of his ranch, with Ernie and him, as her home. Would she ever be able to do that without them having a real marriage? And why did it matter to him so much? He shouldn't care, should he?
He cut his egg with his fork, using his toast to sop up the yolk. He liked eggs a great deal and as many times as he'd tried, he'd never mastered the art of a perfectly cooked egg white and a runny yolk, which was how he preferred to eat them. He ate a piece of bacon while watching Anna. She seemed a little cold this morning, and he couldn't help but wonder if it had to do with his talk with her about Deborah the previous night.
"What are your plans for the day?" he asked.
She shrugged. "Mostly the usual. I'll do some baking this morning because Julia is coming over for tea this afternoon. She was going to help me get the house in order, but I've done that, so I'll have her help me with some of the sewing I'm doing for Ernie." She didn't want him to think she was planning on doing nothing all day.
Ernie made a face. "I like my clothes. They're comfortable."
Anna smiled at the boy. "I'm not going to make you church suits or anything. I'm making the same kind of clothes you already wear, but they'll be the right size, and there won't be holes in them. Trust me. You'll be happy." She thought about the yarn she'd purchased to make socks and scarves for him as well, but she didn't want to mention those, because they'd be Christmas gifts.
"Do I need to take a sandwich with me for lunch?" Jesse asked. He didn't much like the idea of not seeing her at lunch time, because he enjoyed taking a break from work. He enjoyed seeing her too, but he couldn't even admit that to himself.
She shook her head. "No, not at all. Julia's not going to be here until one, so I'll be able to feed you and then spend time with her." She took a sip of her milk before asking, "What about Ernie? Is he staying home with me today, or do you need him on the ranch again?" She really wanted Ernie to go with him so she could have a private conversation with Julia.
Jesse looked over at Ernie. "I have some more fences to mend. You up to do another day of man's work?"
Ernie nodded eagerly. "I'm a little sore from the hard work yesterday, Pa, but I'm happy to do it again."
Jesse smiled as he nodded at the boy. "Then you'll go with me again."
Anna stood and cleared the table. "That sounds good to me. I'll have lunch ready at noon as always." She walked to the work table with her back to them and started washing the dishes. She wanted Jesse to believe that his words the previous evening hadn't hurt her at all. They had, of course, but she didn't want him to know it.
After the men left, she hurried through the morning's baking, wanting to have a cake for dessert for dinner, but also some cookies to share with Julia. She'd never had a friend visit her before, as strange as that seemed. Elizabeth had visited once when she lived in Massachusetts, but that had been more of a business call than anything else. She was really looking forward to spending an afternoon with her friend where they could talk about anything they wanted to talk about.
By lunchtime, she knew without a doubt she'd gone more than a little overboard on baking cookies. Not knowing her friend's favorite, she'd made six different flavors. She laughed as she looked at the dozens of cookies all over her kitchen table. She'd have to send most of them with the men, because she knew that she and Julia would never be able to make a dent in that many cookies. They'd enjoy having the snack while they were working, though.
She hurried to clean up the mess she'd made and fixed lunch for the men, glad they were there to eat the extras. The loaves of bread she'd baked were laid out prettily on the counter.
"Any reason for me to stay around while your friend visits?" Jesse asked, eyeing her carefully. He knew there probably wasn't, but he wanted
He cut his egg with his fork, using his toast to sop up the yolk. He liked eggs a great deal and as many times as he'd tried, he'd never mastered the art of a perfectly cooked egg white and a runny yolk, which was how he preferred to eat them. He ate a piece of bacon while watching Anna. She seemed a little cold this morning, and he couldn't help but wonder if it had to do with his talk with her about Deborah the previous night.
"What are your plans for the day?" he asked.
She shrugged. "Mostly the usual. I'll do some baking this morning because Julia is coming over for tea this afternoon. She was going to help me get the house in order, but I've done that, so I'll have her help me with some of the sewing I'm doing for Ernie." She didn't want him to think she was planning on doing nothing all day.
Ernie made a face. "I like my clothes. They're comfortable."
Anna smiled at the boy. "I'm not going to make you church suits or anything. I'm making the same kind of clothes you already wear, but they'll be the right size, and there won't be holes in them. Trust me. You'll be happy." She thought about the yarn she'd purchased to make socks and scarves for him as well, but she didn't want to mention those, because they'd be Christmas gifts.
"Do I need to take a sandwich with me for lunch?" Jesse asked. He didn't much like the idea of not seeing her at lunch time, because he enjoyed taking a break from work. He enjoyed seeing her too, but he couldn't even admit that to himself.
She shook her head. "No, not at all. Julia's not going to be here until one, so I'll be able to feed you and then spend time with her." She took a sip of her milk before asking, "What about Ernie? Is he staying home with me today, or do you need him on the ranch again?" She really wanted Ernie to go with him so she could have a private conversation with Julia.
Jesse looked over at Ernie. "I have some more fences to mend. You up to do another day of man's work?"
Ernie nodded eagerly. "I'm a little sore from the hard work yesterday, Pa, but I'm happy to do it again."
Jesse smiled as he nodded at the boy. "Then you'll go with me again."
Anna stood and cleared the table. "That sounds good to me. I'll have lunch ready at noon as always." She walked to the work table with her back to them and started washing the dishes. She wanted Jesse to believe that his words the previous evening hadn't hurt her at all. They had, of course, but she didn't want him to know it.
After the men left, she hurried through the morning's baking, wanting to have a cake for dessert for dinner, but also some cookies to share with Julia. She'd never had a friend visit her before, as strange as that seemed. Elizabeth had visited once when she lived in Massachusetts, but that had been more of a business call than anything else. She was really looking forward to spending an afternoon with her friend where they could talk about anything they wanted to talk about.
By lunchtime, she knew without a doubt she'd gone more than a little overboard on baking cookies. Not knowing her friend's favorite, she'd made six different flavors. She laughed as she looked at the dozens of cookies all over her kitchen table. She'd have to send most of them with the men, because she knew that she and Julia would never be able to make a dent in that many cookies. They'd enjoy having the snack while they were working, though.
She hurried to clean up the mess she'd made and fixed lunch for the men, glad they were there to eat the extras. The loaves of bread she'd baked were laid out prettily on the counter.
"Any reason for me to stay around while your friend visits?" Jesse asked, eyeing her carefully. He knew there probably wasn't, but he wanted
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