Matthew said stoutly, ignoring thesecond part of his mother’s announcement. “That’s Miss Merriweather. You know that. She’s our teacher.”
Melody looked long and hard at her uncle Jake, then back at Alicia. Her smile was subtle, her expression more adult than child as she nodded her acceptance. “Shall we call you Miss Merriweather in school?” she asked.
“There are only a few days left to worry about it, but I think that might be wise,” Alicia answered. “You don’t mind, do you?”
Melody’s expressive face held a touch of sorrow. “No. Aunt Rena wouldn’t, either. She always wanted everybody she loved to be happy.” As if that solved the whole thing, she turned to the sink to wash her hands for supper.
Cord set aside his disapproval with a wave of his hand as Jake murmured something for his brother’s ears alone. “I know. It’s all right,” he answered, and then held out his hand. Jake took it, and then was obviously stunned when his brother bent low and hugged him instead. “It’s all right,” Cord repeated aloud.
“R ACHEL IS GOING to make me a dress,” Alicia said. They were at the front door, watching as Cord’s surrey moved from in front of the house. Jason leaned on the fence, watching them head out of sight.
“I’ll give you money for the material,” Jake told herquickly. “Or else just put it on my credit at the general store.”
“No.” One word sliced between them, and Jake jerked his head back to look up at her.
“Why the hell not?”
“Please don’t curse at me,” she said stiffly. “I was taught not to use such language. And my reasons for buying my own wedding dress should be obvious, even to you.”
“Well, obviously they aren’t. I have a running bill at the store, and you have the right to use my credit.”
“I’m not your wife yet, Jake. And until I am, I’ll provide for my own needs. No one will say I’ve married you for what you can give me.”
He was silent, and then he nodded. “All right. I can understand your thinking. As to the other, I’m sorry I insulted you with my language. I’ll try to clean it up.”
She looked down at him in surprise. “Is this Jake McPherson I’m talking to? Where did all this sweetness and light come from?”
“Maybe I’m pleased that my brother will stand up for me at our wedding, and I’ll be just one less responsibility for him to worry about. You may not be marrying me for what I can give you, Alicia, but I fear my motives are not altogether pure.”
She frowned. “And what does that mean?”
“Having you in my life will free Cord up from thevisits he’s felt obliged to make, checking up on me and seeing to things I haven’t been able to take care of.”
“Are you sure he feels an obligation to look after you, Jake?” she asked. “Did you ever consider that maybe he loves you and enjoys spending time with you?”
Jake shrugged diffidently. “Maybe, to a point. Nonetheless, having you here to do the shopping and banking, and just dealing with the everyday household business will make my life a hell—” He stopped suddenly and grinned.
“See there? I’ll have to work hard at the language thing, Alicia. Anyway, you know what I mean, I hope. I’m planning on taking shameful advantage of you…and your good nature.” The last was spoken with a touch of sarcasm.
“I’m nice every once in a while,” she told him, pleased that he was becoming comfortable with their decision. That was the bottom line, she thought. They should enter this marriage with the right attitude, knowing and understanding what each stood to gain.
She moved into the parlor and heard Jake’s chair following her. Choosing a seat on the couch, she waited until he drew near and then spoke quietly.
“I want to ask you about something,” she said, having decided on the spur of the moment that she’d put this encounter off long enough. “I don’t know muchabout your life before three years ago, but I’ve heard
Melody looked long and hard at her uncle Jake, then back at Alicia. Her smile was subtle, her expression more adult than child as she nodded her acceptance. “Shall we call you Miss Merriweather in school?” she asked.
“There are only a few days left to worry about it, but I think that might be wise,” Alicia answered. “You don’t mind, do you?”
Melody’s expressive face held a touch of sorrow. “No. Aunt Rena wouldn’t, either. She always wanted everybody she loved to be happy.” As if that solved the whole thing, she turned to the sink to wash her hands for supper.
Cord set aside his disapproval with a wave of his hand as Jake murmured something for his brother’s ears alone. “I know. It’s all right,” he answered, and then held out his hand. Jake took it, and then was obviously stunned when his brother bent low and hugged him instead. “It’s all right,” Cord repeated aloud.
“R ACHEL IS GOING to make me a dress,” Alicia said. They were at the front door, watching as Cord’s surrey moved from in front of the house. Jason leaned on the fence, watching them head out of sight.
“I’ll give you money for the material,” Jake told herquickly. “Or else just put it on my credit at the general store.”
“No.” One word sliced between them, and Jake jerked his head back to look up at her.
“Why the hell not?”
“Please don’t curse at me,” she said stiffly. “I was taught not to use such language. And my reasons for buying my own wedding dress should be obvious, even to you.”
“Well, obviously they aren’t. I have a running bill at the store, and you have the right to use my credit.”
“I’m not your wife yet, Jake. And until I am, I’ll provide for my own needs. No one will say I’ve married you for what you can give me.”
He was silent, and then he nodded. “All right. I can understand your thinking. As to the other, I’m sorry I insulted you with my language. I’ll try to clean it up.”
She looked down at him in surprise. “Is this Jake McPherson I’m talking to? Where did all this sweetness and light come from?”
“Maybe I’m pleased that my brother will stand up for me at our wedding, and I’ll be just one less responsibility for him to worry about. You may not be marrying me for what I can give you, Alicia, but I fear my motives are not altogether pure.”
She frowned. “And what does that mean?”
“Having you in my life will free Cord up from thevisits he’s felt obliged to make, checking up on me and seeing to things I haven’t been able to take care of.”
“Are you sure he feels an obligation to look after you, Jake?” she asked. “Did you ever consider that maybe he loves you and enjoys spending time with you?”
Jake shrugged diffidently. “Maybe, to a point. Nonetheless, having you here to do the shopping and banking, and just dealing with the everyday household business will make my life a hell—” He stopped suddenly and grinned.
“See there? I’ll have to work hard at the language thing, Alicia. Anyway, you know what I mean, I hope. I’m planning on taking shameful advantage of you…and your good nature.” The last was spoken with a touch of sarcasm.
“I’m nice every once in a while,” she told him, pleased that he was becoming comfortable with their decision. That was the bottom line, she thought. They should enter this marriage with the right attitude, knowing and understanding what each stood to gain.
She moved into the parlor and heard Jake’s chair following her. Choosing a seat on the couch, she waited until he drew near and then spoke quietly.
“I want to ask you about something,” she said, having decided on the spur of the moment that she’d put this encounter off long enough. “I don’t know muchabout your life before three years ago, but I’ve heard
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