nothing personal. Most women would struggle.”
“I’m not most women.”
“Maybe not, but you’ll be hard-pressed to make it through the year. After winter sets in you’ll be stuck—if you make it that long. So here’s my proposition. If you can make it until January, I will put you and your sisters on the deed. If, before that time, you decide life in Little Falls isn’t what you had hoped, I will pay for you and your sisters to go back to Rockford. I don’t have enough to buy your share of the hotel, but I have a little saved that could set you up in a comfortable place to live.” He hoped it wouldn’t come to that. If she and Grace were married before then, he wouldn’t have to pay for them to go back. They would all be happy then. Elizabeth and Grace would have homes with husbands to provide for their needs, and he’d have his hotel.
She started walking again, her shoulders stiff. “I think you underestimate me, Mr. Allen.”
“Call me Jude.”
“I’ll make it until winter,” she said with certainty, “and beyond. You’re stuck with me until I can earn enough money to buy your share of the hotel.”
“Buy my share?” He reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her.
She looked down at his hand and up into his eyes, a pretty scowl on her face.
“It’s not for sale,” he said.
She lifted her chin. “Everything is for sale.”
“Not my hotel.”
She pulled her arm out of his grasp. “It’s my hotel, too—or, at least, it will be when I am still here in January. As soon as I have enough money saved, I intend to buy your share. It might take me a long time, but I have no intentions of going anywhere or doing anything else.”
Jude clenched his jaw. “I could make you leave right now, if I wanted.”
Her face grew still as she studied him.
“I won’t do that,” he said a bit more quietly. “I wouldn’t turn any woman out on the street, especially Clarence’s daughters.”
She swallowed and some of her bluster faded. “Thank you for that.”
“But I have no interest in having a business partner.” Especially a woman. “So my proposition still stands. You and your sisters may stay at the Northern, provided you work for your room and board, and if you make it until January I will put your name on the deed—and no more talk of buying my share.” He started walking again. “It’s not for sale and it won’t be for sale.”
She walked beside him, but she didn’t say anything until they reached the river and stopped to watch the logs float past. The waterfall was to their left, with the dam, sawmill, gristmill and cabinet shop on the eastern bank. Abram and Charlotte Cooper’s home was at the bottom of the hill where their boys were running around in the yard.
Jude turned to face Elizabeth. The sun played with the highlights in her hair and bathed her face. Her blue eyes reflected the water, and the wind toyed with the tendrils of hair playing about her cheeks. He had to steel himself against letting his thoughts wander. She was a beautiful woman, and he couldn’t deny he was attracted to her, but he had no unrealistic hopes about winning her affection. She was destined for another man and the sooner the better.
“Are you amenable to my proposition?” he asked.
She finally looked up at him. “It’s not what I had hoped when I came to Little Falls, but it’s far better than the alternative.” She nodded. “I agree.”
“Good. Martha can use you and Grace in the kitchen and dining room. You’ll also need to help clean.”
She stood a bit straighter. “I will gladly help with the cooking and cleaning, but I would also like to look over the books, if I may.”
“Are you good with sums?”
“I worked at a general store for the past three and a half years and I was in charge of all the bookwork.”
“I will happily hand over the accounting to you.” After Clarence died it had fallen on Jude’s shoulders, and he’d be the first to admit he did a poor job.
“Then it’s settled. My sisters and I will live and work at the Northern until January when you will add us to the deed. At that time, we will address the terms of our partnership.” She held out her hand to shake his.
He took her hand and was surprised at the strength in her grip. She was a confident woman, he’d give her that, and if she had experience in business then she would be an asset. He might be a little more concerned if he wasn’t convinced that she and her sister would be married well before January.
The only thing that worried him was keeping his rescue work hidden. He wasn’t ashamed of it, but most people didn’t understand why he did what he did. If she learned the truth, he’d have to explain to her about his past and that was something that he was ashamed of.
He let go of her hand and indicated the road that would take them back to the Northern.
“May I look at the books immediately?” she asked as they walked.
“I give you full permission to do whatever you’d like with them.” Toss them in the river, for all he cared. They had been a bane to him this past month.
“And may I make a few suggestions regarding your budget?”
“If you can find a way for us to spend less and make more, then by all means.”
They continued on to the Northern, and when they walked inside, Rose jumped off the staircase’s bottom step and flew across the lobby into Elizabeth’s arms.
“Where have you been, Lizzie? I’ve been waiting for you all morning.”
“Does Grace know you’re down here?” Elizabeth asked.
The girl nodded, her eyes solemn, and then the nod turned to a shake of her head. “No.”
Elizabeth dropped her forehead to her sister’s. “You know you’re not supposed to leave Grace’s side. She’s probably worried.”
Rose noticed Jude watching her and she burrowed her head into Elizabeth’s chest as she peeked out at him. “Who is he?”
Elizabeth looked up. “This is Mr. Jude. He lives here, too.”
“Is he nice?”
Elizabeth studied him. “I don’t know—I didn’t think so, at first, but then he did something very nice today.”
Rose pulled back from Elizabeth’s chest and she smiled. “What did you do, Mr. Jude?”
Jude swallowed. He had never spent time in the presence of children before and didn’t quite know what to think of this one.
“He gave us a home,” Elizabeth said.
“He did?” Rose studied Jude closely, her wide eyes blinking slowly. “Thank you, Mr. Jude.”
