Debra Holland (27 page)

“That I do.” He took off his hat and ran his hand through his dark hair. “Ole knothead. That’s me.” He reached a long arm out to open the door for her.

Harriet took eager steps inside.

“Abe left me most of the furnishings. I’m having a bed made for me. Nothing fancy, but the carpenter promised to have it ready and delivered tomorrow.”

Harriet looked around. The main room was spacious—for a log cabin, with chinking between the logs. A settee and a big chair grouped in front of the stone fireplace were the only furniture.

A doorway led to a kitchen with a table. A simple wood hutch on one side held rose-patterned dishes. Harriet walked over and picked one up, admiring the pattern. “Did he leave these for you?”

“And more. Said his daughter already had plenty. I wrestled him for a few extras. Still didn’t cost me nearly what it would have if I’d had to buy new.”

Harriet glanced out the window over the dry sink, approving of the view of the mountains. Then she admired the heart pattern punched through the tin doors of the yellow pie safe that stood next to the sink. She peeked inside, imagining the empty shelves filled with baked goods. She walked over and touched the stove, which was desperately in need of cleaning and blacking.

Ant sat on the edge of the table watching her.

Heat rose in Harriet’s cheeks. She walked over to the far wall and poked her head through an open doorway. Instead of the lean-to she expected, she saw a square pantry. The logs set at precise right angles, created a space a housewife with a far bigger home would envy. Plenty of shelves for food and supplies lined the walls. On one side a wooden tub was tucked under the lowest self, and a broom leaned against a corner. She imagined how the pantry would look filled with cans, jars, crocks, and bags of beans and rice. “The Cobbs will be pleased about the big order you’re going to have to place with them.”
That’s good because nothing else about this move pleases them.

Ant leaned over her, his height making it easy to see into the pantry. “Didn’t even know this was there.” He backed away from her.

Harriet rolled her eyes.
Just like a man.
She turned toward him. “You didn’t make a thorough investigation of the house?”

Amusement glinted in his eyes, although he kept his face deadpan. “No, my lady.”

“Did you look through the outbuildings? Henhouse? Smokehouse? Root cellar? Icehouse?”

He held up both hands in a placating motion. “I’m a newspaper reporter. What do I know about henhouses and root cellars?” he said, laughter in his voice.

“Well,
I’m
a schoolteacher, and I know about them.”

“I’m a
roving
reporter, not one who has a regular beat in town.” His expression changed. From the look on his face, he obviously was remembering that he no longer roamed Europe in search of news stories.

Not wanting to lose the feeling of happiness and camaraderie between them, Harriet grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the doorway. “Come on. I want to see the rest of the house, and,” she teased, “the barn, henhouse, smokehouse, root cellar, icehouse, privy, and pig pen.”

Ant groaned. His huge hand enveloped hers, and then he obediently followed.
 

When they reached the doorway, Harriet knew she needed to drop his hand. Their connection, the playfulness between them felt too good.
I’m his employee
, she reminded herself, and slid her fingers out of his, feeling a sense of loss when he pulled his hand back.
 

Living under the same roof might be harder than I thought.
 

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ant drove David in the buggy over the final hill leading toward the Sanders place. At the top, he couldn’t help but pause the horses to admire the beauty of the scene before them. In the valley, a small lake sparkled in the sun. A long pasture fenced with barbed wire on the opposite side of the lake provided room for horses to graze.

A more distant field held cattle, although Ant understood that Sanders mostly focused on horses. He didn’t have a spread big enough for cattle, and, with a wealthy wife, the man didn’t have the need to run a herd. By all accounts Nick Sanders was a wizard with horses and could afford to specialize.

Near the lake, a grove of trees sheltered a small house. Ant looked away, not wanting to remember the last time he’d seen that house...his discovery of Harriet’s feelings for Nick Sanders. Instead, he glanced at the Queen Anne on the hill reigning over the valley.

Even in the few days since he’d last been here, Ant could see the workmen had made more progress on the house. They’d finished the front porch that wrapped around two sides, but not painted it yet. Ant figured he could knock on the front door instead of going around to the kitchen as the guests had at the party.

The sound of hammers rang through the air. On the other side of the Queen Anne was a tent town for the workers who still swarmed the place to get more of the house completed by winter. He’d have to speak with whomever was in charge about building his office.

But not today
. Ant glanced down at David, seeing the eager expression on his nephew’s face as he watched the horses
. Today is a time for David.

Ant didn’t have long to ponder which door of the house to use because Nick Sanders walked out of the barn. He swerved to avoid some chickens pecking at the ground and glanced over at the visitors. He pushed back his black hat, grinned, and gave a friendly wave.

Ant pulled up beside him. “Sanders. Came to see if you have a horse I can buy for my nephew.”

“My friends call me Nick.”

Ant had to rein-in his instinctive growl at the idea of being friends with the object of Harriet’s affections. But in spite of some lingering hostility, Ant couldn’t help but like the man.

“Also going to need a horse to pull a buggy. We’re renting Mack’s buggy so often it would be cheaper to buy.”

“You mean that big black of yours won’t demean himself to pull a buggy?”

“Not Shadow. If I value my life, I won’t even try.”

Nick laughed and reached up a hand to help David jump down.

To Ant’s surprise, the boy accepted, although he let go when his feet touched the ground. Then David allowed Nick to drop a casual hand on his shoulder without flinching as he did with his uncle.

Nick pointed at a corral. “Why don’t you go look at those horses, David, while I talk to your uncle.”

Ant stared after David as he ran toward the corral. The boy had always shied away from being touched, yet he’d just let a virtual stranger help him down and place a hand on his shoulder. Ant stored that fact away to mull over.

One of the cowhands ambled out of the barn, walking in the bowlegged stride of a man who practically lived on horseback. Nick summoned him over with a jerk of his head.

As he drew close, Ant could see the cowboy was old with a tanned, seamed face.

Nick asked the hand to see to Ant’s horse. The man smiled and nodded at Ant, showing stumps of teeth in pink gums.

Ant set the brake, gave the man the reins, and stepped down.

They started toward the corral. Then Nick slowed his steps and shot him a quick upward glance. “From what I’ve heard, your boy’s looking better.”

“Still doesn’t talk though.”

“Well,” Nick’s voice slowed to a drawl. “I wasn’t ever much for talking either. You know if he’s ridden much?”

“He was quite experienced for a city boy. Had lessons. I took him riding a few times. Good seat. Light hands on the reins. Since then...” Ant shrugged. “They had an old mule. Bag of bones. Doesn’t look like it could carry a sack of beans, much less a man.”

Nick’s eyes narrowed, giving a menacing cast to his pleasant features. “Saw the mule at the livery yesterday. Recognized it. Saw David’s pa once. Rode into town on that mule. Thought it would collapse, but it kept right on plodding along. Stronger than it looks. Was tempted to take a whip to the man for starving an animal that way.”

“I wish you had,” Ant muttered.

 
Nick grinned. “Snuck the mule some feed while the man was in the saloon.”

Ant stopped and stared. “You fed a stranger’s mount?”

“Woulda bought the poor thing. Planned to approach the man. But that was when we had all that ruckus about Samantha Rodriguez’s twins and the fires. Reverend Norton came up to me to tell me about the town meetin’ and the poor critter went plumb out of my mind. Then later, when I remembered, I figured I’d meet up with the owner again. But I never did.” He gave Ant a quick apologetic glance. “David wasn’t with him, though.”

“Harriet—Miss Stanton told me about what happened with the twins.”

Nick’s eyes twinkled. “Goin’ to be interesting, you and Miss Stanton living together.”

Ant didn’t want to talk about Harriet with the man she loved. “You have a horse that would suit David?”

Nick flowed with the conversational switch. “Let’s mount him on a gentle old mare. See how he does.”
 

For the next few hours, Nick worked with David, first with the placid old mare, then, when satisfied with his riding skills, with a more spirited animal.
 

All the while Ant leaned against the rails of the corral and watched.
 

Nick’s assessment of David impressed Ant. The man didn’t just stand back and watch how David rode, he stepped in to teach, giving directions in a calm voice, and using brief touches to guide the boy.

David took everything in, responding with a promptness that spoke well of his understanding and eagerness to ride. Ant watched his nephew so closely that he didn’t realize anyone had approached, until with a swish of skirt and the scent of perfume, Elizabeth Sanders leaned into the rail next to him. She smiled in greeting, but didn’t say anything, joining Ant’s focus on man and boy.
 

Nick had David canter to the other end of the corral and strode after him, calling out a command.

“Your husband has a way with him,” Ant murmured.

Elizabeth turned to Ant and gave him a luminous smile.

He had to blink to break the attraction that would naturally occur to a man in the presence of a beautiful woman who smiled at him so openly. He inhaled, breathing in the smell of horse and manure and dirt, combined with Elizabeth Sanders’ perfume. Even dressed in simple clothing and wearing a straw hat, the woman exuded elegance.

“Nick’s wonderful with horses and children. The first day I was here in Montana, I watched him work with Lizzy Carter. The Carter children adore him.”

“I can see why. David’s relaxed around him, and you don’t know how much that means to me.”

Her expression sobered. “I’ve heard your nephew’s not speaking a word. Widow Murphy’s cutting tongue has spread the gossip.”

Ant had to refrain from another growl. He was turning into a bear today.

Mrs. Sanders didn’t seem to notice. “But David looks perfectly normal to me.”

“He doesn’t talk.”

“He doesn’t talk
yet
.”

“What if he never does?”
Why am I telling this woman my deep fear?

Mrs. Sanders placed her hand on his arm. “There are plenty of men out here who don’t say much. My husband was one of them, although with me, he managed to work his way around that...eventually. Nick’s changed quite a bit. So even if he doesn’t talk, David will be able to read and write, gesture. He’ll get by.”

David walked the horse over to them, Nick striding by his side.

“He’s been so frightened of everything...everyone...even me.”

Elizabeth waved toward David. “Yet to see him there, except for being so thin, you’d never know something was wrong. He’s a regular boy on a horse.”

David reined in the mare.

 
Nick patted the boy’s knee, then the horse’s withers. “David’s doing well. I have several horses that should suit him. But I have one I think will be the best. A well-mannered gelding that has enough spirit to please a boy.”

Sanders tapped David’s knee. “Wait here. I’m going to saddle a horse up for you.” He turned and headed toward the barn, climbing over the railing instead of going through the gate.

Ant glanced at Mrs. Sanders for more information.

She just looked amused and shook her head.

In a few minutes, Nick appeared, leading two horses, one a pinto gelding, and another a brown filly. When he came closer, Ant could see a patch of white hair on the mare’s forehead, shaped like a star.

The brown horse nickered at Elizabeth, who ran a hand down the filly’s nose.
 

“I saddled her for you, Elizabeth, because when I walked past her stall, she made it clear to me it was time to go outside.” He looked at Ant. “Star’s too young to ride, but we’re getting’ her used to the saddle. When we’re done here, Elizabeth will take her for a walk.”

The woman smiled at the horse. “I don’t have a treat for you right now, Star.”

Nick handed her Star’s reins, then looked up at David. “Dismount, and I’ll put that saddle on the Pinto.”

The boy obeyed.