Second-Chance Bride (Dakota Brides Book 3)(35)

“It’s my fault. I should have been watching him more carefully.”

Ward looked at her. “I’m not blaming you. I know you take care of them as if they were your own.”

Freyda nodded. She wished they were. “Thank you.” She turned back to studying the yard. Where should they look? A movement at the side of one of the smaller buildings, the one farthest from the house, caught her eye. “Ward, look.”

He looked the direction she pointed. “Kit.” He ran toward his son but a few feet away drew to a halt.

Freyda followed and she, too, stopped abruptly, wrinkling her nose at a faint unpleasant odor.

“I gots my own kitty,” Kit announced proudly.

As he came closer, they backed away.

“Son, that isn’t a kitten. It’s a skunk. How did you manage to pick it up without getting sprayed? Or bitten?”

The distinct smell of skunk permeated the air. Freyda knew it could get much worse at any minute.

Kit’s arms tightened around the furry creature. “He’s mine.”

She half reached for the skunk, but stopped as Kit held tight. “Don’t squeeze him so hard,” Freyda said. “You might hurt him.” Worse, make him spray. When did baby skunks learn to shoot off that dreadful smell? It wasn’t something she’d ever before had a need to know.

“Kit, put that animal down.” Ward’s voice was firm.

Kit shook his head. “My kitty.”

Ward looked at Freyda, silently asking for help.

She nodded. “Kit, you know that’s a baby skunk.”

“My kitty.” The animal squirmed.

“Don’t squeeze it. Kit, it’s not a kitty. It’s a wild creature. Skunks stink. You won’t like it.”

“I like it lots.”

“Believe me, there will come a time you won’t.” But she knew the child wasn’t about to be argued or reasoned out of his pet. They had to try a different approach. “Maybe your papa will let you get one of Anker’s kittens for yourself.” She glanced at Ward and he nodded. “Wouldn’t you like that? Was there one you liked really well? I think your father will take you over to choose one.” She hoped Anker hadn’t given them all away by now.

Kit looked at the skunk. After a moment he nodded and put him down. The skunk put up his bushy tail and stamped his feet. “He was hard to catch.”

Ward grabbed Kit and the three of them backed away. The skunk waited until they had retreated to the barn before it scurried off.

Ward leaned over Kit. “Let me see your hands.” He checked fingers and arms for signs of a bite. When he didn’t find any, he released a noisy breath. “That was too close for comfort.”

“Papa, when we going to get my kitty?” Kit’s expression was eager.

“It will have to wait until Sunday. I can’t afford to take time off from planting.”

“How many days is that?”

“Five sleeps,” Freyda said.

“Five? That’s too long.” Kit’s shoulders sank and, head down, he shuffled away.

Freyda watched him go and then the humor the situation hit her and she started to laugh. She stopped long enough to say to Ward, “I can just picture a pet skunk sitting on the doorstep.”

Ward grinned. “That would be quite a sight.” His grin widened and grew into a chuckle. The chuckle expanded until laughter rolled from him.

Freyda couldn’t stop laughing. Tears streamed down her face.

Ward clutched her arm. She grabbed his and laughing, they clung to each other.

He sobered. His eyes darkened as he watched her.

Her laughter ended and she met his gaze, drawn into the pleasure of a shared moment. Something fragile as a newly spun cobweb, as strong as tempered steel went from her heart to his. She could not tear her gaze away. Just as she knew that connection could not be broken. Even if they never saw each other again, this moment, this feeling, this wanting would remain.

He brushed his fingers along her cheek. “I better get at the seeding if I hope to finish.” And with that he strode away. Before he reached the horses, he began to whistle.

She turned to Milo. “I’d like you to apologize to Kit for calling him stupid. You hurt his feelings.”

Milo’s mouth drew back in a stubborn frown.

She waited, wanting the boy to mean his words, not just say them.

He sighed and turned to his little brother. “I’m sorry. You aren’t stupid. Wanna go play?”

Hand in hand, the pair ran off.

Smiling, she returned to the house and the rest of her work.

Suppertime drew near. She shaded her eyes against the sun as she looked to where Ward worked. From what she could see, he still had a bit to go. She brought the boys in and fed them, setting aside food for Ward. And hoping for a time to visit him, she put aside enough for herself as well.

The sun made its way to the western horizon, filling the sky with banners of pink and gold. Freyda stood on the step to enjoy it though her glance went more often to Ward than to the sky.

Kit and Milo argued about the kitten and Kit cried. “Let’s get you two ready for bed.”

“We wait for Papa,” Milo said.

“Yes of course. Get washed up and into your nightshirts. I’ll tell you a story. Papa can put you to bed when he gets home.”