“What?” She jumped back, glaring at him. “You taught him how to milk Daisy?”
Luke cut a slice of cornbread and put it on his plate. “He’s pretty good at it, too, though he did slosh most of the milk out of the bucket.”
“Why did you do that?”
He stopped buttering his cornbread and looked at her. “Do what?”
“Teach my six-year-old brother how to milk a cow!” Chardy huffed out her frustration. “She could have kicked him.”
“But she didn’t.”
“But she could have …” Her voice rose a notch.
“Do you really think I’d leave your brother on his own the first time he milked a cow?” Luke’s annoyed gaze bore into her.
The question rumbled in Chardy’s ears. Put like that, it’s no wonder Luke looks ready to bite a bullet in half. The man had never been one to skirt his responsibilities. But accidents happened in a brief moment, and they’d lost so much all ready. “I know you wouldn’t but …” She mashed her lips together to keep them from trembling. “I couldn’t bear it if something happened to any one of them.”
Some of the anger left his expression as he reached out and took her hand in his, the warmth of his caress giving her strength. “Chardy, you can’t wrap them up in cotton and hope nothing happens to them. It’s not fair to them or to you.”
“But what if …” She couldn’t bear to say the words. What if one of her brothers died like Papa?
“You trust the Lord has a plan for the boys’ lives, don’t you?”
Her head snapped up. “Of course, I do. It says so in the Bible. Jeremiah 29:11.”
His thumb stroked the inside of her wrist in comforting circles. “What if by being so overprotective of them, you’re getting in the Lord’s way? Not letting them discover who God wants them to be?”
“But I’m only trying to keep them safe.”
He nodded slightly. “I know, but you can’t stop them from growing up. It’s how life is.”
It felt as if Daisy had kicked her in the gut. But there was truth in what Luke said. Was she the reason her brothers had acted out in school? Had she held the reins too tightly and caused them to rebel? “What if I can’t raise them the way Papa wanted? What if I mess up?”
He chuckled as he pushed a loose curl behind her ear. “Everybody make mistakes, even parents.”
“They do?”
“Everyone I’ve met so far does. And as far as your papa goes, you need to raise those boys as you see fit.”
She met his gaze. “Do you think that will be enough?”
“Honey, you love those boys.” He let go of her hand and sat back. “As long as you do that and pray, I think they’re going to turn out just fine.”
Chardy nodded, though she still had lingering doubts. No wonder the Lord gave a child two parents! It was so much easier when there was someone to share it with. If this little talk had taught her anything, it was that her brothers needed a father. There was three weeks until the interviews. In less than a month, she could be married and settled, the boys with the papa they needed. Who would it be?
She glanced over as Luke spooned some beans onto her plate. Her heart knew who she wanted.
She could only pray Luke changed his mind before then.
Chapter 9
Coffee in hand, Luke stepped out on the front porch for a moment of peace before morning chores started. April had turned into May, bringing with it bright green shoots of new life across the prairie. The section of earth they’d plowed over the last week had warmed and stood ready for the seeds Chardy had brought home from the store last night. Soon, tiny spouts of beans, corn, and wheat would spring up and the real work would begin. But for today, he would enjoy this moment.
Chardy moved into view, humming a church hymn as she worked at the stove. Since Will Carter had followed her home almost two weeks ago, he hadn’t let her ride alone, picking her up in the afternoon after she closed up the mercantile then returning her back to town after supper. Oh how he looked forward to those rides. They talked about almost anything, and for those few moments, he wasn’t an amputee, but a man with dreams and needs.
He loved her. That had never been in question, though he supposed he should try not to care for her so much. But in the last two weeks, he’d come to realize how much he needed her. Needed her smile to brighten the darkness surrounding him, her strength helping to shore up his own.
Luke walked over to the edge of the porch. It would have been best for both of their sakes to stay far away from her because someone was going to be hurt when this job with her brothers’ ended.
“Is something wrong?”
Luke startled slightly. How long had she been standing at the door? “Just thinking about today. We should get a good bit planted if the weather holds out.”
She closed the door quietly and came to stand beside him. “Are you sure it’s warm enough to plant now? There’s still a chill in the air.”
“Are you cold?”
She wrapped her arms around her waist. “A little.”
He shucked his flannel shirt off and wrapped it around her shoulders. “I wouldn’t want you to catch a chill.”
“Thank you.”
Luke lifted his gaze from the button he was fumbling with and froze. She was so close. The light scent of wildflowers hung in the air around her, and he leaned closer to take a deeper breath. A couple of inches and he could press his mouth against hers.
“Luke.”
He lifted his gaze to meet hers. Love reflected in her eyes, a mirror image of his own feelings. But this was wrong. Chardy deserved so much more than he could offer. He started to step back but before he could, she pressed a kiss to his lips and he was lost.
Luke wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. She felt so dainty, like a piece of fine china he’d seen in store windows back East. Holding her like this made his world feel bright, made him feel he could do the impossible as long as she was by his side. She gave a little sigh and he deepened the kiss.
If only …
He lifted his head. What was he doing? He was no better off than he was when he’d broke off their courtship. Work was hard to come by without depending on others, and he wouldn’t be beholding. He had nothing to offer Chardy.
Except for his love.
“We would find a way, Luke. Come what may.”
He glanced down at her, still so achingly close it hurt not to kiss her again. But he couldn’t. He had to be strong for her sake. “I need to get those boys moving, if we’re going to put in a crop today.”
She stepped away from him, but the pain in her expression tore his heart into shreds. “I think I’m going to go in to work.”
He reached out for her but she moved away. “Chardy, I never meant to hurt …”
She stepped past him and hurried toward the stairs. “Would you tell the boys I’m sorry and that I’ll come back to see them on Saturday?”
“Chardy …”
“Don’t worry about giving me a ride,” she threw over her shoulder as she stepped off the porch. “I’m sure Sassy could use the exercise.”
“I just don’t want you to get the wrong idea about us.”
It was the absolute worst thing he could have said. She turned, her eyes blazing with anger as she walked toward him then stopped. “Don’t.”
The word ripped through him like a knife. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. She needed to know that. “Chardy, I …”
She stiffened. “Don’t worry about it, Luke. I finally understand. You won’t marry me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to work.” She hurried down the steps and across the yard to where Sassy stood grazing.
He shouldn’t leave things like this. It hurt just thinking of what she must feel, but it might be for the best. Chardy could move on with her life now, marry, and have that houseful of kids she wanted. She’d never have to suffer because he couldn’t provide for their family. He couldn’t even dance with her at the town social in a couple
of days, and he knew how much she loved to dance.
Luke hobbled back to the screen door and threw it open, banging it hard against the wall. This was what he’d wanted, to give Chardy a life without his disability. Then why did letting her go seem so wrong? It might be best if he got the seeds planted then left. The boys could handle the farm and what they didn’t know, they could ask one of their neighbors.
With his decision made, Luke walked into the kitchen to find Thomas, Emmett, and Neil digging into their breakfast.
He glanced around. “Where’s George?”
The brothers gave each other a look before glancing up at him. They were hiding something, but what? He leaned on his cane. “What’s going on?”
“I’ll tell you,” Emmett answered. “If I can ask you a question.”
Luke didn’t like the sound of that, particularly if they’d heard him arguing with Chardy, but he needed to find George.
“Fine. What’s your question?”
Sitting on his knees, Emmett leaned across the table, his gaze trained on Luke. “Why won’t you marry our sister?”
Chapter 10
He should have guessed the little runt would ask something like that. Luke pulled a chair out and sat down across from the boys, feeling as if he were facing a hangman. “That’s between me and Chardy.”
“I think we should be the judge of that,” Thomas said. “We’re her brothers.”
“Yeah,” Neil added, punching the air with his fork. “We the ones who’ve had to listen to her cry every night.”
Chardy crying. That little jab struck him right in the heart.
“Sister’s eyes are red all the time,” Neil continued.
Emmett glared at Luke as if he’d like to poke him in the eye. “Don’t you love her?”
“It’s not a question of love.” Why had he told these little runts that? Now he’d have to explain. “The truth is your sister deserves better than to be saddled with a cripple for the rest of her life.”
Neil leaned over toward Emmett. “What’s a cripple?”
“It means you can’t walk,” Thomas said.
“But Luke can walk,” Emmett said matter-a-factly. “I’ve seen him.”
“Me, too!” Neil cried out.
Luke gritted his teeth. This was getting out of hand. “Losing my leg makes it harder for me to find work. A farmhand needs two legs.”
Maybe now they would understand why he couldn’t marry Chardy. The boys exchanged glances. “You’ve been working with us for the past few weeks. Isn’t that farming?” Thomas asked.
For Pete’s sake, the Stevens’ were a stubborn bunch. “I haven’t done that much …”
“You taught me how to milk a cow.”
“And showed us the best place to plant our garden and how to sharpen a plow.” Emmett stopped to take a breath. “And what feed gave us the most eggs.”
Thomas gave him a half smile. “You’ve been working a lot for a cripple.”
When they put it that way, it sounded like he’d done quite a bit, but they didn’t understand. “A farmer has to be able to work his land, not just boss everyone around.”
“But isn’t that what Mr. Walters did when you worked for him?” Thomas sat back in his chair, his arms folded over his chest.
The little runt, but he did have a point. Everything Mr. Walters had taught him about the land and the animals, he was now teaching the Stevens boys. And they had so much more to learn. For the first time in a long time, Luke felt a stirring of hope. He had a lot to think about. “All right, I answered your question. Now, it’s your turn. Where’s George?”
Emmett grabbed a biscuit from the plate. “He left while we were doing chores. He wanted to get to town before school started.”
“Why would he do that?”
The two older boys stared into their plates, but Neil was almost doing a jig in his chair. “George has a sweetheart.”
Emmett punched his brother in the arm. “You promised not to tell anyone.”
“Luke isn’t just anyone,” Neil answered, rubbing his arm. “He’ll be our brother when he marries Sister.”
Luke ignored him and got right to the point. “Who is the girl he’s sweet on?”
“Nancy McGee, and she is sweet on him, too,” Thomas answered.
He was confused. “Isn’t that the girl he stole the ribbon from?”
Thomas shook his head as he bit into a piece of bacon. “Nancy gave it to him. But Rupert Peabody saw it in one of George’s books and made a stink over it. Nancy gets embarrassed easy, so George told Miss Green he stole it to make it easier on her.”
That explained a lot. “So why did George go to town?”
“He wants to ask Nancy to the social in a couple of weeks,” Thomas answered. “Said he was going to wait for her at the school.”
“But he’s not allowed anywhere near the school.” Luke stood, grabbing a piece of toast and shoving it in his pocket.
If the boy was caught, no telling what the school board would do to him. “Planting is going to have to wait. We’ve got to find George.”
Chapter 11
A plume of dust rose from the shelf as Chardy furiously worked the feather duster. It may have only been a week since she’d tackled the shelves, but with the dirt and grime that was tracked through the store every day, it looked more like a year.
Why did he have to go and kiss me like that?
Her hand stilled. The question had been on her mind all morning, yet she wasn’t any closer to an answer than she was when she’d stormed off on Sassy. Luke wasn’t the type of man to kiss a woman unless he had deep feelings for her.
She touched her fingers to her lips. Still, they tingled from his touch, as if he’d just kissed her. In that moment when he’d pulled her into his arms, she’d felt safe, cherished. Loved. Even now, she could hear little bells going off in her heart.
“Chardy, what are you doing up there?”
Her eyes flew open, and for a moment, her world felt out of balance. She grabbed the ladder’s railing and steadied herself. “Millie! You scared the living daylights out of me.”
“By walking into your store during business hours?”
Her lips twitched. “Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a smart aleck?”
“All the time.” Her friend tilted her head to get a better look. “Now, what are you doing on that ladder?”
Chardy waved her feather duster. “It’s been a while since I dusted, so I thought now was as good a time as any.” She started down the ladder. “What are you doing here? I thought you did your shopping on Tuesdays.”
“Don’t come down on my account. I just thought I’d look at some fabric for a new dress.”
That was surprising. Millie wasn’t one to waste money, and she’d just made herself a dress for Christmas. “What’s the occasion?”
The woman touched a teddy bear on a nearby shelf then dropped her hand to her side. “I signed up for the mail-order groom auditions this morning.”
Millie had said the ocean would have to freeze over before she considered interviewing for a mate. “What changed your mind?”
“I don’t know.” She sighed. “I guess I figured it was time for me to move on with my life. Lance wouldn’t want me to be a widow forever.”
“You’re right. He wouldn’t,” Chardy answered quietly. Lance and Millie had been childhood sweethearts but only married the week Lance joined the army. He was gone six months later.
But at least, they had been married. Sometimes Chardy wondered if she shouldn’t have married Luke before he’d left. She would have been his wife and they could have faced his injury together.
“So this morning, bright and early, I went to Mayor Melton’s office and signed up.” She took a step forward and looked up. “That’s when I noticed your name on the list.”
Chardy nodded. “I signed up this morning, too.”
“But I thought you had your heart set on Luke. That’s what you’ve always told me.”
/> “I do.” Even more so after these last few weeks. Watching Luke with her brothers, spending time talking with him, laughing with him, had reminded her of why she’d fallen in love with him in the first place. But after this morning, it was time to face the truth. “I can’t keep expecting he’ll change his mind about us. I have to think of my brothers.”
“I’m so sorry, Chardy. I know how much you care for him.”
“It’s better this way.” She didn’t sound convinced. Her eyes began to sting. She’d make a puddle on the floor if they didn’t change the subject. “I’ve just got a lovely mint green calico that might match your eyes.”
“Oh I love that color,” Millie said as she walked toward the back of the store.
“Maybe,” Chardy answered with as much enthusiasm as she could muster for someone with a broken heart. A few minutes to collect herself and she’d be fine. If not fine, then functional.
She turned around and eyed the shelf. Might as well finish what she’d started. As she reached the top of the ladder, a door slammed behind her. Chardy glanced at Millie, who gave her a questioning look. “That sounded like the door to my office.”
“What would anyone be doing in there?” Millie went to the door, but as she reached for the knob, it flew open, knocking her to the ground. The intruder tore down the aisle toward Chardy. He was almost underneath her before she realized who it was.
“George!”
She’d barely gotten out his name when she felt the jolt. George must have hit the ladder without realizing it. The ladder lurched away from the shelf, momentarily balancing on two legs then falling toward the open floor, shaking her free. She hung suspended for a second, like a blue jay taking flight, then she fell.
“Chardy!”
Luke! She only had enough time to register his voice before the floor reached up and grabbed her. She heard a sickening pop then pain rushed up her arm like a hot flash of lighting. A whimper escaped her lips as she tried to sit up, but her arm refused to support her weight.
Strong arms came around her. “Don’t move, sweetheart.”
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