She laughed. “I’d say that was fortunate for you.” She walked at Eleanor’s side.
As the meal drew to a close, he faced the same quandary as the night before. How to avoid returning to his own empty quarters.
Bonnie and Clara, with the girls helping, began the task of cleaning up.
“I’ve been working on a quilt,” Bonnie said. “I can’t quite work out the colors for the pattern. Clara, maybe you could help me?”
“I know nothing about quilting, but I can have a look.”
Blue swallowed back disappointment. This wasn’t a project he could participate in. He edged his chair back.
Claude grabbed a handful of newspapers from the nearby shelf. “Maybe you’d like to read these. They’re old newspapers. In fact, Eddie gave them to me, so perhaps you’ve seen them already.”
“No, I’ve not.” He took one of the offered papers, pushed his chair back from the table and began to read. His position gave him plenty of opportunity to glance up from the page and watch Clara as she washed dishes and then helped Bonnie lay out bright pieces of fabric on the table.
Bonnie explained the pattern.
“It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle.” Clara sounded pleased. “What fun. Look, if you place this color here and then this one...”
Bonnie clapped her hands. “That’s it. Why couldn’t I figure it out?” She grinned at Clara. “You sure you haven’t quilted before?”
“No, but it looks like fun. Maybe someday I’ll learn how.”
“I’d be glad to show you.”
Blue lowered the page to watch Clara’s reaction. She drew her mouth back as if disappointed. An almost imperceptible sigh passed her teeth. “That’s very generous of you. However, I don’t know if I’ll be—” She paused. “Here.” She slid her attention toward Blue, stalled there when their gazes connected.
Did he see regret? Longing? Or was he only wishing things could be different?
“The invitation is open anytime.”
The women bent over the quilt pieces for the next half hour as the girls watched.
All too soon, Clara said she must take the girls to bed.
“I’ll see you over.” Blue folded the paper and handed it back to Claude with thanks, then joined them.
It was only a few yards to the shack. He could wish it was several blocks, but wishing didn’t change anything, and he should remember that.
Wishing wouldn’t make the evening last, or make Clara safe. Wishing would not change who either of them were.
He brushed her arm. Afraid if he lingered, he’d forget what was possible and what wasn’t, he hurried away and didn’t look back.
The next morning, the four of them swept and dusted. It took far less time than he’d have liked. The work was finished by midmorning.
“Now what?” Libby demanded.
“Now we are done.”
“I know, but what are we going to do now?”
He shrugged. He gave Clara a helpless look, but she wore the same demanding, questioning look as her daughter. In fact, all three stared at him, waiting for him to tell them what was next.
How could he?
Besides, what did they truly want?
What did he truly want?
Now was the time to decide. Only he wasn’t sure.
“I have something to take care of, so I’m going for a ride this afternoon.”
“When will you be back?” Eleanor asked, her trembling voice revealing her worry that he’d ride away without a backward look.
“Later this afternoon.” He cupped her head. “But I will come back. I promise. Okay?”
She nodded.
He went to the Mortons’ for dinner, then saddled his horse and rode from town. Ignoring the trail, he rode directly north. He didn’t care to meet anyone. He needed to think.
His gaze swept the landscape before him. To his left were the mountains, the rolling hills that were covered with lush grass during the summer. To his right the hills flattened toward the prairie, good for raising horses and cows. From the cabins he saw, it seemed it was also good for homesteaders who came in steadily increasing numbers. The railway would soon cross the country, joining the eastern provinces with British Columbia and bringing even more settlers.