Love's Abiding Joy (Love Comes Softly #4)(51)

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Chapter Twenty-three




Callers



The next morning at the breakfast table, Nathan was busy shoving in Wong's muffins and making plans for himself and his grandfather for the day.

"An' we can ride over to the big hill an' look right over the range to where all the hands will be drivin' the cattle. We can see 'em start off on the trail drive to the town market. An'--"

"Whoa, cowboy," said Clark. "Thet shore sounds like a lot of fun all right, but I'm afraid thet I can't be runnin' off today. Fact is, I was thinkin' of askin' fer yer help today."

Nathan looked at his grandfather with surprise but quickly shifted his plans. "Sure, Grandpa. I'll help ya."

Josiah cut in. "Me help G'an'pa."

"You're too little," Nathan broke in, but Clark was quick to reassure the younger boy. "Shore ya can help. We gonna need all the hands thet we can git."

Josiah beamed at being included.

"What're you up to?" asked Missie, her curiosity overcoming her.



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"Yer ma and me decided to move today."

"Move?"

"Yep."

"Stop your joshin'," said Missie.

"Not joshin'. Never been more serious."

"Then what do you mean, 'move'?"

"Well, we decided thet it might be kinda fun to spend a winter in the soddy."

"You are joshin'!" Missie could not believe that Clark was serious.

"No, I'm not."

"Why would you ever do that?"

"Why not? The soddy is snug and warm and big enough fer the two of us. It would be an adventure to talk about when we git back home."

"Oh, Pa," said Missie in exasperation. "Don't talk about anything so silly."

"Little girl," said Clark firmly, "It's not silly and I really am serious 'bout this."

Missie turned to Marty. "Tell me he's only teasin'." "No," said Marty matter-of-factly. "He's not. We talked it all over last night. We decided thet it would be better fer all of us if we lived separate fer the winter."

Missie arose from her chair, her face white and set.

"I don't understand one word of what you're sayin'," she said. "Iffen you're serious, I'd like to know why. Haven't we been carin' for you--?"

Clark interrupted her. "My dear," he said gently, "ya shore as the world have been doin' everythin' fer me--an fer yer ma. An' we 'preciate it--more'n we ever could say. But now thet I'm gittin' about an' am able to sorta care fer myself some, well, yer ma an' me think thet it's 'bout time thet yer family had ya back ag'in--all to themselves."

Willie's eyes widened, then he lowered his gaze. Marty knew that he would say nothing, but she also knew that he had realized they understood well the situation in his home.

"That's silly," fumed Missie. "My family has had me all along. Never have I been more'n a few feet away from any of



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them. Why, they always knew right where to find me. We've loved havin' you here. After all, it was because you came to see us that you lost that leg."

Clark interrupted. "Missie, I don't want to ever hear ya say thet I lost my leg because I came here. It coulda happened at home jest as well as here. The place has nothin' to do with it, an' I never want ya to feel any kind of guilt thet the accident happened because I was here."

Missie lowered her eyes and brushed aside Clark's comment. "Well," she said, "I won't feel guilt--I promise--but I still don't understand your wantin' to move on out. We love to have you here. Before we know it, the winter will be over an' you'll be off home again. We want you here as much as possible. Tell 'em, Willie," she implored her husband. But Willie merely continued eating his scrambled eggs and muffins.

"Tell 'em, Willie," Missie said again.

Willie swallowed and looked from one to the other. It was apparent that he did not wish to be involved in the discussion. Clark spoke up before Willie was obliged to answer for himself.

"We know thet our son-in-law would never suggest thet we leave his home an' his table. We really want to do it, Missie, not because we are not welcome here, but because we feel thet it would be good fer all of us. We'll be right nearby and can come in fer coffee whenever we need a stroll. Yer ma will be over often to borrow cups of sugar and talk 'girl talk.' The boys can come an' visit us in the soddy." Clark winked. "It could be jest a heap of fun. Marty an' I have never lived all by ourselves, ya know."

"An' nothin' that I can say will make you change your mind?" Missie said, in one last effort at persuasion.

" 'Fraid not. Iffen the winter gits too tough an' we begin to get cold, we might come crawlin' back a-beggin' to be 'llowed in," said Clark, in an effort to keep things light.

"I'll let ya in, Grandpa," assured Nathan, and everyone began to laugh.

"I'll let ya in, G'an'pa," echoed Josiah, not wanting to be outdone.