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She glanced sideways at hi his perfect profile So handsome

“I’m sorry,” she said

“Aw, heck, Els, I didn’t want to go to college anyhow” He gave her a strained smile; black hair flopped across one eye “I didn’t want to stay here, either, but…”

They looked at each other

At last he took her hand, held it “I’ll try to be a good husband,” he said

Elsa wanted to tighten her hold on his hand, give a squeeze to sho much those words meant to her, but she didn’t dare She was afraid that if she really held on to hio She had to be cautious from now on, treat him as she would a skittish cat; be careful to never move too fast or need too much

She said nothing, and in ti on his bed, alone

THE NEXT MORNING, ELSA woke late She pushed the hair from her face Fine strands were stuck to her cheek; she’d cried in her sleep

Good Better to cry at night when no one could see She didn’t want to reveal her weakness to this new family

She went to the washstand and splashed lukeater on her face, then she brushed her teeth and combed her hair

Last night, as she’d unpacked, she’d realized horong her clothes were for farirl; what did she know about life on the land? All she’d brought were crepe dresses and silk stockings and heels Church clothes

She slipped into her plainest day dress, a charcoal-gray with pearl buttons and lace at the collar, then pulled up her stockings and stepped into the black heels she’d worn yesterday

The house s her she hadn’t eaten since yesterday’s lunch

The kitchen—a bright yelloallpapered roo—was e on the counter attested to the fact that Elsa had slept through breakfast What time did these people waken? It was only nine

Elsa went outside and saw the Martinelli farht Hundreds of acres of shorn wheat fanned out in all directions, a sea of dry, cut, golden stalks, with the ho up a few acres in the middle of it all