Into this society Autumn Clare is born. Autumn's questioning keeps her from being content with the destiny of wife and mother society has determined for her. She has taught herself to read despite the social taboos. The last thing she needs is for her father to find her a husband.
Orion Louis is wealthy and educated yet unable to find a wife that suits him. One day, while visiting his uncle, Orion hears Autumn quoting a book. At that moment he knows that he must have her as wife. It isn't hard to get Autumn's father to sell her to him. Making her fall in love with him is another matter entirely.
“David and Katrina are a good match,” Autumn’s father said.
“I am pleased with the husband you have found for Katrina,” her mother replied.
“David Snodgrass will be one of the wealthiest men in Willow Springs after he inherits his fathers business.”
“I will be sending Katrina to Mr. White’s store later this week to get fabric so I can make a nice dress for the announcement of her engagement.”
“Remind her that she doesn’t belong to a rich man yet. I cannot afford something overly fancy. We had a good lambing this spring but not as good as I had hoped.”
“I was going to have the girls get a few things at Mr. Snodgrass store as well,” Autumn could hear her mothers caution. When she married would her husband view a bit of lace or some extra seasoning a squandering of his hard earned money?
“Remind Katrina to act her best. I wouldn’t want David to change his mind. He offered a good price for her.”
“Katrina always acts properly,” her mother replied softly.
“Be sure Autumn is reminded to act properly also.”
“She does try. She is just spirited.”
“Spirited girls don’t get husbands. She is old enough to marry and I want to find a husband for her as soon as possible. I will even take less then she is worth. I don’t want her being another Laurie Rothman. That girl reached her age two years ago and they still haven’t found a man to take her,” Autumn’s father declared. Laurie Rothman was Autumn‘s best friend next to Katrina. Autumn was sure that Laurie’s lack of a husband was not due to her being “spirited” but being plain and a bit dim.
“I am sure you will find a husband for Autumn soon enough.” Then there was silence.
Autumn rolled over to face her sister.
“Are you happy about your engagement?” Autumn whispered. She and Katrina always had to whisper when they talked because they shared a room with their brothers. The room was separated in two by a large quilt but the quilt did little to absorb sound. Even as they spoke Autumn could hear her brothers snoring.
“You know that I am. I will have a wealthy and handsome husband and maybe in a year or two a baby,” Katrina said.
“I don’t think David is all that handsome,” Autumn said.
“I do. And I don’t see how you can say that. Are you jealous?”
“Jealous?”
“I will be marrying a well bred man in town. You are not yet spoken for. You could end up married to a poor farmer like father.”
“I hope I marry a man with more wit and intelligence then our father,” Autumn said.
“That is unkind. You should hope you marry at all. It is no secret that people think you are peculiar. It is like they know that you can read just like a man,” Katrina said the word read being too quiet even for Autumn to hear clearly.
“No one knows that other than you.”
“People may not know but they can sense you are different,” Katrina said.
“Of course I am different. I am not nearly as content as the others to cook and clean. I want to be a part of the adventures I have read about. I want to see a mountain and sail the ocean. I don’t understand how other people can not want those things. Still, like you I will probably die in Willow Springs having never seen or done anything in my life.”
“Then you might die a respectable woman. Once you are married your reading days will be over. You will be much too busy running your household to waste time with books. Plus, I bet your husband will not be as absent minded as our brothers and leave his books strewn about so that a missing one will not be noticed.”
“Perhaps.”
“What kind of wife will you be if you are reading a book all day instead of tending to your chores. You will not have me there to tell you to put the book down and hurry to your chores before someone notices. If it were not for me you would have been found out by now,” Katrina said.
“I know and I love you for helping me even though you disapprove.”
“I would not want to see what father would do to you if he found out. I also would not wish that shock on mother.”
“No. Neither would I.” Autumn had been afraid of being discovered since the day she made up her mind to learn to read. She had nightmares from time to time of being found out. Nightmares in which her mother died of shame.
Jane lives in central Ohio with her twin daughters.
Blog: http://authorjanebnight.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @JaneBNight
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