Read Online Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings - Free Book Online
Authors: Regina Jennings
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He dropped the roll back in the basket. “I do need to find her, though. There’s a shipment at the store that will interest her.”
Rosa watched the oddly behaved storekeeper hurry away. Was every man in this town addled? She started to push her hair behind her ear but couldn’t with her sticky hands. Thinking that no one was looking, she stuck a finger in her mouth and cleaned it of the sweet sauce.
“Taste good?”
Rosa didn’t place the man immediately, but then she remembered the walk with Molly.
“Mr. Tillerton, I should have expected you here. It seems everyone I’ve met in Prairie Lea attends.” Goodness, but his eyelashes were pale. They almost made his eyes look watery.
“I’m pleased I didn’t disappoint you. To be honest, this is my first Sunday here. Fie on me.” He laughed, not the least bit ashamed. “I know what you’re thinking, but who wants to listen to people tell them what to do all the time?”
“I guess I can understand,” she allowed. “Learning how to behave here has been a challenge. I’m constantly embarrassing my mother-in-law.”
“You, my fair lady? An embarrassment? How so?”
“If I told you, then I’d be breaking a rule, no? Some subjects are not discussed between men and women. Ask Louise.” She took the ladle and stirred the beans again, wishing that he’d never started this conversation.
Mr. Tillerton stroked his moustache. “Very wise, but what do you do if a man is so ill bred as to speak of improper subjects?”
Rosa understood this part of her instructions. Propriety had a lot of gray areas. Punishment did not. “If I can ignore the comment, that’s best, but if the man talks to me directly, I must slap his face, or he won’t think I’m a lady.”
Mr. Tillerton’s eyebrows went up, as if this was new information to him. “I see. That’s good advice, but I have a question.” He leaned across the pot. “If a woman confesses that she’s been insulted, won’t people assume she encouraged the man? Isn’t she somewhat to blame for the recklessness?”
“No. How could she—”
“But she’ll be judged, regardless. The truth might seem unpleasant, but you’ll learn the rules. If you need to slap a man, then go ahead, but never ever tell someone you were compromised, or you’ll never be considered respectable again.”
Rosa narrowed her eyes. “I don’t believe you.”
“Men stare at a woman, and no one blames them. The woman is at fault, even if all she was doing was shifting a wagonload, right?”
She faltered and stirred the beans again. He was right. Why hadn’t the women been mad at their husbands for standing in an alley watching her? Why hadn’t Louise scolded the men instead of her? While it didn’t seem fair, it did sound accurate.
Holding his half empty plate out to her, Mr. Tillerton motioned to the beans. She slopped a mess where he indicated. “I just want to protect you from disgracing yourself. It’s only a kind of game we play, to be honest.” He grinned. “A pinch here, a kiss there. There’s no harm done, unless someone protests publically. That’s being a poor sport.”
“I don’t see how—” she started, but he only laughed at her and walked away.
Rosa watched his lanky form, disturbed by the rules as he interpreted them. Louise hadn’t explained the situation as clearly, but Rosa had noticed that no matter the situation, it was the woman in the wrong. A lady shouldn’t swear. A lady shouldn’t draw attention to herself. A lady shouldn’t show her ankles, or too much of her neck. Women couldn’t even feed their babies if there was a man around.
And the men? They got away with murder.
7
F ROM WHERE HE SAT atop Pandora, Weston’s nose filled with the soot still bellowing out of the smokestack. His brother-in-law, Jake England, had left him to keep an eye on the buggy while he fetched Eliza and her trunk from the train. Whatever he could do to help. Slowly but surely he was getting involved
Rosa watched the oddly behaved storekeeper hurry away. Was every man in this town addled? She started to push her hair behind her ear but couldn’t with her sticky hands. Thinking that no one was looking, she stuck a finger in her mouth and cleaned it of the sweet sauce.
“Taste good?”
Rosa didn’t place the man immediately, but then she remembered the walk with Molly.
“Mr. Tillerton, I should have expected you here. It seems everyone I’ve met in Prairie Lea attends.” Goodness, but his eyelashes were pale. They almost made his eyes look watery.
“I’m pleased I didn’t disappoint you. To be honest, this is my first Sunday here. Fie on me.” He laughed, not the least bit ashamed. “I know what you’re thinking, but who wants to listen to people tell them what to do all the time?”
“I guess I can understand,” she allowed. “Learning how to behave here has been a challenge. I’m constantly embarrassing my mother-in-law.”
“You, my fair lady? An embarrassment? How so?”
“If I told you, then I’d be breaking a rule, no? Some subjects are not discussed between men and women. Ask Louise.” She took the ladle and stirred the beans again, wishing that he’d never started this conversation.
Mr. Tillerton stroked his moustache. “Very wise, but what do you do if a man is so ill bred as to speak of improper subjects?”
Rosa understood this part of her instructions. Propriety had a lot of gray areas. Punishment did not. “If I can ignore the comment, that’s best, but if the man talks to me directly, I must slap his face, or he won’t think I’m a lady.”
Mr. Tillerton’s eyebrows went up, as if this was new information to him. “I see. That’s good advice, but I have a question.” He leaned across the pot. “If a woman confesses that she’s been insulted, won’t people assume she encouraged the man? Isn’t she somewhat to blame for the recklessness?”
“No. How could she—”
“But she’ll be judged, regardless. The truth might seem unpleasant, but you’ll learn the rules. If you need to slap a man, then go ahead, but never ever tell someone you were compromised, or you’ll never be considered respectable again.”
Rosa narrowed her eyes. “I don’t believe you.”
“Men stare at a woman, and no one blames them. The woman is at fault, even if all she was doing was shifting a wagonload, right?”
She faltered and stirred the beans again. He was right. Why hadn’t the women been mad at their husbands for standing in an alley watching her? Why hadn’t Louise scolded the men instead of her? While it didn’t seem fair, it did sound accurate.
Holding his half empty plate out to her, Mr. Tillerton motioned to the beans. She slopped a mess where he indicated. “I just want to protect you from disgracing yourself. It’s only a kind of game we play, to be honest.” He grinned. “A pinch here, a kiss there. There’s no harm done, unless someone protests publically. That’s being a poor sport.”
“I don’t see how—” she started, but he only laughed at her and walked away.
Rosa watched his lanky form, disturbed by the rules as he interpreted them. Louise hadn’t explained the situation as clearly, but Rosa had noticed that no matter the situation, it was the woman in the wrong. A lady shouldn’t swear. A lady shouldn’t draw attention to herself. A lady shouldn’t show her ankles, or too much of her neck. Women couldn’t even feed their babies if there was a man around.
And the men? They got away with murder.
7
F ROM WHERE HE SAT atop Pandora, Weston’s nose filled with the soot still bellowing out of the smokestack. His brother-in-law, Jake England, had left him to keep an eye on the buggy while he fetched Eliza and her trunk from the train. Whatever he could do to help. Slowly but surely he was getting involved
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