You're forgetting," her father pointed out reluctantly, "that Steven Fairfax is spoken for. He's got his eye on Miss Emma Chalmers." Joellen was horrified. "That dowdy little snippet who runs the library? He's just toying with her, that's all." Big John shrugged his powerful shoulders. "Miss Emma tries to conduct herself proper-like, and dress the way a lady should, but she's not dowdy, Joellen, not by a far sight." Miss Lenahan was in no mood to hear a recital of that dreadful woman's virtues. She steered the conversation in a slightly different direction. "If Steven's taken up with her, it's only because he knows she's loose, and he's out for what he can get. When it comes time for marrying, he'll want another sort of woman entirely." Two patches of color appeared on Big John's leathery cheeks, and his eyes snapped. In that instant, Joellen knew she'd gone too far. "I won't hear another word against Emma," he said tightly. "Now, you just run along and forget chasing after Fairfax-do you hear me?" Even Joellen didn't dare cross Big John when he had that look in his eyes. She nodded glumly.
( Linda Lael Miller )
[ Emma And The Outlaw ]
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