Jewel continued, ignoring his reaction.
James paused, staring ahead as he guided the horse out of town.
“Even if we had streetcars, you wouldn’t have to ride them.” he said. Jewel didn’t reply, but she looked over at him and smiled.
The buggy wound its way past the outermost shacks of Laramie, to where train tracks were the only thing that interrupted the open scrub. The buggy top was folded down, and Jewel found herself just staring up at the sky, marveling at sheer vastness blueness of it. There had never been this much sky in New York.
“Someday I’ll take you out here at night.” James said suddenly. “The stars aren’t bad to look at.”
“You must see a lot of them out here.” Jewel said. “The lights are always lit in New York.”
James reigned in the horse atop a small rise, and they sat there, looking out over mountains.
“You know, James, you never have told me what you think of me. Now that you’ve had a chance to spend time with me, I’d like to know.” Jewel said after a little while.
James paused before answering. He didn’t look at her, but said. “I think you’re fairly pretty.”
Jewel laughed, blushing. If the milky way itself wasn’t bad to look at, fairly pretty was high praise indeed. James sat quietly beside her, seeming to stew in his suit. She hoped her laughter hadn’t hurt his feelings.
“I’m not good at talking.” he said abruptly.
“An odd admission for a lawyer.” Jewel said, gently. James scowled at her. She reached out and took his hand. She knew this was forward, but her awkward Mr. Harland might need some help. Before she wrote him off, she wanted to give him a chance. Well, another chance.
“I’m sure you noticed that my parents are, well, I guess their cordial to each other at best.” he said, a grimace flashing across his face. “I don’t really know how to talk to people. Especially someone I like.”
“So you like me, then.” Jewel said as she nodded. She laughed again. He looked a little hurt. She’d have to give him more time to catch up, she realized.
“Well, you’re talking to me now,” she said quickly. “And you’re doing quite well. I’m enjoying talking to you, James.”
James snorted. “You’re probably the only woman in Laramie who’s ever said that. I’ve gravely insulted every female I’ve ever had a conversation with, according to them. A great number of the men, too, to be honest.”
“You didn’t mean to, did you? You weren’t being intentionally rude, were you?” Jewel asked. James might have been a little rough around the edges, but he certainly wasn’t malicious. Or slimy. she thought, Mr. Pendleton rising in her memory.
“No. I don’t want to be rude to anybody. It just sort of happens.” James crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat and looking up at the expansive sky.
“Your letters were lovely,” Jewel blushed a little as she spoke. “I have to admit I was a little surprised when I got here and you were so stoic. But I really could see a lovely soul in your letters. You were reserved, but sweet. I loved your letters, obviously, or I wouldn’t be here.”
“It’s a lot easier to talk to someone on paper than in person. I can rewrite a letter as many times as I need to until it comes out right.” James shook his head. “That’s probably why you’re the only woman who doesn’t think I’m a scoundrel.”
“It was still you who thought up all those words,” Jewel pointed out. “You’re a good man, under the cactus spines. And I’ve grown quite fond of you.” Jewel smiled at him again. She was trying to remain as positive as possible. She felt like James needed it and she knew she did.
James grimaced, looking guilty.
“That just makes me feel terrible. I’ve not been completely honest with you. I only need a wife for practicality’s sake. I wasn’t looking for someone I’d get along with.” James said.
Jewel gave him a gentle swat on the arm. “There, now. It’s
James paused, staring ahead as he guided the horse out of town.
“Even if we had streetcars, you wouldn’t have to ride them.” he said. Jewel didn’t reply, but she looked over at him and smiled.
The buggy wound its way past the outermost shacks of Laramie, to where train tracks were the only thing that interrupted the open scrub. The buggy top was folded down, and Jewel found herself just staring up at the sky, marveling at sheer vastness blueness of it. There had never been this much sky in New York.
“Someday I’ll take you out here at night.” James said suddenly. “The stars aren’t bad to look at.”
“You must see a lot of them out here.” Jewel said. “The lights are always lit in New York.”
James reigned in the horse atop a small rise, and they sat there, looking out over mountains.
“You know, James, you never have told me what you think of me. Now that you’ve had a chance to spend time with me, I’d like to know.” Jewel said after a little while.
James paused before answering. He didn’t look at her, but said. “I think you’re fairly pretty.”
Jewel laughed, blushing. If the milky way itself wasn’t bad to look at, fairly pretty was high praise indeed. James sat quietly beside her, seeming to stew in his suit. She hoped her laughter hadn’t hurt his feelings.
“I’m not good at talking.” he said abruptly.
“An odd admission for a lawyer.” Jewel said, gently. James scowled at her. She reached out and took his hand. She knew this was forward, but her awkward Mr. Harland might need some help. Before she wrote him off, she wanted to give him a chance. Well, another chance.
“I’m sure you noticed that my parents are, well, I guess their cordial to each other at best.” he said, a grimace flashing across his face. “I don’t really know how to talk to people. Especially someone I like.”
“So you like me, then.” Jewel said as she nodded. She laughed again. He looked a little hurt. She’d have to give him more time to catch up, she realized.
“Well, you’re talking to me now,” she said quickly. “And you’re doing quite well. I’m enjoying talking to you, James.”
James snorted. “You’re probably the only woman in Laramie who’s ever said that. I’ve gravely insulted every female I’ve ever had a conversation with, according to them. A great number of the men, too, to be honest.”
“You didn’t mean to, did you? You weren’t being intentionally rude, were you?” Jewel asked. James might have been a little rough around the edges, but he certainly wasn’t malicious. Or slimy. she thought, Mr. Pendleton rising in her memory.
“No. I don’t want to be rude to anybody. It just sort of happens.” James crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat and looking up at the expansive sky.
“Your letters were lovely,” Jewel blushed a little as she spoke. “I have to admit I was a little surprised when I got here and you were so stoic. But I really could see a lovely soul in your letters. You were reserved, but sweet. I loved your letters, obviously, or I wouldn’t be here.”
“It’s a lot easier to talk to someone on paper than in person. I can rewrite a letter as many times as I need to until it comes out right.” James shook his head. “That’s probably why you’re the only woman who doesn’t think I’m a scoundrel.”
“It was still you who thought up all those words,” Jewel pointed out. “You’re a good man, under the cactus spines. And I’ve grown quite fond of you.” Jewel smiled at him again. She was trying to remain as positive as possible. She felt like James needed it and she knew she did.
James grimaced, looking guilty.
“That just makes me feel terrible. I’ve not been completely honest with you. I only need a wife for practicality’s sake. I wasn’t looking for someone I’d get along with.” James said.
Jewel gave him a gentle swat on the arm. “There, now. It’s
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