Free The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas Page B

’s.”
    Emma looked startled, then embarrassed. She picked up the letter and squeezed in a second t . “Where did you learn to spell?”
    “I had a fair bit of schooling before I left home. I’m not as dumb as people think.”
    “No, I can see that,” Emma said.
    Emma began to fold up the letter, to turn it into its own envelope, but Ned put his hand on hers. “Better wait till Addie sees it. She wants to read it. You best do what Addie says.”
    Emma stiffened. “I believe I know how to write to my own brother.”
    “I said best let Addie read it.”
    She nodded. “All right.”
    Ned leaned back on two legs of his chair and called out the back door, “You, Welcome, come on in here.” In a moment the servant came through the door. “Go fetch Miss Addie. Tell her she’s wanted.”
    Welcome eyed him. “What’ll I tell her’s so important she has to come?”
    “Tell her anything you want. Tell her the truth. You’ve been listening in.”
    Emma jerked her head around to look at Welcome, who met her eyes, then went through the kitchen to the parlor. In a minute Addie was back, looking displeased at being summoned. Emma handed her the paper, and standing up, Addie read it.
    “How come you didn’t tell him you want your husband to think good of you?” she asked. “That’s what I’d do.”
    “Yeah, she’s right,” Ned said, not looking at Emma.
    Emma didn’t reply. Instead, she took the letter from Addie, picked up the pencil, and wrote something. Then she got out another sheet of paper and began to copy the letter once more. Ned looked at Addie over Emma’s head and winked. Addie’s eyes lit up, then she glanced at Welcome, who was staring at her. Addie put her hands on her hips. “Go about your business. I don’t pay you to stand around and eavesdrop,” she said.
    “’Tis my business,” Welcome told her. “I got two hundred and fifty dollars on it.” Welcome went outside, her laugh following her across the backyard.
    As she watched the servant disappear, Addie clicked her teeth. It was a sound her mother used to make, and Addie wondered when she’d begun doing it. Sometimes she felt she was getting old, and that was a terrible thing in her business, even for a madam. At least, Addie thought, there wasn’t any gray in her hair—not any gray that hadn’t been colored with a nice gold, that is. She stood a little straighter and pulled in her stomach, arching an eyebrow at Ned. But he was looking at Emma, who had just set down the pencil. Addie studied him until he looked up at her and blushed, as if he’d been caught doing something wrong. Addie wondered what he’d been thinking. “Read it,” Addie said.
    Emma cleared her throat. “Brother John,” she began, then lowered the paper and explained to Addie, “He’s as economical with words as he is with money. He wouldn’t like anything flowery.”
    Addie nodded.
    Emma raised the paper so that it was close to her nose, and Addie wondered if she had bad eyesight. Perhaps she was too vain to wear spectacles, but anyone as plain as Emma wasn’t likely to be vain. Addie was glad her own sight was still so sharp she could see a knothole in the barn door fifty feet away.
    “Brother John. You will be glad to know that marriage suits me. My husband is like you, plainspoken and hardworking, and he saves his money. He suits me, too.”
    “Why’d you say that?” Addie asked.
    “So John will trust him,” Emma replied. “If I said he was handsome and made me happy, John would think my mind had gone weak. John doesn’t believe in love.”
    Addie knew the type well enough. “Go on.”
    Emma cleared her throat. “You said upon my departure to keep an eye out for investment. I believe I have found one, and so I have written to you. My husband has the opportunity to purchase 20,000 acres adjacent to his ranch for $11,500 cash. It is good cattle range, worth almost twice that, but as it cannot be reached except through my husband’s property,