Genevieve: Bride of Nevada (American Mail-Order Bride 36) Read Free Page B

We raise cattle, but we also have horses, pigs, chickens and milk cows. Do you know how to milk a cow?”
    Genny stifled a laugh at the question and shook her head. “No. We had our milk delivered by the milk man twice a week.”
    “You really are a city girl aren’t you? Well, you’ll have to learn. I imagine there are a lot of things that you’ll need to learn.”
    “Yes. I’m a city girl and I know there will be much to learn, but I’m willing and a hard worker. I don’t know about animals. We got our meat from the butcher, when we could afford it, and bread from the bakery.”
    He shook his head.
    “Here we make everything we need. I slaughter a pig twice a year and we smoke the meat or keep it in the ice house. You’ll have to kill the chickens and pluck them to cook.”
    “No. Absolutely not.” Genny jerked upright and shook her head vigorously. “I won’t be killing anything. You want chicken, you better kill it yourself or have someone else do it. I won’t.” Her stomach turned at just the thought of having to kill a bird.
    Stuart chuckled. “You have strong feelings about that. I guess I can manage that task. You let me know in the morning that you want to fix chicken for dinner, and I’ll see you get the birds—ready to cook.”
    “Thank you.” She thought of the recipe for sloppy chicken she’d made before. Julia and Katie always asked for it when they had chicken. It was such a simple thing to do. Fry the chicken until just brown but not completely cooked, make cream gravy from the drippings, pour the gravy over the chicken and heat it all together in the oven for an hour.
    “Nettie will teach you what you need to know.”
    “I’m a willing student in most everything.”
    Stuart cocked an eyebrow and looked over at her. “Even in the bedroom. Are you a willing student there?”
    Heat invaded Genny’s cheeks, but she would not let this man embarrass her. She straightened. “I thought that wasn’t something to worry about.”
    “We’ll be sleeping together. That could easily become something to worry about. I’m not a monk, but I’ll leave you alone. For now.”
    She nodded but didn’t say anything. Inside, her heart rejoiced. A chance existed she could still have her own children.
    He pulled up to the side of the two-story house.
    A mangy looking dog slept on the small covered porch that sheltered a door she thought must lead to the kitchen. Stuart climbed down and came around to help her which was a good thing. Negotiating the steps up and down the buckboard was no easy task for someone not used to it. Or for someone who’s every muscle from the neck down screamed in pain.
    She’d no sooner touched the ground when a tall man wearing a black hat and sheepskin coat just like Stuarts, came striding around the house and up to them. He had brown hair and deep blue eyes, just like Stuart.
    “You must be Genevieve.” His gravelly voice was so unlike Stuart’s silky one, yet she knew at once who he was.
    “I am. Call me Genny. And you must be Joe.”
    She held out her hand but he pulled her into a hug.
    “Genny, don’t let him scare you away,” he whispered in her ear before letting her go. “Were family now.”
    He said the last by way of explanation for the hug.
    The door opened and a stout, gray-haired woman came out, followed by a little boy with blond curls.
    Billy. He’s so little. I’d forgotten how small children are.
    “Daddy!” he yelled and ran to his father as fast as his chubby legs would let him. When he reached Stuart, he bounced and held up his arms.
    Stuart picked up his son and hugged him tightly.
    She could tell that even a short trip to town caused the green-eyed child anxiety.
    Holding his son, Stuart smiled wide. “Billy, this is Genny. She’s here to take care of you and Lucy.”
    Billy put his thumb in his mouth and laid his head on his father’s shoulder.
    Stuart patted his son gently on the back. “He’s being a little shy. He gets that way