Read Online Fate's Intervention by Barbara Woster - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara Woster
Ads: Link
didn ’ t. ”
“ So you said, ” Stanharbor smiled. “ Well, the plain truth is, you ’ ve caught my only daughter ’ s eye, young man. She came to me last week and fairly begged me to give you to her. ”
“ I beg your pardon? ”
“ Yeah, I know, ” Stanharbor said, “ kind of took me by surprise as well. Never thought I reared a loose woman. If you don ’ t marry her, it may not be too much longer before her curiosity about the opposite sex gets the better of her. If she defiles herself, she ’ ll ruin her chances of finding a suitable mate. I can ’ t make a match for a soiled tart. ”
“ A nd you consider me a suitable match? A penniless working stiff. ”
“ I admit I don ’ t know you well, but you seem to me to be a man of upstanding moral virtue. ”
“ The n I ’ d say you don ’ t know me at all, ” Matthew said, hoping to dissuade further conversation about marriage. It didn ’ t work.
“ Well, perhaps. Still and all, it would seem that I ’ ve overindulged Elizabeth, being my only daughter and all ; g iven her everything she wanted when she wanted it , and now she wants you ; s o she expects me to give you to her. So, if you don ’ t happen to be a moral man, perhaps a little incentive would work to make you one. ”
“ You are aware of how absurd this conversation is. ”
“ I ’ d agree, if I wasn ’ t completely in earnest. ”
“ Well, in that case, I hope you told her that she couldn ’ t just acquire a husband the way you do a horse. ”
“ On the contrary, young man, ” Stanharbor argued, “ I think you can do just that – for the right price. Which is why I want to know what your price would be for marrying my baby girl? If she ’ s taken with you, as is apparent to both of us, then I ’ ll do what I can to see her happily wed to you. ”
Matthew was finding it difficult to breath . He couldn ’ t believe this was happening to him again. What was it about him that made pubescent girls want to dive into bed with him – or worse, marry him? While he knew his looks were easy on the eye, he didn ’ t think it drove girls to insanity when they hit puberty. At least not until today.
First the accusations by the young girl in Georgia that got him fired, then Louisiana, then West Virginia, Arkansas , Texas, and now the attention of an insane little twit here in Wyoming was going to force him to quit. He ’ d never be able to seek employment with a household that had young women in it again.
“ Well, in that case, sir, I ’ ll make it simple for you. I quit. ”
“ Now, hold on there, son. ” Stanharbor said, “ I didn ’ t mean for you to up and quit. Now rescind that. I need you to keep on working for me. ”
“ I apologize, sir, but I won ’ t marry your daughter, and since she ’ s got her sights set on doing just that, I figure it best to remove myself from those sights. ”
“ But you haven ’ t even heard my incentive yet. She ’ s got a hefty dowry, son. I ’ d even be willing to toss in a plot of land and help you build you a nice little house. I might even consider throwing that stallion I let you ride in on today into the mix. I know how much you ’ ve taken to it since you finished training it last week. It ’ s a good offer, so why not give it some thought, and then decide? ”
The thought of owning White Star free and clear made him pause for a moment, but only for a fraction of a second . He sure was going to miss the mighty stallion when Stanharbor sold it at the auction, but the idea of being shackled to Elizabeth Stanharbor for the rest of his life . . . he shuddered and quickly came to his senses. Maybe if he was lucky, he could purchase White Star as his personal mount. Still, not letting it sell to a stable that needed a good stud would be selfish. White Star was excellent stud quality ; however , if he did manage to obtain the superb beast, it wouldn ’ t be through a marriage to Elizabeth Stanharbor.
“ I ’ m not
“ So you said, ” Stanharbor smiled. “ Well, the plain truth is, you ’ ve caught my only daughter ’ s eye, young man. She came to me last week and fairly begged me to give you to her. ”
“ I beg your pardon? ”
“ Yeah, I know, ” Stanharbor said, “ kind of took me by surprise as well. Never thought I reared a loose woman. If you don ’ t marry her, it may not be too much longer before her curiosity about the opposite sex gets the better of her. If she defiles herself, she ’ ll ruin her chances of finding a suitable mate. I can ’ t make a match for a soiled tart. ”
“ A nd you consider me a suitable match? A penniless working stiff. ”
“ I admit I don ’ t know you well, but you seem to me to be a man of upstanding moral virtue. ”
“ The n I ’ d say you don ’ t know me at all, ” Matthew said, hoping to dissuade further conversation about marriage. It didn ’ t work.
“ Well, perhaps. Still and all, it would seem that I ’ ve overindulged Elizabeth, being my only daughter and all ; g iven her everything she wanted when she wanted it , and now she wants you ; s o she expects me to give you to her. So, if you don ’ t happen to be a moral man, perhaps a little incentive would work to make you one. ”
“ You are aware of how absurd this conversation is. ”
“ I ’ d agree, if I wasn ’ t completely in earnest. ”
“ Well, in that case, I hope you told her that she couldn ’ t just acquire a husband the way you do a horse. ”
“ On the contrary, young man, ” Stanharbor argued, “ I think you can do just that – for the right price. Which is why I want to know what your price would be for marrying my baby girl? If she ’ s taken with you, as is apparent to both of us, then I ’ ll do what I can to see her happily wed to you. ”
Matthew was finding it difficult to breath . He couldn ’ t believe this was happening to him again. What was it about him that made pubescent girls want to dive into bed with him – or worse, marry him? While he knew his looks were easy on the eye, he didn ’ t think it drove girls to insanity when they hit puberty. At least not until today.
First the accusations by the young girl in Georgia that got him fired, then Louisiana, then West Virginia, Arkansas , Texas, and now the attention of an insane little twit here in Wyoming was going to force him to quit. He ’ d never be able to seek employment with a household that had young women in it again.
“ Well, in that case, sir, I ’ ll make it simple for you. I quit. ”
“ Now, hold on there, son. ” Stanharbor said, “ I didn ’ t mean for you to up and quit. Now rescind that. I need you to keep on working for me. ”
“ I apologize, sir, but I won ’ t marry your daughter, and since she ’ s got her sights set on doing just that, I figure it best to remove myself from those sights. ”
“ But you haven ’ t even heard my incentive yet. She ’ s got a hefty dowry, son. I ’ d even be willing to toss in a plot of land and help you build you a nice little house. I might even consider throwing that stallion I let you ride in on today into the mix. I know how much you ’ ve taken to it since you finished training it last week. It ’ s a good offer, so why not give it some thought, and then decide? ”
The thought of owning White Star free and clear made him pause for a moment, but only for a fraction of a second . He sure was going to miss the mighty stallion when Stanharbor sold it at the auction, but the idea of being shackled to Elizabeth Stanharbor for the rest of his life . . . he shuddered and quickly came to his senses. Maybe if he was lucky, he could purchase White Star as his personal mount. Still, not letting it sell to a stable that needed a good stud would be selfish. White Star was excellent stud quality ; however , if he did manage to obtain the superb beast, it wouldn ’ t be through a marriage to Elizabeth Stanharbor.
“ I ’ m not
Similar Books
