Page 17 of Willing to Wed the Rancher
She sighed. “I tried to tell him, but I didn’t do a good enough job. And so he assumed that I was willing.”
“The Eric I remember could also be very persuasive when he wanted something.” A twinge of bitterness edged Franz’s statement. Did this have to do with the rift she’d sensed when Eric had talked about his brother not answering his letters?
“It’s my fault,” she persisted. “I didn’t clarify my position. So he went to his solicitor and had his will made out to me.”
There, she’d said everything, and now Franz would hate her.
His eyes were a dark blue, the color of the mountain peaks just after sunset. And they were wide and open and contained nothing but kindness.
“You’re not upset at me?”
“Why would I be upset?”
“If you want the land and the cabin and the children, you have more of a right to them than I do. I’ll go to the solicitor and have everything put in your name.”
He glanced out the open doorway and watched Dieter and Bianca.
She followed his gaze to where Dieter had stopped and was holding a butterfly on a finger while showing it to Bianca. “I believe you would be a good father to them.”
“They like you,” he said softly.
“And I like them. But you’re their family.” She shifted to find that Franz was already looking at her again. “I’m just their teacher and a neighbor who’s willing to help in their time of need.”
“If I had not come, what would you do with them?”
She’d had a week to contemplate the future, to consider all her alternatives. Of course, Maverick had come over every day to check on her and help her as much as he could. And she’d had the chance to talk to him about her options too. He’d still beenworried about her, about her being alone with the children, and about Eric’s killer still being unaccounted for.
But they’d both agreed that for now she should keep taking care of the farm as best she could. Even though she’d had more pressure from some around the community to get married and she’d even had several men mention marriage, Maverick had assured her that she shouldn’t rush into anything.
So far, she and the children hadn’t run into any trouble, and she’d handled all the chores just fine. In addition to the usual daily responsibilities, she’d planted the vegetable garden behind the cabin, weeded the strawberries, and even taken eggs and milk into town on two different days.
She’d also visited with Mrs. Grover, letting the kindly matron know she wouldn’t be able to help at school for a while. While Clarabelle was sad about giving up her teaching dreams—at least temporarily—she knew she wouldn’t have time while she was managing the farm.
She met Franz’s gaze levelly, wanting him to see her honesty and sincerity. “I will always be here to help Dieter and Bianca, as long as they need me.”
“You would raise them as your own?”
“I would.” She would still do it if Franz was unwilling. And maybe he wouldn’t want to, especially if he didn’t have the financial means to take care of two children. Or maybe he had a family of his own already and couldn’t be burdened.
Franz’s lips curved up on one side, a dashing half smile. “I can see why Eric asked you to be their mother.”
“But now that you’ve come, he would want you to raise them.” She hadn’t known Eric well, but she did know that he’d written to Franz for help before approaching her.
“I have a job I must return to in Berlin.”
“Then you can take them with you. Perhaps your wife and children—”
“I am not married, nor am I in a relationship.” He seemed to be watching her expectantly, as though gauging her reaction to his single status.
How could she condemn him for possibly being a single father when she was currently a single mother to the children? And Eric had been a single parent for the past year since his wife’s passing. “I’m sure you could still manage them. They’re good children.”
“You do not think I should have a wife first?”
“Do you think I should have a husband first?”
“The influence of both a father and mother is important.”
She released a tight breath. “Then you agree with those who are pressuring me to get married?”
