she picked it up. Many men placed ads for wives, why couldn’t she advertise for a husband? She pulled a sheet of paper forward and started composing an ad to place in nearby papers.
Wanted: Christian man to wed nineteen-year-old widow and mother of one and help run ranch. Must be of upstanding character and a letter of recommendation from family minister preferred. Need response soon. Please respond at:
Alexandria wrote in her address and surveyed the letter. Did she really want to do this? It was almost like selling herself. She cringed at the thought. She couldn’t think like that or she would lose her nerve. What would her husband expect of her? Would he expect children right away? The thought of sharing her bed with a man, any man really, made her shudder. Just considering it so soon after Nick’s attack on her brought horrible memories to the surface. Maybe the man would allow her a little time to get to know him. That would work. She had never really been kissed in a way she could call pleasant. That’s not true, she amended to herself. Jonathon had kissed her and she had enjoyed it.
Annoyed at her own thoughts, Alexandria shoved them aside. She didn’t want to be hurt and she didn’t want to hurt anyone. This way neither she nor her husband would go into the marriage blindly and no one would be hurt, she told herself. She would not marry a man who loved her knowing she didn’t love him as well. Alexandria stiffened her resolve, changed into an appropriate dress to wear to town and went in search of Jonathon. Her rest would have to wait. She found him already preparing to go to town. He hitched the buggy rather than saddling Raven and escorted her to town.
***
Jonathon studied Alexandria where she sat beside him and wondered what her business in town had been. She had parted ways with him, been gone for over an hour, and still hadn’t said what Moody had wanted. Unless he was mistaken, Jonathon had seen her go in the attorney’s office just after arriving in town. What business did she have with a lawyer?
“What’s going on, Alexandria?” he finally asked.
Alexandria sighed, “Mr. Moody is threatening to foreclose on me if I don’t marry him,” she answered honestly.
“What?” Jonathon’s face turned scarlet with rage. “Alexandria, that’s not even legal…”
“Maybe not but I can’t hold the lien and that is; in fact some would say that I shouldn’t own the property at all,” she pointed out.
“You aren’t considering it? Please tell me you aren’t considering it?” he all but begged.
Alexandria frowned at him, “No, nor would I.”
“That’s a relief,” Jonathon was able to breathe again.
“I asked for some advice, I think I may have it figured out,” she explained evasively.
“If you need my help, advice, just an ear to listen, or a shoulder to cry on, you know where to find me,” he reminded her.
“Thanks, Jonathon.”
“Sure. You okay?”
“I’m exhausted,” she admitted.
“I want you to eat and go straight to bed,” his orders made her smile.
“Yes, sir, will do,” she tried saluting him but it came out on a yawn and she giggled.
“I rest my case,” Jonathon chuckled.
“Why is Anna suddenly not interested in you? Have you noticed that?”
“We had a heart to heart last night.”
“When?”
“When she came in the parlor, confessed that she was in love with me, and kissed me,” he answered calmly.
“What?” Alexandria’s eyes were wide. “What did you do?” she tried to be casual. The thought of Jonathon kissing her sister didn’t settle well.
“Gently extricated myself, told her that she was a good friend and that was all that would ever be between us.”
“No wonder she’s avoiding you. Not to imply that you did… that you handled it wrong. I just know that had to hurt,” Alexandria empathized with her sister.
“I hated to do it, but she cornered me.”
“No, it’s better that she knows. Now she can go on and start healing and looking elsewhere, as painful as it was, she needed to know.”
“Thank you for saying so, Alexandria, I really felt bad about hurting her.”
“You can’t help how you feel any more than she can help how she feels. If you don’t mind my asking, and not to sound odd but I can’t help but wonder…why don’t you like my sister?” Alexandria queried.
“She’s an attractive woman but more immature than I’d like in a potential wife. Furthermore, she’s not my type.”
“Oh, just wondered,” Alexandria shrugged. “Most men chase her.”