* * *
Laura held the little hen while Clint tucked her wing into a natural position. He stood close enough that she could smell the peppermint candy he’d shared with the girls earlier on his breath.
“Now you’ll need to hold her still so that I can wrap the cloth around her body to hold the wing in place.” Clint placed her hand on the wing and then reached for the strips of cloth that Camelia had supplied.
His hands brushed hers as he wrapped the chicken’s wing tightly. The little hen squirmed and made sounds in the back of her throat. She didn’t like them handling her and began to voice her discomfort more loudly.
“How long will we need to leave the cloth on?” Laura asked, trying to ignore the fact that her pulse was racing at his nearness.
Clint tied the fabric and sighed. “I have no idea. I guess until she can hold her wing up herself.” He moved back. “Go ahead and set her down. I want to see if she can get the wing out of the sling we’ve made for it.”
Laura did as he asked. The little bird flopped about unhappily. She tried to pull her wing from her body and couldn’t. The bandage was on nice and tight. Laura looked up at Clint and found him watching her. “Um, thank you.”
He grinned. “You’re welcome.”
“You must think I’m crazy, wanting to bandage a chicken up like that.” She rubbed her arms.
Clint reached out and brushed her hair from her eyes. “No, I think you are sweet.”
Breathlessly, she asked, “You do?”
He stepped closer. “I do.” His hand stayed in her hair.
Laura stepped back. What was she doing? She’d thought he was going to kiss her, and for a moment she’d welcomed the idea. But that was ridiculous. “I really should get back inside and make sure the girls are sleeping.”
His hand dropped to his side. “Yes, I suppose you should. I’ll make sure the chicken gets into the coop.”
She wanted to say something that would make them both feel less awkward. “I think I’ll call her Miss Priss.”
“Miss Priss?” He looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.
Laura nodded. “Yep, Miss Priss. She’s the only girl in the coop with a special bandage. I’m sure the other hens are going to be jealous, and then she’ll just sort of strut around and be, well, and act like a Miss Priss.”
Clint leaned his head back and laughed. True laughter that brought a smile to her face.
Laura left on the happy note, aware that she’d almost reacted to his nearness tonight. She vowed before going to bed that she’d put some space between herself and Clint. Even though, deep down, she wished it didn’t have to be that way.
Chapter Sixteen
Laura and the girls studied the hook and can of worms that Richard had dug up for her that morning. He’d also found her a cane fishing pole and plenty of strings and hooks.
She’d wanted to get away from the house and spend some time out in the sunshine. This fishing adventure had been her idea of how to do just that. Plus, thanks to the picnic she’d packed, she was assured to miss Clint at lunch.
“Ick.” Grace wrinkled her nose at the wiggling worms.
Hope mimicked her. “Ick.” She smiled broadly at a surprised Laura.
Laura grabbed them both and hugged them tight. When she released them, they both were smiling broadly. Her gaze moved back to the can of worms. “Ick or no ick, the only way we are going to catch fish for dinner is if we put one of these worms on our hook.”
Grace nodded. Hope nodded. Laura took a deep breath and picked up the biggest worm she could find. She’d gone fishing lots of times with her father, but now that the time had come to bait the hook, Laura remembered that he had done that part for her.
She quickly threaded the worm on the hook, walked to the water’s edge and cast it out into the water. Laura looked to the girls. “That wasn’t so bad.”
Hope curled her lip and wrinkled her nose. “Ick.”
Grace laughed and shoved Hope. The two girls giggled and rolled about on the grassy ground.
Laura squatted down, laid her pole on the grass and rinsed her fingers off in the cool water. She motioned for the girls to come join her.
They toddled to Laura, giggling and shoving each other.
“You two better settle down or you are going to fall into the water with the fish.” She grabbed Grace around her little waist and plopped her on to the right side of her, then helped Hope sit down on the left hand side of her.
They looked up at her as if to say, what now?
Laura laughed. She picked up the pole and then lay down on her back. She looked up into the sky. “Lie down here by me and let’s see if we can find any clouds shaped like animals.”
The little girls lay back, wiggled about and then looked up. Laura’s gaze followed theirs. The sky was a brilliant blue with big, fluffy white clouds floating about.
For several long moments, Laura simply enjoyed the quietness of the bank. She’d loved doing this as a child but knew at the ages of one and two, the girls would get bored with it fast.
Grace pointed up at the sky and said, “Bird.”
Laura’s gaze followed the little girl’s finger and saw that there was a bird flying above them. “Oh, how pretty! You found a bird, Grace.” She turned her head and looked to Hope. “See the pretty bird?”
“Hey!”
Laura sat up at the sound of Clint’s shout. He was sitting on his horse a few feet away and was pointing toward the bank. She looked and saw that her fishing pole was quickly traveling down toward the water’s edge.
Grace squealed at the sight of her papa.
She ignored the child and scrambled to get the fishing pole before it hit the water and sank with the fish on the other end. Just before it went under, she grabbed the pole and began running back up the little embankment.
Clint’s rich laughter sounded behind her.
Laura looked behind her and saw Hope sitting where she’d left her. Clint held Grace in his arms and his horse stood behind them. A tug on the line reminded her she had caught a fish.
She jerked the pole, and the line, with a fish dangling on the end of it, shot out of the water. “I got one!”
Hope stood up and clapped her hands.
Grace pushed against her papa’s chest until he released her, then she joined Laura on the bank. “Ish!” She pointed at the squirming fish on the end of the hook.
“Yes, fish.” Laura couldn’t seem to stop smiling. It had been a long time since she’d gone fishing, let alone caught anything.
Clint scooped up Hope and walked to where they stood. He looked about. “Did you bring a bucket to put your catch in?”
Laura’s smile slipped from her face. “No, I forgot.” She’d have to release the fish back into the stream.
“Not to worry. I may have a small piece of rope we can use for a stringer. “You might want to hold him over the grass and not the water. If he jumps off that hook he’ll swim away.” He flashed a white grin in her direction before turning to his horse’s saddlebags.
Grace jumped up and down. She wanted to touch the fish. Laura bent over and held it in front of her.
“Don’t touch its mouth. There is a sharp hook in there.”
The little girl bobbed up and down on her feet. She reached a single finger out and touched the scales on the fish’s back. A squeal issued from her when the fish flipped around. She jerked her hand back and laughed.
Clint returned with a nice size piece of rope. He laughed at his daughter. “We’ll make a tomboy out of you yet.” His large hand ruffled her brown hair.
Laura stood, giving him better access to the fish. Within minutes, he had it off the hook and on to the thin rope.
“This one’s a pretty good size.” He looped one end of the rope around a nice size rock and then slipped the fish into the wat
er. Secured to the rope, it wasn’t swimming away.
“I was hoping we’d catch enough to have a fish fry tonight,” Laura confessed with a grin.
He wiped his hands on his pants. “Then it’s a good thing I came along when I did, isn’t it?”
For the first time, Laura noticed a cane pole across the back of his horse. She nodded. Inwardly, she groaned. So much for keeping more distance between them.
* * *
Clint enjoyed the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon with Laura and the girls. She was easy to be around and not the least bit skittish about touching the worms or fish.
Grace yawned and stretched. Hope had already curled up on the blanket.
Laura took Hope by the hand and pulled her up from her resting place. “Come on, little one. Let’s go to the house where you can rest better.” She gently pulled the sleepy child off the blanket they had all sat on while they’d had lunch.
Clint picked her up. “If you don’t mind, she and Grace can ride on the horse on the way back.”
Grace jumped around and giggled. She ran to the side of the horse. “Up.”
Laura laughed. “I don’t mind as long as they stay awake and don’t fall off.”
Clint carried Hope to the horse and set her in the front of the saddle. Then he reached down and plopped Grace behind Hope. “Grace, Hope is younger than you, so you need to hold on to her tight. Can you do that?”
The little girl bobbed her head and babbled. Her little arms slid around Hope’s waist. Then she looked at him with a big smile, seemingly looking for approval.
“That’s good.” He patted her leg. “Hope, you have to hold on to the saddle horn so that you and Grace don’t fall off. Can you do that?”
This time Hope nodded shyly and babbled like Grace. He smiled. Something had changed in Hope. She now seemed more confident and ready to start talking. The little girl grabbed the saddle horn and hung on tight.
Clint patted her leg and said the same thing to her. “That’s good.”
His gaze moved to Grace, who released Hope and stuck her little hand into the pocket of her dress. What did she have? Trying not to be too obvious, he snuck a peek. Several wiggly worms could be seen hanging from the little girl’s hand. He looked away as Grace tucked them back inside her pocket.
He couldn’t wait for Laura to find Grace’s little surprise. It was all Clint could do not to give the little girl’s secret away with a knowing grin. Clint turned to see Laura picking up her newly refilled picnic basket. “All we have left to get is our fish.” He looked to where they flopped about in the water.
“I’ll get them.” Laura walked over and pulled them from the water. She carried the basket in one hand and the fish in the other back to where he stood beside the horse and the girls.
They began walking back to the house. “Today was fun,” Laura said.
Clint nodded. “Yes, I should have helped Richard and a couple of the men clear brush from around the water hole.”
“The water hole?”
He grinned. “That’s what we call the main pond in the west pasture.”
“I see. What made you come find us?” Laura looked up at him as they walked.
Clint steadied the little girls by resting a hand on Hope’s leg. “Richard came out and told me you were fishing today. I haven’t been fishing in a long time and thought it would be fun.” He didn’t tell her that he was concerned about her and the girls being away from the house alone.
When he’d returned to the house, Camelia had already packed him a lunch and had the cane pole sitting on the front porch. The little Irishwoman had admitted to sending Richard out to get him. She hadn’t voiced her concerns to Laura and had asked him not to tell the nanny it had been her idea for him to go fishing.
“It has been a long time for me, too.” She handed him the fish.
Clint took the fish with a frown. “Why are you giving them to me? You caught the majority of them.”
“Yes, well, they stink.” She looked to the little girls.
Hope yawned and mumbled, “Ick.”
He chuckled, then sobered. “Oh, I see what you are up to. If you give them to me, you think I’ll clean them.”
Laura turned large, innocent eyes on him. “That’s a great idea. Thank you.”
Confusion filled Clint’s mind. “What?”
She smiled mischievously. “Didn’t you just volunteer to clean the fish?”
He laughed. “No, but since you are so sweet, I’ll do it for you.” Immediately Clint wished he hadn’t called her sweet.
Her cheeks reddened and Laura ducked her head. She remained quiet the rest of the way back to the house. The little girls chattered to one another unaware that the adults were feeling uncomfortable with each other.
Why did he feel the need to tease her? And say what he was thinking? Last night, he’d come close to kissing her. Why? He knew it would lead to nowhere, and still, he simply couldn’t stop himself around her.
Chapter Seventeen
Laura looked to the house and sighed. “Looks like we have company.” Did the wagon in front of the house belong to another woman wanting her job?
Clint led the horse to the barn after handing Laura the fish. As he tied the horse to the hitching post, his gaze moved to the front porch where Camelia sat with another woman. He pulled the girls off the horse’s back and set them on the ground.
Grace started walking to the house. Laura returned the fish and picked up a tired Hope. Together they walked to the house.
Camelia stood to welcome them. “I see you were able to catch a few fish.” She waited for them to get on the porch. “Clint, Laura, this is Millicent English. She likes to be called Missy.”
Clint reached across and shook the young woman’s hand.
Laura smiled her greeting, aware that the other woman never took her eyes off Clint Shepard. Her light brown hair was swept up in the latest style. The dress she wore was pressed and starched to perfection. Little button-up shoes covered her tiny feet. Her skin was clear as a newborn baby’s, and green eyes as big as a dessert plate stared up at Clint.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Shepard.”
Even her voice dripped with sweetness. Laura decided to leave this interview to Camelia and Clint. She took Grace’s little hand and started toward the door.
“Oh, you must be Gracie,” Missy exclaimed as if she’d just noticed the child. “You are so cute. You look just like your daddy.” Missy held out her hand for Grace to shake.
Grace smiled at her and put small muddy fingers into the other woman’s clean hand. She babbled happy to talk to a new adult.
Missy flinched away from the child when she realized how dirty her hands were. Her face took on a look of disgust. Gone was the sweet voice, and in its place was a sharpness that grated. “What is all over you?”
Too young to notice the change in the woman’s attitude, Grace reached into her pocket and tried to hand Missy her newest treasure. What was Grace trying to give Missy? It looked like mud, but Laura couldn’t remember any mud at the riverbank. The area where they’d fished and had lunch had been grassy and there were rocks along the shoreline. She’d thought the girls had stayed relatively clean.
The young woman moved back in her seat. Her big eyes took on a look of horror. She jerked away from Grace. “Get those away from me!” she shrieked.
Laura caught Grace’s arm and turned her around to see what she had in her hand. Big, red worms wriggled in the little girl’s dirty hand. She smiled. “Grace, what have you got there?”
“Whumms.” Grace smiled.
“Worms?” Laura looked to Clint, who smiled broadly at his daughter. Had he known she had worms in her dress pocket?
Disgust sounded in Missy’s voice. “Well, young lady, we do not play with worms. If you were my child, I’d spank you
r bottom for bringing those to the house.”
Clint’s head swung in the direction of the young woman. “Thank you, Miss English, for coming out, but I don’t think you would be a good fit for our Grace.”
She looked at him in shock. “I—” Her gaze met his. “I see.” Missy stood up and smoothed imaginary wrinkles from her skirt. She walked past him and out into the yard. Missy got into her wagon and rode away.
Laura was glad to see her go. She’d been more of a dewy-eyed schoolgirl than a proper nanny.
Camelia tsked. “I thought she was the one.”
Grace yawned and held out her worms to Laura, who took them and asked, “Are there any more worms in your pocket?”
The little girl put her hand into the pocket once more, then pulled it out empty. She tried to look inside the pocket but didn’t see anything. “Aw gone.”
“Come along, Gracie. Let’s wash your hands. Laura will take care of your worms.” Camelia opened the door and let Grace go in first.
Hope laid her head on Laura’s shoulder and sucked on her finger.
Laura stood and rested her chin on Hope’s head. The soft baby blond hair tickled her. She walked out to the chicken coop and tossed the worms inside. Miss Priss hurried forward with her friends, and they clucked and scratched at the ground.
Clint followed her. “I don’t know if we’ll ever find anyone to replace you.” He sighed, then continued on toward the hitching post where his horse waited.
Laura tilted her head. Was he talking about as a nanny? Or in their lives? She had no reason to think he meant their lives. He’d given her no indication that she was that big a part of the family. Yet the question continued to nag at her as she made her way back to the house.
* * *
Clint had learned to listen to his gut years ago. Right now he sensed real danger. Seeing the rustlers below only added conviction to his gut reaction. He squinted harder and focused on the cow thieves below. All ten or twelve had covered their faces with bandanas, leaving only their eyes showing.
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