Page 31 of Honoring Freedom
“If everyone got a tattoo on their forehead, would you do it too? I’m not running a single’s resort here, girls. I’d like to keep the reputation I’ve built for this homestead long after I’m dead and gone.” Agitation shown in his features.
“Daddy, I know we haven’t followed the rules like we should,” Freedom glanced over at Honor and Liberty, “But we can do better—”
“Is this your way of getting free labor?” Liberty busted out as if Freedom wasn’t even talking.
All eyes in the room snapped to her.
Freedom buried her forehead into her hand.
Hope gasped.
Justice’s mouth twisted.
And Honor didn’t seem shocked in the slightest.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Sam’s gaze narrowed. If Liberty saw the warning signs, she didn’t heed them. Never did.
“If we all get husbands, they can run the ranch, and we can do all the women’s work. Right? Cooking. Cleaning. Ironing and birthing babies.” Liberty swept her gaze to the others as if pleading for back up. “Who here wants to do those things?”
“I don’t think Daddy is saying—”
Liberty cut Freedom off again. “Tell us, is that what you’re trying to do, Daddy? Teaching us girls to know our places?”
Freedom could see there was more going on here than met the eye.
“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” Sam said firmly.
“Because it certainly sounds like it,” Liberty said wryly, crossing her arms over her chest.
“How about I just be frank here.” Sam braced his fists on the desk. “How many capable hands have we lost just in the last two years? Honor? Freedom? What’s the number?”
Freedom knew where this was going. “Ten.”
His mouth thinned. “Out of those ten, eight were diligent workers. I had to fire them because they either put themselves, or other members of the crew, at risk. They couldn’t keep their eyes on their work and off you girls.”
“That’s not our fault,” Honor piped in.
He shook his head. “For the crew to do their darndest they have to first respect each of you as their bosses, not as this month’s conquest.”
“I am no one’s flavor of the month,” Justice gritted.
“That’s what the men are thinking. The rumors are out of control,” he said. “Look, we shouldn’t even be having this conversation. With husbands, maybe the whispers and carefree attitudes will cease. What you do with those marriages is up to you.”
“I don’t like what you’re insinuating.” Hope shifted in her chair.
Sam pushed away from the desk and rounded it, his expression softening some. “Girls, I’m a traditional man, but not so much that I want to hold you down. I’m trying to help you thrive in a business that’s male dominated. Women have come a long way, but not so far that we can hope that men stop looking at women as an opportunity—an acquisition. We don’t shit—err—we don’t play where we eat.”
“If we were sons, would you be having this conversation?” Freedom asked. Liberty started to move in to say something and Freedom gave her the stink eye. Liberty remained quiet. “This feels more like gender discrimination.”
He sighed and his shoulders slumped. “Never denied that I believe a man is head of household, but I’d never think of you girls as inferior to man, or not his equal. It’s more about a partnership.”
“I’m not seeing how this is a partnership,” Freedom said evenly.
He looked her in the eye. “I would have had this conversation years ago if you were men. I’ve coddled you all. Gave you a place to call home to do anything here that you wanted. Now I’m asking for something in return. Some stability. A grandkid or two.”
“We can have kids without marriage,” Liberty muttered.
Sam’s agitation made his ears red. “Yeah, you can, and I’ll love them all the same.”