A Lantern in the Window Read Online Free PDF Page B

that’s why I wasn't honest in most of what I told
you.”
    In spite of himself, her
story touched him, but he didn’t let any of what he felt show on
his face. A great deal depended on the next few moments, and he
didn’t want to make a mistake that would be hard to
rectify.
    He narrowed his eyes at
her, and his voice was deliberately harsh. "The last thing I need
is another invalid in this house. Life out here in the West is
tough. It takes able-bodied people all their time just to survive.
Far as I can see, you didn’t give much thought to that when you
brought your sister here. There’s drought and frost and pestilence,
hail storms that can level a man’s crops. There’s wild animals and
Indians that can kill him and his family. There’s no one to call on
for help. It’s a half-day’s drive into town and an hour and a half
just to get to the Hopkins place. Ranching is backbreaking hard
work for everybody. Come spring, I’ll be in the fields from sunup
to sundown."
    "I told you I was a good
worker,” she pleaded. "I’ll prove it if you give me a chance. Just
tell me what you need done, and I’ll do my best."
    “I don’t want any
misunderstandings about how hard it will be.” Noah drew in a breath
and let it out again. "You’ve seen how my father is,” he said
deliberately. "I’d expect you to take good care of him in spite of
his temper. You’d have to tend to all the household chores, the
chickens, the garden, the pigs. If I can’t get a hired hand, I’ll
need you to help with haying in the fall. My advice would be to
take your sister and hightail it back to the city.”
    She stared at him, waiting
for him to go on. When he didn’t she said in a hesitant tone,
"You’re trying to scare me off, aren’t you? You’re leaving it for
me to decide whether we should stay or go.”
    Noah nodded. "I am. And
now that you know exactly how it would be, seems to me you should
give some serious thought to leaving.”
    She eyed him warily, as if
there were a trap here somewhere. “But you’re not sending us
back?”
    He shook his head. “I
can’t say I’m entirely happy with the way things turned out, but
the simple fact is, I need help. I need a wife.” It was the raw,
honest truth.
    She looked into his face,
her wide-spaced eyes somber. After a moment she lifted her chin and
said firmly, “Then we’re staying. I'm used to hard work, like I
said. Besides,” she added as her eyes dropped to the oilcloth and
her voice became suddenly less certain than before, "we—we’re
married, you and I, before God.”
    He nodded. “We are that.”
Something inside him eased, relieved at her words.
    "There’s one more thing,
though.” She was agitated, twisting a bit of her skirt between her
fingers, unable to look at him now. "There’s another thing I didn’t
tell you that probably will make you—make you change your mind
after all. I—I was wrong, not telling you before,” she added, and
for the first time, there was outright panic in her voice. "You
have to know, you'll find out anyway soon enough,” she added
miserably.
    Her expression, the quaver
in her voice, told him that this was far more significant than
anything else she’d lied about. Noah felt his stomach clench. What
terrible thing was she about to reveal?
    "It’s—it’s—ummm, it’s my
sister, Bets.” Now her words tumbled out, one on top of the other.
"She's— she’s the sweetest girl, and smart as a whip, but— well,
she got a fever when she was a baby, not even two years old.” She
still wasn’t meeting his eyes, and he frowned, confused.
    He’d expected some
damning, shoddy confession about herself, and instead Annie was
talking about her sister? Puzzlement furrowed his brow.
    "After it left her—the
fever, I mean—well, she— she couldn’t—she didn’t—she was—” her eyes
were enormous as they met to his. "Bets didn’t hear us anymore.”
Her breath came out in a quavering sigh. "It affected her ears.
What I