Home to Caroline Read Online Free PDF Page B

further. “I am. Thank you again, Mr. Nash.”
    “Very welcome,” he replied.
    Caroline allowed her husband to steer her from the mercantile and all the fruitless dreams it contained. Fine spun cloth to make shirts, a new kettle to replace her dented one…so many things beckoned with the siren song of an easier life. Not for her. Not until she eased her burden. Her mind stewed with worry over what the men might have said while loading the wagon. If one of them had let the loss of her child slip—she nibbled on her lip until they were well away from town.
    Travis cast furtive glances at his wife. Back at the store, Mr. Nash had tried to tell him something, but then another customer had entered and the topic had never returned. Then, when he and Caroline had left, once again Mr. Nash had tried to reveal something. Caroline sat stiff on the bench, once more distant from him. She clutched her pouch between her fingers.
    He opened his mouth to ask about Mr. Nash’s statements. Sitting here making assumptions would only darken Caroline’s character and make him mad. Even David, the shop owner’s son, had mentioned about being very sorry for his loss. He’d nodded, said the appropriate things, even as he wondered what it was he’d lost.
    “That blue fabric looked nice,” he said, hoping to start a conversation. Sitting in brooding silence made for a difficult journey. “What were you going to sew?”
    “A shirt for you,” Caroline replied.
    Her thoughtfulness touched him. Though he’d come home with a few changes of clothes and some of Samuel’s and her father’s shirts remained in the wardrobe, a new shirt sewn for him by his wife would be nice. “Thank you.” The heavy load rode in the back of the wagon, a stark reminder of his lack of farming abilities. Caroline offered so much more than her love and responsiveness, she offered a chance for him to finally settle down and be the man his father wanted him to be. He reached across the seat to clasp her hand. “That’s very nice, but a color as rich as that one would undoubtedly make a beautiful dress.”
    She ducked her head, her eyes downcast. “I have dresses aplenty. I need no more.”
    Travis squeezed her fingers. “Were we in Memphis, I’d have you dressed like a southern belle, with more clothes than you could possibly ever wear. A true southern belle.”
    A soft smile tilted the corners of her lips. “Were we in Memphis, no doubt we’d be hungry and beleaguered by the war. I’m glad we’re here. Working the farm has left me few opportunities to wear my dresses. For you, though, when possible, I shall be the perfect southern belle.”
    “You already are.” Their gallant banter threatened to chase away the demons in his mind. The blue sky overhead dotted with a few wispy clouds promised a good day to dry out the soil. “What did Mr. Nash try to say in the store?” The question fell from his lips before he could stop it.
    Caroline stiffened and pulled her hand away, holding it primly in her lap once more. “Nothing. Nothing at all,” she hastily answered.
    Travis’s jaw tightened. “It didn’t sound like nothing. Has something happened? Has there been further loss?” His stomach knotted. “Is it something else?”
    Caroline grew pale. “No, I’m sure he was just glad to have you home.” Her pulse fluttered at the base of her throat, a telltale sign of her distress.
    “It didn’t sound like nothing.” He clucked to Dolly and the mare broke into a lumbering trot. The sooner they arrived home, the sooner he’d know the truth.

Chapter Four
    Caroline’s stomach churned like cream into butter. Her husband drove the buckboard, his visage like a thundercloud ready to explode. Guilt nagged at her. Tell him now and get this over with. If he leaves, he leaves. Her heart twisted at the thought of her husband’s departure. She thought he loved her and couldn’t imagine his leaving, but she had to consider the possibility; she’d known women