Amon Read Online Free PDF Page A

meantime, we’ll speak with Belle and Sadie and inform them of your answer.”
    Harrison joined them. “You’re sure, then? We can’t change your mind?”
    Amon forced a laugh. It wouldn’t do to yell at them – they meant no harm. “You can’t, no. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”
    “You can’t blame us for trying,” Colin said with a shrug. “After all, we’ve been in this matchmaking business for a while now. Six brides to date!”
    “And now a seventh,” Amon said. “You might as well open your own mail-order bridal service.”
    “I don’t know about that,” Colin said with a laugh. “I think we’re running more of a mail-order groom service if you ask me.”
    “I wish you luck with it,” Amon told them. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do in the barn.”
    Colin and Harrison nodded, tipped their hats, mounted up and left. “Well,” Colin said as they trotted their horses down the road. “That went horribly.”
    “At least Amon was pleasant about it. Or not angry. We did press him too hard, didn’t we?”
    “Perhaps,” Colin conceded. “But not compared to how hard Sadie and Belle will press us when we return and tell them.”
    “True – they aren’t going to be happy,” Harrison mused. “They had their hearts set on Amon for Nettie. Now what are we going to do?”
    “See who’s next on the list, what else?”
    “Only … I’m not sure if there was anyone else on their list.”
    “What?! What do you mean?”
    “I mean that our wives had their hearts set on dear Mr. Cotter. They never dreamed he’d say no. But then, neither did I.”
    “Yes, very odd that. What man around here would do such a thing?”
    “What man, indeed,” Harrison said, his brow furrowed in thought. “Perhaps we should have a talk with Cyrus. He hired Amon, after all. He probably knows his background.”
    “Yes, Cyrus is thorough that way,” Colin agreed. “But I don’t see how that helps us now, other than satisfy our curiosity.” He sighed. “I dare say, if we did have women in this town, our Mr. Cotter would be considered the most eligible bachelor of the lot.”
    “Yes – handsome, polite, a fine craftsman. He could easily open his own furniture shop somewhere.”
    “Maybe that’s it,” Colin said. “Maybe he plans on going back to Oregon City, or south to San Francisco or Sacramento. He could make a good living there with his skills.”
    “You’re quite right, that must be it. Perhaps he’s just not ready to tell anyone yet that he plans to leave.”
    “But what’s wrong with taking a wife with him when he does?” Colin asked, not ready to give up.
    Harrison shook his head. “I have no idea. Maybe he thinks it’s too much trouble to take a woman along with him. Or he just doesn’t want to pull one away from her family up here.”
    “That does sound like Amon, doesn’t it?” Colin sighed again. “Too bad. I suppose there’s nothing to be done about it except go back and tell the women.”
    “Indeed,” Harrison replied. “God help us.”
     
    * * *
     
    “No? What do you mean he said no?” Sadie lamented.
    “He not only said no,” Harrison told her. “But he made sure we understood it as a definite, permanent no.”
    “A definite, permanent no?” Belle echoed as she gaped at him. “Is he mad?”
    Colin gave her a half-hearted shrug. “Perhaps. But he’s also quite sure.”
    Sadie’s eyes widened as she leaned against the counter of the mercantile. They agreed to meet the men there and have lunch with Irene and Wilfred Dunnigan before the ladies’ sewing circle commenced. Thankfully, the Dunnigans were both still upstairs, or Irene would be putting her two cents into the situation. Eloise had already sent word that Nettie would join them that afternoon. The last thing Sadie or Belle wanted to do was to disappoint the girl – or, given Irene Dunnigan’s personality, upset her. “And here I thought it would be a fine time to tell her we found