Chapter 17

Early Saturday morning, Lena covered her mouth as she yawned, waiting for her sons to finish their breakfast. The night had been long, and sleep had been hard to come by as thoughts of the kiss she shared with Angus kept running through her head.

The only thing that had eased her mind enough to sleep was the thought of the fun her sons would have going with Audrey, along with Lucy and her children, to a farm owned by Angus’ brother-in-law Seth. Chad and Archie had been so excited about the trip that they had been hard to get into bed the night.

“Slow down, boys, you’re going to be sick before you get to the farm.”

“But, Ma, the wagon’ll be here any time. Don’t want ’em to leave without us.” Chad shoved another spoon of oatmeal into his mouth.”

“Not without us.” Archie grabbed his cup of milk and took a long swallow, then set it on the table and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “A’ done.”

Lena chuckled as the boys gathered their dishes and took them to the dry sink, then looked at her expectantly.

Chad grabbed his brother’s arm and glanced at the front door. “Can we go now?”

She stepped over to the dry sink and the bowl of soapy water she had ready. “Just as soon as I wash these.”

“Aw, Ma.”

“Gotta go. Don’t want to be left.”

It was a good thing that she had already washed the pot she had cooked the oatmeal in because, by the time the boys got through complaining, their dishes were done. “All right, boys. Let’s go outside.”

Boots thundered on the wooden floor, along with shouts and laughter from Chad and Archie. By the time she had gotten to the door, it was unlocked, opened and the boys were out of sight as they raced to the wagon where Fergus was loading up Lucy’s children.

After she told her sons to be good for Miss Audrey, like she did every day, Kerr escorted her to the mercantile. “I want to thank you and your brother for including my children on your trip today.”

He tipped his head slightly towards her and kept his voice low. “I think Jean and Carrie are in the matchmaking mood. And I’m not sure if Lucy is involved or not.”

All sorts of thought ran through Lena’s head. What had her children going to a farm to do with matchmaking?

“Don’t tell anyone, but my sisters think Fergus and Audrey would be a good match.”

Lena’s head jerked around as she stared at him. The bearded, grouchy blacksmith and the sweet, prim schoolteacher?

Kerr chuckled as he tapped his hat and left her at the door of the mercantile.

She watched him run back to the Octagon House.

A sigh slipped out as her whole body tensed.

At least now, she had something else to think about besides the kiss that had kept her awake most of the night.

Jed sat on the bunk in the small cabin that he shared with LJ and his half-grown son Hank, shaking his head. He still couldn’t believe that Miss Carrie’s brother-in-law had agreed to let him stay for a while to get better. Mr. Arnold said he might even hire Jed if he wanted to stay around. Although, LJ had made it quite clear that he was interested in Miss Carrie and Jed was to keep away from her.

Someone knocked on the door.

Jed didn’t even attempt to stand. He’d tried that a half hour before and ended up on the floor when his ankle couldn’t take his weight. The throbbing was just now getting bearable.

A knock sounded on the door again, followed by a woman’s voice—not just any woman. Miss Carrie was on the other side of the door. “Jed, can I come in? I’ve got something that should help you get around.”

Jed liked the way she said his name. “Come on in.”

The grin on her face seemed to brighten the room. Of course, it could also be the sun shining behind her that lit the room, but the sun didn’t cause the small, warm spot in the middle of his chest that he was feeling—something he hadn’t felt in a long, long time.

The door opened on well-oiled hinges. Miss Carrie entered carrying a wooden cane. “I thought this would help. Seth used it last year when a cow kicked him and cracked his shin.”

Jed took the cane from her, tested the feel of it, then braced it on the floor and pushed himself off his bunk. He wobbled a bit but stayed standing. “Ah, that helps. And so did that salve you gave me last night.”

“Mrs. Townsend in town makes it from her herb garden.” Carrie held onto the door handle. “Breakfast is about ready, so let’s get to the house.

His head jerked sideways as he looked at her. “What?” He waved his hand toward the table and chairs under the window. “I thought the hands ate here.”

“No. Other than when the neighbors come for harvesting, everyone eats in the kitchen. Makes it easier on everyone.” She shrugged. “We usually only have LJ and Hank, so adding you won’t be any trouble, especially since LJ and Hank have already eaten.”

She giggled. “We’re having several extra for breakfast, so Seth assigned LJ and his son to watch a few children who are coming.” She tapped his cane with one finger. “We need to get to the house. My brother and the others should be here real soon.”

Without waiting for him, she headed out the door.

Jed had trouble seeing the brawny farm hand looking after little ones. Still, he followed her, albeit slower than she moved. Interesting, he felt more at home here than the last time he was at Pa’s place. It had taken getting out from under his father’s thumb to understand just how controlling Isaac Dunham was. But that was in the past. He’d find Sally and her boys, make sure they were doing fine, then leave. The only problem might be that if they needed help. Then he’d stay as long as they needed him. He owed his nephews that much.

He was breathing a little harder than usual as he reached the back porch. The cane had helped a lot, but he was ready to find a chair and sit.

Carrie had left the door open, but it was blocked by a scowling, bearded man who came out the door, stopped, and crossed his muscular arms across his chest. The man moved over a step and was replaced by a stern-faced man wearing a badge.

The sheriff stared at him. “May I help—uff.”

Miss Carrie pushed the man aside. “Fergus stay back. Kerr, let Jed in. Breakfast is ready, and it’s going to get cold if you two keep acting like that. Go. Sit at the table.” She shook her head. “Brothers.”

The sheriff grinned and shook his head. “Sisters.”

She turned to Jed. “Come in. Don’t let my brothers bother you. Sometimes they are just big bullies.” She glared at her brothers and stuck her tongue passed her lips the tiniest bit.

The sheriff seemed to glare at his sister, then shook his head again. “Fine example for those little boys.”

She waved a dismissing hand at the sheriff. “Oh, around them, I’ll be as good as good can be.”

The man with the beard and muscular arms let out a deep chuckle.

As Jed watched the brothers and sister, he raised his fist and laid it against his chest as a chilling hollowness surrounded his heart. He and his brother and sister had never been like this. Pa had always pitted them against each other. He had them battle, fight, challenge each other, with no other goal than to please himself.

Three ladies entered the room, two of them carrying infants wrapped in blue blankets.

Seth Arnold stepped over to the green-eyed woman and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Jed, this is my wife Jean.” He motioned with his other hand to the other women who came in with his wife. “And Mrs. Townsend. She owns the apartment house in town and is a friend of the family. And Miss Grant, our town’s schoolteacher.”

Jed nodded to each woman. “Glad to make your acquaintance, ladies.”

Children’s laughter drifted in from the yard.

Miss Grant’s smile grew wider as she looked at Mr. Arnold and his wife. “I do wish to thank you for including the boys and me. Chad and Archie are always talking about the farm they came from. I think they miss the animals.”

Mrs. Townsend glanced out the window. “Somehow my one cow and few chickens don’t seem to make up for all the animals on a farm.” She let out a small burst of laughter. I’m glad that Angus got them to agree to those names. Chadburn and Archibald were such a mouthful. And when they got old enough for school, the other children would have shortened those names anyway.”

Jed felt his heart pick up a bit at the names. All sorts of pieces were slipping together in his head, like someone putting a jigsaw puzzle together really fast. Chadburn. Archibald. MacPhersons. Ainsley. Were his nephews really here at this farm?

His heart picked up even more when Miss Carrie touched his arm.

“You can sit here.” She pointed to a wooden chair.

It turned out the chair she directed him to was next to hers. And he didn’t mind that, but her brother might, judging from the way the sheriff’s eyes narrowed as stared at him.

Jed watched as Seth Arnold held the chair for his wife as she sat as did the sheriff for Mrs. Townsend, and the bearded man for Miss Grant—something Jed had never seen his pa do, or—to his shame—something he’d never done for his own wife. Jed stepped behind Carrie’s chair and held it for her.

The smile she gave him warmed something deep inside—something that had been cold for too long.

A little while later, the emptiness in his middle was filled with good food when Miss Carrie sat down her coffee cup and looked directly at the sheriff. “Have you heard any more about those men who attacked Angus?”

“A couple of sheriffs have reported something about recent trouble in their towns, but it might just be they were some of the rebels still trying to raid after the war.” The sheriff gave Jed a short glance, then looked back at his sister. “Good thing Seth has an extra hand around here now.” He gave a nod to Jed. “Almost like it was God’s hand that brought you here right now.”

A hard knot rose up from Jed’s gut. He didn’t feel any hand of God pushing him—a little flickering maybe, but since that battle that took the last of his friends, he hadn’t felt anything from God. Sometimes, he even wondered if God still cared for him. But for now, he’d stay and help look after those boys, especially if those outlaws were after Sally or Lena or whatever she was calling herself.

The sheriff set his cup on the table. “Still, those men seemed to be striking out at Angus in particular. And then, there’s still the matter of Lena’s brother-in-law and how close he is to finding her. From what Lena’s said, she has a right to fear him and her father-in-law.”

Jed gripped the handle of his cup so hard he was afraid it would shatter. They were talking about him and Pa. Could the past ever be buried? Would he always be known for what he used to be, for how he treated his wife and others? Wasn’t a new life in Jesus supposed to get rid of all that?

The sheriff tapped his finger on the table. “I’ll do some checking around to see if this brother-in-law has shown up anywhere in the neighboring towns. We need to get him before he gets to Lena or the boys and harms them.”

Jed’s heart pounded. He was the one they were protecting Chadburn and Archibald from. He just wanted to make sure they were doing fine, not hurt them. He lowered his hands below the table until they lay on his thigh, balled into tight fists.

His boss stopped stirring his coffee even though he hadn’t added any sugar or cream to it. “What’s this brother-in-law’s name? What does he look like?”

Sheriff MacPherson’s face grew red as he brushed his fingers across his badge. He shrugged. “Didn’t think to ask his description—still new at this job. But Angus said Mrs. Meier called him Jedidiah, so I guess we’re looking for Jedidiah Meier.”

Meier, not Dunham. He couldn’t understand why Sally was going by Meier. But for now, he was thankful she was. Still, he knew he needed to let the sheriff know about those men he had heard in that café a few days before.

He cleared his throat. “I don’t know if this has anything to do with what you are talking about, but I had planned to go into town and talk to the sheriff when I got to where I could ride again.” He went on and told them about what the three men in the café had said about a widow and the MacPhersons.”

The sheriff sat up straighter. “What’d they look like?”

Jed shrugged. “Like a lot of men I see these days—dirty, hair too long, dirty clothes. Only caught the name of one of them—Nate. He had yellow hair. It was one of the others that bothered me the most though. I’ll never forget the look in his eyes. I knew a lot of men in the war, but never did any of them have such a cold, empty look as he had. I’ll never forget the moment our eyes met. I thought I was going to fall in a frozen pit in Hades—a place where God never entered.”

The women wrapped their hands over their mouths as they tried to cover their gasps.

Jed let out a sigh. When would he ever think about the ladies around him before speaking? “Sorry, ladies. I shouldn’t have said that in your presence.”

Seth stood and helped his wife stand. “Dear, would you take the other ladies and show off what my great-aunt Judith sent from Boston? We need to plan what needs to be done.”

Jed started to stand, but the sheriff waved him back into his chair.

“Stay put. You’re working here now, so you need to be in on whatever plans we come up with. My wife’s a MacPherson, as is Carrie. Who knows which MacPherson they might come after next.”

Jed swallowed back the bitter bile that rose in his throat. He owed it to his nephews to protect them, to make sure they would be safe with their mother—they were family. And some wicked men were after his sister-in-law. So he kept quiet about being one of the people these men were searching for.

Once he knew his nephews and their momma were safe, he could leave, and no one would know that he had ever been here.

His gut clenched when Carrie moved around the table, filling the coffee cups.

But he would always remember this woman’s face.

Somehow, he knew that she was already taking a place deep down in his heart.

A place he would visit in the coming years.

A place that would ease his loneliness as he tried to overcome his past, as he tried to find some reason why God let him survive the war.