Jackson set his meal aside and took hold of her hand. “I know this isn't the life you wanted, but marrying you and bringing you west was the only way I knew to protect your reputation. If we’d stayed–”
“I know.” Her lip quivered, and tears gathered along her lower lids. “I just wish we hadn’t hurt Caroline in the process.”
His chest tightened with the same regret. He’d tried and failed to meet with her after the engagement was announced, and again on the day of the wedding, to explain why he’d chosen her sister. Then she’d refused to speak with him when he and Amanda were preparing to leave. Not wanting to cause her further hurt, he’d abided by her silent rebuff. Now he wished he’d tried harder. “Your sister’s intelligent. I’m sure she’s figured it out by now. It’ll take time for her to get over this, but Caroline loves you. She’d want me to rescue you.”
“And what about you? How long will it take for you?”
Jackson swallowed around a sudden lump in his throat, unable to respond.
“You’ve sacrificed too much,” Amanda said, shaking her head. “You must hate me.”
Fury over his brother’s unconscionable behavior freed Jackson’s voice and gave it a hard edge. “I assure you I don’t. You’re not the one to blame.”
Tears spilled down Amanda’s cheeks. “You're a good man, Jackson Maguire,” she croaked, her voice raw.
He wrapped her in his arms. “I’m sorry I spoke so gruffly. I’m angry at Ross, not you.”
“But youshouldbe angry at me,” she uttered against his chest. “I shouldn’t have given in. If I’d stood my ground–”
“No. Ross is the one at fault. You trusted him, and he betrayed you.” Jackson loosened his hold and gave her his handkerchief. “You’re not responsible for his sins. I only wish I’d been there to protect you.”
Amanda dried her face and got her emotions under control. Once she’d had a few minutes of calm, Jackson offered her some water, then picked up his sandwich and gestured for her to do likewise. “Eat as much as you’re able. You need your strength.”
He swallowed his food, but he barely tasted it. Painful memories had his full attention. For Amanda’s sake, he’d kept his feelings to himself, but their marriage bound him to a future he’d never wanted either.
The day Nelson Bennet announced their engagement, Jackson had watched helplessly as Caroline vanished from the room, his heart splintering with each step she took. He’d longed to chase after her, to take her in his arms and tell her she was the one he loved. But he’d remained rooted next to her sister and faced his new reality.
Regardless of his brother’s part in it, Jackson had willfully made a choice. He would honor his commitment, no matter the cost to his own happiness.
He shook the crumbs from his napkin and returned it to his satchel. “All done?” he asked when Amanda held hers out with half a sandwich still cradled in the center.
“It's good, but I can’t eat any more.”
“We still have several hours of riding to go. Wrap it up and tuck it in your pocket, in case you want it later.”
Jackson helped her up, and they brushed the dust from their clothes. “I can make room in the back of the wagon if you’d like to lie down and rest.”
“That’s kind of you, but I feel better. I can make it.”
They resumed their journey under the midday sun. The rhythmic creaking of the wagon wheels and the steady clop of hooves drowned out the rustling of grass in the breeze that had lulled them while they ate. The occasional cry of a hawk overhead was the only sound of nature loud enough to be heard.
Amanda shaded her eyes against the glare, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
The vastness of the prairie mesmerized Jackson, too—miles of flat land broken only by the occasional cluster of trees or distant silhouette of a homestead. He nudged her shoulder with his and raised his voice enough to be heard over the din. “Quite a view, isn't it?”
Amanda nodded. “It's beautiful,” she shouted back. “And a little overwhelming.”
“We'll make it our home. It’ll take time, but we will.”
By the time they reached the outskirts of their land, the sun hung low in the sky.
Jackson frowned in concentration as he turned off the main road and guided the horses down an overgrown path, through a tangled mess of weeds and wild grasses that threatened to swallow the wagon wheels whole.
The weeds thinned as they went, and Jackson released a tight breath. “Haw, team. Haw,” he called, steering the horses around a particularly treacherous rut. The wagon lurched, and Amanda gripped the seat tighter.
The setting sun cast long shadows across the neglected fields, painting the scene in hues of gold and amber. As they crested a small rise, the farmhouse came into view, a weathered sentinel against the backdrop of a vivid evening sky.
Jackson’s breath stilled in his chest. “There it is,” he said, more to himself than to Amanda. “Our new beginning.”
