Page 97 of Colorado Bride

Maybe she figured I wouldn’t sell it.She’d been wrong about that.I sold the jewelry first to maintain my façade.I would have sold the house, too, but I needed a place to live, until Doris convinced Ben to marry me.What am I supposed to do?I need to get rid of Emily, but I never know when she’s in town, except Saturdays and then she’s with Ben.

“What will I do?”she shouted to the room, pounding her fist in the air.

Ten days after Doris’s death

Emily had been avoiding Ben as much as possible.She feigned sleep when he came to bed.She arose and left the bed before he woke.

If Ben thought her behavior odd, he didn’t mention it.

“I’m taking the buggy and going to town to see Doc.My stitches should come out today.”

“Good.I’ll come with you.”

She waved her hand in front of her.“There’s no need.I’m capable of handling the buggy on my own.”

“I don’t doubt it, but I have to talk to Doc myself.”

“Oh, what problems do you have?Are you ill?”She didn’t want him to be sick, the fact that he might and wasn’t telling her worried her.

Ben cocked one eyebrow.

“Thank you for your concern, but Doc will have the answers I need.When you’re ready to go, come get me.I’ll be in my study going over bills.”

“I’ll be ready as soon as I finish the dishes.”

“Very good.If our departure is to be that quick, then I better get the buggy harnessed to the horses.We should be ready about the same time.”

“I suppose so.”Emily fisted her hands in her apron.“Are you sure you need to accompany me?”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say my dear wife is trying to avoid me.”

She looked out the window and then down at her shoes.

“Why would I be avoiding you?”

“I don’t know.That’s a question I have for Doc.”

Her chin shot up and her gaze locked with his.

“Why would Doc know anything about that?”

“I don’t know that he does, but someone better, because I can’t figure it out.Why are you avoiding me?You’re either sleeping or gone when I am in our bed.Do you not want to make love?Is that why you rise early and go to bed early?”

“I…I’m…not trying to evade you.”

“That may be but you’re succeeding at it, regardless of whether you want to or not.”

“Why would you want to have relations with me?You don’t love me, and we’ve already succeeded in getting me with child.”

“You think that’s the only reason I want to haverelations?You’re wrong.I enjoy the act and so do you.At least I thought you did.Right up until Mother died.”

She pointed at him with her finger.“You can say it.‘Until you killed my mother.’Say it.”

She spat the words at him, no longer able to keep her anger inside.

He crossed his arms over his chest.

“All right, until you killed my mother…in self-defense.”