Free Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart Page A

like you. It’s hard for a man like me to admit, but this horse business is not like banking.”
    “No, sir, it’s very different. Stacks of money don’t kick you in the chest.”
    “You’re right there. I don’t want to tell my wife how many times I’ve come close to getting seriously hurt. Maybe you’d consider working temporary, if that suits you. I’d be grateful for as long as you could stay.”
    It sounded mighty fine, except for Noelle. Remembering the look on her face whenever he was near cinched it. Nothing could make him hurt her like that. “I see you’re considering it.” Robert sure looked pleased.
    Thad cast his gaze around the sale. Rows and rows of horses standing in a spare lot between a boarding-house and the smithy. Men and boys milled through the aisles, the sounds and colors muffled by the softly falling snow.
    He thought of what to say to Robert and then of the land office he had yet to get to. He didn’t know if he had a blue moon’s chance of finding and affording his own place.
    “Then come work for me. You can start right now by helping me figure out a good price for this mare.”
    “It’s sure tempting, but I can’t take the offer.” There was no other answer he could give. “I wish I could.”
    “Could I ask what the reason is?”
    “It’s personal, sir.” Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of his older brother ambling along the boardwalk, probably heading to the land office, where they’d agreed to meet.
    Best to hurry this along. He’d spent over an hour with Worthington, and the man had yet to take his advice. “Robert, buy this mare. I’d offer low first, say twenty, but she’s worth more. If you pay seventy-five for her, it’s not too much.”
    “Well, I appreciate that.” Robert tipped his hat as Thad did the same.
    He left the man bargaining with the horse trader and waded through the fresh snow to the boardwalk. Aiden was leaning over the rail, one eyebrow arched in question.
    “I heard that.” He didn’t blink, and his dark eyes kept careful watch as Thad hit the icy steps.
    The ice gave him something to put his mind on instead of Noelle. “What did you hear?”
    “Worthington trying to offer you a job.” Aiden pivoted and crossed his arms over his chest. “Why would you turn down a good wage? Even if you find land to buy around here—”
    “Land that I can afford,” Thad pointed out. That was the catch. He’d worked long and hard to put aside every dime he could of his wages, and it didn’t add up to nearly what he needed it to be. “I’m not going to work anywhere near Noelle Kramer.”
    “Ah, so you’ve seen her. I wondered what would happen when you did.”
    “You could have told me.”
    “About her blindness? You could have asked. You left town before because of her.” Aiden nodded in the direction of a shop two doors down from the postmaster’s. “Are you going to be leaving for the same reasons now?”
    “No. I gave you my word I would stay and I will.” Thad let his brother fall in step with him. There was a lot he hadn’t told his brother five years ago and now. Time to change the track of the conversation. “How’s Ma?”
    “She’s at the mercantile buying fabric to start sewing for Finn.” Aiden didn’t sound too happy about that.
    Thad had learned that Aiden wasn’t too happy about anything. “We’ll make sure he doesn’t let her down this time.”
    “We’ll do our best. I got his train ticket taken care of. He ought to be arriving two weeks from tomorrow.” Aiden’s wide shoulders sagged a notch.
    It was quite a burden. Thad could feel it, too. “I’ll do my best, too. We’ll get him straightened out.”
    “It all depends on how the territorial prison has changed him.”
    Thad didn’t know what to say about that. Life had a way of changing a person in the best of circumstances. “I wish I would have come back sooner.”
    “The wages you sent home made the difference between losing our place