Adela's Prairie Suitor (The Annex Mail-Order Brides Book 1) by Elaine Manders

stirred her—scaring her a little. Her mind went beyond their possible marriage, beyond his kiss.
    For the first time in her life she beheld what a man should look like. Funny, she didn’t find it in the dark alcoves and secret gardens of dime novels, but out here, under a wide expanse of azure sky in a plowed cornfield. Love didn’t hide in secret places. It chose wide open space to reveal itself.
    And she did love him. Here was a man who worked hard to provide, ever ready to protect, yet offering tenderness when needed. A man with a strong sense of right and wrong, who bowed to no one but God. Faced his own weakness honestly. Not only noticed a brother in need, but did something about it.
    He’d emptied the jar and held it out to her with a look that had her mesmerized for several long seconds. She took the jar and waved. “I’ll see you at supper.”
    Happiness put a skip in her steps. She didn’t know what had transpired between them, but she was certain the memory of this moment would stay with her all the days of her life to be taken out and savored over and over.

Chapter 15
    After everyone retired for the night, Adela went back to the books. She had a new goal, greater than marrying for convenience. Saving a home—her home. Her goal melded with Byron’s mission. He wanted to provide a home and livelihood for those poor boys. To do so, he must save the small ranch. She could help him in that.
    She’d already reconstructed the past two years of the farm’s operations, and a pattern had emerged. When she recorded the information for the current year, if something out of the ordinary stood out, she’d be able to spot it.
    Rubbing her gritty eyes, she glanced to the little French clock atop the bookshelf. It was after twelve. No wonder her shoulders strained. She was too tired to think. After finishing this year’s transactions, she’d make a comparison. How did the lean year differ from those of plenty?
    She was about to close the ledger for the night when she saw it. Suddenly, like a quail startled in the brush, it jumped out at her. Mr. Calhoun’s last wheat shipment hadn’t been paid. Why Byron hadn’t noticed that before, she didn’t know. Perhaps he’d been so preoccupied with his father’s sudden death— It didn’t matter. The mistake was huge and would make a big difference in the farm’s income, if it could be corrected.
    Adela reworked her calculations to make sure she hadn’t made a mistake in math. Convinced she hadn’t, she sagged in her chair and closed her eyes. Thank You, Heavenly Father.
    This would save Byron’s land. He could build the ranch for the boys.
    Byron. He had to know. Now. Tonight. Regardless of the time.
    She grabbed her cloak and a lamp and ran out of the house. The chill night air made her pull the cloak closer as she made her way to the narrow door on the side of the barn that opened to the men’s sleeping quarters. She rapped on the wooden panel, and when that brought no response, rapped harder.
    Adela almost fell in when the door jerked open. “Adela, what’s wrong?” Concern etched Byron’s features.
    She held the lamp higher to take in the sight of him from his rumpled hair to his nightshirt only half tucked into his dungarees. “Nothing’s wrong.” She couldn’t keep the excitement out of her voice. “Everything is right. I found the bookkeeping error. You have more money than you think—or you will have.”
    He shook his head. “What?”
    She started to repeat herself, and he held up a hand. “Whoa. It’s cold out here. Go on back inside. I’ll get my coat and be right in.”
    “I’ll make some coffee,” she called over her shoulder as she sprinted back to the house.
    The coffee hadn’t perked before she heard Byron. She hustled to the desk where papers still covered the top. Adela showed him the error. “See, there’s the shipping documents, but no payment for the wheat for last summer. “There was no draft recorded by the bank, and the