“Well, I didn’t take any. It’s a waste of time to ask me to accept her.”
“I’m not asking you,” George said. “You know what the choice is. It’s up to you.”
“I’m not taking her,” Jeff said as he jumped up from his chair. “And I’m not taking you as long as you’re married to her.”
“Then you’d better pack your bedroll. I imagine you’ll be more comfortable with Salty and the boys.”
“You’re kicking me out?” Jeff asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. “And all because of a Yankee bitch who managed to get you so hot you would marry her just to get her into bed?”
George came to his feet with a rush. Grabbing a handful of Jeff’s shirt, he dragged him across the room like a rag doll.
“Be glad you only have one arm. If you had two, I’d beat you senseless. I’d make you apologize to Rose, but I don’t want her to know that one of my brothers would sink low enough to call a lady names. Now get out of here and don’t cross that threshold again until you’re ready to treat Rose with the respect due my wife and your sister-in-law.”
“I’ll never do that.” Jeff grabbed up one of the coats and one of the slicks and stormed out of the kitchen.
Rose couldn’t sleep. She knew George couldn’t either. But it wouldn’t do any good to talk. They couldn’t fix what was wrong by talking. At least not yet.
Their first evening home had been a disaster. So disastrous that she had resorted to a lie to make things easier for both of them.
She had heard Jeff leave. Everybody in the house had heard him. He had stormed into the boys’ room, seen her saying good night to Zac, and muttered a foul expletive.
Monty had knocked him down. Only because he got to him before Hen. Fortunately, before things got completely out of hand, Jeff got to his feet and stormed out of the bedroom. George was in the breezeway. When he let him pass, Rose decided he hadn’t heard what Jeff said.
For that she was profoundly grateful.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered to the twins and quickly returned to the kitchen.
“Anything wrong?” George asked, following her back into the kitchen.
She couldn’t tell him what Jeff had said. It would solve nothing and only add to the burden he carried already.
“I guess I was hoping Jeff wouldn’t take it so badly.”
“He’ll cool off. He’s a lot like Pa. He never stayed mad long. It was just too much trouble.”
“That’s Monty,” Rose said. “Jeff is different.”
And she knew George knew it. She let him unpack most of their clothes while she cleaned up in the kitchen. It gave him time alone. It gave her time alone, too.
“We never did get to finish papering this room before the war started,” George said when she finally entered the bedroom. “I don’t guess the boys had any reason to after Ma died.”
“We’ve got plenty of time now,” Rose said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. She put the last of her clothes away, but George didn’t move. He stood staring out the small window into the night. He seemed moody and preoccupied. Rose cursed Jeff in silence. She climbed into bed. Still George looked out the window.
“I don’t know why you’re not tired,” she said. “I’m worn out. If I’m to fix breakfast at five o’clock, I’ve got to get to sleep.” George turned toward the bed, but he looked right through her. “I don’t feel quite right,” she said. “I think I’ll go on to sleep. Why don’t you sit up for a while if you’re not sleepy?”
“Are you sick?” George asked, bringing himself out of his abstraction.
“Just tired, I think. Maybe I’m coming into my time a little early.”
George’s gaze focused immediately.
“I do sometimes,” she said.
“Are you sure that’s all?”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay.” George leaned over and kissed her.
Even then she felt that something stood between them.
“I’m sorry your homecoming wasn’t any better.”
“It’ll get better.”
But she didn’t believe it. When the door closed behind George, she felt as if he had closed it on her.
Why had she thought that all she had to do was marry George and all of his doubts would disappear? Why had she been so foolish as to believe that all she had to do was become his wife and she would take precedence over his family? Why had she left the kitchen? She wished she knew what had passed between him and Jeff. Then she would know what she had to fight.
But she knew anyway. She had his family to fight. George probably didn’t know it himself, but he loved his family more than he loved his wife.