their own accord. He uncurled them and planted his hands on his knees, deceptively calm while inside raged a storm a thousand times more fierce than the one he had endured only yesterday at Flora’s side. The thought of losing Meggie about tore his heart out. And who was this stranger that she thought she had a say in it?
“I think we better start at the beginning. I’m Burke Edwards, Lena’s brother and now Meggie’s guardian. This is my home.” He waved a hand to encompass the room where they sat, suddenly aware of the inadequacies of his home. The leather straps he’d been soaping tossed in the corner, the clutter of pots hung on the wall because the cupboard he’d started to build sat in the back of the barn, unfinished. The rest of the house offered even less. The front room only a thought in his head, the bedrooms, intended for a family, used mostly for storage except for the one Paquette occupied.
To her credit the woman before him revealed little shock as she glanced about. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Jenny Archibald.” She held out a very tiny hand clad in soft kid leather.
He spared her a closer look. She wore what he expected was a fashionably appropriate but totally impractical bonnet. Her traveling outfit was of fine gray broadcloth although it now showed signs of her trip. She was every inch a city girl though her eyes blared with challenge.
“How did you know Lena?”
“We became friends when they moved to Center City, Ohio.”
“Ahh.”
“Lena and Mark were very specific in their instructions regarding their daughter.”
Did he detect a hint of defiance in her voice? And the sheen of tears in her eyes. No doubt she found this whole ordeal most taxing. Well, he could relieve her of her problems immediately. “No need for you to concern yourself further about my niece. I will assume responsibility for her here and now. You can return with Mr. Zach.” He indicated the man she’d hired from the livery barn who watched the proceedings with avid curiosity. By the time he was back in town in fifteen minutes, everyone would know Burke’s current situation. He drew in a breath that had to struggle past an angry tightness. Adding this to the speculation about Flora and Burke would provide enough fodder for many a delicious evening of head shaking and tsking.
Jenny drew herself tall and gave him a look fit to brand his forehead. “And how, may I ask, do you intend to care for a two-year-old child?”
“I’ll manage.”
Paquette mumbled something in French or perhaps Cree in the background.
“It isn’t like I’m here alone.”
Jenny’s eyes flickered in disbelief and if he wasn’t mistaken, amusement was the reason her eyes crinkled at the corners. “I suppose you intend to put her on a horse and teach her to hold the reins as you chase cows.”
It was so close to what he figured he’d do that he lowered his eyes lest she see his acknowledgement. Meggie had the same golden brown hair and light brown eyes Lena had. “She’s very much like her mother.” The way his voice had grown soft revealed far too much of what he felt—loss and pain that twisted through him with the cruelty of an internal auger.
“She is.” Jenny’s voice softened too and trembled slightly. She cleared her throat. “I realize she’s your niece. I’m sure you feel a sense of responsibility toward her, but be honest. You can’t possibly hope to provide her with a proper home.” She pushed to her feet, ignoring Meggie’s wails. Perching the child on one hip she turned to Paquette. “Thank you for tea.”
“Baby need food. Need loving. Need sleep, her.” The two women considered each other silently, some unspoken message passing between them.
Burke watched, wondering about the way Paquette’s eyes flashed from Meggie to him.
Jenny turned to Mr. Zach. “May I ride back to Buffalo Hollow with you?”
Zach scrambled from the table. “Certainly, ma’am.”
Jenny took two steps toward the door, Meggie clutched to her side, before Burke realized what she had in mind.
He bolted to his feet. “Now hold on just one minute. I am this child’s uncle and as her last living relative, I am most certainly her guardian. You can ride back to Buffalo Hollow with Zach and catch the next train back home but you are not taking Meggie with you.” He reached for the little girl.
Meggie’s eyes grew wide. Her mouth opened in a perfect O. She clung to Jenny’s neck. For a moment, Burke struggled to extract the child from Jenny’s arms. Jenny would not release her and Meggie fought him.
“Let her go,” Burke ordered.
A fierce, angry look crossed Jenny’s face and then it fled. She nodded and released her grasp.
Meggie screeched fit to stampede every cow within a hundred miles. She threw her head back, arched her little body and turned into a writhing bundle of resistance.
Burke almost dropped her in surprise. His ears hurt from the noise. But he had to prove he could handle this. “Meggie, I’m your Uncle Burke.” He had to shout and even then he doubted Meggie heard a thing. She was every bit as hard to hold as an eight hundred pound steer as she reached for Jenny. Burke backed up so she couldn’t touch the woman. But Meggie refused to come with him and hung suspended between the two.
Jenny watched, silently challenging him to admit defeat.
He would not. He turned his back on her and held the child so they were face to face. “Meggie, look at me.”
But Meggie tossed her head side to side, still screaming, tears washing her face. He sat her on the table hoping that would calm her. It didn’t and he struggled to keep her from throwing herself flat-out.
Paquette shuffled over. “Boss man not know babies. Boss man need help, no?”
Obviously he did. He nodded toward Paquette indicating she could help him.
She shook her head. “Paquette not strong no more. Paquette not look after baby.” She waved toward Jenny. “Give baby to lady.”
“No!” He shouted the word. Startled, Meggie gulped back a sob and stared at him, her eyes wide and filled with fear. It burned clear through that she should be afraid of him. But it was only because they were strangers. “I’ve lost everything, everyone. Meggie is all I have left.” Seems God was prepared to allow him this much and he wasn’t about to let it go.
At the sound of her name, Meggie again shrieked.
Paquette shook her head. “Boss man biting off big chunk of tough meat.” She retreated to the stove.
Surely Meggie would soon run out of steam. But she showed no sign of relenting.
He flung a look over his shoulder.
Jenny and Zach stood at the doorway. Zach looked ready to fly away in a heartbeat. Jenny simply stood patiently, her arms crossed as if she knew he wouldn’t be able to handle the child and waited for him to admit it.
At that moment he knew nothing in the world would induce him to let this child go. “She isn’t going to settle so long as you’re there. Please leave. Go back to town with Zach.”
Meggie’s wails did not let him forget how powerless he was to deal with her.
“Mr. Zach, you can go,” Jenny said. “I’m not going to leave Meggie like this.”
The man nodded and strode away.
Jenny knew her eyes flashed defiance. It was an attitude she’d tried hard to quell but Burke’s behavior undid all her carefully fought gains. How dare he tell her to leave? As if she were to blame for the fact Meggie was crying. As well she should. She’d never seen this man before and he had rudely wrenched her from Jenny’s grasp.
Being her uncle gave him no right.
As she boldly, defiantly met his startled look, she realized what she’d done. This