Breaking the Rules (1st in Breaking Series)

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Elizabeth was still fuming when she walked into the house a short time later. She was mad at herself for believing that Brody was different. For letting herself believe that Brody would be the type of man that would see her for what she really was, instead of just seeing her as a baby making, house cleaning, meal cooking woman.

"Your father wants to speak with you, Elizabeth." Anita said when she heard Elizabeth stomp into the house.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, in no mood to continue her argument with her father, and unhooked her gun belt, "I would like to get cleaned up first," she replied, looking down at her sweat and dust stained clothes.

Anita shook her head, "He said to send you up to his office the moment you came in."

Elizabeth sighed with defeat and nodded, "Okay, Anita."

"I'll have a warm bath waiting in your room when you get done speaking with him, sweetie."

Elizabeth gave her a grateful smile and then slowly made her way up the stairs, toward a conversation she was sure she didn't want to have.

She knocked on her father's office door and his once deep and strong, but now weak and raspy voice, said, "Come in."

Elizabeth pushed the door open and saw him, sitting behind his desk in his black suit, looking over paperwork. The look on his face was a mixture of nervousness and determination when he looked up at her.

"How did the fence repairs go today, dear?" he asked with a warm smile.

Elizabeth pulled off her hat and sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the desk from where he sat, "Good. Though the south pasture will take at least another two or three days. I didn't check in with the other hands to ask how the other pastures looked."

"That's good, dear, he mumbled clearly distracted as he looked down at his old, weathered hands lying on his desk. "I'm sorry about our argument this morning."

"I am too pa," Elizabeth replied. "I don't like to fight with you."

"Grant stopped by today and he was disappointed when you weren't here."

Elizabeth took a deep breath and counted to three to help quell her temper, "Pa, I'm really getting tired of saying that I'm not gonna marry him."

"I'm dying, Elizabeth, very soon, and I would like to know that my daughter is married and running the ranch that I worked so hard to build."

"Pa, I don't have to be married to do that! I know this ranch like the back of my hand. I can run this ranch better than anyone else and you know it." she insisted, her hands jerking and motioning to emphasize her words. Ernest sighed, took a drink of the scotch from the glass on his desk and then leaned back in his chair, "The fact remains, my dear, that though you know a lot about this ranch and how to run it, you are still only a woman and men will take advantage of you."

Elizabeth couldn't believe what she was hearing, "Only a woman?!" she demanded. "I can handle any man that might come along hoping to take advantage, pa. I don't need a man to protect me!"

"With his money and reputation, Grant could give you security. You know as well as I do that even a ranch as large and successful as ours could be wiped out with one bad drought."

"Pa..."

Ernest cut her off with a firm shake of his head, "I'm tired of you fighting me on this, Elizabeth. I have seen you and Grant together. He makes you smile and you seem to enjoy his company."