Newton (Prairie Grooms Book 9) Read Online Free Page A

Cozette Cooke dressed just like your wife here, only she didn’t smell so nice. Still, if you ask me, I’d have her take a bath before getting her all gussied up.”
    Newton paled. “Oh, er … well, if you think so.” He tried to mask his worry with a smile and glanced at his wife. She was staring at the dress Eloise held. Good. “I’ll see about the bath.” He went to Arya and took one of her hands in his. “I am going now.”
    Her eyes widened.
    “It’s all right – these women are here to … make you even more beautiful.”
    Arya’s eyebrows rose in question.
    Newton took the dress from Eloise and held it before her. “Pretty, yes?”
    She reached out and touched the fabric in curiosity.
    “You’ll look lovely in it,” he said, then put it against her and made a show of looking at it. “Very pretty.”
    She blushed, and he suddenly felt more at ease with leaving her alone with the other women. “Grandma Waller, I entrust her to your capable hands.”
    Grandma was still wary. “I wonder if I should fetch some extra help.”
    “I wouldn’t advise it,” he said. “She’s perfectly capable of bathing – in fact, I think she’ll enjoy it. It’s afterward she’ll try to put her buckskins back on.”
    “Are you sure?” Grandma asked. “Cozette wasn’t so easy.”
    “This is not Her Grace the duchess – of whom I’ve heard a few tales, yes. Arya is quite civilized. It’s simply a matter of communicating what you want her to do.”
    “You should talk to Susara Kincaid about schooling her,” Mrs. Upton said. “I bet she’ll have your wife talking, reading and writing our language in no time!”
    “A good idea, Mrs. Upton,” Newton told her. “Thank you for suggesting it. Now if you ladies will excuse me, I’ll leave you to your work.”
    Arya’s head came up at the word leave . She took a step toward him as she glanced at the women. When her eyes met his again, she shook her head.
    “It’s all right, darling, I will return soon,” he said hastily, using the words return and soon as if they were magic incantations. He put the dress in her hands. “This is for you. I must say you’re going to look lovely in it.”
    She took the dress, studied it, then gave him a pleading look.
    Newton swept a hand toward the other women, then pointed to the dress in her hands. She looked at them, then nodded in resignation.
    “Splendid!” he said with a smile and kissed her on the cheek. “She understands,” he told the others.
    “Well, ain’t that something now?” Mrs. Upton said. “Let’s see about getting that bath ready, shall we?”
    Newton continued to smile as he slowly backed away, When he reached the door he gave Arya one last look, then left, closing the door behind him. He blew out a long breath and glanced at the ceiling. “Please keep her calm,” he prayed, then headed downstairs.

Chapter 3
    A rya stared at the metal tub as the last bucket of water was poured in. Mrs. Upton set the bucket down and wiped her brow. “There, that’s the last one.”
    “Thank Heaven for that,” said Eloise. “Now comes the hard part.”
    “So far, so good,” Grandma said. “She’s just been watching. Now let’s see if we can get her out of those buckskins.”
    Mrs. Upton stepped around the tub and pointed at the water. “Okay, honey, time for your bath.”
    Arya walked over to it and studied the steaming water a moment before dipping a finger in it. She drew her hand back and smiled.
    “This might be easier than we thought,” said Grandma. She tapped Arya on the arm and pointed at the water with a huge smile.
    Arya put her hand in the water again and made a swirling motion. She smiled again, this time in delight.
    “By Jove, I think she understands,” Eloise said in surprise.
    “Do you think she’ll want her privacy?” Mrs. Upton asked.
    “What woman doesn’t? The question is what is she going to do with all that water when we leave?” Eloise took a bar of soap she’d