Faith Read Online Free Page A

for width.
"Should be able to deliver a healthy child."
    "Yes, ma'am," Faith said, then grinned. "My hips are nice
and wide, I'm in excellent health, and I can work like a man."
    Women in the crowd tittered as Nicholas frowned. What
had God sent? A wife or a hired hand?
    "Liza!" Vera stepped up, putting her arm around Faith's
shoulder. "You'll scare the poor thing to death with such talk. Let the young couple get to know each other before
you start talking children."

    Children had fit into the equation, of course, but in an
abstract way. Now he was looking at the woman who
would be the mother of his children.
    "Pshaw." Liza batted Vera's hands aside. "Miss Kallahan
knows what's expected from a wife."
    When Nicholas saw Faith's cheeks turn scarlet, he said,
"Mama, Miss Kallahan is tired from her long trip."
    "Yes, I would imagine." Liza frowned at Jeremiah, who
was hanging around watching the activity. She shooed him
away. "Go along, now. Don't need the likes of you smelling up the place."
    Jeremiah tipped his hat, then raised his eyes a fraction to
wink at her. Liza whirled and marched toward the Shepherd buggy, nose in the air. "Hurry along, Nicholas. It's an
hour past our dinnertime."
    The crowd dispersed, and Faith reached out to touch
Jeremiah's sleeve. "Thank you for the ride. I would have
sweltered if not for your kindness."
    The old man smiled. "My honor, Miss Kallahan." Reaching for her hand, he placed a genteel kiss upon the back of
it. "Thank you for accepting kindness from a rather shaggy
Samaritan."
    Nicholas put his hand on the small of her back and ushered her toward the waiting buggy.
    As he hurried Faith toward the buggy, his mind turned
from the personal to business. Twelve-thirty. It would be
past dark before chores were done.

    Nicholas lifted Faith into the wagon, and she murmured
thanks. Ordinarily, she would climb aboard unassisted. She
wasn't helpless, and she didn't want Nicholas fawning over
her. She hoped he wasn't a fawner. But she was relieved to
see her husband-to-be was a pleasant-looking man. Not
wildly handsome, but he had a strong chin and a muscular
build. He looked quite healthy. As he worked to stow her
luggage in the wagon bed, she settled on the wooden
bench, her gaze focusing on the way his hair lay in gentle
golden waves against his collar.
    His letter had said he was of English and Swedish origin,
and his features evidenced that. Bold blue eyes, once-fair
skin deeply tanned by the sun. Only the faint hint of gray at
his temples indicated he was older than she was; otherwise,
he had youngish features. He was a man of means; she
could see that by the cut of his clothes. Denims crisply
ironed, shirt cut from the finest material. His hands were
large, his nails clean and clipped short. He was exceptionally
neat about himself. When he lifted her from the back of
Jeremiah's mule, she detected the faint hint of soap and
bay-rum aftershave.
    She whirled when she heard a noisy thump! Nicholas was
frozen in place, staring at the ground as if a coiled rattler
were about to strike.
    Scooting to the edge of the bench, Faith peered over the
wagon's side, softly gasping when she saw the contents of
her valise spilled onto the ground. White unmentionables stood out like new-fallen snow on the parched soil. Her
hand flew up to cover her mouth. "Oh, my . . . "

    Liza whacked the side of the wagon with the tip of her
cane. "Pick them up, Nicholas, and let's be on our way."
She climbed aboard and wedged her small frame in the
middle of the seat, pushing Faith to the outside. "A body
could perish from hunger waiting on the likes of you."
    Nicholas gathered the scattered garments and hurriedly
stuffed them into the valise. Climbing aboard, he picked up
the reins and set the team into motion.
    As the wagon wheels hummed along the countryside,
Faith drank in the new sights. She'd lived in Michigan her
entire life; Texas was a whole new world! She remembered