Trust me, you are neither.”
“ It’s not fair for you not to tell me what you said,” Stella said again.
“ There are lots of things in life that aren’t fair.”
Stella laughed and leaned against the fence surrounding her sheep. She’d nearly forgotten the reason she had come outside was to show Christopher how to shear them.
“ I’m glad Josiah had to go care for a patient this morning,” she said, to her own surprise. She turned bright red and stared at the ground. “Please forgive me, I never should have said such a thing. I don’t know what came over me.”
“ It’s alright.”
“ No, it isn’t. I’ve no right to talk of my husband that way. I can’t imagine what you must think of me.”
“ I think very highly of you. Always have.”
Stella turned away from him, and Christopher was sure he saw the glint of a tear in her eye.
“ Your husband doesn’t treat you very kindly, does he?”
Stella turned back around. “Why do you say that? Josiah has always taken care of me.”
“ Why did you marry him?”
“ What do you mean why did I marry him? Why does any woman marry a man?” Stella stepped back and squared her shoulders. “Listen, Mr. Casey, I do apologize for my earlier words. I’d never criticize my husband. I’m sure now I’ve given you the wrong impression.”
“ And I apologize for offending you, Mrs. Winslow. You and your husband have been very kind to me. Forgive me, please.”
Stella cleared her throat. “I do forgive you, and again ask for your forgiveness as well.” She opened the gate of the field and stepped inside, Henry at her heels. “Shall we get to the sheep now? I fear we’ve wasted enough time already.”
Christopher bowed slightly and followed her through the gate. “I’m at your service.”
****
Josiah pulled Grover over to the side of the road in front of his home and watched Stella attempting to teach the Irishman how to shear a sheep. The sheep kicked Casey with both hind legs and wiggled out of his grasp, which caused him to fall on his rear end as the sheep galloped to the other end of the field. Josiah seethed as he watched Stella laugh so hard she was doubled over and clutching at her stomach with one hand while clutching the fence post with the other to keep her balance.
He couldn’t remember when he’d last seen her smile, let alone laugh. To him, she was a sour and morose child. Her attitude only made him miss his real wife Lillian more.
But apparently the only thing his current wife needed to change her demeanor and make her happy was a strapping young man in her company. He’d always felt twice his age around Stella and regretted more than once his decision to marry her when he needed a wife and she needed someone to take care of her. What had he been thinking, marrying a 15 year old girl at his age?
Josiah knew he’d let his good feelings for Stella’s parents get in the way of his common sense. But in spite of her young age, he’d never imagined she’d make a fool out of him by throwing herself at this mucker who washed up onto their island uninvited and unwanted. He’d had a duty as a doctor to care for the boy, but he’d never intended to bring him into his life and home. Not even in the barn. And he’d certainly never expected to find his wife cavorting with him. He’d thought Stella’s parents had raised her better.
Josiah sighed and rubbed his hand along Grover’s mane. It was just one more in a long line of disappointments in his marriage. Stella was nothing like his beloved Lillian, a God fearing woman of taste and discretion. Josiah himself would never forgive God for taking Lillian away from him.
He winced as he heard the sounds of Stella and Christopher laughing together now as the boy finally managed to hold on to the sheep long enough to shear off a length of wool from its body. He scowled, wondering why he had ever even agreed to let Stella keep the damn sheep. She didn’t make enough from the
“ It’s not fair for you not to tell me what you said,” Stella said again.
“ There are lots of things in life that aren’t fair.”
Stella laughed and leaned against the fence surrounding her sheep. She’d nearly forgotten the reason she had come outside was to show Christopher how to shear them.
“ I’m glad Josiah had to go care for a patient this morning,” she said, to her own surprise. She turned bright red and stared at the ground. “Please forgive me, I never should have said such a thing. I don’t know what came over me.”
“ It’s alright.”
“ No, it isn’t. I’ve no right to talk of my husband that way. I can’t imagine what you must think of me.”
“ I think very highly of you. Always have.”
Stella turned away from him, and Christopher was sure he saw the glint of a tear in her eye.
“ Your husband doesn’t treat you very kindly, does he?”
Stella turned back around. “Why do you say that? Josiah has always taken care of me.”
“ Why did you marry him?”
“ What do you mean why did I marry him? Why does any woman marry a man?” Stella stepped back and squared her shoulders. “Listen, Mr. Casey, I do apologize for my earlier words. I’d never criticize my husband. I’m sure now I’ve given you the wrong impression.”
“ And I apologize for offending you, Mrs. Winslow. You and your husband have been very kind to me. Forgive me, please.”
Stella cleared her throat. “I do forgive you, and again ask for your forgiveness as well.” She opened the gate of the field and stepped inside, Henry at her heels. “Shall we get to the sheep now? I fear we’ve wasted enough time already.”
Christopher bowed slightly and followed her through the gate. “I’m at your service.”
****
Josiah pulled Grover over to the side of the road in front of his home and watched Stella attempting to teach the Irishman how to shear a sheep. The sheep kicked Casey with both hind legs and wiggled out of his grasp, which caused him to fall on his rear end as the sheep galloped to the other end of the field. Josiah seethed as he watched Stella laugh so hard she was doubled over and clutching at her stomach with one hand while clutching the fence post with the other to keep her balance.
He couldn’t remember when he’d last seen her smile, let alone laugh. To him, she was a sour and morose child. Her attitude only made him miss his real wife Lillian more.
But apparently the only thing his current wife needed to change her demeanor and make her happy was a strapping young man in her company. He’d always felt twice his age around Stella and regretted more than once his decision to marry her when he needed a wife and she needed someone to take care of her. What had he been thinking, marrying a 15 year old girl at his age?
Josiah knew he’d let his good feelings for Stella’s parents get in the way of his common sense. But in spite of her young age, he’d never imagined she’d make a fool out of him by throwing herself at this mucker who washed up onto their island uninvited and unwanted. He’d had a duty as a doctor to care for the boy, but he’d never intended to bring him into his life and home. Not even in the barn. And he’d certainly never expected to find his wife cavorting with him. He’d thought Stella’s parents had raised her better.
Josiah sighed and rubbed his hand along Grover’s mane. It was just one more in a long line of disappointments in his marriage. Stella was nothing like his beloved Lillian, a God fearing woman of taste and discretion. Josiah himself would never forgive God for taking Lillian away from him.
He winced as he heard the sounds of Stella and Christopher laughing together now as the boy finally managed to hold on to the sheep long enough to shear off a length of wool from its body. He scowled, wondering why he had ever even agreed to let Stella keep the damn sheep. She didn’t make enough from the
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