the mutinous boy to ask. She wasn’t sure he would, and she didn’t think she could stand another confrontation tonight.
“Everything tasted mighty good,” Hen said as Tyler made a hasty exit. “Mind if I go?”
“Not at all,” Rose said.
“Me, too,” Zac said, jumping up. “Don’t mind Tyler,” he whisperedin Rose’s ear. “He’s just mad you took away his job. Now he has to chase after cows, and he hates cows more than anything.”
“Don’t forget to fill the woodbox,” Rose reminded Zac before he could make good his escape. “I’ll need more wood if I’m to cook breakfast in the morning.”
Zac looked like he wanted to argue, but one glance at George’s stern expression, his thick eyebrows virtually drawn together, caused him to change his mind.
“I’d better be going, too,” Jeff said. “The food was excellent. George did well when he hired you.”
Just like I’d been a cow or a horse. Jeff was more of a snob than all his brothers put together. She’d never be more than the hired help to him.
“I hope you don’t mind if I don’t go right away,” George said.
“Stay as long as you like.” Rose hoped she didn’t sound as breathless as she felt. That she could feel anything beyond relief that such a horrendous evening was over was a mystery to her.
What was it about this man that appealed to her so much that she could virtually forget the most miserable meal of her life? He hadn’t done anything romantic since they left the Bon Ton. Neither had he gotten excited nor allowed his emotions to run away with him. He had supported her, but she was sure he had done it for practical reasons rather than any liking for her.
Yet she still felt drawn to him.
He made her feel safe. He was fair even when he didn’t want to be. And after her years in Austin, she knew just how important these qualities were.
Fine. Campaign for him if he ever runs for governor, but you’re thinking about feelings, not qualifications.
“Would you like some coffee?” she asked.
“No, thank you. But I’d like a little more milk.” He smiled at her surprise. “I’m afraid I’ll never make a true Texan. I don’t like coffee. I couldn’t drink it strong and black to save my life.”
“I don’t suppose it’s required.”
“I apologize for the way the boys behaved. I’m afraid it’s been an unpleasant evening.”
“Tempers are bound to fly at the end of a hard day. Then I came along and upset everything.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
“I doubt I could explain it to you. You’d have to be part of the family to understand.”
“Try.” She wasn’t going to be shut out that easily. She didn’t know if her knowing what bothered them would change anything, but she wanted to understand why they kept snapping at each other, if only to keep from unwittingly starting a fight.
“We moved to Texas six months before the war broke out,” George began. “Pa sent Jeff and me off to fight. We never knew he meant to leave right behind us. That left seventeen-year-old Madison to take care of four younger brothers and a ranch he hated. Mother’s health was too poor to allow her to help him.”
“What happened to your mother?”
“She died within the year.
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