Gabrielle Meyer

A Family Arrangement


Скачать книгу

like that Lee woman,” Harry said. “She’s not good for the mill or Little Falls.”

      Abram glanced up. “I’m surprised it’s taken you this long to comment.”

      “If she hadn’t come, you wouldn’t be here—” Harry scoffed at their surroundings “—begging for handouts.”

      “I’m not begging for handouts. I’m seeking business partners—”

      “Because she threatened you.”

      “She didn’t threaten—”

      “She’s too high-and-mighty for the likes of us,” Harry continued as if he hadn’t heard Abram. “She’ll eventually guilt the others into believing her way and she’ll do it by threatening not to feed them.”

      “Harry, you have to try to see things from her perspective.” Abram could hardly believe he was defending Charlotte. “She’s doing what she thinks is best.”

      “She’s going about it the wrong way.” His jaw clenched and his eyes filled with bitterness. “I don’t want her preaching to me, or threatening to make me go hungry, just because I won’t do what she says.”

      “She still feeds you and in time—”

      “In time, nothing. I won’t play her games.”

      Abram stopped on the muddy path and looked Harry in the eyes. “Keep in mind that Miss Lee is my sister-in-law, and a guest in my home, not to mention a lady.”

      “She’s your employee first and foremost.” He looked Abram up and down, disgust on his face. “You’ll let her get away with anything, because you don’t want her taking your boys away.”

      “She can’t take them without my blessing.”

      “No—but you’re afraid she’s right, and Minnesota Territory is no place for them, so you’ll cave if she makes demands. You’re letting her get away with too much because you’re afraid of her.”

      Abram wanted to laugh at the accusation but the truth was that he had always been a little afraid of Charlotte. From the moment he had made his intentions known about Susanne, years ago in Iowa City, Charlotte had been a force to reckon with. Susanne had respected her older sister, and when Charlotte made it clear she didn’t approve of Abram, he thought Susanne would bend to her sister’s wishes. Thankfully, Susanne had found the courage to walk away from Charlotte—but there was always a part of Abram that believed Charlotte was right way back then, and he wasn’t good enough for Susanne. He had fought the fear every day of their marriage, and when Susanne died, it had slapped him in the face.

      Even now he was afraid Little Falls wasn’t good enough for his boys...and maybe he wasn’t enough for them, either. Would time prove Charlotte right again?

      “Harry, I want you to listen carefully.” Abram’s breath fogged the air in front of his face. “Stay clear of Charlotte. If I find out you’ve even looked at her funny, you’ll have to leave.”

      Harry stared at Abram, his thoughts imperceptible within his gray eyes.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4QAYRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/sABFEdWNreQABAAQAAABQAAD/4QRWaHR0cDov L25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wLwA8P3hwYWNrZXQgYmVnaW49Iu+7vyIgaWQ9Ilc1TTBNcENl aGlIenJlU3pOVGN6a2M5ZCI/PiA8eDp4bXBtZXRhIHhtbG5zOng9ImFkb2JlOm5zOm1ldGEvIiB4 OnhtcHRrPSJBZG9iZSBYTVAgQ29yZSA1LjAtYzA2MSA2NC4xNDA5NDksIDIwMTAvMTIvMDctMTA6 NTc6MDEgICAgICAgICI+IDxyZGY6UkRGIHhtbG5zOnJkZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMTk5 OS8wMi8yMi1yZGYtc3ludGF4LW5zIyI+IDxyZGY6RGVzY3JpcHRpb24gcmRmOmFib3V0PSIiIHht bG5zOnhtcE1NPSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvbW0vIiB4bWxuczpzdFJlZj0i aHR0cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wL3NUeXBlL1Jlc291cmNlUmVmIyIgeG1sbnM6eG1w PSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvIiB4bWxuczpkYz0iaHR0cDovL3B1cmwub3Jn L2RjL2VsZW1lbnRzLzEuMS8iIHhtcE1NOk9yaWdpbmFsRG9jdW1lbnRJRD0ieG1wLmRpZDpFNjlE Q0Q0MEFGMjA2ODExOEE2REI1NzQzQkE0MzI4MSIgeG1wTU06RG9jdW1lbnRJRD0ieG1wLmRpZDo0 NjNFOTFGMzhDODAxMUU2QjMyOUFEQ0M4Q0E5Rjc1NiIgeG1wTU06SW5zdGFuY2VJRD0ieG1wLmlp ZDo0NjNFOTFGMjhDODAxMUU2QjMyOUFEQ0M4Q0E5Rjc1NiIgeG1wOkNyZWF0b3JUb29sPSJBZG9i ZSBQaG90b3Nob3AgQ1M1LjEgTWFjaW50b3NoIj4gPHhtcE1NOkRlcml2ZWRGcm9tIHN0UmVmOmlu c3RhbmNlSUQ9InhtcC5paWQ6RTc5RENENDBBRjIwNjgxMThBNkRCNTc0M0JBNDMyODEiIHN0UmVm OmRvY3VtZW50SUQ9InhtcC5kaWQ6RTY5RENENDBBRjIwNjgxMThBNkRCNTc0M0JBNDMyODEiLz4g PGRjOmNyZWF0b3I+IDxyZGY6U2VxPiA8cmRmOmxpPk1leWVyLCBHYWJyaWVsbGU8L3JkZjpsaT4g PC9yZGY6U2VxPiA8L2RjOmNyZWF0b3I+IDxkYzp0aXRsZT4gPHJkZjpBbHQ+IDxyZGY6bGkgeG1s Omxhbmc9IngtZGVmYXVsdCI+QSBGYW1pbHkgQXJyYW5nZW1lbnQ8L3JkZjpsaT4gPC9yZGY6QWx0 PiA8L2RjOnRpdGxlPiA8L3JkZjpEZXNjcmlwdGlvbj4gPC9yZGY6UkRGPiA8L3g6eG1wbWV0YT4g PD94cGFja2V0IGVuZD0iciI/Pv/tAEhQaG90b3Nob3AgMy4wADhCSU0EBAAAAAAADxwBWgADGyVH HAIAAAIAAgA4QklNBCUAAAAAABD84R+JyLfJeC80YjQHWHfr/+IIJElDQ19QUk9GSUxFAAEBAAAI FEFEQkUCQAAAbW50clJHQiBYWVogB9cAAwACAAoABwApYWNzcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAEAAPbWAAEAAAAA0y1iSUNDnG00pa2kRfYUbZiwUQwSbQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAJY3BydAAABsQAAADJZGVzYwAAB5AAAACDd3RwdAAAAPAAAAAUclRSQwAA AQQAAAWEZ1RSQwAAAQQAAAWEYlRSQwAAAQQAAAWEclhZWgAABogAAAAUZ1hZWgAABpwAAAAUYlhZ WgAABrAAAAAUWFlaIAAAAAAAAPbWAAEAAAAA0y1jdXJ2AAAAAAAAArwAAAAKABUAHwAqADQAPgBJ AFMAXQBoAHIAfQCHAJEAnACmALAAuwDFANAA2gDkAO8A+QEDAQ4BGAEjAS0BNwFCAUwBVwFhAWsB dgGAAYoBlQGfAaoBtAG+AckB0wHdAegB8gH9AgcCEQIcAiYCMAI7AkUCUAJaAmUCcAJ7AoYCkQKc AqgCswK/AssC1wLjAu8C/AMIAxUDIgMvAzwDSQNWA2QDcgN/A40DmwOqA7gDxgPVA+QD8wQCBBEE IQQwBEAEUARgBHAEgASRBKEEsgTDBNQE5QT3BQgFGgUsBT4FUAVjBXUFiAWbBa4FwQXVBegF/AYQ BiQGOAZNBmEGdgaLBqAGtQbLBuAG9gcMByMHOQdPB2YHfQeUB6wHwwfbB/MICwgjCDsIVAhtCIYI nwi4CNII7AkGCSAJOglVCW8JigmlCcEJ3An4ChQKMApNCmkKhgqjCsAK3gr7CxkLNwtVC3QLkgux C9AL8AwPDC8MTwxvDI8MsAzRDPINEw01DVYNeA2aDb0N3w4CDiUOSQ5sDpAOtA7YDv0PIQ9GD2sP kQ+2D9wQAhAoEE8QdhCdEMQQ7BETETsRZBGMEbUR3hIHEjESWhKEEq4S2RMEEy8TWhOFE7ET3RQJ FDYUYxSQFL0U6hUYFUYVdBWjFdIWARYwFmAWkBbAFvAXIRdSF4MXtRfmGBkYSxh9GLAY4xkXGUoZ fhmzGecaHBpRGoYavBryGygbXxuVG8wcBBw7HHMcqxzkHR0dVh2PHckeAx49Hncesh7tHykfZB+g H90gGSBWIJMg0SEPIU0hiyHKIgkiSCKIIsgjCCNJI4kjyyQMJE4kkCTSJRUlWCWbJd8mIyZnJqwm 8Sc2J3wnwigIKE4olSjcKSQpbCm0KfwqRSqOKtgrIitsK7YsASxMLJgs4y0wLXwtyS4WLmMusS7/ L04vnS/sMDswizDcMSwxfTHOMiAycjLEMxczajO9NBE0ZTS5NQ41YzW4Ng42ZDa7NxI3aTfAOBg4 cTjJOSI5fDnWOjA6ijrlO0A7nDv4PFQ8sT0OPWs9yT4nPoY+5T9EP6RABEBkQMVBJkGIQepCTEKv QxJDdUPZRD1EokUHRW1F0kY4Rp9HBkdtR9VIPUimSQ9JeEniSkxKtkshS4xL+ExkTNFNPU2rThhO hk71T2RP01BDULNRI1GUUgZSd1LqU1xTz