Free His Errant Educator (Willamette Wives Book 3) by Maggie Ryan Page A

rather intimate question.
    Before Agatha could respond, the men were back. "Ladies, if we don't head out, we might as well just stay home."
    "We're coming," Charity assured them, leading the women outside.
    Richard had placed hay bales at the end of the wagon to form a wind barrier, and piled quilts into the center for the women and children to sit on. After helping Anna into the wagon, he was lifting Johnny up for her to take when she said, "Oh, we forgot something."
    "Annabelle, there can't possibly be anything you forgot. I swear you've packed up the entire cabin."
    "I did not," she countered, accepting her son. "Didn't you say you wanted to take some of that elk to Robert?"
    "Oh, right. Thank you for reminding me, though I really don't know where we are going to put it. I'll be right back."
    Before he could disappear into the root cellar, Anna called out again. "Oh, and I think it would be nice to take Harriett several jars of preserves. They are on the back shelf."
    Richard turned to her. "I think I can find them. As I recall, they are right next to that big basket of ginger roots… right?" The sight of his wife's cheeks turning scarlet and her instant squirming on the wagon bed told him that she understood without further clarification on how he felt about being manipulated even slightly.
    "Um, yes, sir."
    After returning, he tucked the items into the last inch of space. "Anything else you think you have forgotten?" he asked, chuckling when he saw her eyes dart to his hands as if to reassure herself they weren't holding any knobby root.
    "No, but thank you; everything I need is right here."
    He gave her a kiss then climbed up to sit beside James. Wyatt had just mounted his horse Chester when they were joined by two more men.
    "I was worried you'd already left," Matthew said, pulling up beside the wagon. "It took that one forever to get himself all gussied up." He inclined his head towards the other rider, who just rolled his eyes.
    "Now, Matt, don't tease Roger," Anna said. "He just wants to look his best for Teresa. One day, some young woman will have you doing the same."
    "Don't hold your breath," Matthew said, shaking his head.
    Lifting the reins, Richard snapped them to start the team on their journey. It had been several weeks since any of them had left the ranch, the snows making it difficult to travel. It would still be a slower trip than normal, as the horses would have to pick their way through some drifts, but he would admit that he was just as anxious as the women to visit with old friends.
    ***
    "All right, the meeting has begun," Anna said. "What was that all about?"
    "It's nothing really," Agatha said, but sighed when both of her friends rolled their eyes. "Fine, remember when the men came back from the elk hunt?" At their nods, she continued. "Well, Wyatt knew something was going on that had nothing to do with our being concerned about going to the dance. Of course, it probably didn't help that I kept pestering him to think of some reason to send Roger into town."
    "Probably not," Charity agreed. "Our husbands aren't exactly open to what they deem unnecessary suggestions on what they should be doing."
    "Forget that, what happened?" Anna asked. "Don't tell us you confessed that we'd been gossiping about Teresa!"
    "I told you, it's not gossip if it's the truth, Anna. And no, I didn't say we'd been discussing how to help her. I just told him I was very concerned, and wanted Roger to be happy but was worried he'd wait too long…"
    "And I'm guessing he didn't agree?" Charity said.
    "Not exactly. He decided that instead of repeating his warning to let Roger run his own life, he'd, well, remind me of who ran ours."
    "Ah, so I'm guessing that while Teresa is still waiting to discover that our men don't hesitate to tan our backsides, yours got toasted?" Anna asked with a giggle.
    "Exactly," Agatha confessed.
    "So that's what he meant by meddling?" Charity said with a smile.
    "Yes. I'm telling you, if all this is