“Thank you.” She took the pie and proceeded to stare straight ahead.
As he circled around the buggy, Levi tried once more to figure out what could have made her angry. He pulled himself up. Maybe she’d had time to rethink her desire to get married and didn’t like that three other women were now here to say I do.
He endured the stony silence until they were out of town and then gently pulled the team of horses to a stop. Levi set the brake and then turned to face her. “Millie, did I do or say something to anger you?”
She blew a blond curl off her forehead and sighed heavily. Without looking at him, Millie asked, “Seriously, you don’t have a clue why I might be upset right now?” Then she turned and her blue eyes flashed in his direction.
“No, I don’t. When I left you were fine.”
Millie studied his face. Her anger seemed to dissolve and confusion laced her pretty features. “Maybe manipulation comes to you naturally. Is it really possible you don’t know what you’ve done?” A frown marred her pretty forehead.
Levi didn’t know whether to be angry or laugh. He had no idea what she was talking about. How could he?
She took a deep breath. “Do you deny that you insisted we leave at three?”
“No, I don’t. We had to leave at three because it takes a couple of hours to get out to the ranch and Ma will expect us to socialize for at least thirty minutes to an hour with the other—” he paused “—guests before dinner.” He didn’t point out that they were wasting time discussing what time they left when they should be on their way.
“Do you own Beth’s Boardinghouse?”
So that was it. He picked up the reins and released the brake. She didn’t like that he owned the boardinghouse. What did it matter if he owned it?
A small ache began to seep up his neck and into his temple. The women in his life were going to drive him to madness. He realized she was still waiting for an answer. “Yes, I do.” Levi slapped the reins over the horses’ backs.
Millie grabbed the seat and held on as the big animals moved forward once more. “And you didn’t bother to tell me.” Her words came out harsh and ragged.
“Why would I tell you? We just met. I’m not in the habit of telling my business to people I’ve just met. I’m sorry if it makes you angry that I own the boardinghouse.”
Once more she sighed heavily. “Levi, you own the boardinghouse where I now work and live. You are controlling my every action—that’s what makes me angry. I don’t like people manipulating my every move.”
Didn’t he have enough to deal with, with facing his mother and the other three brides? Maybe he should turn the buggy around and head back to town. At least there he had some control over his life. With that thought, it dawned on him that Millie was feeling the same way he felt right now.
He pulled the horses to a stop once more and turned to face her. “I really am sorry, Millie. I didn’t see it that way. My reasoning was that you needed a place to stay and a job. I knew Beth could use the help, and with the job came the room and board. It never dawned on me you would take offense.”
Millie stared at him with big blue eyes. Her emotions warred on her heart shaped face. He could tell she wasn’t sure of his sincerity.
“Honest. And to prove it, I vow to never meddle in your life again.” He gave her what he hoped was a sincere grin. “Promise,” Levi added, praying she’d accept his apology.
She nodded. “All right. I’m sorry, too. I may have overreacted.” Millie twisted away from him.
He turned back to the horses and the business of riding out to the ranch. “No harm done. I’m glad we got that settled.”
“Me, too.”
His thoughts turned to the ranch and the women who were waiting for him. He still hadn’t decided what to do about them.
Her soft voice asked, “Levi, may I ask you a question?”
“You may ask whatever you want to, Millie.” He focused on the backs of the horses and the dirt path in front of them. She could ask, but he didn’t have to answer, he quietly thought.
“Why don’t you want to get married?”
That wasn’t the question he’d expected. Levi swallowed. Maybe he could distract her. “Why don’t you?”
A swift answer spewed from her lips. “I don’t want or need a man to boss me around.”
He couldn’t help but wonder what man had bossed her around in the past. Or was she thinking of her mother? She’d said the woman had been manipulative; maybe she’d been bossy, too. “It’s your turn to answer the question.” She grinned at him and raised a fine blond eyebrow.
Levi decided to be honest with her. “Women want love when they get married. Love is no longer in my future. I can’t promise love so I don’t want to marry anyone.”
She sobered. “I can understand that, but what about your mother?” Millie traced the pattern on her dress with her finger. “She seems pretty insistent that you marry, and soon.”
“Honestly, I’m not sure what to do about her. She’s invited these women to the ranch and expects me to pick one out like you would a nice piece of furniture.” Levi shook his head. “I’m not sure what to do about the mail-order brides, either.”
They rode along in silence. After several miles, Millie spoke again. “Levi, why do you have to do anything with them? Your mother invited them. Why don’t you let her figure out what to do with the ladies?” A mischievous gleam filled her pretty blue eyes.
Millie had a valid point. He shouldn’t be held accountable for the other three ladies. The only one he’d invited to Granite was Millie. Could he tell his mother they were her responsibility? And what would she say if he did?
He silently prayed, Lord, I mean no disrespect for Ma, but I don’t feel I should have to deal with these mail-order brides. Please be with me when I tell her just that.
Chapter Three
Levi helped Millie down from the wagon and turned just in time to face his mother. She sprang off the front porch of the family ranch house like a mountain lion after its prey. Her green eyes blazed, leaving no doubt that she’d talked to Daniel and found out about Millie.
“Hello, Mother. How are you this evening?”
His causal greeting did nothing to slow her down. She ground out between clinched teeth, “You and I have business to discuss in the barn now.”
Levi handed Millie her pie and turned to his mother again. “Mother, I’d like you to meet Miss Millicent Hamilton. Millie, this is my mother.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Westland.” Millie held out her hand. Her fingers shook, but she held her head up high. Levi felt a moment of pride at the way she held his mother’s eyes and waited for her to respond.
Bonnie Westland took Millie’s hand and shook it hard. “I’d like to say it’s nice to meet you, too, Miss Hamilton, but at the moment, I’d rather hold my opinion.”
He watched as Millie’s spine straightened. “I’m sure when you get to know me, you will find me very likable.”
His mother’s mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. Then a smile graced her lips. “I like a girl with spunk. You keep talking to me like that and you might be right.”
The slamming of the front door drew their attention. Hannah raced down the stairs and grabbed