Second-Chance Bride (Dakota Brides Book 3)(18)

“Did she sleep with you?” Kit asked.

Ward looked so shocked at the idea that Freyda laughed.

“I’m going to guess that she didn’t.”

“What happened to her?” Milo persisted.

Ward’s expression hardened. “Cats don’t live forever.”

Milo sank back. “She died.”

Tears filled Kit’s eyes. Then he sat up. “Papa, can we have a cat?”

Ward glanced at Freyda, accusation in his eyes. “You would be hurt when your cat died.”

“Please, Papa,” Kit begged. “Sometimes I gets so lonely.”

Freyda’s lips twitched at this little bit of drama.

“I don’t know of any cats being given away.” Ward seemed glad of the fact.

“But if we find someone, can we have a cat?” Milo added his plea to Kit’s.

“We’ll see.”

Milo and Kit both slouched forward.

“That means no,” Kit whispered to Freyda.

She couldn’t help herself. She laughed.

Ward looked startled. Then confused. It made her laugh harder. When she could speak she tried to answer the silent question on three faces. “It’s fun to see how much you are like my own family.”

Milo studied her a moment. “You didn’t have pets?” He’d taken her words to mean something different, but that was okay.

“We always had dogs and cats. Some were pets. Some were wild.”

“A wild cat?” Milo looked intrigued.

“Like mine.” Kit said.

Freyda wasn’t sure what he meant and looked to Ward for an explanation.

“The piece of wood on his windowsill.”

“Of course. Sort of like that.” She tried to bring her gaze back to Kit but it was caught by the amusement in Ward’s eyes.

“I’m done,” Milo said. “Can I go outside?”

Ward blinked. “Don’t get dirty or you’ll have to have a bath.”

The boys slipped away leaving Freyda alone with their father. She told herself she had no reason to be uncomfortable. After all, they’d eaten many meals together in the past week. And she’d followed him to the field and the barn.

But something had changed since he’d stood behind her with his arms around her. Her mind said it meant nothing, but her heart would not listen.

Ward pushed aside his plate and drained his coffee cup. “Do you mind staying while I run to the creek and clean up?”

“Not at all.” She hurried to the stove and shook the kettle although she already knew it was full of water, hot and ready to wash dishes.

He went into his room and reappeared in a few minutes with towel and clean clothes.

She kept her gaze on the dishpan full of dishes until he closed the door behind him.

The boys came in. “Do you know anyone with cats to give away?”

“I don’t know anyone around here but you and your papa. My brother lives on the other side of Grassy Plains.” She hoped her answer would satisfy them but Milo persisted.

“He might know someone.”

“Maybe.” She put away the last of the clean dishes.

“Could you ask him?”

She sat beside Milo. “I couldn’t ask him unless your papa gives permission.”

Milo studied her, his dark eyes so reminiscent of Ward’s. “Why not?”

“Because he is your papa.”

Milo hung his head and let out a deep sigh.

Merry whistling drew the attention of all three toward the sound. It came from the direction of the creek. Ward? Freyda had never heard his whistle before.

“It’s Papa.” Milo dashed for the door with Kit hard on his heels.

Freyda followed more slowly and stopped at the window to watch the two boys fling themselves at Ward. He dropped the towel and items of clothing he held and swept them both into his arms.

His laughter carried across the yard. He had been in this jolly mood all day. She was at a loss to understand it.

He reached the house and saw her at the window. “May I see you home?”

His words were so formal that she felt she was being courted. Her throat tightened until the only way she could answer was to nod.

He waited at the door for her to join them and they fell into step on the path toward her house. The boys ran ahead. Twice she caught the word cat in their conversation.

“Tomorrow is Sunday,” Ward said.

Freyda laughed. “Yes, it is.”

“I will take the boys to church. Would you care to come with us?”

Again, it sounded like the invitation of a man to a woman, not neighbor to neighbor.

“No point in you bothering to hitch a horse to your wagon.”

So much for her thought. She laughed softly. “Besides, it would likely take me until Monday to do so.”

“You’re learning fast. You’ll soon be really good at it.”

“Thank you. Yes, I’d like it if I could ride to church with you.” She hadn’t gone since she moved to the farm because she couldn’t face dealing with the horses. But Ward’s praise renewed her determination. “I am going to learn how to make the horses work for me. I am going to learn to do my own farming. I am going to—” She wasn’t sure what she meant to prove. That she could take care of herself? That she would do something to make people see she wasn’t just a little sister, or someone to tend the children? The truth was, she enjoyed tending children, Ward’s especially.