"It would seem then that I am to have little say in the matter? The enormous wedding I am planning is all for naught, and my father footing the bill as is the custom. Seriously?" Leah demanded, as if Elias Steegrave would offer to pay for anything.
"That'll be the day!" Elinor said, acting shocked and dismayed. "Josia Boone, you just retract that ridiculous threat, and the feeble attempt to walk it back! My husband, estranged as he may be, and believe me, he is strange, will hunt you to the ends of his fence line, if he had one."
Angie chuckled at the obvious closing that was going on. She, of course, wondered about this Elias Steelgrave whom they were making fun of. What kind of a man would be against a daughter of theirs making good? There was obviously more to learn about this Steelgrabe family.
"So my question is, why isn't there a man in your life, Addy? You're handsome enough, and you have your own successful business; it would seem some gallant eligible bachelor would have set his cap for you ages ago." She asked even though it was none of her affair.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Well, now, truth be known," Addy began, "I been married once." She grinned widely, this wasn't something she had revealed to many people, not that she was embarrassed by it, she just had put it behind her. "Next mornin', we sobered up an' good sense come to us an' we went our ways."
She shrugged and shook her head. "Is kinda peculiar that, what with all th' men I been around, but there really ain't never been one I wanted ta move into my life." It was difficult to explain, especially when folks seemed to think that you had to have a spouse for your life to be on track. And Addy had no desire to 'settle' so long as she was content and doing well.
"Might be that one day that'll happen, an' I can't say as I'd resist, although there's Weedy ta think on now...we're an odd kinda family, take some man addled in th' head ta take us on!"
"Addy, that's a bald-faced lie," Josiah said bluntly. "Why a man that had sense enough to see you for who you are, and the fine young lad Weedy is? Hell woman, he'll sweep you right off your feet! Don't sell yourself short! Problem is, as you rightly put it, you're comfortable, successful, and you don't have need of a man to provide for you, as most women out here do, and that plumb scares Hades out of most men."
Angie leaned forward and said, "He's right, you know. Being a doctor, even in a modern city like Chicago, a professional woman, and there are many, has a great deal of trouble with finding the right kind of men. Out here, I can imagine it is much worse for a professional woman, and that is what you are, to find the right man."
"Exactly my thought," Leah said with conviction. "They either see you as their meal ticket, or they're afraid of you. Isn't that right, Jonah?"
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Addy, that's a bald-faced lie," Josiah said bluntly.
"What?" Addy shrugged and smiled innocently.
"Why a man that had sense enough to see you for who you are, and the fine young lad Weedy is? Hell woman, he'll sweep you right off your feet! Don't sell yourself short! Problem is, as you rightly put it, you're comfortable, successful, and you don't have need of a man to provide for you, as most women out here do, and that plumb scares Hades out of most men."
"Ah, now, don't need a man ta provide, but I'd not be against a partner." It was something that was difficult to explain, which was why she didn't often bring it up. "But yer right, no man'd give me a second look." And honestly, she didn't mind that. She was comfortable in her skin, and happy to take what came her way...or not!
Angie leaned forward and said, "He's right, you know. Being a doctor, even in a modern city like Chicago, a professional woman, and there are many, has a great deal of trouble with finding the right kind of men. Out here, I can imagine it is much worse for a professional woman, and that is what you are, to find the right man."
"Reckon you'll find th' men out here are a mite more liberal in their thinkin', seein' as unspoke fer wemmen aren't on every corner!" Addy chuckled. But then, ya don't want a man'll just settle."
"Exactly my thought," Leah said with conviction. "They either see you as their meal ticket, or they're afraid of you. Isn't that right, Jonah?"
Up to that moment, Jonah had been listening with silent amusement, but when Leah dragged him back into the conversation, he hesitated, then nodded idly. "Yes, of course. Excuse me..." He rose and plastered on a smile. "I'd best check that Pops isn't putting silly stories into Weedy's head." Hastily, he retreated from the room.
"I detect a bit of guilt there. And no, I did not mean Jonah was an opportunist, or whatever they call them. The fact of the matter is, I had to push him into revealing his feelings for me, if you can imagine that." Leah explained, not wanting anyone to think Jonah was only interested in her wealth/
"Now that I do find it hard to believe. Jonah is reserved, I had noticed that, but he seems genuine, if not shy." Elinor pointed out. "A bit refreshing, I'd say."
"What I see with him these days is a more contented man than he was before. Saying he seems more comfortable within himself than the man I first met."Josiah confessed, "He was never relaxed, but now, much more so, except just now when the old Jonah showed up. As for you, young lady," Referring to Addy, "You'll likely stumble onto Mister Right without even knowing it, but he will, and more than happy to convince you of it. There, I said more than I ought to."
"Aww...Doc Boone, are ya two-timin' Granny, flirtin' with me like that!" Addy wrinkled her nose and quickly stuck out her tongue, then looked at Leah. "Are ya sure yer man knows ya didn't mean him? Sounded like it ta me."
While she knew that Leah really did care about Jonah for the man that he was, she wasn't sure she really realized how her innocent statement might have sounded.
++
Instead of heading to the patient's room, Jonah went straight out the front door and into the street, turning away from town. He didn't have a particular plan, but he just needed to get away, to think...
Had she really meant that? He didn't think so, but then, it seemed that she'd directed the statement at him...
'Isn't that right, Jonah?'
Why else would she have said that? Of course, she hadn't meant it, she knew who he was, knew his past -- mostly -- and still accepted him. And it wasn't as if he'd been the one to initiate things. Oh, no doubt, he would have, had he been a better man, but he was still trying to believe that he was good enough for Leah.
"Are ya sure yer man knows ya didn't mean him? Sounded like it ta me."
Suddenly, her innocent quip took on a completely different meaning for her. and maybe for him. But he would know that she did not mean him, wouldn't he? Yet he left in a rush, or so it seemed. Then it hit her, yes, she knew what there was to know about him and his past, and yes, he could easily be guilty of using women for money. His past would suggest that, yet she had not been informed of that by the investigators she had hired. Reliable men. There was plenty in his past, but not that.
"I, oh, what have I done?" Ahe said as she rose suddenly from her chair. "Oh! My God." She turned and hurried to the front door and out on the porch, looking hurriedly in every direction, catching sight of him some distance off. She lifted her skirt enough not to trip on it as she hurried down the stairs and started after him
"Jonah! Wait!" she hollered.
"Jonah! Wait!" she hollered.
Jonah's stride had slowed as soon as he'd passed through the gates, and for this very reason. He had no doubt in his soul that Leah would come after him, and the fact that she had so quickly was reassuring. He was being petulant, he knew, yet another thing to be embarrassed by. She really did deserve better.
With a sigh, he stopped and turned toward her, feeling his heart skip when he saw her. "I'm sorry, Leah," he muttered, knowing this wouldn't be the last time he apologized to her.
"Sorry? Sorry for what? It is me that is sorry, I realized that what I said in jest was not taken that way, could not be taken that way." She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I am sorry, Jonah, it was a cruel thing to have asked you. I did not mean it that way, and I am so sorry."
A lesson about taking care in what one says was on full display for Leah, who truly had not meant anything by the question she posed to him. But that she hurt him was evident. "Come, let's go back and rejoin our friends. They are concerned as well. And besides, there may be a desert awaiting us.
"I'm sorry for reacting the way I did." Sighing, he wrapped her arms around Leah, reaching to caress her hair as he pulled her to his chest. "I know that wasn't how you meant it, deep in my heart, but that my thoughts even considered it..."
Old habits died hard, so Jonah was prone to going on the defensive without even thinking about it, although now, he regretted it within a few heartbeats.
"Let's get married, Leah, now...soon..."