help her from the wagon and a polite offer of his arm. Still, they’d signeda marriage license. And surely he’d noticed that baffling attraction between them at the café.
She wrung her hands in her lap while the pie and noodles waged war in her stomach. He’d better keep his distance. They’d only scarcely met.
Desperate to end the silence between them, she said, “I don’t mean to criticize, but Mr. Sorenson’s ledger could use some organizing.”
“Sorenson has a heart of gold, not a head for bookkeeping. He asks me for advice, but can’t seem to implement it. Sometimes I think the store is too much for him.”
Elizabeth’s heart skipped a beat. Could this be the solution for earning the money to bring Robby to New Harmony?
“We’re not far from my place.” In the gloom, Ted’s deep voice made her jump. “Sorry, did I scare you?”
“I don’t frighten that easily.”
“Me, either,” he promised.
She stiffened. “You should be scared, at least of me.”
“Oh, I thought you only had a teeny temper. I’m not afraid of that.” He chuckled. “Appears my wife’s the timid one.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.” He tipped a finger under her chin for a brief, heart-stopping moment and then went back to the reins. “I don’t see any other wives around, do you?”
“Well, maybe I am, a little.”
He laughed. “Thank goodness, because I’m terrified of you.”
Laughter burst out of her into the clear night air. For the first time in ages she felt more in control of her situation.
She cocked her head at her new husband. “You’re a handsome man, Ted Logan. And from what I’ve seen of New Harmony, probably the most eligible male in town.”
Eligible for Chicago, too. Anywhere. But she wouldn’t tell him that.
He looked mildly uncomfortable with her appraisal. “I’m a married man, remember?”
As if she could forget.
“Why would you advertise for a wife when I suspect you could’ve had Agnes, probably a number of other women, too, by simply saying the word?”
He cleared his throat. “I thought it better to marry for convenience rather than marry someone who’d expect love.”
Obviously Ted held no illusions that this marriage would lead to love. Good. Love wasn’t her goal, either. She only wanted a happy home for Robby.
“Would you be marrying anyone if you didn’t have two children to care for?”
The reins hung limp in his hands. “No.”
“That makes you as desperate as I am.”
He flashed some teeth, pearly white in his tan face. “Reckon so. So why did you decide to take Sally’s place?”
That quickly Ted gained the upper hand. Unaccustomed to feeling out of control with beaux, too young, too old or too self-absorbed to be taken seriously, Elizabeth’s brow puckered.
“I came to Iowa to…” She took in a deep breath. “To get away from a marriage my father arranged…to a much older man, a man I couldn’t stomach marrying.”
“Why would your father insist you marry someone like that?”
“Money. The man’s rich.” She sighed. “So I ran.”
“Into marriage with me. Guess I should be flattered you consider me the lesser of two evils.”
“To be honest, I’d planned to find a job here, not a husband. But one look at the town destroyed that strategy.”
He chuckled. “No danger of getting a swelled head with you around. Not sure I’ve ever met a female like you.”
Ted’s tone held a hint of awe. Did he understand the tediumof propriety, the yearning for something she couldn’t name? “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
He reached across the space between them and brushed a tendril of hair off her neck. “You know, Mrs. Logan, this marriage might just be fun.”
His wife scooted about as far from Ted as she could get without tumbling from the wagon. Not a typical bride. But then not a typical wedding, either.
He stood over six foot tall. Hard work had broadened his shoulders and strengthened the muscles in his arms, an ox of a
She wrung her hands in her lap while the pie and noodles waged war in her stomach. He’d better keep his distance. They’d only scarcely met.
Desperate to end the silence between them, she said, “I don’t mean to criticize, but Mr. Sorenson’s ledger could use some organizing.”
“Sorenson has a heart of gold, not a head for bookkeeping. He asks me for advice, but can’t seem to implement it. Sometimes I think the store is too much for him.”
Elizabeth’s heart skipped a beat. Could this be the solution for earning the money to bring Robby to New Harmony?
“We’re not far from my place.” In the gloom, Ted’s deep voice made her jump. “Sorry, did I scare you?”
“I don’t frighten that easily.”
“Me, either,” he promised.
She stiffened. “You should be scared, at least of me.”
“Oh, I thought you only had a teeny temper. I’m not afraid of that.” He chuckled. “Appears my wife’s the timid one.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.” He tipped a finger under her chin for a brief, heart-stopping moment and then went back to the reins. “I don’t see any other wives around, do you?”
“Well, maybe I am, a little.”
He laughed. “Thank goodness, because I’m terrified of you.”
Laughter burst out of her into the clear night air. For the first time in ages she felt more in control of her situation.
She cocked her head at her new husband. “You’re a handsome man, Ted Logan. And from what I’ve seen of New Harmony, probably the most eligible male in town.”
Eligible for Chicago, too. Anywhere. But she wouldn’t tell him that.
He looked mildly uncomfortable with her appraisal. “I’m a married man, remember?”
As if she could forget.
“Why would you advertise for a wife when I suspect you could’ve had Agnes, probably a number of other women, too, by simply saying the word?”
He cleared his throat. “I thought it better to marry for convenience rather than marry someone who’d expect love.”
Obviously Ted held no illusions that this marriage would lead to love. Good. Love wasn’t her goal, either. She only wanted a happy home for Robby.
“Would you be marrying anyone if you didn’t have two children to care for?”
The reins hung limp in his hands. “No.”
“That makes you as desperate as I am.”
He flashed some teeth, pearly white in his tan face. “Reckon so. So why did you decide to take Sally’s place?”
That quickly Ted gained the upper hand. Unaccustomed to feeling out of control with beaux, too young, too old or too self-absorbed to be taken seriously, Elizabeth’s brow puckered.
“I came to Iowa to…” She took in a deep breath. “To get away from a marriage my father arranged…to a much older man, a man I couldn’t stomach marrying.”
“Why would your father insist you marry someone like that?”
“Money. The man’s rich.” She sighed. “So I ran.”
“Into marriage with me. Guess I should be flattered you consider me the lesser of two evils.”
“To be honest, I’d planned to find a job here, not a husband. But one look at the town destroyed that strategy.”
He chuckled. “No danger of getting a swelled head with you around. Not sure I’ve ever met a female like you.”
Ted’s tone held a hint of awe. Did he understand the tediumof propriety, the yearning for something she couldn’t name? “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
He reached across the space between them and brushed a tendril of hair off her neck. “You know, Mrs. Logan, this marriage might just be fun.”
His wife scooted about as far from Ted as she could get without tumbling from the wagon. Not a typical bride. But then not a typical wedding, either.
He stood over six foot tall. Hard work had broadened his shoulders and strengthened the muscles in his arms, an ox of a
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