Grant, until I’m sure everything is as it should be, you’re not going to get me out of here.
T EN
I ’ve got to get her out of here.
Grant strode toward the cabin, stunned by the way the kids were looking at Hannah. He didn’t have to be a genius—he didn’t even have to be particularly bright—to get what Benny was thinking.
Mother!
It’s a good thing he didn’t have to be bright because he was the dumbest man who ever lived. He’d had this little moment of insanity and thought it would teach Hannah a lesson if he made her come in and help make dinner. She would see how great the girls were as cooks. She would see the other children pitching in with a cheerful attitude, and as a bonus, he’d get a little free labor.
Now he was letting the confounded woman into his house, and she was going to see how crowded it was and how sparse and rickety the furniture. She’d see the bedrooms crammed with beds and that there really wasn’t enough room for Charlie and Libby.
With a sigh, Grant admitted it didn’t matter that he’d invited her. He’d have never kept her out anyway.
After one look at Benny practically wrapped around her, he didn’t look back again. He should have looked sideways, because if he had he might have headed off the next question.
“Is that the only skirt you have for riding?” Marilyn asked. “I have a split skirt, and it’s way handier.” Marilyn tugged on her riding skirt.
“Where did you get that?” Hannah’s voice sounded envious. “I’ve never seen one before.”
“I made it.” Marilyn smiled. “It’s much more modest on horseback.”
“You know how to sew?”
“You don’t do any sewing, Miss Cartwright?” Marilyn dropped back to walk closer to Hannah.
Grant was sure that the older girls had been annoyed with Hannah just a few moments ago. Now he was feeling deserted. At least Sadie didn’t—
“We could show you how, and then we could give you a pattern for a riding skirt.” Sadie turned and walked backward so she could look at Hannah, since Hannah was out of sides to walk beside.
Marilyn adjusted Hannah’s torn sleeve slightly. “We’ll help you get this sleeve put back on. And there’s a tear partway across the back. We can mend that, too.”
“Oh, thank you. I was worried about getting my dress patched back together in time for school in the morning.”
Grant shook his head in disgust. It looked like it was Joshua and him against the women.
“What happened to your horse, Miss Cartwright?” Joshua gave Hannah a concerned look. “I don’t see it tied up anywhere.”
“It threw me.”
“That’s how you tore your dress?” Marilyn asked.
Hannah was silent so Grant had to turn around to see her nodding and fiddling with her sleeve.
“You fell off your horse?” Grant snorted a manly snort and exchanged a look with Joshua.
Joshua’s eyes were fixed on Hannah. “Are you all right?”
“I was upset when I heard the screaming coming from the barn. I kicked the horse to hurry him up, and he tossed me off his back. I’m afraid he’s long gone by now.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Joshua dropped back to walk closer toHannah, too. “If you rented him from in town, he’ll go back. I’ll hitch up the team and give you a ride home after supper.”
“Why, thank you, Joshua.”
That left Charlie. Grant had no hope. Charlie had taken off somewhere, and if he was here, he’d probably throw in with Hannah just to prove how much he hated his new family.
Grant thought of all the places there were around here to hide. Usually the young’uns picked a favorite, and Grant got onto it and could find them in a pinch. But Charlie hadn’t been here long enough for Grant to know where he’d hole up.
“I’d better go find out where Charlie took off to.”
“Leave him be, Pa.” Joshua looked around. There was no sign of the boy anywhere.
Grant shook his head. “I’d better go.”
“I’ve got a feeling about Charlie, Pa. I think
T EN
I ’ve got to get her out of here.
Grant strode toward the cabin, stunned by the way the kids were looking at Hannah. He didn’t have to be a genius—he didn’t even have to be particularly bright—to get what Benny was thinking.
Mother!
It’s a good thing he didn’t have to be bright because he was the dumbest man who ever lived. He’d had this little moment of insanity and thought it would teach Hannah a lesson if he made her come in and help make dinner. She would see how great the girls were as cooks. She would see the other children pitching in with a cheerful attitude, and as a bonus, he’d get a little free labor.
Now he was letting the confounded woman into his house, and she was going to see how crowded it was and how sparse and rickety the furniture. She’d see the bedrooms crammed with beds and that there really wasn’t enough room for Charlie and Libby.
With a sigh, Grant admitted it didn’t matter that he’d invited her. He’d have never kept her out anyway.
After one look at Benny practically wrapped around her, he didn’t look back again. He should have looked sideways, because if he had he might have headed off the next question.
“Is that the only skirt you have for riding?” Marilyn asked. “I have a split skirt, and it’s way handier.” Marilyn tugged on her riding skirt.
“Where did you get that?” Hannah’s voice sounded envious. “I’ve never seen one before.”
“I made it.” Marilyn smiled. “It’s much more modest on horseback.”
“You know how to sew?”
“You don’t do any sewing, Miss Cartwright?” Marilyn dropped back to walk closer to Hannah.
Grant was sure that the older girls had been annoyed with Hannah just a few moments ago. Now he was feeling deserted. At least Sadie didn’t—
“We could show you how, and then we could give you a pattern for a riding skirt.” Sadie turned and walked backward so she could look at Hannah, since Hannah was out of sides to walk beside.
Marilyn adjusted Hannah’s torn sleeve slightly. “We’ll help you get this sleeve put back on. And there’s a tear partway across the back. We can mend that, too.”
“Oh, thank you. I was worried about getting my dress patched back together in time for school in the morning.”
Grant shook his head in disgust. It looked like it was Joshua and him against the women.
“What happened to your horse, Miss Cartwright?” Joshua gave Hannah a concerned look. “I don’t see it tied up anywhere.”
“It threw me.”
“That’s how you tore your dress?” Marilyn asked.
Hannah was silent so Grant had to turn around to see her nodding and fiddling with her sleeve.
“You fell off your horse?” Grant snorted a manly snort and exchanged a look with Joshua.
Joshua’s eyes were fixed on Hannah. “Are you all right?”
“I was upset when I heard the screaming coming from the barn. I kicked the horse to hurry him up, and he tossed me off his back. I’m afraid he’s long gone by now.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Joshua dropped back to walk closer toHannah, too. “If you rented him from in town, he’ll go back. I’ll hitch up the team and give you a ride home after supper.”
“Why, thank you, Joshua.”
That left Charlie. Grant had no hope. Charlie had taken off somewhere, and if he was here, he’d probably throw in with Hannah just to prove how much he hated his new family.
Grant thought of all the places there were around here to hide. Usually the young’uns picked a favorite, and Grant got onto it and could find them in a pinch. But Charlie hadn’t been here long enough for Grant to know where he’d hole up.
“I’d better go find out where Charlie took off to.”
“Leave him be, Pa.” Joshua looked around. There was no sign of the boy anywhere.
Grant shook his head. “I’d better go.”
“I’ve got a feeling about Charlie, Pa. I think
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