“I can do that.”
The girls returned, their cheeks rosy from playing in the snow. They set the buckets down and hung their coats on the hooks by the door, then withdrew to their favorite corner to play with their doll.
Blue and Clara turned their attention to the work left to do, though Clara’s thoughts drifted away several times. Blue seemed to truly care about her safety and that of the girls. Like she’d said, he was a good man. He should really remarry. He has so much to offer. He—
Not knowing where those thoughts came from, she slammed the door on them right quick.
If Blue Lyons chose to marry or otherwise, it was none of her concern. She had her own issues to worry about. There was no room in her life for wondering if Blue would ever consider taking another wife.
So why couldn’t she stop wondering what it would be like to be married to a man who treated her like an equal and yet showed tenderness and concern?
Chapter Thirteen
Not until Clara sat beside him on the wagon seat and the girls sat wrapped in blankets in the back did Blue really believe she had agreed to go to the ranch.
As they journeyed along the road, she looked about with interest and asked questions. Did he know the name of that mountain or that one? How far back into the hills did the ranch go? How long had Eddie been ranching here?
All too soon they approached their destination. She sat forward when she saw the big house. “That’s a ranch house?” She seemed impressed.
He laughed. “Eddie’s father wanted a replica of the estate back in England. From what I hear, he wasn’t too pleased when Eddie married Linette and she said she meant to use the extra rooms to provide home and shelter for those in need of it.”
“Yet Eddie let her do so?”
He laughed again. “I don’t know if he would even try and stop her. Linette is very strong natured.”
She shifted her attention to the rest of the buildings, laid out like a little town. “There’s a lot of cabins and barns.”
“The cabins and house are for married cowboys and their wives.” For some reason it no longer annoyed him to think of how many of the crew had married.
They reached the house, and Linette stepped out. “Blue, nice of you to bring me company. You must be Mrs. Weston. My husband told me you were helping at the church.”
Blue helped Clara down and introduced the women. He signaled the two curious girls forward and introduced them, as well.
“Do come in and have tea. You, too, Blue.”
He would normally go down to the cookhouse and beg a cinnamon roll off Cookie, but he allowed himself to be shepherded inside with Clara and the girls.
Linette, heavy with child, led them through the house to the big kitchen. She expected to have the baby before Christmas, which was three weeks away. For the first time in two years, he looked forward to the day. He’d spend it with Clara and the girls wherever they went.
Eddie threw open the back door and stepped inside. “Company. How nice.” After Blue introduced them, he asked, “Are you done with the pews?”
“Not yet, but Clara wanted to attend church here tomorrow.”
Clara’s look warned him not to tell the whole truth.
He acknowledged her with a quirk of his eyebrows, silently promising he wouldn’t say any more about her reasons and fears than she herself was willing to tell.
Five-year-old Grady raced into the room and skidded to a halt at the sight of two girls.
Linette introduced their adopted son. “Grady, take the girls and show them your toys.”
Libby was already on her feet, ready to join him, but Eleanor hung back.
“It’s okay, little one,” Blue reassured her. “Grady has a fine collection of carved animals to play with.”
She nodded and joined the other two. They retreated to a corner of the room where Grady showed them a basket of his toys.
As she served tea, Linette tried to draw Clara out, but Clara grew quiet, not talking about her father or her plans. Did Linette think the woman was shy or secretive? Before Blue could determine which, she turned the conversation to ranch news.
Clara perked up as Linette told her the history of each couple on the ranch and those who had moved on. Her eyes flashed with what he took as surprise. “Blue told me some of this, but it’s truly amazing at how these women overcame obstacles.”