Page 3 of The Drifter's Bride
“It makes the most sense, dearest. All the rich families do it. They marry to keep the money in the family, and then you know…” she let her voice trail off.
“I do not know, and I don’t wish to know.” Addison stood. “I certainly hope it isn’t all rich families.”
“What do you mean?” Mama hesitated, blinking rapidly.
“You saidallrich families.” Addison dragged out the word. “We are rich, Mama. I certainly hope you don’t fit that description.”
“Of course not. I promised myself to your father. I will keep my vow.”
“Then why even mention it?”
“Because it gives you options, dearest. And you will remain wealthy.”
“When do Alexander and Morgan leave for the west?”
Mama waved her hand in the air. “They leave at the beginning of April. Your father is extremely upset about it.” She gave a little stomp of her foot and shook her handkerchief in Addison’s direction. “It doesn’t matter one bit. Times are changing. Your father doesn’t want to run the company anymore. He’s tired.”
“Why not ask cousin Walter, Uncle Elias’s son? I’m sure he doesn’t want to go into politics. He has enough money to purchase the company, then it will stay in the family, and Papa can retire.”
“What would you do then? What would I do? The money will run out at some point.”
Ah! The truth came out.
“That’s what you are worried about, Mama?”
Mama nodded. “If anything were to happen to your father, I don’t know what I would do.”
“Well, you’d be a very rich widow. Rich enough to catch the eye of a rich widower. But don’t wish Papa dead.”
“I’m not. But if you marry wealthy, then I would know my future is secure.”
“I told you before, Mama, when I marry, I’m going to marry for love. I do not love Carlton, nor do I love his fortune. If the man I love doesn’t have two nickels to rub together, but he loves me with his whole heart, I will be just as happy living in a hovel as if I were living in Back Bay.”
“I doubt that very much.” Mama gave a delicate sniff in her handkerchief.
Addison rose and walked over to give her mother a kiss on the cheek. “I think you should write to Cousin Walter.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to go see Morgan and find out more about this trip out west.”
Chapter Two
April 1876, Flat River, Nebraska
Lukas Arkin had worked for the Chapmans for almost a year. It was nearly the same length of time his brother, Peter, had been married to the prettiest and sweetest girl Lukas had ever seen. Peter and Elizabet married the week before Lukas arrived back in town. It disappointed Lukas he had missed the ceremony, but things worked out for the best.
He thought his brother was the luckiest man alive, and if Lukas had arrived in town sooner, he would have snatched up the pretty blonde woman for his own. But he knew it wouldn’t have lasted. Anyone could tell by just looking at Peter and Elizabet, that they were destined to be together.
His sister-in-law adored his brother, and for that, Lukas was eternally grateful. Peter had lost his leg in a farming accident and was sure that no one would ever love him the way a man deserved to be loved. Fortunately for him, Bet looked past his physical limitations and saw the man within.
If he was honest, Lukas was jealous of the love they had. It was the type of love that he longed to experience. That is why he enlisted the same matchmaker that Peter used to help him find a wife of his own.
It hadn’t worked yet, though, as Mrs. Chapman hadn’t found a match. It could be because of winter, or it could have been that Lukas had very specific requirements.
He wanted to make sure that the woman was not one of Miss Marcie’s soiled doves. Not that he had an issue with a woman trying to find a better living; he’d just had his own run-ins with the type of women that worked in those places. There was one who followed him to Texas when he was punching cattle. He shook his head to release those memories.
Elizabet had insisted that he move into their home, and Lukas loved how easily she had accepted him. It didn’t hurt that because of her, things between Lukas and Peter had finally come to a head, either. Well, it was Peter’s fist connecting to Lukas’s jaw that had hurt, but in hindsight, not as much as Peter’s pride had been hurt later when he finally apologized for believing the lies Lolly told for as long as he had.
