“I’ll do it,” he said, holding the fishing pole in her direction. “Since you like fishing, I’ll handle the messy work and leave you to the fun.”
Her eyes flashed. “I can clean a fish.”
“I don’t doubt it.” He smiled, hoping to disarm her once again. “But since you love fishing, I’d hate to spoil your fun.”
Annabelle took the pole. “Oh. If you don’t mind...”
“Not at all. I hate fishing. Too much standing around and waiting for the fish to bite. I prefer things that are more direct.”
“If you’re sure. Father and I loved going fishing together, but Mother said...” She turned her head away and started back for the water.
“Why do you do that?” he said to her back.
“What?” She looked at him, her brow furrowed like she was trying to decipher a puzzle.
“Hide.” He bent down and grabbed the fish, but kept his eyes on her. “Just when you start to reveal a bit of the real Annabelle, you retreat into a place where no one can see you.”
He couldn’t read the expression on her face, but then, that was exactly what he was accusing her of doing. Hiding. Pretending. Who was the real Annabelle Lassiter?
“This is the real Annabelle. I like to fish. Some women would say that’s not proper. So I only fish when I’m with my father.”
A wistful tone filled her voice, and he wondered when she’d last gone fishing with her pa.
“You can fish with me.”
Annabelle shook her head. “That really wouldn’t be proper now, would it? I’m already going to have to be careful to avoid a scandal for being here, so the more we can avoid the appearance of impropriety, the better.”
Annabelle was right. He hadn’t thought of the consequences of them spending the night unchaperoned. They shouldn’t have come at all. But he hadn’t thought twice about it when her father had suggested the idea. Still...Annabelle was a lady, and...
If word got out about them spending the night alone in the cabin together, Annabelle would be unfit for decent company. She’d done nothing other than offer him and his sister her kindness—at the expense of her own grief. And now, because she’d agreed to bring them here, she’d suffer once more.
“I should marry you. To avoid scandal.”
He’d never imagined himself saying those words, least of all to someone like Annabelle, but they slipped out. A man of honor, he’d spare Annabelle’s reputation.
“But I won’t marry you.” Annabelle stalked the rest of the way to the water, fishing rod clenched in her hand, stating clearly that the conversation was over.
Nugget tugged at his hand. “That wasn’t very romantical.”
“Romantical?” He stared down at her. “What do you know of romantical?”
The little girl’s face brightened. “When Papa got romantical for Mama, he went to the bathhouse and took a bath. Then he picked some pretty flowers and gave them to her. Mama said it was the most romantical thing ever, and she couldn’t wait until he was free to marry her.”
She stared at him with a knowing look. “If you’re not romantical to Annabelle, she’s never going to marry you.”
Words from a child shouldn’t sting. The comparison to his snake father was the lowest insult he could think of. Especially as they related to marrying a woman he had no business thinking he could marry. The honorable thing was to propose marriage. He had, and she’d said no. End of discussion.
Right?
* * *
Annabelle fought with the line that had somehow been tangled. Imagine! Telling her that he’d marry her, as if it were some kind of chore, like gutting a fish. Was she so unlovable that he wouldn’t want to marry her?
Not that she wanted to marry him, of course.
But oh...the nerve of the man. Her finger slid along the line, and the string cut into her skin. Blood oozed out, and she stuck her finger in her mouth.
She glanced over her shoulder. Joseph had squatted by Nugget and together, they were gutting the fish. Her heart wasn’t supposed to melt at the sight. She should have been completely unaffected by the way he smiled at the little girl. So tender. Gentle. And Nugget’s giggle...
There was so much to like about them. Annabelle recast her line, this time being careful of her injured finger. If only things were different. If she hadn’t been abandoned by another miner whose lust for riches outweighed his feelings for her. Mining fever blinded people to what was right. Though Joseph was beginning his quest with what sounded like good intentions, they’d fade once he held that first glimmer of metal in his hand.
But even if Joseph were a blacksmith or a barber, or anything else, Annabelle’s heart was too irrevocably damaged that she had nothing left to give anyone. And why should she? She’d lost too much to risk it again.
Another giggle rent the air. Another pang in Annabelle’s heart. For all her attempts not to care for the little girl, she couldn’t help but wish...
If Susannah had lived, she and Nugget could have been friends.
A tug at her line brought Annabelle’s attention back to where it should have been. This fish wasn’t as big as the other one, but it still took a good deal of strength to bring it in herself. But she wasn’t afraid of the work. Work had never scared her. The strength required to perform such tasks was nothing in comparison to the strength of will it took to handle everything else in her life. If only the rest of her life was so simple as physical labor.
“I’m impressed,” Joseph said over her shoulder as she finished bringing it in. “You should have asked for help.”
“And spoil the fun?” Annabelle grabbed the fish and pulled it off the hook. “I told you that I love to fish.”
The fish wiggled in her hands, and she tossed it in Joseph’s direction. “Want to take care of this one?”
“I’d be happy to. It’s the least
