start.
“No. He builds furniture. He was disappointed that I didn’t choose to carry on the family business, and they’d about given up hope of me ever carrying on the family name.”
His words came out with a tang of bitterness as unplanned as it was unwise. He scrambled to recover from the blunder of pressing her to provide.
“They’ll be thrilled to learn a new Dodge is on the way.”
Starla went alarmingly still. The hand that wore his ring pressed unbidden to her still flat middle. She spoke in a colorless monotone. “But my child won’t be a Dodge except in name.”
It was his turn to react with a defensive agitation. “Well, that may be the best they’re ever going to get.”
Starla wasn’t sure how to interpret his sudden flash of temper. Was he angry because they were trying to foist an illegitimate baby off as his own? That hurt. She winced for both herself and her unborn child.
Then she considered his words more carefully, and the extent of his annoyance. He attacked his meal with the fierceness of one devouring an enemy.
She knew little of his injury beyond the fact that it had lamed him. Was the damage more severe than she’d been told? Did he fear or did he know for sure that he couldn’t father any offspring of his own?
Was he too ashamed to admit to what most would consider a tragedy, but which to her would be seen as a blessed relief?
Was that why he’d been so eager to wed her by making such bold promises? Like a brother … was that all he could be?
She had no idea how to ask, and then no opportunity as a care-worn woman peered into the bank. Dodge immediately became all charming and businesslike.
“Afternoon, ma’am. Can I help you with something?”
The woman looked behind her furtively, then stepped inside. “My name is Wheeler.”
Dodge cleared his desk of his remaining dinner, making no complaint about not finishing. “Mrs. Cameron Wheeler? You own that plot out by the river.”
Encouraged that he knew who she was, Ella Wheeler came closer. Her anxiety rolled off her in palpable waves. “My Cam, he don’t know I come here. But I gots to talk to you, Mr.—?”
“Dodge. Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Wheeler. This is my wife, Starla—”
“Fairfax?” Ella’s eyes widened. But her troubles were obviously too great to take second place to speculation. “Mr. Dodge, I gots five little ‘uns at home and the bank’s about to take everythingwe own. I don’t know what else we can do.”
A handkerchief was passed from banker to weeping woman.
“Mrs. Wheeler, please sit down.” Dodge glanced at the file on his desk, then up at Starla. “Mrs. Wheeler and I need to have a talk. Would you mind leaving us alone for a minute?”
Starla felt an instant of rebuff, then swooped down to gather the remnants of the meal she’d provided. Dodge continued as if she’d already gone.
“Mrs. Wheeler, you grow vegetables, am I right? Well, ma’am, I’m not much of a vegetable fancier. They’re all right in stews and such, but I don’t know what I’d do with acres of them. I’d have to pay someone to pick and sell them or take the time to plow the crops under and turn them to something I’d use. Ma’am, I just don’t have time for such things right now. You’d be doing me a big favor by keeping your farm and working it so I don’t have to deal with it.”
Ella Wheeler blinked swollen eyes at him, the first vestiges of hope beginning to glow there. “But we can’t pay the note and the taxes are coming due—”
Dodge smiled, the gesture radiating enough warmth to nurture the Wheelers’ crops and the wan woman’s dreams. “What if the bank was to extend your note and cover the taxes for now, just for now, until you can sell your produce and take care of your family’s needs?”
Ella drew a shaky breath, but her optimism dampened. “My Cam, he be a proud man. Hewon’t take no charity. Not from no Yan—” She broke off, flushing slightly.
“Good. Then I know
“No. He builds furniture. He was disappointed that I didn’t choose to carry on the family business, and they’d about given up hope of me ever carrying on the family name.”
His words came out with a tang of bitterness as unplanned as it was unwise. He scrambled to recover from the blunder of pressing her to provide.
“They’ll be thrilled to learn a new Dodge is on the way.”
Starla went alarmingly still. The hand that wore his ring pressed unbidden to her still flat middle. She spoke in a colorless monotone. “But my child won’t be a Dodge except in name.”
It was his turn to react with a defensive agitation. “Well, that may be the best they’re ever going to get.”
Starla wasn’t sure how to interpret his sudden flash of temper. Was he angry because they were trying to foist an illegitimate baby off as his own? That hurt. She winced for both herself and her unborn child.
Then she considered his words more carefully, and the extent of his annoyance. He attacked his meal with the fierceness of one devouring an enemy.
She knew little of his injury beyond the fact that it had lamed him. Was the damage more severe than she’d been told? Did he fear or did he know for sure that he couldn’t father any offspring of his own?
Was he too ashamed to admit to what most would consider a tragedy, but which to her would be seen as a blessed relief?
Was that why he’d been so eager to wed her by making such bold promises? Like a brother … was that all he could be?
She had no idea how to ask, and then no opportunity as a care-worn woman peered into the bank. Dodge immediately became all charming and businesslike.
“Afternoon, ma’am. Can I help you with something?”
The woman looked behind her furtively, then stepped inside. “My name is Wheeler.”
Dodge cleared his desk of his remaining dinner, making no complaint about not finishing. “Mrs. Cameron Wheeler? You own that plot out by the river.”
Encouraged that he knew who she was, Ella Wheeler came closer. Her anxiety rolled off her in palpable waves. “My Cam, he don’t know I come here. But I gots to talk to you, Mr.—?”
“Dodge. Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Wheeler. This is my wife, Starla—”
“Fairfax?” Ella’s eyes widened. But her troubles were obviously too great to take second place to speculation. “Mr. Dodge, I gots five little ‘uns at home and the bank’s about to take everythingwe own. I don’t know what else we can do.”
A handkerchief was passed from banker to weeping woman.
“Mrs. Wheeler, please sit down.” Dodge glanced at the file on his desk, then up at Starla. “Mrs. Wheeler and I need to have a talk. Would you mind leaving us alone for a minute?”
Starla felt an instant of rebuff, then swooped down to gather the remnants of the meal she’d provided. Dodge continued as if she’d already gone.
“Mrs. Wheeler, you grow vegetables, am I right? Well, ma’am, I’m not much of a vegetable fancier. They’re all right in stews and such, but I don’t know what I’d do with acres of them. I’d have to pay someone to pick and sell them or take the time to plow the crops under and turn them to something I’d use. Ma’am, I just don’t have time for such things right now. You’d be doing me a big favor by keeping your farm and working it so I don’t have to deal with it.”
Ella Wheeler blinked swollen eyes at him, the first vestiges of hope beginning to glow there. “But we can’t pay the note and the taxes are coming due—”
Dodge smiled, the gesture radiating enough warmth to nurture the Wheelers’ crops and the wan woman’s dreams. “What if the bank was to extend your note and cover the taxes for now, just for now, until you can sell your produce and take care of your family’s needs?”
Ella drew a shaky breath, but her optimism dampened. “My Cam, he be a proud man. Hewon’t take no charity. Not from no Yan—” She broke off, flushing slightly.
“Good. Then I know
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