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“And that’s good?” he asked.
Charlotte nodded. “We didn’t have a normal courtship. We never touched until the preacher said, ‘I do,’ and that’s not normal. I feel like I should want to touch you and kiss you, but I just don’t yet. Does that make sense?”
He nodded. “I’m glad you feel that way because it’s odd for me as well. It would have felt right with Patsy, but I married a stranger.”
“As did I.”
They stood for a moment in silence. Finally, he asked, “What time is church?”
“Ten. I try to leave here by nine-thirty or so.”
“That doesn’t give you time to talk to people before the service,” he said.
“Most people go out of their way to avoid talking to me,” she said. “I prefer to not get there early enough to be snubbed more than five times.”
“We’ll leave at nine-fifteen,” he said. “I want to meet some of these people.” He was already more than a little disgusted by the people in her town. For a place called Mountain Home, it was not very welcoming.
He cooked breakfast while she quickly pressed the clothes they would wear. When breakfast was ready, she woke Walt. “Papa cooked breakfast, and it smells so good!”
Walt rubbed his eyes.
“Come on. We have church today.”
When Walt’s face fell, she hugged him. “Papa’s going with us.”
Walt seemed happy again. It was strange how quickly the boy was bonding with her new husband.
She took his hand and pulled him toward the kitchen where he sat at the table and looked at Earl. When Earl said, “Good morning, Walt!” Walt waved.
Earl set the food on the table, and they prayed before digging in. “I love fried potatoes in the mornings. The colder it is, the more I love them. It’s strange here because even though it’s warm during the day, it’s really cold at night,” he said.
“It’s the elevation. I’ve had people tell me that a lot when they first moved here.”
“People talk to you a lot?”
“Only when they have just arrived. It takes them a little while to realize they’re supposed to shun me for wearing pants when I was a girl.” She shook her head. “I have a couple of friends who haven’t quite gotten to that point yet, and I have to say, I’m thrilled!”
“I can understand that,” he said. “I don’t know how I’d react if no one would speak to me. I’m still considered wild and poorly behaved back in Beckham, but no one ever stoppedspeakingto me.”
“It’s not easy to be the only person in town no one will speak to,” she said. “It was better while I was married to Howard because this ranch is one of the largest in the area. Not as big as the Royal River Ranch of course, but close. People were intimidated by him.”
“And they knew if they treated you poorly, he would no longer do business with them. They’ll learn the same about me very quickly.”
“I have to go to the general store in Cauldron Valley tomorrow,” she said. “The merchant is nice enough but the people in the store aren’t. It’s hard to go alone.”
He frowned. “I suppose they’re closed on Sundays.”
“They are.”
“I’ll get the men started in the morning tomorrow and take a long lunch then. I don’t want anyone mistreating you.”
She shook her head. “No, I was just complaining, and I shouldn’t have been. I’ll handle it on my own.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind.”
“I think it’s better if you’re there watching over the men until they’re used to you. Howard always said that if he was sick for a day, only half the work got done.”
Earl nodded. “I was thinking of that, but I don’t want you to have to go alone if people will be rude to you.”
