Free One Pink Rose; One White Rose; One Red Rose by Julie Garwood

Emily said.
    Millie snorted. “It’s as clear to me as a clap of thunder that you’re taken with Travis. Are you blind, girl?”
    Emily could feel herself turning red with embarrassment. “You’re mistaken, Millie. I barely know him. He’s just my guide to Golden Crest.”
    Millie snorted again. Emily quickly tried to turn the topic back to the wager. She refused to look at Travis until she was certain he wasn’t thinking about Millie’s remarks.
    â€œI won fair and square,” she announced.
    â€œYou broke the rules.”
    She forced a laugh. “There weren’t any rules, remember? You made that choice, not me.”
    â€œWhat was the wager?” John asked.
    Travis paused to glare at Emily for kicking him again before he answered. He explained their argument and how he wanted to prove she was wrong.
    â€œIt was a foolish wager,” Emily said. “But I did win, and it’s all your own fault, Travis. You should have been more specific, like the moneylender in a story I read called The Merchant of Venice. Have you ever read it?”
    â€œAs a matter of fact, I have.”
    â€œI don’t recall reading the story,” John said. “Of course, I don’t know how to read yet, and that could be why I don’t recollect it.”
    â€œI don’t recollect it either, John,” Millie said. “But I’m wanting to hear about it.”
    â€œIt’s a wonderful story,” Emily began. “A gentleman borrowed money and made an agreement to pay it back within a certain amount of time. He also agreed that if he wasn’t able to repay, then he would give the moneylender a pound of his flesh.”
    John’s eyes widened. “That would kill a skinny man, wouldn’t it?”
    â€œIt would kill any man,” Travis told him.
    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jack get up and move to a table in the center of the room. It was apparent he was trying to get closer so he could hear every word Emily said, and he was also trying not to draw any attention to himself. It took all Travis had not to laugh, but, honest to God, seeing the savage up on his tiptoes really was comical. His brothers weren’t going to believe him when he told them about it.
    â€œDon’t leave my John hanging for the rest of the story,” Millie said in her usual abrupt tone. “It seems mighty foolish for a man to make such a rash promise, doesn’t it, John?”
    â€œYes, Millie, it does seem foolish. Now, if the moneylender gave him time to put some weight on around his middle, well then, I’m thinking that promise wasn’t so rash after all. Did he give him time?” he asked.
    Emily shook her head and tried not to laugh. “No, John, he didn’t give him time.”
    â€œHe never should have made that promise,” Millie insisted with a shake of her head. “He obviously wasn’t from around these parts. Men out here would never do such a foolish thing.”
    â€œHe was desperate,” Emily explained. “And he was certain he would have the money in time to repay. He didn’t though.”
    â€œI had a feeling that’s what happened. Did he get cut up?” John asked.
    â€œHe died, didn’t he?” Millie asked at the very same time.
    â€œNo, he didn’t get cut up, and he didn’t die,” she answered.
    â€œHe welshed, didn’t he? It just doesn’t seem right to me,” John said. “A promise made is a promise that’s got to be kept. A man’s word is sacred, after all. Isn’t that right, Millie?”
    â€œYes, John, a man’s word is all he’s got in these parts. How did he get out of his promise?” she asked Emily. “Did he go into hiding?”
    â€œNo,” Emily answered, smiling over the Perkinses’ enthusiastic response to the story.
    Travis was also smiling. Although he had read the Shakespearean play at