If anything, Jasper became more flustered. He gave a half shrug and rubbed at his mouth and chin, muttering into his palm as he answered.
“What?” Callie stepped closer. “What’d you say?”
“A woman.” He dropped his hand, the gesture sharp as it resumed its place at his hip. “I got a letter from a woman in Boston who wants to come marry me.”
Callie stared, unable to comprehend his words. She puzzled over them, repeating them in her head in an effort to make sense of it. A woman? Marry Jasper? “Wait…what?”
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph! I ain’t getting any younger, Callie! If I want to start a family, I need to be getting on with it.”
His irritation sparked the same emotion in her. She mirrored his stance and glared back. “How’d she know to write to you? Huh?” He looked away and she shifted to recapture his gaze. “That newspaper man three months ago, right?”
Jasper nodded. “Yes. When I sent you to pick up the beans from Hank Sheraton.”
She recalled the man they’d met during a supply run, thinking him a slimy weasel at the time. “Did you pay him money?”
He rolled his eyes. “You know I did. How else could I get an advertisement?”
Scoffing, she threw her hands up in the air before slapping her thighs. She turned away. “You had no way of knowing if he was on the up-and-up. He could have been lying. Didn’t I say I saw him talking to Soapy?” She referred to Skagway’s local crime boss. If there was a shady way to make a dollar off an unsuspecting soul, the con man Soapy Smith could find it.
“But he wasn’t lying. See?” An envelope crackled in Jasper’s hand as he reached over Callie’s shoulder from behind and waved it in her face.
She snatched it from his grasp, twisting with long practice to avoid his immediate grab to get it back. Two quick steps took her out of his reach, and she checked to make certain he didn’t follow. They’d had years of keep-away though he was a full twelve years older than her. When he didn’t chase her down, she relaxed and opened the envelope, the scent of lilac wafting from the paper. She paused as she inhaled the aroma, experiencing both enjoyment and scorn for the hussy’s use of perfume as a lure. Another quick peek back showed Jasper resigned as he stood with his hands in his pockets. Callie unfolded the letter.
Dear Sir,
I confess I am nervous as I pen this missive for it has never before occurred to me to seek matrimony from the pages of a newspaper. I hope I do not portray myself as a shameless harridan—I do not even have the pleasure of knowing your name. Nevertheless, I have found your entry most intriguing.
My name is Clara Stapleton. I am aged twenty-two and seeking a husband. I live in Boston, Massachusetts, but do not let my metropolitan origins sway your rudimentary opinion of me. Though I am born and bred a city girl, I have had the opportunity to spend summers out of doors, fishing and camping with my family in the Green Mountains. I imagine your property must be splendid beyond words. Grand mountains, forests and rivers… Living in such magnificent beauty every day must seem a gift from God Himself!
Though I have no experience with the trapping lifestyle, I’m more than willing to learn. I would like to provisionally accept your offer of matrimony if you’ll have me. I only ask that any marriage will be annulled should we discover that we are unable to coexist.
Please contact me posthaste with your answer. I breathlessly await your response.
Sincerely Yours,
Clara Stapleton
The penmanship flowed with delicate lines, and the letter was dated a month ago. Callie picked out the details, already disliking the woman who wrote it. “Boston? Really?” She handed the letter and envelope to Jasper who snatched it quickly from her hand. As he carefully returned the letter to its envelope, she crossed her arms over her chest. “You want to bring a city girl here?”
“She’s been camping and fishing during the summers.”
It was Callie’s turn to roll her eyes. “Well, so had I before Ma and Pop passed on. That didn’t mean I was experienced enough to live up here in the bush.”
“You’ve done well enough.” Jasper tucked the folded envelope into his pants pocket.
“Because I’m not a normal girl.” Callie shook her head. “You really want to do this?”
Jasper gusted out a sigh. “Look. I know you don’t want children or a husband. That ain’t your way.” He held his hands up to stop her as she opened her mouth to argue. “This isn’t about you, Callie! It’s about me. I want a wife, children. Can’t you just imagine a passel of young’uns playing out here in the yard? You’d have nieces and nephews to spoil rotten.”
A sense of loss fought with wistful yearning. She’d always liked children, just didn’t want to have her own. The idea of bedding down with any man disgusted her. “There’s not enough room for three in the cabin, let alone a bunch of kids.”
“I know that, silly!” Jasper laughed and jerked a thumb behind him. “I thought we could build another place over there, a bigger one for me and the missus.” He pointed to the cabin. “You can keep the original homestead.”
Callie brought both hands up to her head, knocked her hat back and scrubbed at her temples. Things were going to change, and all Jasper could see were his imaginary children frolicking in the yard. She couldn’t blame him—he was right that it was past time for him to get started on a family if he was of a mind. He was strong-willed, handsome and a decent man. He’d make a fine husband to some lucky woman. That didn’t mean Callie wanted to be around to watch it happen.
She hated change with a blind passion.
Jasper sighed.
