When his reply arrived, she read it twice.
Then a third time.
His writing was uneven.
Direct.
And occasionally awkward.
But there was kindness beneath the bluntness.
He didn't ask whether she could lose weight.
Didn't describe her body as something she must overcome to deserve marriage.
Didn't insist she prove she was capable of being a respectable wife.
Instead, he acknowledged the practical difficulties of ranch life and asked what arrangements would help her travel and live comfortably.
Then he asked something no prospective husband had ever asked her.
Miss Whitmore, what sort of home would you wish to build if you had the choice?
Clara stared at the question.
For a long time, she didn't answer.
Then she picked up her pen.
Mr. Carter, I would like a home where the doors are wide enough for me to enter without apology, the chairs are strong enough to hold me without embarrassment, and the people living inside speak truthfully even when it is inconvenient.
She paused.
Then smiled.
I would also like a kitchen with enough light to read a recipe, a table where nobody is considered an unwelcome guest, and a husband who understands that a woman's usefulness cannot be measured by the number of hours she spends standing.
She considered the sentence.
Then added.
And perhaps, if fortune is especially kind, I would like a small garden where I can grow roses without anyone telling me that flowers are an impractical expense.
When Nathaniel read that letter, he laughed aloud.
Mateo heard him from outside the cabin.
He entered carrying a coil of rope.
“What happened?”
Nathaniel folded the paper.
“Nothing.”
Mateo looked suspicious.
“Sounded like laughing.”
Nathaniel shook his head.
“You're imagining things.”
Mateo grinned.
“Must be the woman from Missouri.”
Nathaniel threw a folded dish towel at him.
Mateo dodged.
Then began laughing so hard he nearly dropped the rope.
Over the following month, Nathaniel and Clara exchanged seven letters.
They discussed money.
Family.
Religion.
Health.
Their expectations of marriage.
And the reality of living far from a large town.
Nathaniel admitted that his ranch was struggling financially.
Clara asked for specifics.
He provided them.
Not because he liked exposing his difficulties.
Because he'd promised honesty.
She studied the figures.
Then wrote back with questions.
Why did he purchase feed at retail rates instead of negotiating seasonal deliveries?