"You'll find out soon enough." Lance smiled.
"Well, anyway, I just got to feeling sorry for Trudy about that dress. Everyone else will notice before long. And I guess she's too proud to ask you for money. When a poor woman marries a rich man the first thing people think is that she married for money."
"Not this one George. She just too damned proud to admit she needs a little help. Damn, thanks for calling it to my attention. I'll take care of that now! I'll give her an advance in pay, that way, she won't figure it's charity."
George eyed him a minute. "Lance," George barked.
"What?" Lance turned around to look at him.
"She's your wife, at least for now. Treat her like it."
Lance smiled, "Thanks, George."
"Good. She sure is a good cook, all the boys think a lot of her. And Lance, I understand why you couldn't send her packing. If it had been me, I wouldn't either." George smiled at him.
Lance nodded with a grin. "See they stay at this. I'll try to get back later. If not, I'll see you at supper."
George grinned, "See ya." Then he stopped him before he rode off. "Now look, you haven't dealt with this before, that's why I'm offering
you some advice. Poor people get offended easy Lance. This gal has a lot of pride, her not telling you tells you that. You can't just blurt it out, about the clothes. You gotta use some tact. Don't hurt her feelings, understand?"
Lance grinned, "Yes Pappy, I understand. I'll do my best."
"Well hells bells, we don’t want to run a good cook off, do we?"
Lance laughed, "Don't worry, she's not going anywhere. No matter what happens."
"Good!" George grinned, and slapped his horse's rump.
Chapter Seven
On his way in he tried to think what to say. He wasn't a man that minced his words well. Being tactful didn't come easy to him since he was used to barking orders rather than sparing anyone's feelings. Yet for some reason, he cared about Trudy. She wasn't like anyone he'd ever met before. He supposed George felt sorry for her, but for some reason he didn't. She had things figured in her head right, she had a heart as big as Texas and the way she kept responding to his kisses, had him tied in knots.
It was for sure he wanted her, but for how long, he wasn't sure. She didn't seem like the kind of woman to have a romp in the hay with. Still, she was his wife.
It made little sense time wise. He hadn't known her long enough to care about her. And still, two years corresponding with Priscilla, he wasn't sure he knew her at all. Perhaps that was why he'd been in such a stew after he proposed to her. Pressure from others had made him act hastily.
He saw some beautiful pink and yellow wild flowers and stopped to pick some. He grinned, he'd put the cart before the horse, marrying her without benefit of a courtship, so he owed her some consideration. Little things, his mother told him long ago, go a long way in making a marriage a happy one. That might be a good start, he grinned when he had a bouquet of them. Didn't all women like flowers? His father had told him that. And his father was happily married for a long time.
When he arrived at the ranch, he didn't see anyone about. He put his horse away, then spoke to Chico who was working at cleaning out the stalls.
"So, you got the Señora some flowers? Women like flowers very much."
"Do they, that's good to know. Yes, thought she might like them. What do you think?"
"I think she will like them very much, Señor. Women like pretty things."
"I hope so Chico." He smiled and headed for the house.
"The Señora is very beautiful. And she cooks like an angel from heaven."
"Thank you, Chico. I'll tell her you said so."
He smiled and waved at him as he headed for the house.
Trudy was stirring something on the stove in the kitchen when he walked in.
"Smells good in here," he told her.