Indians will be so enthralled they'll let us pass by unmolested."
Large tears welled up in Johanna's brown eyes as she looked to the others for support. "It is unkind of you to make fun of my beliefs." Her light brown hair was as curly as Barbara's but she'd tamed it by pulling it atop her head in a firm knot before putting on her bonnet.
"Miss Stewart seems to have several views I don't share, Johanna. I'm certain your faith is your own business and you need not concern yourself with the rudeness of others," Gabrielle said sympathetically.
"Are you calling me rude?" Iris' dark eyes flashed with anger as she challenged Gabrielle to defend herself or withdraw her remark and apologize.
Gabrielle thought the dark-haired Iris a most unusual choice for Clayton Home to have made as she seemed so different in temperament from the rest of them. Gabrielle had watched all the young women as they'd sorted through their luggage and bid their farewells, she'd had nothing else to occupy her attention. The vast majority of the prospective brides were blondes, and pretty petite ones. While a few, like Iris, had dark hair, she was the lone redhead. For as long as she could remember her aunt had tried unsuccessfully to squelch her continuous defiance and had blamed the vibrant hue of her niece's hair for her failure to do so. Gabrielle had never considered herself to be hot tempered, but being accustomed to
arguments she was not in the least put off by Iris' threatening stare.
*To criticize Johanna, as you just have, was unforgivably rude. Miss Stewart, there's simply no other way to describe it."
Seething with rage. Iris looked at the others in the carriage, hoping to find an ally, but seeing the innocence of their expressions she knew she was defeated for the moment so she turned away. However, she vowed she'd pay Gabrielle back for that insult at the first opportunity.
Barbara Renwick waited only a moment to be certain Iris was not going to respond and then she attempted to turn the conversation in a more pleasant direction. "Quite frankly, since so many fine young men have left Missouri for Oregon or Gilifornia, or have joined the Army to fight in the Mexican War, I despaired of ever finding a suitable mate. I thought Mr. Home's advertisement too good an opportunity to miss. Did you all think the same thing?"
"No!" Iris replied in a vicious whis[)er but she refused to expand upon that comment.
"I simply wanted to go to Oregon," Gabrielle said, revealing no clue as to the motivation for her actions. She'd promised herself never to reveal the story of her lost love to another soul. She was desperately sorry she'd confided in Jason Royal when he'd proved to be so unreliable a friend, and she now meant to guard the secrets of her past more carefully.
"I happen to like adventure." Erica joined in brightly and the sparkle in her green eyes revealed her spirit with a merry flash.
Surprisingly, it was Marlene who spoke next. "I was living with my sister and her husband. They have three small children, and while I knew I was a help to them, I wanted a home and family of my own. I'm afraid that I didn't see any other way of meeting a nice man than the one Mr. Home offered." She looked down at her hands, folding them primly in her lap as she prayed Iris would not taunt her again.
*'It was my mother who encouraged me to apply," Margaret explained. ''Her parents had arranged for her to marry my father and they fell in love, so she hoped I would be fortunate too. Since I had met no one else, I did not see what I had to lose in making a bargain with Mr. Home."
When Johanna realized the others were waiting for her to respond she spoke proudly. "I knew a man who would pay for a woman to make such a long journey in order to have a wife would be responsible and I hope devout as well."
Gabrielle had been interested in each of the young women's comments and she smiled as she summarized them aloud, hoping to help herself remember their names as
Large tears welled up in Johanna's brown eyes as she looked to the others for support. "It is unkind of you to make fun of my beliefs." Her light brown hair was as curly as Barbara's but she'd tamed it by pulling it atop her head in a firm knot before putting on her bonnet.
"Miss Stewart seems to have several views I don't share, Johanna. I'm certain your faith is your own business and you need not concern yourself with the rudeness of others," Gabrielle said sympathetically.
"Are you calling me rude?" Iris' dark eyes flashed with anger as she challenged Gabrielle to defend herself or withdraw her remark and apologize.
Gabrielle thought the dark-haired Iris a most unusual choice for Clayton Home to have made as she seemed so different in temperament from the rest of them. Gabrielle had watched all the young women as they'd sorted through their luggage and bid their farewells, she'd had nothing else to occupy her attention. The vast majority of the prospective brides were blondes, and pretty petite ones. While a few, like Iris, had dark hair, she was the lone redhead. For as long as she could remember her aunt had tried unsuccessfully to squelch her continuous defiance and had blamed the vibrant hue of her niece's hair for her failure to do so. Gabrielle had never considered herself to be hot tempered, but being accustomed to
arguments she was not in the least put off by Iris' threatening stare.
*To criticize Johanna, as you just have, was unforgivably rude. Miss Stewart, there's simply no other way to describe it."
Seething with rage. Iris looked at the others in the carriage, hoping to find an ally, but seeing the innocence of their expressions she knew she was defeated for the moment so she turned away. However, she vowed she'd pay Gabrielle back for that insult at the first opportunity.
Barbara Renwick waited only a moment to be certain Iris was not going to respond and then she attempted to turn the conversation in a more pleasant direction. "Quite frankly, since so many fine young men have left Missouri for Oregon or Gilifornia, or have joined the Army to fight in the Mexican War, I despaired of ever finding a suitable mate. I thought Mr. Home's advertisement too good an opportunity to miss. Did you all think the same thing?"
"No!" Iris replied in a vicious whis[)er but she refused to expand upon that comment.
"I simply wanted to go to Oregon," Gabrielle said, revealing no clue as to the motivation for her actions. She'd promised herself never to reveal the story of her lost love to another soul. She was desperately sorry she'd confided in Jason Royal when he'd proved to be so unreliable a friend, and she now meant to guard the secrets of her past more carefully.
"I happen to like adventure." Erica joined in brightly and the sparkle in her green eyes revealed her spirit with a merry flash.
Surprisingly, it was Marlene who spoke next. "I was living with my sister and her husband. They have three small children, and while I knew I was a help to them, I wanted a home and family of my own. I'm afraid that I didn't see any other way of meeting a nice man than the one Mr. Home offered." She looked down at her hands, folding them primly in her lap as she prayed Iris would not taunt her again.
*'It was my mother who encouraged me to apply," Margaret explained. ''Her parents had arranged for her to marry my father and they fell in love, so she hoped I would be fortunate too. Since I had met no one else, I did not see what I had to lose in making a bargain with Mr. Home."
When Johanna realized the others were waiting for her to respond she spoke proudly. "I knew a man who would pay for a woman to make such a long journey in order to have a wife would be responsible and I hope devout as well."
Gabrielle had been interested in each of the young women's comments and she smiled as she summarized them aloud, hoping to help herself remember their names as
Similar Books
