Page 32 of A Groom for Millie
“That’s the silliest thing…”
Millie raised her hand. “I know. I don’t want to do it, but I don’t have any other offers. I need to save the ranch and make sure I keep a home for my daughter.”
“Is that all?”
“Is that all?” Millie scoffed. “Isn’t that enough?”
“I can help you with that.”
Millie eyed him suspiciously.
“How?”
“I’ve been saving up money for years. All I need to do is to get the money to be wired here. Then you can hire the help you need.”
“How does this benefit you?”
“I want a wife and a family. Why not you? You’re beautiful and kind and you’ve taken really good care of me.” Robert patted his stomach. He was finally regaining all the weight he had lost.
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t think about it, Millicent. Take the risk.”
“I don’t love you.”
“That’s alright. I don’t love you either right now. But I admire and respect you. In time, perhaps, love will come.”
Millie nodded. “Alright.” She cleared her throat. “Will you let me sleep on it?”
“Of course,” Robert said. He lifted her chin and pressed a soft kiss against her lips. He didn’t linger and when he pulled away, Millie felt the loss immensely. “I don’t think I want supper tonight. I’m just going to take my tea and go to bed.”
Millie watched as he picked up his cup and carried it to the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Millie sighed. She looked at the house. She was alone. Alone with her memories, her thoughts, and biscuits that need to be baked.
Chapter Ten
It had been a week since Robert made Millie an offer to help her keep her ranch. She had been praying on it and even consulted Heather on her thoughts. Heather thought Millie should take Robert’s generous offer, even if she had hesitation.
“At least you’ve been able to spend some time with him,” Heather explained. Many of the women were getting married the same day their grooms arrived in town. They had no idea what type of man they were getting.Just like in cards, Millie thought.You could get a king, or you could get a joker. It was the luck of the draw.
She had just finished cleaning the dishes and wanted to talk to Robert. She decided to take him up on his offer, but she needed reassurance that he would never gamble any part of the ranch away and that her mother could stay for as long as she wanted.
Robert was out in the barn. He needed to strengthen his arm, so the barn was a perfect place to exercise. He would practice moving items around; starting with the horse brushes to buckets filled with grain. He was getting better. His arm was still sore, but the wound was healing nicely. Heather was pleased there didn’t appear to be any signs of lead poisoning from the round ball.
“Momma,” Millie called. “I’ll be back. I’m going to the barn.”
Her mother mumbled something as Millie walked out the door. She had just stepped off the porch when a buggy could be seen approaching the house. Millie shielded her eyes. It was Beatrice Collins, the preacher’s sister.
“Bea,” Millie greeted her. “What are you doing over here?”
“I wanted to come and see you before my brother did.”
Millie felt nervous energy at the bottom of her belly. “Why would your brother want to see me?”
“It appears that word has gotten around that you have a man staying on the property.”
“What makes him say that?”
“I know that he was visiting with the banker. Someone transferred large sums of money from multiple banks. Everything was put into one account at the bank.”
