She sounded
almost irritated when she spoke.
"Well, it's not as if you haven't worked for it. I mean,
blacksmith work is hard, and well, that's why I married
you."
It suddenly occurred to Sean as he watched and listened to his wife that she hid her true feelings behind a
mask of irritation when she was upset. Sean was usually
much better at hiding his feelings than she, even if he
did blush every once in a while, and he felt real compassion for the upset he'd caused in her life.
"Would you like to go for a ride in the buggy?" The
question seemed to come out of nowhere, and Sean saw
that she was trying to make amends for what she had
said.
"I think that's a great idea."
"Good," Charlie replied, looking so relieved that Sean
smiled. "Sadie doesn't expect us for a good two hours, so
we have plenty of time."
Not for a moment did Charlie consider asking Sean to
pull the buggy out or hitch the horse. She had gone out
ahead of him and was almost finished by the time he
arrived. He stood by rather helplessly as she climbed
aboard, and couldn't help but remember how often he'd
seen Rigg lift Kaitlin into the wagon. Kaitlin had seemed
to expect it, and he knew Rigg enjoyed doing this small
service for his wife.
As usual, none of these feelings showed on his face,
and Charlie simply looked at him expectantly as she sat
on the seat, holding the reins loosely in her grip.
Sean climbed aboard and they headed out the back
doors. The day was growing hot, but the top was in good
shape. The canopy afforded them plenty of protection
from the sun. Cooper's Livery also had a surrey, but
there was no need for the extra seat, and it had no top.
Sean got to thinking about what fine equipment and
horses the livery had, and said as much to Charlie.
"That's the way my grandfather liked things," she
explained. "He believed that if you invested in your own
business, people would trust you to do right by them,
thus expanding and paying you back for your investment."
"He sounds like he had a good head for business. I
take it your grandfather is no longer living."
"He died six years ago. I've been running things on
my own ever since."
'And doing a good job, from what I've seen."
Charlie smiled at the compliment, and Sean leaned
back in the seat to watch what he could see of her profile.
He began to wonder why she was so seldom without her
hat. And why, when she obviously had such a prosperous business, she didn't buy clothes that fit.
Her blouse was so full it seemed she might be able to
fit another person inside, and her skirt, although the
proper length, seemed to have an unusual number of
gathers at the waist. The more he thought about it, the
more sense it made. After all, she had a very physical
job, and to be confined by tight clothing could hinder
her work.
Charlie talked as the buggy moved through town. She
told Sean about the different people in the area, and once
in a while asked Sean questions, but the conversation never ventured to the personal. It was a very relaxed
time, and Sean was a little surprised when he suddenly
realized Charlie was pulling up in front of Sadie's.
His feeling of contentment evaporated. At that moment, Sean was certain he could relate to those long-ago
Christians as they entered the arena filled with hungry
lions.
nineteen
Tansy Lang was a flirt, and she made no apology
about it. Since she worked in the hotel dining room, it
was unusual that she would even be at Sadie's table for
dinner on Sunday, but she was there, making Sean wish
he wasn't. He had prayed so specifically, asking God to
help him bear up under the hostile looks and words he
was sure to find. But nothing could have prepared him
for Tansy.
She seemed to find it exciting that he'd robbed a bank,
and in her high-pitched voice told him so at least ten
times. Her dress did a fine job of exposing her cleavage.
But it didn't seem to be enough for Tansy, who was intent
on drawing
almost irritated when she spoke.
"Well, it's not as if you haven't worked for it. I mean,
blacksmith work is hard, and well, that's why I married
you."
It suddenly occurred to Sean as he watched and listened to his wife that she hid her true feelings behind a
mask of irritation when she was upset. Sean was usually
much better at hiding his feelings than she, even if he
did blush every once in a while, and he felt real compassion for the upset he'd caused in her life.
"Would you like to go for a ride in the buggy?" The
question seemed to come out of nowhere, and Sean saw
that she was trying to make amends for what she had
said.
"I think that's a great idea."
"Good," Charlie replied, looking so relieved that Sean
smiled. "Sadie doesn't expect us for a good two hours, so
we have plenty of time."
Not for a moment did Charlie consider asking Sean to
pull the buggy out or hitch the horse. She had gone out
ahead of him and was almost finished by the time he
arrived. He stood by rather helplessly as she climbed
aboard, and couldn't help but remember how often he'd
seen Rigg lift Kaitlin into the wagon. Kaitlin had seemed
to expect it, and he knew Rigg enjoyed doing this small
service for his wife.
As usual, none of these feelings showed on his face,
and Charlie simply looked at him expectantly as she sat
on the seat, holding the reins loosely in her grip.
Sean climbed aboard and they headed out the back
doors. The day was growing hot, but the top was in good
shape. The canopy afforded them plenty of protection
from the sun. Cooper's Livery also had a surrey, but
there was no need for the extra seat, and it had no top.
Sean got to thinking about what fine equipment and
horses the livery had, and said as much to Charlie.
"That's the way my grandfather liked things," she
explained. "He believed that if you invested in your own
business, people would trust you to do right by them,
thus expanding and paying you back for your investment."
"He sounds like he had a good head for business. I
take it your grandfather is no longer living."
"He died six years ago. I've been running things on
my own ever since."
'And doing a good job, from what I've seen."
Charlie smiled at the compliment, and Sean leaned
back in the seat to watch what he could see of her profile.
He began to wonder why she was so seldom without her
hat. And why, when she obviously had such a prosperous business, she didn't buy clothes that fit.
Her blouse was so full it seemed she might be able to
fit another person inside, and her skirt, although the
proper length, seemed to have an unusual number of
gathers at the waist. The more he thought about it, the
more sense it made. After all, she had a very physical
job, and to be confined by tight clothing could hinder
her work.
Charlie talked as the buggy moved through town. She
told Sean about the different people in the area, and once
in a while asked Sean questions, but the conversation never ventured to the personal. It was a very relaxed
time, and Sean was a little surprised when he suddenly
realized Charlie was pulling up in front of Sadie's.
His feeling of contentment evaporated. At that moment, Sean was certain he could relate to those long-ago
Christians as they entered the arena filled with hungry
lions.
nineteen
Tansy Lang was a flirt, and she made no apology
about it. Since she worked in the hotel dining room, it
was unusual that she would even be at Sadie's table for
dinner on Sunday, but she was there, making Sean wish
he wasn't. He had prayed so specifically, asking God to
help him bear up under the hostile looks and words he
was sure to find. But nothing could have prepared him
for Tansy.
She seemed to find it exciting that he'd robbed a bank,
and in her high-pitched voice told him so at least ten
times. Her dress did a fine job of exposing her cleavage.
But it didn't seem to be enough for Tansy, who was intent
on drawing
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