Blackstone's Bride (18 page)

Just swallowing his coffee, Jarrod started to cough again.

Abby stifled her own amusement. “I’d like to know the answer to that myself,” she said, echoing his words when she’d been the on the receiving end of one of Katie’s blunt questions.

Tom put his fork down with a clatter. “Aw, Kate. Don’t you never get tired of askin’ questions? Can’t a man get any peace around here?” He stood up. “I’m goin’ to the barn to see the new foal.” He grabbed his hat from the peg by the door. “You’re welcome to come with me Uncle Jarrod.”

“I’ll be along directly,” Jarrod said. Then Tom nodded and walked out.

Oliver took his thumb out of his mouth. “I’m goin’ with Tom.” He jumped up and ran to the door.

Before he could escape, Abby was beside him. She bent down and looked at him. “Don’t forget to use the necessary while you’re out there.”

“Yes’m,” he said solemnly. Then he was gone.

Katie, sitting alone at the table, started to sniffle. Jarrod looked at Abby, then crossed the room and went down on one knee beside the little girl. “Don’t cry, Katie. Lily will get over it. She won’t stay mad.”

“That’s not why I’m cryin’.”

“Then what is it?” he asked.

Katie shook her head, sending her blond curls bouncing around her head.

Abby sat down on her other side, in the chair Oliver had just vacated. “I’d like to know too, sweetie. What’s wrong?”

As she sniffled, her little shoulders lifted. “Does this m-mean we can’t go to Hollister for the Fourth of July?”

Abby rubbed her forehead, trying to figure out how Katie had made the jump from fine-looking men to the Independence Day celebration. She finally gave up. “What are you talking about?”

The little girl looked from her to Jarrod. “Lily said Joe told her about it. Every year there’s a town picnic with games and such. And fireworks,” she added wistfully.

“That’s true,” Jarrod said as Abby nodded.

Katie twisted her hands in her lap. “Tom said you wouldn’t take us. I told him he was wrong. Was he, Uncle Jarrod? What with the way you feel about Joe Schafer ‘n’ all.”

“Why would Tom say that?” Jarrod asked.

“’Cause Hollister’s too far away.” She looked quickly at her uncle. “I told him that wasn’t so. Missing one day of work wouldn’t matter. But that was before I made Lily cry. Now we can’t go. And I won’t g-get to see the fireworks.”

Jarrod gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.
“Don’t cry, Katie. Things will work out fine. I promise. Are you finished with your breakfast?” She nodded and he said, “Then you go on upstairs and try to make things up with your sister.”

“All right,” she said, and gave him a quick hug before leaving the room.

Jarrod stood up and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t understand, Abby.”

“What?” she asked, looking up at him.

“Am I a slave driver?”

“Good heavens, no!”

It was on the tip of her tongue to add that he was one of the kindest men she’d ever known, but she decided against it. She had only been there a short time, and already she was jumping to his defense as if it was her right. She was nothing more than his housekeeper, a paid employee. She reminded herself that he needed her help with the children, not a wife. After all, he’d readily agreed to let her go whenever she wanted to. If she worked things right, that could be soon. It wouldn’t do at all for her to let any tender feelings for him become more than friendship.

But when he looked at her in a certain way, like he had when he’d questioned her just a moment before, she wanted to put her arms around him.

“Why would you think something like that, Jarrod?”

“Have I made them feel that they couldn’t even ask for the simplest thing, like going into town for the celebration?”

“It’s just that they’ve seen how hard you work, and what it takes to keep the ranch going. You don’t really think you’ve been unkind to them?”

He shook his head. “No. I guess they’ve had so little fun, they just don’t figure it’s in the cards for them.”

Abby sighed as she looked at the doorway where Katie had disappeared. “You could be right. Do you want to take them into town for the festivities?”

He put his cup on the table and sat down. “I would if I didn’t think Joe Schafer had some notions about Lily.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He’s the one who brought the whole thing up to her. It doesn’t take much to see that he wants her there. Lily’s a little girl and he’s—”

“Shaving every third day,” Abby interrupted with a smile. Slap me silly if he isn’t acting like an outraged father, she thought. It was just about the sweetest thing. He’d taken to caring about those kids as if they filled up some part of him that had been empty and waiting.

He returned her look with a sheepish grin. “You think I’m making too much of this?”

“Maybe not. Let’s think about it. What could happen?”

She laced her fingers together. “People from all over come into Hollister for the picnic and games. So I’m sure Lily and Joe will find all kinds of places to be alone.”

“When you say—”

“And even if they can find somewhere that isn’t crawling with folks, I expect Lily will want to miss out on something because she’s had so many Fourth of July picnics and they come up so often during the year.”

He rubbed a hand on his chin. “Hadn’t thought about it like that—”

“And Joe, being the wrong sort of boy he is, will probably just throw her over his shoulder carry her off, and do wrong by her. My guess is no one will notice either, when he carries her off, I mean. She’ll be quiet as a little church mouse. That settles it. Going to town could be real dangerous. Might be best to skip—”

“Abby, I get your point. We’ll take the kids into town for the Fourth.”

There was a squeal of delight from the hall right outside the kitchen. Katie ran into the room and threw herself into Jarrod’s arms. “Thank you, Uncle Jarrod.”

He picked her up and put her on his lap. “Were you eavesdropping?”

Her forehead wrinkled. “You mean what birds do when they’re flying over—”

“No. It means listening to what people are saying when they don’t know you’re there.”

She studied him solemnly, as if she thought he was cross with her. But Abby could see the glint of humor in his gray eyes and bit her lip to stifle her own laughter.

“Yes, sir. I did listen to what you and Abby were sayin’. Are you mad, Uncle Jarrod? Does that mean we can’t go like you said?”

“No. We’re going to Hollister for the Independence Day festivities.”

She frowned. “Don’t know exactly what that is, but I hope it means fireworks.”

“That’s exactly what it means. Now, you can go upstairs and tell your sister. Maybe that will perk her up.” Jarrod set her on the floor.

“I s’pect so. If she gets to see that fine-looking Joe Schafer.” Katie made a face at that idea, just before she ran out of the room.

This time Abby listened and heard the little girl’s footsteps going up the stairs.

She smiled at Jarrod. “You just made two girls very happy.”

His gaze met hers and the humor vanished. A dark, intense expression replaced the tender one he had used on Katie. “What about you, Abby? Are you happy? Did you want to go to town?” He lifted her braid, rubbing the red strands at the end between his fingers. “Firecracker,” he whispered. “I’ll bet you like fireworks as much as Katie.”

She suddenly felt warm all over and wanted to be anywhere else but here, a whisper away from Jarrod Blackstone. She forced herself to stay put and look him straight in the eye.

“I love the Fourth of July. It’s even better than Christmas.”

One corner of his mouth lifted in a wry smile. “Why’s that?”

She thought about it for a minute before answering. “Because I’m never disappointed.”

He dropped her braid and brushed the back of his knuckles across her cheek, making her stomach flutter. “I
think you understand the children because you’re just like them.”

“I’m a grown woman.”

“That you are. But just like them, you grew up without expecting fun.”

“Until now. I mean the children,” she said, feeling the heat rise to her face. Good Lord, she hoped he didn’t think she had meant she was looking for grownup womanly sort of fun with him. Because she wasn’t. “I mean now that they’re here, I expect you’ll see that they have fun.”

“I know what you meant. And I thank you.”

“For what?” she asked, puzzled.

“You put a lot of faith in me even though I don’t deserve it.”

Abby wondered at the shadows she saw in his eyes, but didn’t ask. If he wanted to talk about it, he would. He had already earned her respect by giving the children a home. Faith? Phooey. He couldn’t help being the man he was. “Why did you have breakfast with the children this morning?” she asked, and hoped, for her own sake, that it wasn’t going to be a regular occurrence.

“One of the first things you said to me was that I should spend time with them. Have you changed your mind about that?”

“Of course not.” Only now that the children were in her care, it meant he’d be spending time with her too. Stupidly, she hadn’t counted on that when she agreed to be his housekeeper. She had only thought about how tired he looked and that he needed help with the children. Besides the fact that he’d made her a generous offer that would assure Clint’s future. “I was just curious.”

“Gib and I are repairing the barn roof, and I didn’t have to ride out at the crack of dawn. I decided it would be a good time to see how the kids are doing with you.”

“Are you satisfied?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I wouldn’t want you to think all that money you’re paying me is a waste.”

He frowned. Why should that bother him? she wondered. She
was
his employee. That’s all she ever would be.

She stood up. “I’d better clean up these dishes. Will you give me a half hour, then send Tom and Oliver in for lessons?”

“Consider it done.”

Sitting behind the desk in his study, Jarrod put his pen down and rubbed his tired eyes. It had been a long day, even though he’d stayed for breakfast with the kids that morning. Working on the barn roof wasn’t his favorite chore, just a necessary one. Still, he’d rather be using a hammer outdoors than adding up figures in the ledger.

In the living room, Abby was reading to the children before bedtime. She had borrowed books from Bea Peters to bring to the ranch with her, and felt this nightly ritual was an important part of their education. Her pleasant voice was frequently interrupted by laughter. He gazed longingly at the door, then sighed and picked up his pen again, forcing himself to ignore the temptation to join them, and instead focused on the columns in front of him.

Another peal of merriment and high-pitched squealing drifted to him, drawing his gaze to the door again. He tossed his pen down and stood up, then left the room and followed the sound.

In the living room, Abby sat in the wing-back chair by the fireplace, with Oliver in her lap. Katie stood beside her and gazed at the book. Lily, cross-legged on the hearth, stared dreamily into space as Abby read. Tom sprawled in the middle of the floor with his back to everyone. Lighted wall sconces brightened every corner of the room. No one noticed Jarrod standing there.

Oliver pulled his thumb out of his mouth and pointed to the book. “His name is Oliver too, and he’s an orphan just like me ‘n’ Tom, ‘n’ Lily, ‘n’ Katie.”

Abby closed the book, keeping a finger in it to mark her place. “Do you know what an orphan is, Oliver?” There was a softness in her voice.

He nodded. “A kid with no folks.”

“That’s true. But you’re not alone like Oliver Twist.”

“He went with the pickpockets.”

“Because he had nowhere else to go. You have folks, sweetie. A family to love you. Your uncle Jarrod—”

“And Gib and Dusty and Slim,” Katie added.

“And Abby,” Oliver chimed in.

“That’s right,” she said.

Jarrod heard the hesitation in the words. She wasn’t staying, and didn’t want them to become too dependent on her. Too late for that. It felt right to have her here. He had to admit the kids had been smart to hold out for Abby.

But she’d made it clear the situation was temporary. When Abby left, it would be hard. Harder than he wanted to think about. But they would go on the best they could.

“What’s a pickpocket, Abby?” Oliver asked.

Jarrod walked farther into the room. “It’s a person who steals things out of people’s pockets.”

Everyone called out greetings to him. When Abby smiled her approval at his arrival, he couldn’t help returning it.

“I don’t see how someone could lift something out of my pocket without me knowing,” Lily said.

“It’s definitely a skill that requires practice,” Abby commented, brushing Oliver’s blond hair off his forehead. Meeting Jarrod’s gaze, she put her arms around the little boy almost as if she was using him for a shield.

Against what? Jarrod thought. Him? That was silly.

Jarrod looked around at the children. “Why don’t you try? See if you can do it without getting caught.”

Abby grinned. “That sounds like fun. I have something in my pocket that you might like to pick. What do you think? Anyone want to try?”

No one answered.

“Let’s see what Oliver Twist had to learn.” Jarrod walked over to Tom, who had turned around as soon as he’d heard his uncle’s voice. Pleased by Abby’s approval, he decided to pursue a game of pickpocket. He was becoming more comfortable with the kids, and the way they had just
welcomed him to their midst, he guessed they felt that way too. After ruffling Tom’s hair, Jarrod said, “Let’s see if you can be the Artful Dodger.”

“Have you read the book?” Abby asked him. She sounded surprised.

He shook his head. “I’ve been listening to you read.”

A becoming pink crept into her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize we were disturbing you. We can go upstairs—”

“Didn’t say you bothered me. I enjoyed hearing the story. Let’s see if these young ‘uns have been listening. C’mon, Tom. Up and at ‘em,” he said, holding his hand out to the boy.

Tom grinned and grabbed it.

“I wanna be his mark,” Katie said, jumping up and down. Jarrod grinned at her. “I see you’ve been listening. But Abby already said she’s got something in her pocket worth picking. Let’s see if he has a knack for being a criminal.”