Eddie chuckled. “If you stay around, you’ll soon learn that the women here are strong and perhaps a little stubborn.” He gave Linette a teasing look.
“Sometimes women have to be,” she said.
Blue contemplated Linette’s words along with Clara’s plan to escape her father. Could she be persuaded to change her mind and find safety here?
Eddie pushed from the table. “I need to get down to the barn. Blue, feel free to take the day off. Maybe Clara would like to see the rest of the ranch.”
Blue turned to Clara. “Would you?” He’d like a chance to talk to her about the role of women on the ranch.
She turned to the girls.
“They’re welcome to stay here and play,” Linette said.
“Very well, then.” She spoke to the girls, who seemed content to stay behind.
Blue escorted her outside and down the hill. He pointed out the cookhouse. “Cookie makes the best cinnamon rolls. You’ll get a chance to taste them tomorrow. Her husband, Bertie, leads the Sunday service.”
They continued on their way. He pointed to the cabin where Eddie’s sister, Jayne, and her husband, Seth, lived. “Jayne’s friend, Sybil, lives in that cabin with her husband, Brand.” He pointed to a new cabin beyond the first. They continued on their way. He pointed out the house where Cassie and Roper and their four children lived.
“Cassie’s the one who started Bonnie and Claude’s business, isn’t she?” Clara stared at the house a moment, a thoughtful look on her face.
“That’s right.” Was she seeing how these women faced challenges and dangers and refused to budge? He led her over the bridge, past the wintering pens and up the hill. Would she see how safe and protected these women were? How valued? No one would dare suggest to Linette that she couldn’t do anything she put her mind to. The same went for the others.
They reached the top of the hill, and a cold breeze caused them to draw back into the shelter of the trees.
Maybe Clara would decide to stay.
And if she did, was he prepared to open his life, his heart to more pain?
It hardly seemed worth it.
And yet, hadn’t Clara and the girls already claimed a large portion of his heart?
That didn’t matter. His concern was to persuade her to stay on the ranch where she would be surrounded by people willing to protect her and the girls. Where he could make certain she was safe.
As his thoughts whirled, he continued to tell her about the others. “Seth and Brand and their wives are only spending the winter in the cabins. They have plans to start their own ranches come spring.”
“Do you have similar desires?”
“I don’t think about it much.”
She stood before him, her blue eyes searching his thoughts. “Don’t you want a place of your own? I can’t imagine anything better.”
Her piercing gaze made it difficult to think clearly. But one question surfaced. “Did you not have such a place when you were married?”
She shrugged. “It was always Rolland’s, and he made certain I understood that. He was much older than I and grew feeble, which allowed me some measure of freedom. I gave it up all too readily when he passed. Not that I had much choice. Father is executor of the monies Rolland left.” Her expression grew troubled.
Wanting to comfort her, he pulled her to his chest. “They were both sorely mistaken about your abilities, weren’t they?”
“What do you mean?” She looked up at him, her eyes begging for reassurance.
“They don’t know how strong you are, do they?”
“I am?”
He studied her flawless skin. It reminded him of the porcelain face on the doll he’d bought the girls. Her eyes were so blue he felt as if he’d stepped into a summer day. His gaze lingered on her mouth. Then he realized she waited for his answer.
“You can make a fine church pew. You can find your way across the country while taking care of two children. I’d say that was evidence enough.” He’d said it before but she needed to hear it again.
Her eyes darkened, revealing how hungry she was for such acknowledgment.
The smile on his lips carried a gentleness he’d grown unfamiliar with. “Clara, you are strong and sweet, independent, gentle, stubborn and loving.”