Second-Chance Bride (Dakota Brides Book 3)(22)

She shook her head. “Only if you want to see me as a helpless little girl.”

He laughed loudly. “I don’t think that will happen.” He tucked a bit of pleasure into his heart at the way her cheeks grew pink. “Tell me about your family.” He tipped his head forward to indicate he meant those he would be visiting.

“Anker is my brother. He married Lena this a few months ago.”

“But Charlie…” The boy had to be two years old or better.

“Charlie is Lena’s son. Her husband died two years ago, I believe it was. He was part Indian, as you might guess from looking at Charlie.”

That answered the question in Ward’s mind.

“Nels is getting his house built and the plowing done and then he’s going to send for his intended.”

“Sounds almost like you and Baruk.” Had visiting Baruk’s grave saddened her?

“Except I wanted to come. Inga said she wouldn’t come until she had a proper house.”

The wagon ahead of them turned to a laneway leading to a log structure that rose like a small mountain. “Where did he get the logs in the Dakota Territory for such a house?”

Humor rounded Freyda’s words as she answered. “He had them cut and delivered. Said he wanted a house to stand the test of time.”

Milo and Kit looked over the side of the wagon. “Papa, is that where we’re going?”

“It’s where Mrs. Haevre’s brother and family live.”

They followed the other wagon to the house. The boys scrambled from the back. Charlie stood by his mama, looking at the visitors.

Lena spoke to him. “Let’s show Milo and Kit your toys.” She led the visitors inside where Charlie took the boys to a basket of carved animals.

Freyda went with Lena into the kitchen and Nels and Anker sat on either side of Ward. They studied him openly, perhaps a bit challengingly.

“How do you know my sister?” Anker asked.

“As she said, we are near neighbors. I helped Baruk when he fell ill, and took care of his horses after he passed. It’s how we met.” He left it at that, wondering if Freyda’s brother and cousin would object to the arrangement he had with Freyda.

“You are a widower, ja?” Nels asked.

“My wife died a year and a half ago.”

The men shook their heads and looked sad. “Must be hard to manage two young ones and do your farming.”

“I’ve had help off and on.”

“Best if you remarry,” Anker said. “Marriage is the best thing that ever happened to me. And I got a son at the same time.” His gaze rested with fondness on Charlie.

“Dinner is ready,” Lena called from the kitchen, and the men and boys joined the ladies. They crowded around the table, Milo on one side of Ward. Kit on the other with Freyda beside him. After Anker asked the blessing and the plates were filled, Anker turned to Freyda.

“You have come to your senses about farming?”

She sucked in air. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Of course you do. I believe you’ve had time to discover trying to farm on your own is a foolish idea. It is not a job for a woman. You need a man. A husband.”

Lena and Freyda both bristled. Lena reached over and put her hand over her husband’s. “I am of the opinion that a woman can do much the same work as a man, though perhaps the same cannot be said about a man doing a woman’s work. God has made us all unique with unique capabilities…whether man or woman.”

Anker turned his hand and squeezed his wife’s. He gave her a gentle look before he turned back to Freyda. “It isn’t like you’ve had any experience farming. Why, I don’t recall you ever tending the horses or the cows.”

Freyda stabbed a piece of meat. “Did it ever cross your mind that I was not allowed to?”

Anker blinked then shook off the question. “So how are you managing Baruk’s horses?”

“My horses.” She spoke quietly.

Ward wished he could tell if she was disheartened by her brother’s questions or quietly settling into stubbornness. He suspected the latter.

“I am learning how to harness them.”

“Papa is teaching her,” Milo said. “He says she’s doing really good.”

Anker’s gaze jerked to Ward’s, full of disbelief and challenge. Ward met the look without blinking.

“You are spending time with my sister?”

“I’m teaching her a few skills that you might have taught her if you wanted her to succeed.”

“If I wanted—” Anker sat back and stared at Ward. “I don’t want to see her fail and be hurt. It’s too big a job for her.”

“Could be she’ll prove you wrong.” Ward returned to eating as if disinterested in the conversation.

Lena laughed. “Mr. Rollins, I believe you’ve championed Freyda very well and I applaud you. Now let’s eat the rest of the meal in peace.” She sent Anker a look of warning and he shrugged.

“Peace you shall have.”

Ward glanced at Freyda. She concentrated on stabbing peas until she had five on her fork. She lifted it and paused to look at Anker, her eyes blaring determination. “Did you not hear the preacher this morning? ‘No man putting his hand to the plough and turning back—’?”