No One But You Read Online Free PDF Page B

her father through to the men who’d worked for her, had been hard and unemotional with no respect for women beyond the creature comforts they could provide and no interest in children beyond the free labor they supplied.
    Salty was different. He didn’t have the age and experience necessary and didn’t appear to have the gravity she preferred, but he had been respectful to her and kind to the children. A man like that would be dangerous. She might come to like him, to hope he wouldn’t leave.
    â€œI can’t give you a concrete reason,” Sarah said. “It’s just the feeling I got.”
    â€œI think we ought to ask Salty,” Rose said.
    â€œAsk me what?”
    Flushing with embarrassment, Sarah turned to see Salty standing in the archway.

Three
    â€œMrs. Winborne is looking for someone to help her on her ranch,” Rose explained. “I told her you were the perfect man for the job.”
    â€œWhy me?” Salty asked, turning to George. “Are you dissatisfied with my work?”
    â€œOf course not,” George said. “I’d hate to see you leave, but I wouldn’t want to do anything that would stand in your way.”
    â€œStand in the way of what?”
    â€œMrs. Winborne’s offer is a little out of the ordinary,” Rose said. “I’ll let her explain it. George, why don’t you take Jared into the kitchen? I made gingerbread, which he might like. Then you can round up Zac and Tyler to help me with dinner.”
    Salty would have been happy to look for George’s two youngest brothers himself, but it looked like there was no way out of this interview. He didn’t know whether it would be kinder to tell Mrs. Winborne right away that he wasn’t interested in leaving the Circle Seven, or allow her to explain her offer and then turn her down.
    â€œI can tell you’re uncomfortable with being put on the spot,” Sarah said.
    â€œA little,” Salty agreed.
    â€œI am, too, because I don’t think you’re quite what I’m looking for.”
    Salty had been prepared to say just that, but hearing the words coming from someone else affected him quite differently. Much to his surprise, he found himself saying, “Maybe not, but why don’t you explain your proposal? I might be able to offer some suggestions.”
    What was he talking about? He knew nothing about this woman and her situation. Still, he entered the parlor and sat down in a straight back chair at a safe distance. He had a weakness for people in trouble, but he didn’t want that to get him tangled up with Sarah and her brood.
    â€œI own one of the largest ranches in Caldwell County,” Sarah began. “My husband didn’t come home from the war, and it’s too big for me and the children to operate alone.”
    That was a familiar story, but most women in Sarah’s position would have married again or sought refuge with family. He wondered why she hadn’t.
    â€œI’ve hired a succession of men to help with the ranch, but they never worked out for a variety of reasons.”
    â€œWhy?” Knowing the problems she’d encountered might help him find a logical reason for turning her down.
    â€œSome didn’t want to work hard. Others were rude or rough with the children.” She averted her gaze. “Some appeared to be more interested in me than in their work.”
    He had no trouble believing that. She was a very attractive woman. Any man working on a secluded ranch and seeing no other woman for weeks on end could be forgiven for becoming more than interested in her.
    â€œCouldn’t you find anyone in Austin to work for you?”
    Sarah kept her gaze averted. “I’m not in a position to pay a wage that would induce anyone to work for me.”
    â€œHave you offered to let the men share some of the profits?”
    â€œThere haven’t been any profits to share. Unless the situation