Free No Other Love by Isabel Morin Page B

much the same day after day, and one is so tied to it. I dreamed of getting away and seeing new places …” Rose broke off, embarrassed at how much she’d revealed.
    “No, you weren't meant to be a farmer's wife,” he said. It should have sounded presumptuous, given how little he knew of her. Instead he sounded thoughtful.
    “Meant for it or not, it’s what I shall be one day,” she said, knowing she sounded resigned to her fate rather than excited to be marrying the man she loved. She could feel Luke’s gaze on her but looked straight ahead, unable to meet it.
    How far she’d come from her ideas of travel and excitement. Her life would be spent working just to put food on the table. There was no shame in that. Maybe someday it would even bring her pleasure.
    They were both quiet as they reached the livery, where Luke arranged for a buggy and team of horses. Before long they were on their way back to Cider Hill, the top down in order to enjoy the pleasant breeze. Rose settled back for the ride, conscious of the new ease she felt with Luke. How unexpected, this new sense of friendship between them. It felt strange to tell him details of her life, and yet not wrong. She hadn't given anything away, but more than that, she felt understood.
    What a shock it had been to exchange the sights and smells of Boston for life on a farm. She could see it when she closed her eyes – how the woods bordered their spread on all sides, and in the middle the gold of fine hay, flecks of color from the vegetable garden, horses and pigs, the dairy cows and chickens. Even now it was a constant battle to keep the land clear. Always there was the forest wanting to take it back.
    Yes, she had grown to love the land, but somewhere in the back of her mind she had always planned to leave it. Since agreeing to marry Will, the life that awaited her seemed more trap than blessing.
    But she was too relaxed, too tired, to examine her feelings any further. Instead she closed her eyes and let herself sink into the seat, her body rocked by the gentle sway of the carriage.
    ***
    Luke let the horses slow to a walk when he saw that Rose had fallen asleep. There was something new and intimate in seeing her like this – the whisper of her breath, the unguardedness of her lovely face as she slept.
    She stirred beside him, her body curling into the side of the buggy for a more comfortable spot. Her long auburn lashes fluttered against her cheeks, her soft lips turning down at the corners as if she dreamt of something sad.
    She must be exhausted. Six days a week she worked from sun-up until sundown, and on the seventh day she walked for hours. He hated that she worked for his family, that she worked for anyone. Though her tasks now were better than what he had seen her doing the first day, that wasn’t saying much.
    It didn’t escape him that his vow to stay away from her had already failed. He hadn’t planned it, but Charlie had seemed in a rush, and without thinking he’d told him he’d make sure she got home. Come to think of it, Charlie had given him a queer sort of look, but he hadn’t taken any note of it at the time. He was too pleased with the idea of seeing Rose to consider his actions.
    He wasn’t sorry either. Their outing had been pleasant and cordial, and he could almost believe they were becoming friends. He knew a great deal more about her now than he had before, though much was still a mystery.
    Still, as much as he enjoyed knowing more about her, it was all he could do to hold his tongue when she mentioned the farmer waiting for her back home. Her expression had turned pensive, and everything in her seemed to dim when she spoke of him.
    The fact that she was bound, more or less, to another man was reason enough to stay away from her. But she was far from her friends and family, and she needed someone to look out for her. Which left him, if only he could keep from being one of the things from which she needed protection.
    He brought the