Year of Jubilee Read Online Free PDF

with her eyes. He shoved his hands into his pockets, his face
puckered. Surely he wouldn’t break his promise already.
    “Ma’am, a man usually helps a woman up to
her seat in the wagon.”
    She shook her head swiftly. “I can ride here
in the back, and I’ll board myself.”
    He placed his hat back on, and Jubilee
glanced at his golden-blond hair lit by the rays of the sun.
    “Ma’am, it’s polite manners for me to help
you up, and I’d much rather you ride up front where it’s more
comfortable. I’ve already promised I won’t hurt you. You’ve got to
trust me if this is going to work.”
    She raised her chilly fingers to her face.
To be that close to him. To let him touch her. Jubilee inhaled a
trembling breath and stepped forward. It took all her courage to
allow his big hands to encircle her waist and lift her. Her throat
went dry, fearing he wouldn’t let go. But he did, and he circled
the wagon to the driver’s side.
    As he boarded, his big body juggled the seat
and she, panicking, grabbed hold of the seat.
    “Sorry, didn’t mean to jostle you.”
    He settled in and grasped the reins. Jubilee
struggled to keep her leg from touching his, but he required a lot
of room.
    “I’ve got a coat if you’re cold,” he
mentioned, pulling the long garment from the back.
    Jubilee gratefully slid her bare arms into
the huge sleeves. The outerwear was nearly big enough to wrap
around her twice. She kept her head turned as she pondered the man.
His physical stature intimidated her. He was a hulk of a man, a
great deal larger than Colvin. As a matter of fact, they seemed
opposites in many ways. Colvin had been small and wiry, with dark
hair and close-set eyes, much like a mouse with his narrow
face.
    Rafe stood well over six foot, with broad
shoulders, blond hair, and striking hazel eyes. Brown one minute,
green the next. His nose stood out a bit strong and he wasn’t
overly handsome, yet, he was appealing. Nothing Jubilee could
remember had been appealing about Colvin. She took a deep breath
and tried to calm the trembling in her middle. Perhaps they’d be
opposites in personality, too. Jubilee certainly hoped so.
    * * *
    Rafe’s stomach clenched in pity for the
woman next to him. Why, she’d trembled when he’d lifted her to the
wagon. She weighed less than a newborn calf. And he couldn’t deny
he admired her pluck to have survived the struggles she’d seen in
her young life. He pulled himself up short. Hmmm, how old was
she?
    “May I ask you a question?” He rephrased her
words, emphasizing, ‘you.’
    She nodded and gave a one-shoulder
shrug.
    “How old are you?” He glanced at her. She
shrank from him.
    “Eighteen.”
    They rode in silence for a while.
    “What about you?”
    “Twenty.”
    The creaks of the old wagon and the soft
plodding sound of Horse’s feet were the only sounds for a long
spell. Finally Rafe spoke.
    “I’ll drop you at the mercantile while I go
make arrangements with the pastor.” He gripped the reins as the
faces of his family flitted through his brain. They’d miss the
wedding. “Then I’ll stop back and pick you up. Make sure you
purchase several yards of fabric. You’ll need a couple of dresses,
and I’m sure you’ll want curtains for the cabin. A new quilt for
winter will come in handy, and I figure you’ll need one too. So get
plenty, and any other necessities. We’ll load up the wagon with
food and head home.”
    She gaped at him. “I can get fabric?”
    “Yes, for all the items I mentioned. Get
plenty. We’re set pretty far from town.”
    She stared for such a long time that he
finally turned. “Problem?”
    With a quick shake of her head, she turned
her gaze from his.
    All right now. This was going to work. Rafe
whistled a made-up tune as the wagon plodded to town. It was better
than he could’ve planned. She’d cook for him, so he could
concentrate on farming. She’d take care of the laundry needs, so he
had no worry with that. The garden would be