He glared at her. “Ain’t gonna happen,” he said, then reached across the table for her hand. “Now the calving is done, I can take a few days off.” She raised her eyebrows at him. “The cowpokes can look after the property. They’ve done it before.”
She wasn’t going to change his mind, that much was clear. Mary shrugged her shoulders – there were far more important things to argue over. This wasn’t one of them.
~*~
Having to slow down because of an injured ankle was not amongst Mary’s most favorite things to do. Noah was finally back at work, and she was almost pain free, even when she put pressure on her ankle and walked about.
Cinnamon stood outside the front porch waiting for Noah. She probably felt neglected after the number of days he’d stayed home to help. Mary stepped toward her, and the horse took a few steps back. “Take it slowly,” Noah whispered. “She’s still not used to you.”
That was true. She’d had little interaction with Noah’s horse, and he was the only person ever to ride her. “I’m going to miss you today,” Mary said truthfully. She’d become accustomed to having her husband around, even if he was annoying by not letting her do things for herself.
His head shot up as he attached the saddlebags. “I’ll miss you too,” he said, then winked at her.
Was he only saying that? Mary found Noah hard to read at times. He seemed to keep his heart close to his chest, and didn’t give away much.
He shoved his hat down hard on his head. “I really must go. It’s been nice being home with you, but I can’t stay home forever.” He stared at her. “We’ll continue our reading and writing lessons tonight.”
She nodded. Mary had worked hard with Noah over the past days, and he said she was doing well. It didn’t feel that way, but he was confident she would learn. Anger boiled up inside her at Pa for not letting her go to school.
Noah leaned forward and cupped her face, kissing her gently. Mary calmed down. It was as though he knew what she was thinking. “Don’t be mad, Sweetheart,” he said quietly, then caressed her cheek.
“How did you…?”
He winked at her. “I can read your moods now. What are you mad about anyhow?”
“Not what, who. I’m mad at Pa for not letting me go to school.”
“You’re going to learn better than going to school.” He winked again then swung up onto his mount. Noah lifted the reins and clicked for Cinnamon to go. “I’ll try not to be late.” He turned and rode away.
Mary stared after him. They seemed to be getting closer, but would she and Noah ever have a real marriage? Right now, it didn’t feel like it would ever happen.
She hobbled inside and cleaned the kitchen, then began to make the beds. What would it be like to sleep with Noah? That first night didn’t count because she was asleep before he carried her to bed. No, she meant sleep with him in the real sense. As his actual wife, not them pretending to be a couple.
She lifted his pillow and breathed in the essence of Noah. How she longed to be his wife in every way.
Mary suddenly threw the pillow across the room with such force it thudded against the wall. That would never happen. She was only here to fulfil the obligations to his father’s will. He gets the land, and she gets a safe place to live for a year. And then there was the money.
She shrugged. It meant little to her. Granted, when she arrived, even before she arrived, it was paramount. But now? Now it was of little consequence. Noah was the most important part of her life now.
How would she survive without him?
She didn’t mean in a monetary sense, or even in regard to living somewhere safe. It seemed foolish, but even after just a few short months, Mary had become fond of Noah.
She shook her head. That wasn’t true. It was so far from the truth it was almost laughable. She had come to love Noah, and couldn’t imagine her life without him. A tear trickled down her face, and Mary swiped at her cheeks. She was being foolish. It was clear she was nothing but a convenience. A way to get his inheritance.
Noah wasn’t interested in her, and had no feelings for her. He was likely counting the days until he could be rid of her.
She flopped down on the bed she’d just finished making. Life could be cruel, and this went beyond cruel. Short of throwing herself at her husband, Mary was doomed to a life of loneliness. What would happen to her once she was no longer part of Noah’s life, she had no idea.
What she did know was she needed to start thinking about her future. She needed to plan her life after Noah – and that time was fast approaching.
~*~
Noah sat at the head of the table, Seth and Jacob sat either side.
Mary had worked endlessly throughout the day. It wasn’t everyday you got to entertain family. She stopped and thought. She did have a family now, something she’d never had before. The table was dressed with Noah’s best tablecloth and napkins, and she’d pulled out the best crockery she could find.
A freshly baked loaf of bread sat in the center of the table, and a plate of butter at each end. “Help yourselves,” she said as Noah finished slicing the bread. “Supper won’t be long.”
A sparkling white dinner plate sat in
