Page 2 of The Drifter's Bride
Addison snorted. “For us? Or him?” A pained look appeared in Papa’s eyes, and then it was gone just as quickly. Addison pushed herself from her seat and kneeled at her Papa’s feet, placing her head on his knee as she did when she was just a child. “Papa, what is wrong?”
She felt his hand hover over her head before it gently rested on her dark locks. “Nothing to concern you with, child.”
“You aren’t dying, are you?”
Her father chuffed. “No, Addison, I’m not. I’m not getting any younger, but I’m not dying.”
“Then what’s the hurry?”
Papa let out a long breath. “Your brothers made it clear they don’t want the business. They wish to move west.” Addison jerked up, sending her father’s hand flying.
“How far west?”
“That’s irrelevant. They have some fancy idea about getting into ranching.”
“Go on.”
“I am not prepared to see everything my father worked for go to the Kendricks without a proper heir in place.”
Addison let the thoughts roll around her head for a moment. “Wait a minute. You want me to marry Carlton so that I can provide the family with an heir?”She definitely was going to retch.
“Your brothers are taking their entire families. There won’t be a grandchild on my side to pass the business to.”
She looked at her mother, unable to believe what she was hearing. “You agreed to this?”
“Addison, you’d be financially secure for the rest of your life.”
“I don’t understand why you don’t just sell the business to the Kendricks and be done.” Addison rolled back on her heels.
“My father founded this business, Addison. He would roll over in his grave if he thought I sold it.”
Standing up, she brushed the bits of lint from the carpet off her blue skirt. “I don’t know what to say, Papa. Sell it, put the money in a bank. Just don’t sell me off.”
“You are nearing one and twenty, daughter. You should think of children, not running a business.”
“Father, I have yet to meet a man that I would consider procreating with.”
“Addison! Where did you learn to speak of such things?”
Addison was not about to tell her father that the preacher spoke of it every Sunday or that just a few moments ago, Papa, himself was talking of selling her off as a broodmare. Before she could reply, her mother stood and placed a delicate hand on Papa’s broad shoulder.
“Leon, let me talk to Addy. I might tell her the more prudent side of this arrangement.”
Papa paused for a moment and nodded in defeat. “I’ll go get a cup of coffee and then return.” He looked at Addison with a pointed glare. “I certainly hope your mother can talk some sense into you.”
Addison watched as her father stomped across the room, rubbing his temple.That vein must have been throbbing out a symphony, poor Papa, she thought. Once Papa closed the door, she turned to her mother and raised an eyebrow, waiting to learn the more prudent side of whatever Mama was about to tell her.
Mama took the seat that Papa had just vacated and adjusted her skirts, before wrapping her handkerchief around her finger once more.
“All you have to do, darling, is marry Carlton, produce an heir, and then you can do whatever you want.”
Addison slid into the chair and studied her mother thoughtfully. “What do you mean, whatever I want?”
Mama leaned forward and looked around to make sure no one would hear. Addison rolled her eyes as the room was empty, so she didn’t know who Mama expected to hear anything.
Finally, she whispered, “You can take …,” letting the last bit of the sentence go unsaid.
Addison gasped. “What?” She nearly fell from her chair. The notion was preposterous.
