A Garland of Marigolds Read Online Free PDF

The first? ”
    He grinned. “ Why, yes, I have plans for the second, too! ”
    I blushed, beginning to think that I was rapidly getting out of my depth. A more normal topic of conversation was more to my taste, and so it was with determination that I brought the subject back to wheat.
    “ What sort of crops can I expect? ” I began cheerfully.
    “ It depends on which crops you are referring to, ” he answered lightly. “ If you ’ re referring to wheat, or sugar, or even rice, you can expect practically no return at all. But if you ’ re referring to other crops— ”
    “ What other crops, Joe? ” I asked innocently.
    “ Oh, lies, dirt and disease. ” He winked at me. “ Or friends and neighbors, or even people to love— ”
    My head lifted sharply.
    “ I haven ’ t time for things like that! ” I said sharply.
    “ Now, Suki, ” he reproved me, “ you just said you had time for other things besides your work! ”
    “ Not those other things! ” I said stiffly.
    But he only laughed. “ But you forget, ” he reminded me, “ we ’ ve set a seal on our friendship. And if that can be broken, here ’ s another bond more difficult for you to forget. ” He leaned over the table and caught up both my hands in his, kissing me lightly on the lips.
    It was unfortunate that at that moment Gideon and Camilla came into the restaurant. I snatched my hands away from Joseph, but it was too late. A single glance was enough to tell that Gideon had seen the whole incident. I greeted him and his sister with flaming cheeks, doubly annoyed with myself. It was not only that I felt I had somehow failed Timothy, but I had hoped to give Gideon a quite different impression.

 
    CHAPTER THREE
    I t was still very early when Camilla crept into my room to see if I was awake. She padded over to the shuttered windows and pushed them open to let in the first gray light of the day.
    “ Gideon has gone to pick up the new jeep, and expects us to be ready by the time he comes back. ”
    I turned over and squinted against the light.
    “ What time is it? ” I asked.
    “ It ’ s nearly six, ” she said.
    I turned back onto my side. It was the middle of the night!
    “ What time will he be back? ”
    Camilla shrugged her shoulders. “ Goodness knows! He says the garage is just around the corner, but he ’ s been gone a little while now. You ’ d better get up and pack your things, otherwise he ’ ll start making rude remarks about the way you spend your evenings—unless you don ’ t mind! ”
    I frowned. “ Actually I don ’ t, ” I said sourly. “ Joseph— ” I hesitated. “ I think he was trying to be kind, ” I ended with a rush. Camilla chuckled.
    “ I can imagine! ” she agreed enthusiastically. “ Poor Joseph! If this place is anything like he described it to me yesterday, you must have arrived like a gift from the gods. I can ’ t think why you ’ re even hesitating about him. I think he ’ s awfully nice! ”
    “ Yes, ” I said, “ I suppose he is. I don ’ t want to be precipitated into anything, though. He ’ s in such a hurry! ”
    Camilla gazed at me solemnly.
    “ Don ’ t tell me you are afraid of what Gideon thinks of you? ” she asked.
    I shook my head, hoping that she would not detect the lie that was implicit in my response. I didn ’ t want to care what Gideon thought, but that was something a little different, as I knew quite well.
    “ I must get up, ” I said instead.
    She blinked at me, still serious.
    “ How old do you think Joe is? ” she asked.
    I swung my legs onto the floor and stood up, pattering over to the window to have a look at the day for myself.
    “ Does it matter? ” I replied to Camilla ’ s question.
    “ Of course it does! I reckon he ’ s about ten years older than I am, and I think that ’ s about right between a man and a woman, don ’ t you? ”
    “ Possibly, ” I agreed.
    “ Humph, ” said Camilla. “ Does that mean you have him all staked out for