Page 4 of Wherever My Heart Roams

Her embarrassment followed her. She knew it was rude, but she didn't know how to handle this kind of news. And all the other kids were snickering and she couldn't take that.

She ran for a bit then stopped suddenly and collapsed in a heap on the ground. Her tears swallowed her.

She was wearing a skirt and blouse, and she didn't care if it got dusty or not. Aside from her two dresses, this was all she had, except a pair of pants her brother had given her to work in the fields.

She had joked about it just moments ago, never once believing her parents would do such a thing. But they had! She was being married off to a stranger, so they could all eat. Dear God, where was the justice in this?

But the handsome stranger stood over her now, peering down into her tear stained face. Up close he was even more handsome. She got a quick glimpse of him and turned her head.

She swatted the tears on her cheek away.

"They sold me down the river, didn't they?" She cried trying to control her rioting emotions.

He took her hand and pulled her up. "It might seem that way, yes. I’m sorry it came out the way it did. I wanted to speak to you first, of course. I was planning on asking you directly first."

His apology seemed genuine.

"Why? Why would you make such a deal with my folks? I'm not the prettiest of the bunch…"

"You are very pretty. I've seen you in town, several times. I thought you were pretty as a picture."

"Oh yeah. I'm a doll. Barefoot and worn out clothes." She cried.

"Clothes don't really make a woman. Those kinds of things are fixable. I wasn't looking at your clothes."

"Why would you want to fix that?" Her voice turned cold and almost belligerent.

"'Cause you are gonna be my wife." He answered, watching her face contort. "I can provide well for you, believe it or not."

"Your wife?" She shouted at him. "You want me to marry you?" She backed up a little and cocked her head at him.

He laughed. "Well, you didn't think I was just gonna take you home with me and not marry you, did you?" He laughed again.

"But that's indecent. You don't know me. You don't love me. Folks don't marry without love."

His head turned slightly then he stared at her with a slow burning smile on his face.

"Love is something that comes later. So I’m told."

"Later? Where are you from, because it doesn't come later for me! I won't marry the likes of you. You're a stranger." She backed up against the tree. "I don't mean to be rude, but…"

"Your folks are starving Beth. I want to help."

She scrunched up her nose, "You offered to marry me, because my folks are starving?"

"Not exactly…but it did influence me."

"Well, explain it to me then. I don't understand?" She shook her head and turned away. "I don't understand any of this."

He sighed heavily, silently as though he were studying on how to answer her. As though he meant to put some thought into the answer.

"I offered to help your folks. They wouldn't take my money unless they could give me something in return."

"And they gave me to you? That's not funny. At least from where I'm standing it isn't."

Beth rounded on him now and fire came spitting from her eyes. "They sold me into bondage so they could eat?"

She couldn't keep the belligerence out of her voice.

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