Linda Ford (17 page)

Daisy looked about, obviously confused by all the coming and going. “Do you need me?”

“Not for a little time. Go play with Billy and Pansy.”

She scurried away.

Lane didn’t move. Cassie began to wonder if the man was glued to the bench. Suddenly it dawned on him he was about to be left alone and he finally found his feet. “I’ll be back tomorrow. Say, maybe you’d like to see some pictures of my family. I could bring some when I visit.”

Visit? Is that how he saw it? But if agreeing would get him moving...

“That would be nice.” She ducked inside the overheated shack before he left and leaned against the wall exhaling a loud sigh. Apparently Lane considered himself a good catch. Somehow she had to convey to him she wasn’t interested in any man. Good catch or otherwise.

Besides, she and Roper had an agreement.

One dependent on the actions of one unknown Uncle Jack.

* * *

Roper pounded the nail so hard it dented the wood. He stepped away, grabbed a board and measured it, sawed it in record time and carried it to the wall.

Neil held the other end.

“Bring it this way.” Roper tugged it into place.

“It’s too short.”

“Shoot. I measured wrong.” He tossed the board to the shrinking pile of wood.

“Why didn’t you just tell him to leave?” Neil asked.

“Who?” As if there were anyone other than Lane who lingered as though he didn’t have anything else he should be doing. Like weeding his garden or admiring his oats. “What are you talking about?” His voice was sharper than he intended.

Neil snorted. “I ain’t getting in your road.” He turned to examine something on the ground.

Roper sucked in air. “Sorry.” He had no call to be so cranky. But why was Cassie encouraging Lane? She’d promised to marry
him.

Only if the kids’ uncle didn’t show up. Otherwise there was no obligation on either side.

But even so, Lane was not her sort of man. He was a dandy. Used to a fine lifestyle. Cassie would never be happy living the life of a fancy lady. He ought to warn her.

No, that would only make her angry. She would not welcome any interference from him.

Besides, how could he be so certain she wouldn’t welcome the sort of life Lane would offer? A fine lady in a fine house.

Because, he told himself with utmost conviction, it would remind her too much of her grandfather. He knew Lane would expect her to keep up certain standards. How he knew this he couldn’t say. But he would not admit he might have misjudged the man.

There had to be another way to make Cassie see the truth.

He recalled the recent conversation. She wanted a garden and some chickens. He could help her with that.

“Supper is ready,” Daisy called.

Roper and Neil headed for the table. Roper squeezed Neil’s shoulder to let him know he wasn’t angry and was relieved to feel the boy relax beneath his palm.

At the table, he reached for Cassie’s hand to say grace. After his amen, he continued to hold her hand for a beat. Two. Then he released it without once looking at her. He knew if he looked at her, she’d see in his eyes more than he wanted to reveal. More than he understood. More than he could promise.

“Is Grady an orphan like us?” Billy asked.

Cassie answered. “No, he has a father.”

“Then why is he with the Gardiners?” Billy asked the question but Neil and Daisy watched Cassie with wide eyes, as interested in the reasons as Billy.

Cassie sent Roper a look that begged for help.

His smile of reassurance seemed to help her relax.

She turned back to the children. “Grady’s father wasn’t able to care for the little boy on his own.”

There was more to it than that but Roper hoped the answer would satisfy.

None of the three returned to their meal but sent silent messages to each other.

“What is it?” Cassie asked.

“He’s only one little boy.” Daisy stared at her plate as she spoke.

“That’s true. Ah. And you’re worried because there are four of you.”

Daisy nodded. “Four is an awful lot of kids when they aren’t your own.”

“Not if the kids are the best in the world,” Cassie said.

Roper wanted to cheer at her kind answer. “Four kids like you aren’t a lot of work. In fact, I’d say anyone would be privileged to make you part of their family.” He didn’t say what else he thought. That he wanted them and not just so Cassie would marry him. He glanced about the table. This felt like family. Real and forever family.
He didn’t know about family.
The persistent thought demanded attention. This was different, he argued.

The kids grinned at the answers they’d been given and returned to their meal.

Roper met Cassie’s look. They smiled at each other, content to have eased the children’s worries. Her brown eyes revealed warmth and...dare he dream he saw admiration? He was quite sure she hadn’t looked at Lane in such fashion.

His good humor restored, he said, “Let’s clean up real quick, and then play hide-and-seek.”

The lot of them sprang into action. Daisy gathered up the dishes. Cassie filled the washbasin with hot water. Neil and Billy grabbed buckets and headed for the river. Roper brought over wood.

“We’re done,” Daisy called before he had the last load of wood back to the shack. “Not it.”

They all called, “Not it,” while Roper dropped the wood into the pile close to the shack.

He was it. He didn’t mind a bit. “The shack door is ‘home free.’ I’m counting to fifty, and then I’m going to find you.” He pressed his forehead to the door, closed his eyes and started counting out loud.

He grinned as the kids scattered, and then all was quiet.

They played until dusk, laughing and enjoying one another. Twice he inadvertently crashed into Cassie and was rewarded by having to hold her tight to keep her from being knocked over.

After a bit, Cassie said, “I think it’s time for bed. Poor Pansy must be exhausted.” They’d taken turns carrying her as they played.

“Aww.” Billy let out a protracted protest.

Daisy tapped his shoulder and gave him a warning look, then they all trooped into the shack, Cassie at their heels. Roper would have gone in and helped but there wasn’t enough room.

He circled Cassie’s almost-finished house. If the children stayed he’d have to add a couple of rooms.

He heard Cassie step out of the shack and hurried to join her. “Everyone settled?”

“Pansy feel asleep almost instantly but Billy is restless.”

“I guess we should have wound down a little sooner.”

“He’ll be fine. Daisy is singing to him. They’re awfully good kids, aren’t they?”

“They certainly are.”

“They deserve the best.”

“And we’ll do everything in our power to see they get it.”

She sighed, a troubled little sound.

“What’s wrong?”

“First, we have nothing to say about it. If the uncle wants them it won’t matter if he is mean-spirited or not. They will go with him.”

“Then we’ll have to pray he is kind.”

“And if he doesn’t want them, doesn’t even come,” she went on as if he hadn’t spoken, “they’ll be stuck with us. Do you think we can give them the best? You, who never had a family and me—” She waggled her hands.

He caught her hands and stopped their fluttering. “Oh, sweet Cassie. You are completely blind to all you have to offer, aren’t you?”

“As you say, I’m prickly and overly defensive.”

He’d never said the latter. “You’re gentle and kind. I’ve seen you hug the children, heard how you encourage them. I’ve seen the way you watch them, your eyes full of affection. You care about them.”

“I don’t deny it. But is that enough?”

“I’d say caring in the shape of kindness and affection is certainly enough. Wouldn’t you?” He pulled her to his chest and looked down into her uncertain eyes. “Wouldn’t you have been grateful for that?”

She gave a crooked smile. “I would have thought I’d died and gone to heaven.”

“There you go.” He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and, before she could react, he said, “Now, where did you think you would plant a garden?”

She showed him.

He measured off a plot and drove in four stakes. “I’ll start turning over the sods tomorrow.”

“It’s not up to you. I’ll—”

“I’m thinking of the children. If we become a permanent family we’ll need to feed them. The ground should be broken this summer so the sods can break down over the winter.”

She looked so uncertain, he laughed.

“We’re in this together.”

Finally she nodded. “For the children.”

Roper allowed himself a moment of joy at what the future offered.

* * *

Several times the next day, Cassie glanced at the stakes Roper had driven into the ground. He’d be a good father, always making sure the children were well taken care of. He’d do the same for her.

If she let him.

Part of her welcomed his gentle concern.

Another part feared she would turn out like her mother—selling her soul, forfeiting her freedom for someone to take care of her. She sucked in her bottom lip. She’d never do that.

She was still preparing the meal when Lane headed across from the store. One hour earlier than the posted mealtime.

Cassie groaned. “How am I to get the meal ready on time if he expects me to visit with him?”

Roper gave what passed for a grin. “If you encourage him he’ll keep coming back.”

“I don’t encourage him. But he’s a paying customer.”

Roper shrugged and sauntered away. “Guess he wants to make sure he gets what he paid for.”

“What do you mean? He pays for a meal. That’s all I give him.”

Roper glanced over his shoulder. “Seems to me you’re letting someone own you for the price of a meal. Isn’t that exactly what you’re fighting against?” And then he ducked out of sight in the house leaving her with her mouth hanging open and Grandfather’s words echoing through her head.

I provide for you. That gives me the right to say what you can and cannot do.

You plan to eat? Then you do as I say.

Truth was it wouldn’t have been hard to do things for him if he was a kind man. Instead, he was cruel and seemed to delight in making sure the things he demanded were unreasonable, petty and downright objectionable. Like the time he insisted the laundry must be hung out in a bitter winter wind. He’d wanted Mother to do it on her own. It was one of the times Cassie defied him and insisted on helping. She made sure she hung three baskets to Mother’s one.

But this was different. Lane was only— What? She understood there was more to his visits than a home-cooked meal. He no doubt fancied that he courted her. But she’d never given him an ounce of encouragement. Neither had she discouraged him.

Was that what bothered Roper?

In all fairness she must make it clear to Lane she had no interest in him. Even if the children’s uncle came and got them and her agreement with Roper ended, she didn’t intend to give up her independence.

Lane reached her side, his face beaming. “I thought you might have time to look at these pictures before the meal.”

“I’m sorry, Lane. But I must have the food ready when the men arrive.”

“I’m sure they won’t mind waiting.”

“I’m not prepared to test them to see. They are working men who want to eat their meal and get back to work. You have to understand that I have a business to run here.”

He edged closer, purposely rubbing his elbow against her arm. “You wouldn’t need to if you had a husband.”

She stepped back. “That’s just it. I don’t want a husband. I want to be independent.”

He only grinned. “I think you could be persuaded to change your mind.”

No doubt you think you’re just the one to do so.
For two seconds she considered asking him to leave but she couldn’t afford to turn away customers. If word got around that she did so, others might decide to avoid taking the chance she would do the same to them. “Not today. Now if you don’t mind, I must do my work.” She turned away. But Lane didn’t move. Cassie couldn’t decide if she should invite him to sit while she worked or simply ignore him.

“Lane.” Roper’s soft voice scratched along Cassie’s nerves. “The meal will be served in an hour. Come back then.”

Lane sputtered and looked toward Cassie for direction. She found a frayed edge on her apron to examine. “Perhaps you’d like to see the pictures later?”

She nodded. “Perhaps.”

Finally he headed back toward the store.

She didn’t speak until he disappeared around the corner then she flung about to glower at Roper. “Don’t get the idea you can start running my life. I don’t intend to ever again give a man that right.”

He gave her a look of pure disgust. “Well, excuse me if I thought you didn’t want him bothering you while you made the meal but were too polite to say so.” He dragged the final two words out as he stalked back to the house, Neil skulking at his heels.

Cassie tossed her hands upward. “Men.” But she saw Daisy watching her with big eyes. And of course, Billy and Pansy played nearby and overheard the whole thing. They looked about ready to cry. “Don’t worry.” She did her best to inject a bit of laughter into her voice and guessed she missed by a mile. “We aren’t angry. Just expressing our opinions.” She couldn’t vouch for Roper’s feelings but it certainly wasn’t a hundred percent true for her. She felt a lot of anger. She meant what she said. He had no right to think he could run her life.

A little later Roper came out to help serve the meal as he always did. But he refused to meet her eyes, which suited her just fine. So long as he understood.

When Lane remained after the others left, she smiled at him. “Just give me a few minutes to clean up and then I’ll join you.”

Daisy helped with the dishes though the girl seemed unwilling to talk. She dried the last dish and hung the towel to dry. “I’ll take the little ones down to the river so you can be alone with him.”

It wasn’t what she wanted. Roper and Neil had left a few minutes earlier. She wanted to join them but she’d already promised Lane. Besides, it was time she made it clear that she stood on her own two feet.