Chapter 5
POV: Callum
I could barely concentrate and was tempted to check on Sorsha numerous times, but what would I say? I was glad when she was distracted by the icebox, and I didn’t have to answer her question.
Why did I marry her?
Because I’d been in love with her for the last four years.
But verbalizing such feelings was not something I could easily do.
I was freaked out daily when she walked past me, her dress threadbare and sometimes wet, making it so see-through that I could see practically everything.
Budding high breasts, the nipples straining against the fabric.
A small waist and a generous curve of hips, even though she could use some padding.
Her long, unruly hair, the color of ripened straw, framed a face that looked very similar to what I imagined a fairy would look like. Add the large eyes and the lush lips, and who wouldn’t be a goner?
For weeks, I’d been racking my brain on how to get her away from her useless family for good. And then yesterday, while I was in town, I overheard her father, Oscar, and Ryan talking about selling her.
But between the two, they had no idea slavery had just been abolished, and you couldn’t sell anyone, at least not legally.
What they didn’t know, others might not care about. There were always men willing to look the other way if the price was right. And Sorsha—sweet Sorsha—wouldn’t last a day in a life like that.
I’d sworn to myself long ago never to marry, never to risk repeating the past but some vows had to be broken. Better she be mine, safe, even if I wasn’t sure I could keep the darkness inside me chained.
It was the perfect opening. Before they arrived at the magistrate’s office, I slipped in to see Bartholomew Paulsen and explained what I wanted to do. He was fully aware of Sorsha’s circumstances and never hesitated, playing his part perfectly.
I knew Oscar would jump at the deal, especially since I offered a good portion of my savings—a princely sum—but it was worthwhile. Unseen, I listened as Ryan urged his father to sign the contract.
Oscar signed with a flourish, the grin never leaving his face. He could read and write, and yet his daughter was denied an education.
With shining eyes, they left the magistrate’s office, but I could see the wheels turning. They thought they could circumvent the contract and get more money out of me because Sorsha was family, but they had no idea who they were dealing with.
I looked down at the new horseshoe and grinned. Mabel was currently in the backyard, which wasn’t really big enough, but she was old and probably didn’t need much more. I’d build a shelter for her once the wood arrived.
Sorsha came running out with a concerned look on her face.
“Um, Mabel, where is she?” Her gaze slid to the horseshoe. “You’re making new ones for her?”
“Mmm.” I pointed at the wooden gate, which led straight into the enclosed backyard.
“Through there?” Sorsha’s amber eyes met mine, so guileless and beautiful.
“Yes, but wait.”
I hauled out the ointment I used when I burned myself and handed it to her.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Here, let me.”
Washing and drying my hands, I unscrewed the porcelain jar and dipped my finger into the cream. She took a step backward when she realized I was about to put ointment on the welt across her cheek and nose.
Looking down, her cheeks heating, she mumbled, “You don’t have to.”
“Are you afraid?”
She shook her head, and I stepped closer, angling her chin up and dabbing the ointment across the welt gently. When I saw it this morning, I almost lost my cool, and that would have been catastrophic.
Knowing myself, I had taken precautions and upped my regular dose to a double helping.
Her skin was so soft and delicate, I couldn’t imagine hurting her in any way.
“Thank you,” she exhaled when I finished, as though she’d been holding her breath the entire time, and darted to the backyard.
“Oh,” she smiled, turning back. “How did you bring Mabel through here?”
“There’s a second gate around the back,” I clarified. “And I’ll build a shelter for her.”
She nodded slowly before asking, “Do you want me to work for you?” For a moment, I was confused, but before I could answer, she added, “The cart needs fixing, too. Especially if I’m moving heavy things.”
Horror flooded through me. This was what she expected, this was normal for her, and could only be attributed to her experiences and suffering at the hands of her family.
Grabbing her hands in mine, I cleared my throat. “You are my wife and do not need to work. Mabel can live out her old age here, and you will never make use of this cart again.”
She pressed her lips together, her brow crinkling in worry—like she feared giving the wrong answer.
“Then what do you want me to do?”
“Well,” I stalled, not sure what to say. “Whatever you feel comfortable with. Cooking? Cleaning? You can buy food at the market…” I trailed off when I saw an expression of abject misery cross her face.
“I can’t cook,” she whispered.
“I have a book of reci…” I stopped abruptly. She couldn’t read. “I’ll teach you, okay?”
Her cheeks went blood red, and she looked away shamefully.
“Why did you marry me? I’m useless, I can’t even read,” she told me candidly, her eyes misting over.
“Because…”
“Please tell me it’s not because you felt pity for me?” she cut in, her eyes wide and expectant.
The words stuck in my throat, but I managed to force out, “Not pity.”
With a nod, she bolted into the yard, and I let out a sigh of relief. I had no problems speaking, but when it came to expressing feelings, I floundered, maybe because I never had the gentle touch of a mother, and my father was stoic and hardly spoke.
I remember asking him why Sorsha didn’t attend school, and my father just grunted something that sounded like trash.
She was smart, and I knew if I taught her the alphabet, she would learn to read and write relatively quickly.
Peeking through the gate, I watched as she petted Mabel, speaking to her like a confidante. Even though I knew it was rude, I listened in.
“This is our new home, and you won’t have to pull a cart anymore,” she said, resting her cheek against Mabel’s neck.
“I don’t know how long it will last, but let’s enjoy it while we can. Pa and Ryan will spend the money they got quickly, and then they’ll be back, no matter what that contract states.”
She let out a long sigh. “Sully, I mean Callum, will build you a shelter and I get to sleep in a bed and not on the floor anymore, isn’t that wonderful?”
I hurriedly moved away, swallowing the fury that rose from my belly like molten lava. I would make sure she never saw me angry—she might just run.
Hammering the next horseshoe with a vengeance, I eventually calmed.
A quick peek into the backyard softened me at once.
Sorsha was lying in the hay I’d purchased for Mabel, fast asleep, looking like an angel. Carefully lifting her into my arms, I carried her inside and gently laid her on the bed.
For just a second, I wanted to kiss her forehead, but that might be considered taking advantage, and I never wanted her to see me in that light.