Sixteen

Matt took a few steps forward and stuck out his hand. “Youngblood. Matt Salter. It’s good to see your wife’s feeling better. Sorry she took sick last Sunday.”

Tobias turned Perry right side up and shoved him behind his back.

Mr. Youngblood’s eyes narrowed; then he bobbed his head as he shook Matt’s hand. “Yes, she was better once I got her in out of the sun.”

Kate patted her little cousin and ordered, “Off to the wagon.” This isn’t the place or time, Lord. Please don’t let things get ugly. She wanted to nudge Tobias to silently urge him to make a tactful getaway. Matt had been clever enough to stall for him, but Tobias didn’t budge.

Mr. Youngblood turned to Peter. “I was harsh earlier. My wife and I wish you every happiness. I’ll send a man or two over tomorrow to help.”

Peter shook his hand. “Thankee, sir.”

Mr. Youngblood strode off.

April wilted into Peter’s side, and Tobias’s features eased.

“You’re the only Chance gal who isn’t spoken for,” Mr. Greene said as he claimed his little son.

Heat filled Kate’s cheeks. Mr. Greene was a fine blacksmith, but he had no talent for exercising tact. He’s just saying aloud what everyone else is thinking.

Tobias slapped Greene on the back. “Kate’s like Aunt Lovejoy. Children adore her. Bet it won’t take long before someone snaps her up.”

Kate started to get up. Tobias and Matt both reached to help her at the same time. She accepted both hands and rose. “Thank you, gentlemen.”

“Peter.”

Peter and April turned to face Tobias.

In a muted voice, he said, “We’ll still have a picnic at your place today. Give us time to go home and change into work clothes. You’ll need more logs for the cabin raising tomorrow, and the ox is in the ditch.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

Matt nodded his head sagely, but he couldn’t suppress his grin. “That has to be the first time I’ve heard someone refer to the scripture that allows hard work on the Lord’s Day. Most men quote how it’s supposed to be a day of rest.”

“Reckon I’ve only heard it onc’t or twice in my life, but shore seems fittin’ to me.” Peter elbowed Matt. “Won’t even mention April’s daddy pushed the ox into that ditch.”

Tobias, April, and Peter all sauntered off. Kate stooped down to gather the quilt they’d been sitting on.

“Miss Kate, I’ll help you shake that out.”

“Thanks.” They held the corners and flapped the colorful quilt in the slight breeze. Bits of grass fluttered away. Matt looked across the quilt and coordinated folding the ends together and folding the quilt again lengthwise.

“Things went better than I expected with Youngblood,” Matt said as he approached her. Kate took the corners, and he bent to lift the fold to double the quilt again.

“I guess it doesn’t say much about my faith in my fellow man or in God, but I was sure Mr. Youngblood planned to get ugly.”

“I don’t have any room to talk.” Matt folded his arms across his chest. “I thought the same thing. He took me by surprise.” The corners of his mouth lifted. “So I’ll see you at lunch?”

A thrill shot through her. Kate nodded.

“Just a word of advice: a couple of the MacPhersons gigged for frogs last night.”

“Cold frog legs?”

“That, too.” Matt lowered his voice. “The women saved the skins and were rolling bacon and grits into them today.”

Giggles spilled out of her. Matt looked at her as if she’d lost her mind, so she tried to control herself long enough to say, “A special dish like that ought to be reserved for the engaged couples, don’t you think?”

“Absolutely.”

“What’s so funny over there?” April called.

“We were both saying how wonderful it is, knowing how much you and Peter love one another and that you’re going to be married.”

“Johnna and Trevor, too,” Matt tacked on.

❧

“We got us a tradition,” Peter’s father announced to the crowd as he opened the door to the just-finished cabin. “Started back when Hezzie, Mike, and me got those pretty brides of ourn. Onc’t the cabin’s done, the groom takes one last gander ’round the inside; then he don’t get to see it again ’til his bride’s fixed the house into a home.”

“The first thing I’m going to do,” April said in a merry tone, “is hang curtains so Peter can’t peek!”

Peter chuckled and beckoned her.

Uncle Gideon grabbed her. “Young man, the day my daughter becomes your wife, you can carry her over the thres-hold. Until then, she’s mine!”

“Honey pie, how long is it gonna take you to get ever’thang ready?”

“Until Thanksgiving,” Johnna declared. “Me and April decided ’twould be fun to have us a double weddin’.”

Kate clapped with everyone else, but her joy for her cousin was tinged with sadness. After the Chance clan held a double wedding last year for Laurel and Gabe and Caleb and Greta, Kate had secretly thought it would be lovely if she and April would be able to do the same thing.

“Folks, thar’s still gracious plenty on that steer and on the tables.” Aunt Lois wiped her hands on the hem of her apron. “Take a look at what all yore hard work got done, then amble on back and fill yore bellies.”

Kate waited until most of the others had gone in the front door and exited the back before she stepped onto the porch. Mr. Dorsey unexpectedly turned around and bumped into her. Someone caught her before she fell.

“Whoa. Are you all right, Miss Kate?” Matt set her down and gazed at her with steady brown eyes.

“I’m fine. Just clumsy, that’s all.”

“It was my fault.” Mr. Dorsey gave her an apologetic smile. “I’d say I was weak from lack of food, but you’d laugh me clean out of town. I can’t believe Lois thinks any of us can stuff in even one more bite.”

“I’m never too full for good chow.” Matt grinned. “As soon as we’ve gone through the cabin, I aim to pile enough food on my plate to feed a bear for winter.”

“One plate isn’t enough,” Kate told him.

“Good thing no one here minds if I go back for seconds.”

April ran up and gave Kate a hug. “I can’t think of a better place to ask you. I want you by my side at the wedding. You’ll be my maid of honor, won’t you?”

Birdie tugged on Kate’s skirt. “Tell her no. ’Tisn’t a good thing, being the old maid. You lose the game on account of bein’ the last one.”

The last one. That’s me.

Matt chortled softly. “Birdie, there’s a difference. Old Maid is a card game. Being the maid of honor is a special job.”

“But she still don’t getta be the married one.”

“Not this time,” April said.

“But,” Matt said as he leaned down and whispered very loudly, “everybody knows the best is always last because she’s worth waiting for!”

Kate’s heart skipped a beat, then soared. I’ve been hoping he felt something for me, Lord. You know how I’ve tried not to throw myself at him. Thank You for the way Matt seems to understand me and how he says what my heart needs to hear.

They walked through the cabin, and Kate commented as they exited the back door, “I know they said it’s exactly the same as the cabin we share, April, but without anything inside, it feels so big and empty.”

“Doesn’t it? I already have some ideas. Let’s talk over some plans tonight.”

“Okay.” Kate turned toward Matt. “Ready to eat?”

“Always.”

Mrs. White came over. “Oh, dear. Mr. Salter, I feel terrible. Just terrible. You gave me that letter to mail for you, and it’s not in my pocket anymore. I’ve asked everyone to look for it.”

“I’m sure it’ll turn up.”

“But I’ve never misplaced a single piece of mail. This is—”

“A minor mishap,” he soothed. “If we can’t find it, I’ll write a replacement letter.”

“I found it!” One of the Greene’s boys ran up and skidded to a dusty stop. “I found it.”

“Thanks.” Matt accepted the letter and handed it to Mrs. White. “See? Things worked out fine.”

Kate felt anything but fine. Her throat constricted, and it hurt to breathe. She could only see part of the address, but even that was too much. Matt was sending a letter to a Miss Jenny Something-or-other.