Patience: Bride of Washington (American Mail Order Bride 42) by Caroline Clemmons

produce.”
    “At least with several types of trees, a bad year won’t ruin you.”
    He smiled at her kindly but with the look she’d seen in her father’s eyes when she didn’t understand the gravity of a situation. “A bad year can wipe out every grower in the valley. Of course, I have my real estate and investments but if we have a late hard freeze or for some other reason the crops fail, no one can afford to rent my buildings.”
    Without meaning to, she was sure, he’d made her feel naïve and foolish. “I guess there’s no certainty in life, is there? Still, I love the fresh air and blue sky here. In Lawrence, we had terribly polluted air from all the factories. No wonder my father has a bad cough. I’m surprised everyone in Lawrence doesn’t have one.”
    Emily hurried toward them. “Can I get you coffee or tea?”
    Andrew looked at Patience and waited for her to answer.
    “I’m fine, thank you, Emily.”
    Andrew bowed slightly. “Then shall we continue our tour?”
    Emily asked, “Will there be three for dinner, Mr. Kincaid?”
    He halted with his foot on the bottom stair tread. “If Stone deigns to show up. As to that, your guess is as good as mine.”
    Patience preceded him up the stairs. Now that he’d explained, she could see where additions had been made to the original structure. The effect he’d described as higgledy- piggledy actually pleased her.
    Andrew gestured to his right. “Upstairs, the house has two main wings. The right is where Stone lives.”
    Patience stopped. “I’m not sure he’d approve of me seeing his private space.”
    Andrew waved away her protests. “But he’s not here and this is still my home so look all you wish. Besides, you’ll soon be mistress of this entire house.”
    Stone’s suite of rooms was larger than her family’s entire rented home in Lawrence. She noted that Stone had a bathing room all to himself. What a luxury.
    “His rooms are more austere than the rest of the house. I can picture a studious bachelor here.”
    “You’ve assessed Stone to a T, my dear. He used to be more outgoing but now he’s either up here reading or in the office coming up with business strategies.”
    When they were in the central hall connecting the wings, he said, “The rooms in the middle are guest rooms. We sometimes entertain, although far less since Alice’s death.”
    “They look quite comfortable. Is there a bathing room for this section?”
    “Yes, Alice insisted. There’s also one downstairs for Emily and a powder room for guests. Lucky for us we have a good well.”
    She told him about the four inch mark at the boarding house.
    He laughed out loud. “I was aware Mrs. Shaw could stretch a penny, but I didn’t realize she rationed water. This wing is the master suite and is a mirror of Stone’s. Alice believed we’d be one big happy extended family living here together, bless her.”
    “The idea is a nice one. I’m sorry she didn’t live to see that happen. Perhaps it still will, though.”
    “Kind of you to say, my dear. It’s my hope Stone will marry soon and bring his bride here to live. Can’t tell you how much I want that to happen.”
    She smiled at the idea of pairing him with a series of young women. “Perhaps we can be matchmakers for him.”
    He gave her that fatherly gaze again. “I wonder if that’s possible. We’ll see, won’t we? Now, is there anything up here you’d like to see again? If you’re tired, you can slip into one of the guest rooms and rest until dinner.”
    “No, but if you’re accustomed to a nap, please don’t let me keep you from one. I would love to see the library downstairs.”
    He descended the stairs. “Ah, so pleased to join you there. The most comfortable furniture in the house is in that room. Nothing better than curling up in my wing chair with a good book, is there?”
    She followed him into the library. Since he’d mentioned them, she noted the two wing chairs positioned near the fireplace. A