Trent tried to reassure her, but one question remained unanswered in her mind. Her body began to shake. “Is Glover here too?”
Trent’s hand tightened around hers. “Your father came alone.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. She pulled her hand away and stood, trying not to think of Glover. But how could she not think of him with her father here? She fought the nausea bubbling in her throat and pressed a palm to her stomach.
Trent stood and settled his arms around her waist, his mouth against her hair. “I’ll protect you.”
“I want to believe you could, but if Glover came and—”
“I will protect you.”
Rosalind glanced at the door. Lilly’s small voice penetrated her ears. “Lilly’s calling me.” She left the safety of his presence and opened the door to find Lilly descending the stairs, holding her rabbit by the ear. She went to call to her when she noticed her robe. As if Trent understood, he pointed to her room and headed down the stairs.
Rosalind entered and closed the door. What was she to do? Leave in case Glover found her? Would Glover be waiting in the shadows until the right moment to take her? He told her no one would have her but him. Would he truly come all this way to find her?
She fought against her thoughts, hurrying to right herself before they came back, but as she slipped into one of her new dresses, Lilly came in and slammed the door behind her.
“I couldn’t find you.” She clung to her waist.
“I was in Trent’s room down the hall. Besides,”—Rosalind pushed Lilly’s auburn hair from her face—“I’d never leave without telling you first.” She knelt, hugging her in return. “I promise.”
Lilly smiled and kissed her cheek, then went to the bed and tucked Mr. Sanders under the covers. “I want to wear a new dress.” She went to the drawer and yanked out a light-blue cotton dress, holding it in the air. “I don’t have buttons on this one.”
“Then maybe you can help me with mine.”
Lilly slipped hers over her head while Rosalind dressed. She struggled to fix the buttons on the back of her dress but couldn’t slip the circular disks through the hole.
A knock sounded at the bedroom door, and Lilly ran to it.
“Lilly!” Rosalind tried to stop her from opening the door, but it was too late.
Trent entered the room, his gaze catching hers.
Rosalind tried to smile but frowned, holding her dress tightly within her hand. What a predicament she was in, unable to dress herself. Yes, they were married, but she stood there like a schoolgirl, heat rising to her cheeks.
“My papa does things for Mama,” Lilly said, tugging on Trent’s hand, pulling him to where she stood.
His eyes narrowed in on her. “What’s the problem?”
Rosalind kept her back turned away from him. “I’m fine. Really. It just takes me a while to get these buttons closed.”
Lilly spun, her blue dress swirling at the bottom. “See, I don’t have them on this one.”
“I do see.” He shot Rosalind a glance. “I assume Mrs. Easton needs my help?”
She looked down at the floor, desperately wanting to send him away. “Trent, this really isn’t—”
“On the contrary, Mrs. Easton, it is.” He strolled behind her and tapped her tightened hand, playfully moving it out of the way.
With a deep breath, she released her hold. She bit her lip when his fingers grazed her skin. One, two, three soft tugs and the buttons were closed, but she stood frozen in place as she felt the warmth of his body behind her. He touched the ends of her hair and whispered over her shoulder. “You’re a very beautiful woman.” When he finished, Trent strolled past her and took Lilly’s hand. “Martin has breakfast ready. We’ll wait for you at the table.”
Lilly skipped out of the room with him.
Rosalind walked to the vanity, taking long breaths in hopes of settling her racing heart. She rested her fingers along her flushed cheeks. He thought she was beautiful and, not only that, he had stayed behind as he said he would while the men fixed the fence. He did it for her.
Rosalind grinned. Her heart was light as she made her way down the stairs. But her joy quickly faded when, on the last step, her gaze collided with her father’s.
Chapter Twenty-Six
From the look on Roger’s face, Trent knew Rosalind had come down the stairs. Her father straightened his shoulders and took a step forward, nervously twisting his hat every which way. Rosalind’s smile faded into a fine line, then her gaze fell on Trent and Lilly in his arms, avoiding her father’s altogether. She seemed immune to his very presence. But Trent knew better. He sought to shelter her from this meeting, but there was little he could do now. Maybe he shouldn’t have let Roger return. Trent reached for Rosalind and she accepted his hand, entwining her arm with his.
Roger exhaled. “Hello, Rosalind.”
She frowned. “Trent told me you were here.”
“Is this your papa?” Lilly asked, twirling a strand of hair with her fingers.
Rosalind glanced at her father for a moment. “It is. Lilly, why don’t you go see Martin about fixing you a plate.”
Trent placed the little girl on her feet. Lilly ran to the kitchen’s entrance, stopped and looked back curiously, then continued in.
Rosalind reclaimed Trent’s arm, and her nails bit into his skin. “Why did you come?”
Roger studied his hands for a moment. Exhaling, he looked at his daughter. “I came to see you. To apologize.”
“Did Glover come with you?”
Her father’s eyes widened. “No. Never. I was wrong. I’m so sorry for what I’ve done.”
Trent watched the exchange and sensed what Roger said was true. In a way, Trent felt compassion for the man standing there, begging for forgiveness he didn’t deserve. But wasn’t that what the Lord had done for him, for Rosalind—given them undeserved grace and mercy? “Roger, we’re about to have breakfast. Would you care to join us?”
Rosalind’s arm tightened against his, nails biting ever deeper. Trent gritted his teeth.
“Thank you, Trenton. I would.”
Rosalind released her hold and turned toward the kitchen. She walked tall, shoulders back, chin slightly elevated. She presented herself as a strong woman, and she was. Stronger than she realized.
All during breakfast, her father kept staring at her as if seeing her for the first time. Rosalind couldn’t eat fast enough. She truly loved her father and under different circumstances would have wanted him to be part of her life. But she couldn’t get past how he’d hurt her or the fear that Glover might have followed him. So she said little during breakfast and hoped he’d leave when they were finished.
Instead, he asked to stay several weeks. “I know I don’t have the right to ask, but I would like to stay.” His eyes pleaded with her.
Rosalind glanced away, biting her lip before the pain he caused her came out in words she’d regret.
“Roger, give us time to discuss it,” Trent said. “You’re more than welcome to come back in the morning about the same time if you wish to find out Rosalind’s decision.”
Her father nodded in agreement.
Rosalind rose quickly from the table and held out her hand to Lilly. “I could use some fresh air. Why don’t you and I go out to the barn while the men continue their conversation?”
Lilly grabbed her hand, and Rosalind’s shoulders relaxed as the two of them made their way down the porch steps. She took a deep breath and filled her lungs with warm air, appreciative of the barn smells for the first time.
“Well, lookie who we have here. I do believe it’s Miss Lilly.” Matthew pulled a red-and-white candy stick from his pocket and held it out, a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.
“Is that for me?” Lilly’s voice raised a notch.
Rosalind smiled and shook her head as Matthew bent down on one knee as if he were about to propose. “Of course it’s for you,” he said, smiling.
Lilly glanced up at Rosalind. �
�May I eat it now?”
“You may after we go for a walk. We can look at the horses in the pasture and maybe find some flowers to pick. What do you say?”
“Candy, please.” Lilly threw her hand out.
Matthew plopped it in her small palm and chuckled. “Miss Lilly, if we’re not careful, you’ll have each one of us cowpokes wrapped around that pinky of yours.” He tapped her on the nose and winked at Rosalind when he stood.
“Thank you,” Rosalind mouthed, glancing down at Lilly, who smelled the stick between her pinched fingers. “Now where can we find a basket to put our flowers in?”
Trent strolled in with a basket held up in the air. “Are you looking for one of these?”
She wanted to ask Trent if her father had left, but with Lilly and Matthew near, she planted her hands on her hips instead and gave a mock frown. “Were you listening at the door? Isn’t there anywhere one can find privacy here, where the land stretches as far as the eye can see, without a neighbor in sight?”
“Nope.” Matthew chuckled as he climbed the ladder to the hayloft. He reached the top and placed a hand on a bale of hay.
Rosalind felt Trent’s hand come around her waist, drawing her back. Trent walked her and Lilly to the side as Matthew tossed bales of hay, one by one, to the ground. Sunlight shone through dust that billowed up from the floor. “Why is he getting so much?”
“We need it for the horses. We refill the bins in the barn so we don’t need to climb back up for a few days. Do you want to help me fill them, Lilly?”
The little girl’s eyes widened, then watched Matthew descending the stairs. She shook her head. “I don’t think I can.”
Trent walked over to one of the hay bales. “Do what I do.” He reached down and pulled chunks of hay apart from each other, then walked to a metal bin against the wall near the outer door and dropped it in. “That’s it. What do you think?”
“We can do that. Can’t we, Lilly?” Rosalind nodded and headed to where Trent pulled more hay apart, and as they did the same, hay clung to their clothes. After placing the hay in the bins and in several places in the field, Lilly and Trent took over filling a water trough. For a special treat, he went back to the barn and brought her a red apple. “I know the prettiest place to pick wild-flowers. Would you like to ride out and see them?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small knife and began slicing the fruit.
Lilly beamed, trying to wipe the hay off her new dress. She turned to Rosalind. “Please, Rose. Oh, please.”
“It seems to me we need some working clothes.” And maybe picking flowers was just what she needed to get her mind off her father. “Sounds wonderful. Let’s go.”
Trent closed his knife and slid it back into his pocket. “You can feed my horse while I get him ready.” He handed Lilly the apple slices, then strolled to the stable door and swung it open.
His horse came out, straight toward them. Lilly giggled as the horse took one of the slices of apple from her hand.
Rosalind tilted her head. “We aren’t taking the wagon?”
“I thought since Lilly likes to ride, we could all go together.”
She looked at his horse. “And how will we fit?”
“I’ll show you.” He grabbed a pad off a hanging board and placed it on the horse. “Mother stopped using a side-saddle a year ago. You have no other choice. Ready?”
“I really don’t know how I’m going to ride with this dress on.” Rosalind tugged on her beige dress, touching the navy blue lines.
Trent patted the horse’s back as if waiting for her to come to him, but she stood like a stone. How could she possibly ride? He pointed a firm finger at her and crooked it for her to come. He lifted his Stetson from his raised brow, showing a smirk on the side of his mouth, a dimple pressing in. She didn’t know what he had in mind, but that look he gave made her heart gallop.
“Now, Mrs. Easton, would you care for me to lift you, or would you like to try to get on the horse yourself?”
She swallowed hard. “I ... ah ... I’ve never been on a horse.” Trent already knew this. Still, she felt the need to warn him.
“There’s nothing to be scared of. I’ll never let you go.”
She couldn’t help being drawn to him, loving him, even now as one look from those blue eyes pierced her. She never wanted him to let her go. Yet her father’s arrival had stirred up old fears of abandonment, deceit, and lies, no matter how much Trent’s words resounded within her heart.
Trent lifted her up and slid her on top of the horse. “Now one leg goes on this side and one on the other.” He laughed. “You should see your face. Mouth wide open. Cheeks as flushed as that apple.”
“My ankles ... my legs ... it’s not proper.”
Lilly wiped her hands on her dress, then reached for Trent. He scooped her in his arms and kissed her cheek. “I’m not sure we are going to be able to ride. Rose doesn’t seem to know how to sit with a dress on.”
Lilly’s smile faded, and her head rested against Trent’s chin. Rosalind swallowed her pride. She could do this. Gliding one of her thighs to the other side of the horse, her dress tightened, and her leg wouldn’t budge any farther. She looked toward Trent as he came and placed Lilly against her chest, hiking her dress up even more. The warm air in the barn not only kissed her ankles but her legs. Trent’s hand grazed her bare skin before he climbed onto the horse behind her. He yanked and pulled on her dress, tucking it in different directions.
Trent whispered close to her ear, “When we ride, hold on to Lilly, and I’ll hold on to you. Now relax and let your body fall against my chest.” His arm came around her stomach. “Relax.” He moved them toward the end of the barn.
The rhythm of the horse soothed her, and her body released the pent-up tension. She felt secure. She never wanted to leave, except when the horse turned out of the gate.
Trent heard Rosalind’s gasp as his horse trotted toward the open field. Did she think he was moving too fast? But he didn’t mind in the slightest. Rosalind fit perfectly into the curve of his chest, his arm around her waist.
He leaned around Rosalind. “Lilly, are you having fun?”
“Yes, sir!”
Trent laughed, thinking about the first time he saw Lilly clinging to Rosalind. He recalled how concerned he was that she would complicate things with his new wife, but regardless of his initial thoughts, Lilly had nestled within his heart after only a few days. Trent prayed that her mother and father would return to her, but if for some reason God saw fit for him and Rosalind to stand in their place, he’d be honored. Gratitude for what God had given him surged through his heart. He’d love his family with his last breath.
Trent looked across the cloudless sky. They weren’t far from the house, but a good distance for Rosalind to get used to being on a horse. He pointed to the east. “Look, Lilly. There they are. Sunflowers.”
Lilly clapped her hands. “Those are the flowers on the table.”
“They are.” Trent rode a short distance away, stopped the horse, slid off, then helped Lilly and Rosalind down. Lilly ran to the patches of tall flowers while Rosalind followed close behind.
Trent strode to them, remembering the basket still sat on the ground in the barn. “Lilly, I forgot the basket. Do you think you could carry a few with your hands?”
“Yes, sir.” She grabbed a stem and pulled. Yellow pollen from the flower dusted her hands. She glanced down and raised them in the air, lips puckered. “I got yellow on me. I can’t pull them out.”
“Point to the ones you want, and I’ll cut them for you.”
Lilly showed him several, and he cut at the bottom of the stems. Rosalind tried to brush the pollen off Lilly’s hands, but only managed to collect the powder on her own. “Would you like my help?” He set the flowers on the ground, took Lilly’s hands, and wiped them on his pants leg, leaving a yellow streak behind. Bending, he collected the flowers and handed them back to Lilly. Her face brightened as she touched the green leaves.
&nb
sp; Trent turned to Rosalind and held out his hand. “Your turn.”
“But you’ll be a mess. Just look at your pants.”
He took her hand within his and brought it to his chest, wiping the yellow dusting from her fingers and palms. But he didn’t let go when he’d finished. “There was another reason I wanted to bring you here. I thought we could talk about your father while Lilly keeps busy with the flowers.”
Rosalind pulled her hand slowly away. “I guess you’re right, although I’d rather avoid the conversation altogether.”
“I know.”
Rosalind knelt next to Lilly, who sat on the ground admiring her flowers. “Trent and I are going to walk over there and back.” She pointed to another patch of sunflowers that were a shade lighter.
Lilly met her gaze and smiled, then started counting the petals.
Rosalind rose and they strolled alongside each other. “How long do you think my father will stay?”
“I’m not sure, but he did say a few weeks ... only if you want him to, of course.”
“I don’t know.” Rosalind met Trent’s gaze, pain casting shadows in her eyes. “He kept us apart.”
“We’re together now.” He tried to reassure her, but her brows only deepened on her forehead. He was tempted to massage the tension away with his fingers but decided against it when she stopped walking.
“Not as we might have been. He put us through so much.”
Trent couldn’t begin to understand the pain she had endured and the memories she still faced, brought back with her father’s presence. But her heavenly Father did. Trent prayed silently for wisdom. “We might not be together the way we hoped for in the past. We’ve both been through different types of hardships and pain, no fault of our own, but that didn’t stop God’s plan for our lives. He brought us together, Rosalind. This is God’s plan. But God’s plan also includes forgiveness.”
Her gaze held fast, keeping him motionless. What was she thinking?
Rosalind turned away and walked back toward Lilly, who waved a sunflower in the air. Trent followed.
The Rescue Page 20