Tabitha's Guardian Read Online Free Page B

started this conversation. If you do
not like what I have to say, then please leave me alone. I have
food to prepare.”
    “I shall get rid of you yet; just wait and
see!”
    It was too much and Tabitha was human. She
pulled back her hand and slapped Glory as hard as she could across
the face. “You will not be so smug when I have proof that you are
trying to kill my father!”
    “You attacked me without provocation, and
all I did was offer to help you fix dinner!” Glory raised her voice
even louder, hoping to draw attention.
    “What is going on here?” Guardian Owen
demanded, as he suddenly appeared.
    “That little brat struck me!” Glory
exclaimed, showing her reddened cheek to him. “Oh, I knew this
would happen when the magistrate sent her home instead of sending
her to a prison and keeping her there! You must call the magistrate
and report this, Owen!” Glory burst into tears.
    “I will deal with the situation, Glory,” he
assured her, and then turned to Tabitha. “You will go directly to
your room after you prepare and serve the evening meal. At that
time you will be punished for allowing your temper to get the best
of you.”
    “She admitted that she contrived for me to
be sent to prison, Guardian Owen!” Tabitha explained. “It was
overwhelming, and she goaded me into slapping her so that she could
make more of her ridiculous claims! I hate her so much!”
    Owen took her arm and led her into the
kitchen to get her away from Glory. He needed to keep Glory away
from Tabitha, too, and when she started to follow, he stopped and
said, “Glory Burnside, I am in charge in this household for the
next year. If I see you antagonizing Tabitha Rose in any way while
I am under this roof, I will report you to the magistrate for
filing a false report. Your charge of immodesty has already been
proven false, as was your declaration that you had your husband’s
permission to file charges in the first place.”
    Glory looked at him with hatred in her eyes
and then turned and ran from the room.
    “Thank you, Guardian Owen.”
    “You will not thank me later when I set your
backside on fire for striking Glory’s face. Now, fix your meal.”
Did the pretty redhead not realize that slapping her stepmother on
top of the other charges filed would be enough to cancel his
guardianship and send her to prison for a few years? The law would
be firmly on Glory’s side since the courts were determined to make
an example of Tabitha so that other young women would obey their
parents. They were afraid that showing leniency to young women
would lead to the moral decay of the years before, when they had
been permitted to wear clothing that left them scantily dressed;
teenage pregnancy without the benefit of marriage was the norm; and
using profane language was acceptable. It took many years to remind
young women that modesty and morality were preferred.
    Also, it was thought a man was not ready for
marriage until he was employed and showing a consistent pattern for
supporting himself. A license would not be granted until it was
proven he could support a wife and family, even if the young woman
chose to work as well. It was believed that children fared better
when their mother stayed home with them, but in some instances work
permits were granted, as long as another family member was willing
to offer childcare, or an older woman who was widowed was hired to
become part of the family.
    “I am sorry I lost my temper,” Tabitha said
a few minutes later. “I am grateful you stepped in before it
escalated and my parent was upset. If you feel I need to go to him
to confess my bad behavior, I will do so.”
    “Will he give you the spanking you have
earned?” Owen asked.
    “No, probably not. He punishes in other
ways.”
    “Such as?”
    “He would probably insist I construct
something special for that woman, such as a new dress, or a special
modesty covering for evening wear.”
    “I see.” He did see. Jenson’s punishments
were