Jane Bonander Read Free

shoulder and rolled her eyes to the heavens as she walked to the house. It would never dawn on Josette that if she wanted to go on a picnic, she could pack the lunch herself. Julia wanted to blame Papa for her sister’s behavior, but she knew she had to take part of the responsibility for it herself.
    “I’m afraid I have work to do this afternoon, Miss Josette,” McCloud said. “I can’t be gone too long.”
    “Oh, pooh,” Josette answered, making a moue. “I’d hoped we could spend the day together.”
    Wolf McCloud actually chuckled. “As entertaining as that sounds, Miss Josette, I wasn’t hired to be your escort.”
    Julia paused on the porch, taking her time, hoping to catch the rest of the conversation. She knew exactly what would happen if her sister and that … that rake-hell spent too much time together. She was afraid it might already be too late.
    “Oh, but Papa would let you spend the day with me if I asked him,” she said, her voice sweetly seductive.
    Julia could stand it no longer. “Josette!” She turned and glared at her sister. “Mr. McCloud has to drive a load of walnuts into Walnut Hill this afternoon. He is not here as your personal companion.”
    Josette bit down on her lower lip and gave Julia one of her practiced looks of injury. She even had tears in her eyes. “Don’t shout at me, Julia, dearest. Please, don’t shout.”
    Julia took a deep breath and shook her head. “Just … just don’t be gone too long, all right?” She eagerly escaped into the house to prepare lunch for Marymae.
    But once inside, she crossed to the window and watched the buggy move away, Josette clinging possessively to Wolf McCloud’s hair-dusted forearm. Her stomach pitched downward, and she knew her worries were well founded.
    She moved quietly around the kitchen, mulling over how she would approach Papa about her fears. She didn’t think she was jealous or selfish. In spite of what had happened between her and Josette, she considered herself quite generous.
    But if Papa allowed Wolf McCloud to stay, Julia was certain that in nine months, perhaps even less, she would have another baby to care for. And that one wouldn’t be hers, either.
    “Papa, Mr. McCloud is a dangerous kind of man to have around.” Julia had met her father at the washstand on the back stoop when he’d come in for lunch. She wanted to speak with him before Josette returned.
    “Well, dang it, Julia. He’s a good worker. I hate to have to let him go. He’s the best man I’ve ever hired.”
    “Hired hands are more plentiful than you think.” She wasn’t nearly as certain as she sounded.
    “I think you got him all wrong, honey. He’s not—”
    “Papa,” she interrupted, “if we don’t let him go, we’ll go through hell again when Josette has to face another birthing.”
    Her father frowned and shook his head. “I think you’re wrong about him, Julia.”
    “Papa.” Her voice was stern, brooking no nonsense.
    “What’ll I tell him?”
    “Oh, I don’t know.” She tried to quell her impatience. “Does it matter? Papa, something has to be done. I don’t know what.” She’d thought of trying to get Josette to use measures to keep from getting pregnant, but that was like telling her it was all right to do … what she did. Julia felt tears of frustration sting her eyes. “We’ve got to do something, Papa. Things just can’t continue this way. She’s … she’s becoming a tramp.”
    Julia watched the emotions flick over her father’s face, knowing he was trying to find the solution himself. She should have been angry with him for the way he pampered and protected Josette. At times she was, but she was to blame, too. And she’d never really fought with Papa before. His life was hard enough. Instead, she’d stood by and watched her sister become a pretty, but useless, appendage to the family.
    Josette had Papa wrapped around her little finger. It had been that way ever since their mother died. He could deny