Second-Chance Bride (Dakota Brides Book 3)(27)

He did not want the day to end. “I am going to check on the cows. Who would like to come with me?” He had planned to ride horseback to do it but the walk with company would be pleasant too.

Two little boys bounced on their chairs. “I would. I would.”

He shifted his gaze to Freyda. “You?”

“You’re inviting me?”

He suspected his grin was the widest it had ever been as he turned to the boys. “What do you think? Should we ask Mrs. Haevre to come with us?”

“Yes, yes,” they chorused.

He looked at Freyda. “Make that three yeses.”

Her eyes flashed and she smiled. “I’d love that. How long will it take? Could we turn the trip into a picnic?”

He couldn’t think of anything he’d like better than to sit on a hillside with Freyda and the boys and watch his cows grazing contentedly. “Sounds like a fine idea.”

“Good thing I brought lots of cookies.” She went to the cupboard. “I’ll make sandwiches,” she called over her shoulder.

“I’ll get the cart.” It would make it easier to carry the picnic and the boys would enjoy pushing it across the prairie.

He got the push cart from the barn. Put in three woolen blankets. He filled a jar with water and added it to the cart. Freyda brought out the lunch and put it on top.

Milo stared at the cart. “Papa, I remember you giving me a ride in this.” Before Ward could answer, the boys ran ahead toward the pasture.

Ward grabbed the handles and, with Freyda at his side, followed the boys. “I’m surprised Milo remembers. I took him with me a number of times when Dorothy wasn’t feeling well and after Kit was born when she didn’t feel up to caring for a baby and a little boy.” He chuckled. “He would let the bouncing make his voice bounce.”

Freyda laughed. “I remember doing the same thing when Anker pulled me on a sleigh.”

“I took both boys a few times once Kit got a little bigger.”

“It sounds like a special time. Why did you stop?”

Ward had to think. “I can’t say except the girl who came to look after Dorothy when she was ill enjoyed playing with the boys. She stayed on after Dorothy died. I forgot about her when I counted how many had helped with the boys. She wasn’t much of a housekeeper and could barely cook, but she was good with the boys.”

“What happened to her?”

“Her father came and got her. Said I would have to find someone else. I think he feared I would take advantage of her. It never crossed my mind. She was only thirteen years old.”

They walked on without speaking. Ahead of them, the boys chased each other back and forth across the narrow trail.

Milo trotted back to join Ward and Freyda, Kit following him.

“Papa,” Milo said. “Can I push the cart?”

“Me too.” Kit looked from Milo to Ward. The way his forehead wrinkled, Ward wondered if he thought Milo would object and push the younger boy aside.

“Why don’t you take turns or work together? The cart is heavy.” And hard to push.

“I can do it,” Milo said.

Ward stepped aside and let his son push. They went about six feet before Milo turned to Kit. “You can help if you want to.”

The pair grunted as they encountered a lump and then grinned as the cart rolled easily for a few feet.

Freyda and Ward let them go ahead.

Ward was in no hurry. As far as he was concerned, the afternoon could last forever. The sun was warm. The ground damp and fragrant after the rain. Wild flowers dotted the landscape and Freyda walked at his side. The back of their hands brushed as their arms swung. It provided the perfect excuse to hold her hand and he did.

She looked at him, a smile on her lips and in her eyes. Then she lowered her eyelids and looked away. “It’s a beautiful day.”

“It is indeed. I’m glad of the opportunity to check on my cows. I’ve been so busy with farm work I haven’t had time.”

The boys struggled to push the car up a rise and Ward reached around them to grab the handles and push.

“Let me help.” Freyda took one handle and he took the other. The boys were between them and the four of them leaned into the task. Ward glanced at Freyda to see if she enjoyed this as much as he did. The warmth in her gaze convinced him she did and he grinned at her.

They reached the top and stopped to look around. The ground sloped away toward the creek. Trees crowded toward the banks. His cows grazed contentedly on the green grass.

“I want to count them.” He jabbed his finger in the air toward each cow and silently counted them. “Forty cows and twenty calves,” he said. “There should be fifty cows. Maybe they are in the trees.”

Freyda was at his side. “Do you want to go down there?”

He considered her question. “Going down will be easy but getting up with be hard. We better just stay here.” He took a blanket from the cart and spread in on the hillside. “Let’s enjoy the view.”

She sat beside him. The boys raced back and forth behind them.

“There’s four cows coming from the trees now.” He studied them. They were mud up to their knees. That seemed odd. The banks of the creek were grassy. The bottom rocky and sandy. They must have found a mud puddle to tramp through.